Success is Grown in The Little Things

by Jodi

On February 1st, my husband Curt and I participated in the Roaring Run in Scio, Oregon. He ran the 10k. I gave full effort for the slowest half marathon I've run in over eight years. BLECH.

Trying to pretend we were excited to go run in the rain and the wind.

Such a small event that my finish time got me second place age group and fourth overall woman. 

Dr. Stilp makes everything better.  I love him.

When I tore my meniscus in August of last year, I was over four years into my run streak.  Each of those four years, I ran an average of 2,000 miles a year or about 5.5 miles a day.  I had a broad base of mileage and speed to pull from, and I loved being strong and fast.

My exercise rhythm post-surgery has been challenging.  I can't quite seem to find a healthy balance between running, rest, and implementing other forms of exercise like yoga and walking. 

I tried an exercise streak, but only made it 73 days before I accidentally missed a day.  I was irritated, so I took two more days off just because I could. You'd think I would come off those days feeling rested and relaxed, but I just felt bloated and grouchy. 

I put the Roaring Run half marathon on my calendar hoping it would motivate me to get back in the swing of doing some hard workouts again.  I put track, tempo, and long run workouts on my calendar.  Each time they came up, I found a reason to cancel or modify the workout. I was woefully undertrained for this race and I knew it.

Race morning it was raining with 17 mph winds on an exposed course. Wind is my least favorite weather condition to race in.  Curt doesn't even like running.  He was just participating because it was something we could do together. We legitimately considered skipping the race and going back to bed.  Even worse, I was the one who suggested this.

In the car on the way to the race, I committed to stop whining about the 13.1 miles ahead of me and choose joy, be thankful, and give my best effort. 

The race was hard.  I knew it would be.

• It was a super small crowd of runners this year.  I chased a woman for the first six miles, but once I passed her, I was alone on the country roads.  It was super lonely and difficult to maintain a race mentality.
• This race was only my fifth double digit run in the last seven months.  YIKES.  My legs were tired at mile 9.  
• I had trained so little that I didn't have a realistic goal pace per mile.  I really had no idea what my body could do. I thought a 7:45 pace was attainable, and I maintained it for the first 6.82 miles.  Then I turned a corner and ran straight into that 17 mph headwind.  It obliterated me.  I kept the same effort and my pace dropped 20-30 seconds per mile.  It shows in my splits.
• The rain was persistent enough that I was soaked by the time I finished, but it could have been a lot worse.  I was thankful that the showers were scattered and not consistent.
• The water stations were limited and I was relying on them for water, so I was thirsty a lot. 
• Something in the air triggered my occasional shortness of breath so I worked hard for big chunks of the race to manage my breathing. 
• BLAH...BLAH...BLAH...

I was on the Struggle Bus.

Some days, running is just hard, even when you're well trained and prepared, which I was not.  I reminded myself of the goal I set in the car, and am very proud to say I followed through on managing my attitude, giving my best effort, and being grateful even when it was tempting to sit down on the side of the road and cry or call for a ride to the finish.   

I suspected that I had lost all my speed and a a large portion of my mileage base.  The Roaring Run race gave me a concrete number to solidify this theory.  I can work with that.

A few days after the race, I added a late spring half marathon to my calendar and downloaded a new training schedule.  The first long run was 9 miles and I lined up two friends to run some of it with me.  The morning of our run, one got sick and one got called into work. Immediately I texted, "I'll probably just skip it and do yoga instead."  For real.  This coming from the girl who didn't miss a day of running in four years.

I put down my phone and was immediately convicted.  I can't whine about being slow and out of shape if I'm not willing to put in the work to be fast and in shape.  I can't make a commitment to myself and then break my word to myself just because it's hard.  It's not right.  

It's not who I am.

I stopped what I was doing and headed out for ten lonely, but satisfying miles.  

Success is grown in the little things.  

View on my run.  It had a lot of climbing.

Those ten miles were the first of many little steps to a more successful half marathon later this spring.

What about you? Are you on the Struggle Bus, breaking promises to yourself or to others?  Do you want to join me in committing to keeping your word and growing success through the little decisions?  Let's go!

One Mile at a Time - Vernonia Half Marathon 2019

by Jodi

Seriously hate this photo of myself, but I love that I got a shiny new PR and so I am setting aside my pride and posting it anyway.  

Yesterday I ran the Vernonia half marathon.  Point to point, this FAST beautiful course features one mile of climbing, six miles of downhill, and six flat miles to the finish.  The entire course (minus the last mile through town) is run on a rails-to-trails trail system through a beautiful forest, including a suspension bridge over a canyon. It is SO PRETTY!

This course plays to my running strengths.  I'm a decent, but slow climber. In every race, I get passed on the uphill, but the downhill?  I can run downhill like nobody's business. Six miles of a gradual descent sounded like a perfect set up for a new half marathon PR.  I tentatively put the race on my calendar.

And then I got sick.  Three+ weeks of recovering from what probably was the flu, forced me to bail on an early winter half marathon and shelve Vernonia for a different year. But I couldn't quite let it go. My heart was pulling me toward this course and I needed to find my running mojo again.

Once I had full energy back, I started training for Vernonia but I was rusty. It has been so long since I've followed a training plan for a solo race. It's much easier to talk myself out of a hard track workout than it is to lace up the shoes and try to hit paces I wasn't in shape to hit, especially in the cold, wet winter months.  Adding an intense training schedule to our already chaotic family schedule felt overwhelming.  I had a choice.  Quit on the training or break it up into small, manageable chunks.

"Just do one week of training and see how it goes," I told myself.  So I did.  The long run felt LONG, the track workout asthma-inducing, and the tempo run was way off the prescribed pace, but I did it.   I finished week one... One mile at a time. Before I knew it, I had five solid weeks of training under my belt.  I still wasn't anywhere close to race pace, but I was getting faster and the long runs felt less painful.  I knew I could cover the distance capably, but could I race it?  More importantly, was this the right time to try?

My son is a senior in high school.  The week before the race, he:

1. Chose a university to attend.  
2. Said "No thank you" to the other universities that were waiting for an answer.
3. Finished and presented his senior project,  a requirement for high school graduation. 
4. Played three varsity lacrosse games. 
5. Took his girlfriend to their senior prom. 

And that's just his schedule.  All three of our girls also play spring sports and we are gone every single night of the week, chasing them around and cheering them on.  Why would I add to the chaos of the weekend by throwing in a race?

I vacillated back and forth between "I HAVE to run.  I'm ready," to "No way.  I need to be there for my family."  Just ask my friends who had to listen to me verbally process. The indecision was annoying. Four days before the race, when I was on an "I have to run this" upswing, I registered for the race.

On Saturday, in between my daughter taking her ACT college entrance exam and my oldest two kids getting ready for prom, I made monster cookies.  Ya'll know that's a requirement for a good race. My husband made me a loaded bowl for dinner, another pre-race tradition.  We were up after midnight waiting for our Lovelies to get home from prom, but this is my life. Chaotically unpredictable.

The morning of the race my friend Paula texted me. She's been one of my running mentors for years and her words centered me.

"One mile at a time.

You are putting a race in your log book, whatever it is.  

You go from here.

It takes courage.

You have lots of courage.

No matter your time, you are stepping to the line and you will finish and be proud.  

Stay in your zone. 

Finish strong. 

One mile at a time." 

(I have the best friends).

Paula's words came with me on that run. I celebrated every mile.  Kept my head up to soak in the beautiful view.  Picked faster runners ahead of me to focus on and chase down. Prayed.  Worshipped.  Thanked God for a strong body to see His incredible creation on the run.  I ran for the joy of running.  It was freeing and it was a beautiful.

I didn't tell anyone until after the race, but weeks ago I analyzed the course and put together a race plan to achieve a PR.  I knew exactly what I needed to run for EACH ONE of those thirteen MILES to cross the finish line faster than 1:35:01.  I just didn't believe I could actually run those paces.  But you guys...

Sometimes things just come together and an unexpectedly perfect race falls into your lap.  Mile 9 was the catalyst. I walked through the aid station to wash down my gel and when I picked back up at the same effort I had been going before, I was 25 seconds slower for that mile.  I had to decide if I would keep that same effort or kick it up a notch to stay at the pace I knew I needed to run to earn a PR.  The Lord just sustained me and I was able to increase my pace and effort.  One mile at a time.

Mile ten was right on target. One mile at a time.  It gave me the adrenaline boost to make sure miles eleven and twelve were in the zone too. One mile at a time.  When I came off the trail into town I knew I had a PR locked down.  I crossed the finish in 1:32:47 (7:04 average pace), with a shiny new PR by more than two minutes.  First place age division, fifth woman overall.  What just happened? One mile at a time.

My race by the splits

who knew I'd be so happy with a ribbon? LOL.

I've run long enough to know that the perfect races are few and far between.  Most races don't go as planned.  Runners have to learn to appreciate what goes well, grieve what goes wrong, and look to the next race to improve.  To have a perfect race fall in my lap, when I was relatively unprepared, was such an unexpected gift from God.  

Today, as I hobble around my house on The Sorest Legs Imaginable, I am grateful.  For my friends and Hood to Coast teammates who texted and called all afternoon to say "Congratulations. I was cheering for you."  They know my running well enough to know that this finish time was outside of my norm and they celebrated with me.  I'm a thankful for my husband who supports my run streak and managed the home front so I could chase down a dream.  And I am grateful to my Jesus, who knows my name and loves me so intimately and personally.  To Him be the glory.  

One mile at a time.  

This statement is profound.  It's not just for running either. This year?  It's been rough. So much death, sickness, and loss, not to mention the emotional roller coaster of my firstborn getting ready to launch and move a thousand miles away to college. Life can be overwhelming.  

But friends, let me remind you of something.  

Life takes courage.  

You have lots of courage. 

Every day you get up and toe the line of a new day?  That takes courage. One mile at a time.

Facing another wave of grief?  That takes courage. One mile at a time.

Learning a new skill?  That takes courage.  One mile at a time.

We don't walk through the valley of the shadow of death in one fell swoop.  We do it with courage, one mile at a time, one day at a time.  And we do it TOGETHER.

No matter how long it takes, you are stepping to the line of life.  

You will finish and be proud.  

Stay in your zone. 

Finish strong. 

One mile at a time."

All my love,

Jodi

Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon - August 2016

by Jodi

Hi Friends!  Remember me?  I used to write all the time, but Life is happening.  It's full and beautiful and chaotic, and priorities are shifting.  My "free" time has been delegated to marathon training and cheering my kids on in their own sporting adventures.  Writing has suffered.  I apologize cause I miss writing and I miss the interactions I have with you.  Since Sole Sisters serves as my running/race journal, I need to update it on three races.  Here's the first of what should be three installments.  (Don't hold your breath for quick installments two and three).

The race started at Stoller Vineyards and we watched the sun rise.  

Incredible setting for the start of a race.

August 2016 - Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon
Finish time: 1:37:49 - 7:28 pace. Tied for 1st place Master Female and Age Group Division with my training partner Dawn.

One of my photography clients is a runner and works for a local winery.  She invited me and my training partner Dawn to join the Elizabeth Chambers Cellar race team, so we did. This race gives prize money so it draws a fast crowd, which is fun. Our original plan was to train hard and see how fast we could run it.  But Life... It happens.  It's full and beautiful and chaotic and... we found ourselves really enjoying our summer and skipping the hard track and tempo workouts to be with Our People.

With our Elizabeth Chambers Cellar teammate Sunny

The Long Road to The Boston Marathon

By Tanya

Well, it's been quite a while since you've heard from me. My last post was almost a year ago when I fulfilled my dream of getting a BQ (Boston Marathon Qualifying time) at the Vernonia Marathon last April.

I felt really good about my race and some "signs" had pointed to me getting in this year such as seeing Shalane Flanagan on my first marathon training run as well as at an author talk for her new book Run Fast. Eat Slow. She autographed my book and wrote "Hope to see you in Boston." (So cool! I'm a total fan!) 

I qualified with a time three minutes and forty-five seconds faster than what I needed for my age group, but it still put me in the last qualifying lottery registration group.  I was left hanging as to whether I would actually get in or not because marathon officials have been reducing the qualifying times each year due to increasing interest in the race and the amount of people qualifying.

Hippie Chick 2016: Reflections from a Delicate Flower

by Carissa

I just love my running friends.  I bet I'm not alone in thinking mine are the best.  On Saturday I was able to line up with two of my fabulous buddies for the 2016 Hippie Chick half and quarter marathon.  Earlier in the week I was on a trail run with these same buddies Kelly and Leah when it came up that Kelly refers to me as a delicate flower.  It is a term that both makes me chuckle every time we use it and that I wholeheartedly embrace as an accurate description.  When Leah heard this name for the first time she asked how I had ended up with it.  Neither Kelly nor I remembered specifically but explained it had to do with me knowing my body has certain limitations.   "I actually think of Carissa as pretty tough," Leah contemplated.  However, my race on Saturday proved otherwise.  I am a flower, a delicate flower.

I shared in this post what a fabulous race I had last month.  I was undertrained and my expectations were low and yet everything fell into place at the Vernonia half marathon.  Since then I had leaned into training for two weeks before taking an entire week off running to hike through the beauty that is Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park.  It wasn't ideal to skip six days of training but my husband and I hiked 50 plus miles and I convinced myself that had to count for something.  When I got home I had a week to pick up where I had left off in my training and taper for the race.

Hiking in Bryce Canyon National Park

The problem was that when I got home my fatigue showed up.  Monday and Tuesday I was exhausted.  On Wednesday and for the rest of the week I felt better.  I was still tired but not like I had been for the two days prior.  This turn of events gave me some trepidation about Saturday's race but I was determined to show up and run what I could run.

How Fatigue Made Me a Smarter Runner

by Carissa


On Sunday I ran Vernonia Half Marathon, my first race of 2016.  I signed up for the race on Monday of race week. My intention was to use it as a training run for Hippie Chick Half Marathon in May.  I wanted to get some miles in for the weekend and be at the race to cheer on friends running the marathon including my sole sisters Jodi and Tanya.  My good friend Devon was running the half marathon too.  I knew from her the first half of the course would be downhill (fast but tough on the quads) then flat to the finish.

Going into the race I was only three weeks into increasing my mileage base for a half marathon.  Monday I ran my first double digit run since fall.  Feeling ambitious on Wednesday I did a track workout, my first since September.  This is clearly how NOT to train for a half marathon!  I was not ready to race on Sunday which means I showed up laid back with no expectations.  At worst, I would slog through 13.1 miles.  At best, I would run comfortable/hard treating it as a tune up race.

A couple of years ago I was really good at making 13.1 miles miserable.  I would go into a race with an ambitious time goal and run my legs to misery.  I started fast and hoped to hold on.  And guess what?  My second half was always slower than my first and always painful as the wheels fell off maintaining an overly ambitious pace.

That Day I Ran with Galen Rupp: Foot Traffic Holiday Half Marathon Recap

by Jodi

Finish line photo courtesy of Devon Johnson.  #nailedit

Yesterday I raced Foot Traffic's Holiday Half Marathon and set a new PR (personal record).  I'm still trying to come down off the high.  #sograteful

I race because I like to test my fitness level, but also because it's a great way to bond with my friends.  We carpool and share pre-race jitters, then celebrate together post-race.  It is SO fun. I registered for the race thinking a couple of friends would run with me, but life got in the way.  When I realized I'd be getting up early to drive to North Portland and navigate a large crowd of runners by myself on an already crammed weekend, I almost quit on the race.

Thankfully my friend Paula talked some sense into me. All it took was two or three encouraging text messages from her to help me regain my focus and following my train through to race day.  Encouragement is a powerful weapon. We should all use it more often.

Just Enjoy It: 2015 Pacific Crest Half Marathon Race Review

by Jodi

Eight years ago, I ran my first half marathon.  I had never run more than 6 consecutive miles in my life before but I am stupidly determined at times.  The satisfaction of crossing the finish line knowing I ran EVERY step carried me into an entirely new lifestyle.  I ran a marathon three months later and haven't stopped running since.

So good to be back!

On June 27th, I came back to Sunriver, Oregon, and ran the Pacific Crest half marathon course again. Three years had passed since we'd been back to the event and I was feeling sentimental. It's good to pause for a minute and reflect.  This race literally changed my life and I was thrilled to be back on the course.  I even got to volunteer at the T-shirt table before the race.

6:00 a.m. T-shirt Table Selfie

Normally I don't pay to run a race unless I've put in the time to train for it, but this race was different.   I have been running shorter, slower distances since the marathon in the middle of May with no speed work.  I knew the distance wouldn't be a problem, but covering it quickly at race pace would be tricky, since the course is at 4,200 feet elevation and the forecast called for temps in the high 90's. Given my current fitness level, I thought I could cover the distance somewhere in the 1:38 to 1:42 range, but I was really hoping to be sub 1:40.

What's My Number?

By Carissa

I ran the Helvetia Half Marathon earlier this month because I felt compelled to race again.  I knew my time would be a far cry from my personal best.  It wasn’t about time.  It was about accepting where I was in my fitness.  Giving myself a "number" or finishing time I might not want to see.

The last time I raced was the Bridge of the Goddess Half Marathon in September 2014.  The race felt horrible.  I knew I struggled with fatigue through my training so I felt uncertain going into race day.  Out on the course I stopped multiple times to walk because I felt dizzy.  I swore to not run another half marathon until I figured out what was going on with my health.  

Over the next several months I had doctors appointments, consulted other runners and medical professionals and waited out some bad fatigue.  In January I started taking daily iron supplements.  Over the next few months the fatigue got better.  By April I started to feel like a slower version of my former self: someone who could dream about tackling longer distances.  That’s when I started to get the itch to train.

Vancouver Lake Half Marathon - A New PR Thanks to Negative Splits

by Jodi

On January 25th I got to run the Vancouver Lake half marathon with not one, not two, but with FOUR of my friends.  How fun is that?  Dawn, Ruth, Natasha, and I all enjoyed carpooling to the race, meeting up with Hillary at the start, and sharing the race experience together both on the course and the ride home.

I had no expectations going into this race. Ruth forwarded the Vancouver Lake Half Marathon registration link to a crew of other Newberg runners in mid-November.  Her email promised a fun, fast, and flat race and warned that it sold out quickly.  Since it was cheap and close, I signed up the same day then promptly forgot about it.

I ran a lot in December.  138 miles to be exact, but most of these miles were slower miles with friends. In early January I remembered the Vancouver Lake half marathon and checked my Run Less Run Faster (RLRF) training plan to see what I was supposed to be running if I had been "officially" training for the race.  I did two long runs at the prescribed pace and distance, managed one tempo run, and completely avoided the track.  Based on my unfocused training, I thought I might be able to run around a 1:40 finish time.

Two days before the race, I drove to Cottage Grove and did an 8 mile trail run with Raina.  We called it "trail tapering," and I'm pretty sure it's not recommended in training plans two days before a race.

The day before the race I had a blonde moment and suggested to my husband that we take the family to the beach the next day since it was supposed to be foggy in Newberg.  He looked at me and asked, "Ummm... don't you  have a race?"  RIGHT!  Yes.  Yes I do.

Race morning dawned and my stomach was upset.  This is not uncommon for me on race mornings, but it persisted longer than usual and I approached the start feeling depleted and void of my normal race day energy.

Ruth, Dawn, Natasha, Hillary and I took the obligatory pre-race selfie at the start.

SELFIE!  Note the customized bibs.  Dawn was super pumped about having her name on a bib.

When the gun went off we fell into groups.  Hillary was ahead of us the entire time - racing herself to a new half marathon PR and a 9th place overall finish with a 1:33:16 finish time!  Since this race had quite a few out-and-back portions we got to see her gracefully and beautifully tearing up the course.  Hillary makes running look easy and beautiful.  I'm not sure if she even sweats.  You go Girl!

Look at her go.  Photo credits to Mike McKinney 

Dawn and I were the next group, with Ruth and Natasha a few minutes behind us.  Dawn is a much faster runner than I am, but she was in the same boat as I was.  She hadn't trained specifically for this race and had no idea what to expect from her body.  We agreed to start off slow and increase our pace around mile nine if we felt we could tolerate it.

The first mile felt long and slow - not a good indication.  I checked my watch three times before it beeped the first mile.  Dawn and I were eerily consistent with our pace. The miles clicked by: 7:33, 7:33, 7:34, and 7:30 for the first four miles.  When we passed Natasha and Ruth on the first out-and-back they told us we were in 22nd and 23rd place for the women.  It gave us something to think about as we ran toward the half-way point and another turnaround.

We were running through a beautiful area but couldn't see any of it because the fog was so thick.  I was keeping the pace, but couldn't find my running mojo.  The first six miles of this race felt like a long, hard training run. I told Dawn around mile three, "This is definitely not a PR kind of day for me.  I'll be lucky to break 1:40."
 
Dawn ignored me and increased our speed for miles five and six: 7:24, 7:27.  My first thought was, "I can't run this pace.  There's way too much race ahead and I'm not mentally in this.  I'm tired and this is hard.  I don't want to suffer."

But as soon as that thought ran through my brain a question followed.

"Why not?"

My legs weren't tired, just heavy.  My lungs were tolerating the pace well since there were no hills.  There was no physical reason why I couldn't run a faster pace.

Then the Holy Spirit gave me a little nudge with this reminder, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." (from Paul's letter to the church at Philippi)

I thought of my non-biological brother Jon who is in the process of kicking cancer's butt.  He's a runner, but isn't strong enough yet to start racing again.  But I can.

So I did.

Every couple of miles, Dawn increased our speed.  Each time we stepped it up a notch, I went through the same mental battle.  "I can't do this.  Why not?  Just run.  You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength.  Do it for Jon."  Then repeat.

Miles seven and eight were 7:11 and 7:10.  I had finally found my Zone.  I was ALL IN this race.

And then Dawn dropped the hammer.  Mile nine was a sub-seven.  When my watched beeped 6:59, I freaked out.  I NEVER run that fast, especially not with four miles left to run in a race.  So we slowed down.  By three seconds per mile.

I told Dawn to go ahead and leave me in the dust, but she lied promised she was happy with our pace.  Dawn stuck with me and we ran at the edge of my ability, as fast as I could without wheezing.

Mile ten and eleven clocked in at 7:02 and 7:04.  I happened to notice that our average pace per mile had dropped down to 7:18's and I told Dawn, "Oh my gosh.  I might PR.  The pace we're running will give me a PR if we hold it to the end."

With each mile we caught up to and passed more women.  We saw Ruth and Natasha at the last out-and-back and Natasha hollered, "Pick it up.  They're right in front of you." 

My body said, "NO WAY!" but my mind said, "Why not?"   So we did.

Mile 12 we slowed to a 7:14 but still managed to pick off the three women Natasha was referring to.

With one mile left in the race, Dawn's legs were tiring and my lungs were burning.  It was harder and harder to keep our pace.  We grunted to each other, "We've got this.  We can do it.  Almost there."

I thought about Jon.  About how my body was doing what my mind told it to do.  About the PR that was dangling in front of me.  About the fact that God was enabling me to run much faster than I thought possible.

It was a LONG mile, but we ran it at a 7:09 pace. This photo from the race photographer captures how we really felt at that point. We even managed to pick off the lady in orange before the finish.

.1 to go.  Photo credits to Mike McKinney

With the finish line in sight, we looked at each other and I said, "C'mon Dawn.  Let's do this."  Hillary cheered us in as we sprinted through the finish. Dawn's official time of 1:36:09 put her in 1st place for our age division and 13th overall.  My official finish time of 1:36:11 gave me a new personal record by thirteen seconds, 2nd in our age division, and 14th overall.  I'll take it.

Thanks Hillary for cheering us into the finish! 

Ruth and Natasha ran well too, finishing under 1:45.  When the final race results were in, all of us won a beer mug for placing in our age divisions.

Ruth, Natasha, Dawn, and me

So many things about this race were unexpected blessings.  Running the entire race with Dawn when neither of us planned to do that was cool.  Because the course was so odd, we got to pass and cheer for our friends three different times. Running another race with negative splits was oh-so satisfying. I was able to manage my breathing/wheezing during the race.  Post-race recovery was a bit sketchy for the first five minutes, but once I was breathing normally again I was fine.  I can still run and I view that as a giant gift from God.

Dawn and I have logged a lot of miles together in the past nine months.

I give Dawn all the credit for pacing us.  She has been running for years and is a wealth of knowledge. It was so fun to pound the pavement with her in a race setting and glean from her experience.

My race by the splits.  Taken from my exercise journal.

Vancouver Lake half marathon solidified in my mind that negative splits are the way to go EVERY.SINGLE.TIME!  I told myself I wouldn't run a spring marathon this year, but now that I have my Running Mojo back, I'm researching my options.  Oh runners...  We're a crazy breed.

What about you Sole Sisters.  Have you run negative splits?  Gone out too fast?  Do you think it made a difference in your finish time or the way you felt about the race?  We'd love to hear your stories.

Whidbey Island Half Marathon: Chasing Down My Goal

By Tanya

I finally ran my first half marathon in almost two years and it felt great! I signed up for the Whidbey half marathon in October 2013 with the hope that I would be able to run it in 2014. As you know, I started out my running career way too fast and furious. As a result I have been plagued with on-going injuries for which I had to take all of 2013 off to recover.

When the new year came around I committed to training differently. I started seeing a new Physical Therapist.  Per her advice I worked to change up my stride to a faster cadence and foot turnover rate. I also focused on using my upper core muscles by pulling up and tightening my "inner corset" while I ran. This type of running certainly added a new cardio challenge, but overall it lessened my pain. I also was advised that although my hamstrings may feel tight, they actually are not, so stretching them would only further my problems. Therefore I should stretch my hamstrings as little and as gently as possible.

I eased back into running slow and steady and made sure I could maintain the correct form and stride for the entire run. I also kept up with my cross-training routine of swimming, core exercises, and Zumba. This meant that I only gave myself two running days per week.

When Friendship Trumps the Watch

by Jodi

Saturday was race day for Devon, Carissa and me.  I, unlike Carissa and Devon, was in great health but still uncertain about how my race would play out.  With three smooth and fast training runs in a row I was due for a hard run soon.  Would I make it through race day unscathed?

Pre-race smiles

The weather was gorgeous with deep blue skies, bright sunshine and crisp cool temps.  It was a perfect day to race.  Ironically, none of us raced well. Every time I run a half marathon I have a renewed respect for the distance - it's a long way to run fast without the wheels falling off the bus.

Devon and I trying to intimidate the competition.  Too bad the girl behind us beat us.

There were several small factors that led to me feeling discombobulated when I was racing.

My Toolbox is Full; It's Time to Build

By Tanya

As you may remember my 2012 was filled with running injuries galore, the worst of which was a painful locking up of my back that would take days, sometimes weeks, to relieve.  In 2013 I decided to hang up my running shoes and fill up my toolbox. This meant taking a year off from my usual 10k race series as well as any other additional races I like to throw in and spend the year collecting tools to build strength and balance in the areas that seemed to be causing my problems. For me this meant spending two months with a personal trainer, ten months of cross training, and a year of learning to listen to my body.

In the beginning when I started working with the personal trainer I was not allowed to do much in the way of aerobic exercise.  To help me from packing on the pounds and to see if any thing I was eating was causing pain from inflammation, I decided to go on an elimination diet. I started by only eating fruits and veggies and then added in different types of foods one by one for a six weeks. Though my pain and inflammation did not go away, I did learn how much better my body feels when on a clean, whole foods diet.

During this time I also became better aware of how many of my activities of daily life created an unequal imbalance in my posture. This led to changes in how I sit, stand, sleep and bend.
When the time came for me to add in more exercise, I started swimming more and rekindled my forgotten love of dance through Zumba. Dancing really helped me to loosen up my back and after a couple of months I stopped having painful back lockups.

Run Less, Run Faster

by Jodi

Last year at this time I was in the early stages of marathon training, following  a plan that required running high mileage six days a week with no room for cross training.  My body wasn't ready for it and I fractured my foot ten weeks into training.

My post-injury running was middle distance focused on time with friends instead of pace.  This summer Carissa and I switched to triathlon training.  The diversity that swimming and cycling added were a welcome change mentally and physically to my exercise routine.

It has been nine months since I've challenged myself to run farther or faster.  While I was resting I read an interesting book called Run Less, Run Faster (RLRF) co-written by Bill Pierce, Scott Murr, and Ray Moss.  The basic premise of the training plan is quality over quantity.  The authors advocate running three specific, pace-based workouts per week.  Combine two cardio cross training days and you have their 3plus2 training program.

Year in Review

By Carissa

**Hello from your Sole Sisters.  It's been quiet here on the blog but not because we aren't having adventures in running and cross-training.  We have been busy with family and all the other wonderful things that vie for our time and attention.  Thank you for sticking with us.**

Did you have exercise goals for 2013?  

Do you remember what they were?  

Did you accomplish them?

At the beginning of 2013 I hoped to accomplish the following:

• Run Boston Marathon with a target goal of 3:20.
• Run a fall marathon and set another Personal Record (PR).
• Break 1:30 in the half marathon.
• Complete a summer triathlon.
• Most importantly... the purpose of my running is the joy of running fast, strong, and the pursuit of discovering my unique personal best within the time constraints of my top priority: my family.

What is Next

By Carissa

It’s been more than a month since my triathlon.  What have I been up to? Rest, a chest cold, one day of the flu and lots of on again/off again exercise.  After 19 weeks of training I was ready for a mental and physical break.  So I took a break.

During this month of light exercise a buzz started among my Sole Sisters.  Both Jodi and Tanya were considering Whidbey Island Marathon.  I wanted to be in.  I love doing races with my Sole Sisters.  I wanted to train for a spring marathon.  But as much as I wanted to be a yes, I intuitively said no.

Another thing I am not doing is going back to Boston for 2014.  After the bombings last year I was sure that’s exactly what I wanted to do but then I changed my mind.  Going to Boston is a big commitment of time and money.  It’s also a big emotional commitment.  When August/September rolled around and it was time to decide I realized that I didn’t want those commitments.

Queen of the High Road Race Recap

by Carissa

When we first learned of the race put on by our Wilsonville Sole Sisters, Tanya, Jodi and I knew it was an event we wanted to support.  Queen of the High Road is an annual half marathon held the weekend before Memorial Day in Wilsonville.  The event is open to runners and walkers and has two start times: 8am and 9am.

For weeks before the event women met on Saturday mornings in Wilsonville, Sherwood and Tigard.  They built up stamina and made friendships.  Though I didn’t attend a Saturday training run/walk, I could tell the race was a celebration of all of those weeks spent preparing.  This race was not about who crossed the finish line first.

Right about the time I was starting to wrap my head around getting ready to race a half marathon my running buddy encouraged me to throw my race ambitions aside.  Becky is a Queen of the High Road veteran and one of the women who headed up the Tigard training team.  She has a huge smile and a gift for encouraging others.  She told me the race would have no clock, no timing chip, and no bib.  What!?  I wasn’t used to this kind of a race!  I embraced the spirit of the day and committed to running with my friends Becky and Anne-Marie.

Sole Sister Stories from the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon in Portland - Part Two of Two

by Jodi with some help from Kathleen and Kristen

Yesterday we heard from Sky and Courtney.  Today Kathleen and Kristen share their stories with us.  I know you will be blessed.

Kathleen Joffer
Kathleen and I went on a missions trip to Haiti together.  It's amazing how quickly you bond when eight women share one flush toilet and a shower (when the water is working) for an entire week.  Kathleen had the bed across from mine and we giggled, served, worshipped, cried, prayed, and sweat profusely together for seven days.  Kathleen has a HUGE heart and serves quietly and consistently without anyone knowing she's working.  I started calling her my Getter Doner because that's what she does.  She gets things done.  Our friendship has grown sweeter over the past two years since we've been back from Haiti and I think the world of her.  Here's her story.

Kathleen and John on race morning

How six small words can change the way you run a race is beyond me but that is exactly what happened to me Sunday. Here's my 2013 Portland Rock and Roll half marathon story in a nutshell:    I barely beat my time from last year.  The difference was a mere 47 seconds, but I did it!

Sole Sister Stories from the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon in Portland - Part One of Two

by Jodi with help from Sky and Courtney

This weekend was the second annual running of the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon in Portland. Many of our friends and Sole Sisters participated in the event.  As we circled back post-race to get their stories, we knew we had to share them with you.  It's fascinating to hear from other runners why they run, what motivates them, and celebrate their victories with them.

Sky Stephens

I met Sky almost four years ago and was immediately drawn to her.  Our friendship was formed fast and cemented by walking through some life changing events together.  Sky is smart, funny, efficient, determined and resilient.  She is an amazing mom to her twin toddlers and is growing more and more into the image of Jesus every day.  Sky was born to run and is already impressively fast and smooth in her stride.  Here's her story.

Sky and her twins

After failures, exhaustion from twin toddlers, heart break, and single motherhood, a dear friend invited me on a run longer than I had conquered in about ten years. After we finished, I was so pumped up that I had gone the distance yet still filled with self doubt, fear, and a debilatating lack of faith. I concluded that if I wanted to not just "limp along" through life, but finish strong (live well, make a difference, and please the Lord) -  I had to stop letting life happen to me, and letting external influences toss me like waves in the sea (see James 1:6 about doubt).  I needed to be an active player in my own life. 

Keizer Iris Festival Half Marathon - Guest Post by Amy Bentz

intro by Jodi

This past weekend was full of races:  the Queen of the High Road Half in Wilsonville, the Keizer Iris Festival Half, and the Rock and Roll Half in Portland.  Many of our Sole Sisters ran in these events and came back with inspiring stories too good to not share.  We're going to run their stories over the next few days so you can be encouraged like we are.

Today's post is a guest post from Amy Bentz.  Amy and I have been friends since she was in junior high and I was in high school.  We reconnected a few years ago and I think she's incredible.  Amy is hard working, loving, and SO creative.  She can take anything and transform it into something beautiful.  Amy loves Jesus, her husband, and her kids.  Their family has been walking the road to adoption for almost two years.  We're all waiting with baited breath for their family to finally get their referral number and travel to Africa to meet their children waiting there.  You can learn more about their story and Amy's crafty creations at her blog:  Living a Radical Life.  I'm blessed to know her and call her friend.

Here's her story of her half marathon on Sunday and what made it special, aside from setting a new Personal Record!