Labor Day Half-Marathon Recap

This was one of the toughest races I've ever run, but also one of the most satisfying!

I wanted a sub-two-hour half-marathon so badly, and I dug deep to get it done at the last minute — literally.

Official time: 1:59:46 (PR)
Average pace: 9:09

MUST. FINISH. NOW.

The Labor Day Half took place in my hometown, Woodinville, and started and ended at my former place of employment, the Redhook Brewery! I had a good feeling about doing a race on my home turf.

The half-marathon didn't start until 9 a.m., so waking up and getting ready to go was a leisurely process. I really only began to get nervous for this race about 10 minutes before leaving my mom's house, and even then, it was excited energy that got me pumped up for the race. I ate an apple and a Larabar for breakfast, plus a banana on the way to the brewery.

I met up with my training buddy and good friend of 11 years, Carly, before the race, and we warmed up a little and goofed around with our parents.

"We're gonna win."

I broke one of the top rules of racing — never wear anything new on race day! — in two ways. I wore a new top and hat, both of which I'd purchased the day before in anticipation of hot race conditions. I'm happy to say that the both pieces were nice and light, kept me cool and didn't give me any trouble during the race. Woo-hoo!

As we lined up at the starting line, there were no pace signs or anything. The announcer just said, "Fast runners at the front, joggers behind them and walkers in the back!" Well, that's specific. 

"Just go anywhere. We don't care."

Carly and I positioned ourselves near the back of the "fast" pack and it worked out perfectly. We fell right into the flow of the race and didn't have to pass too many slower people or be passed by too many faster people.

iPhone pic courtesy of Carly's dad. Hi, Dave!

We felt great for the first three miles and hit a sub-9:00 pace with ease.

Our goal was to aim for 9:00 miles, but there's nothing wrong with creating a time deficit at the beginning of a race as long as you don't wear yourself out! I was starting to worry about having enough energy for the remaining 10 miles (which is a horrible way to think about it — 10 more miles!), and we agreed to slow down a little for mile 4.

The course was relatively flat and shady through this point, so we were just cruising and feeling confident!

And then came the hills during miles 6 through 9.

Yeah... no.

This hilly section was the part that I wanted to preview on my 11-miler last weekend, but I missed a turn and completely bypassed it. Oh, well. Maybe it's better that I didn't know what was in store.

The course headed over to the UW Bothell campus, where it took us up and down and up and down some icky hills. The first one was the steepest, and Carly and I powered up it, but had to walk briefly at the top. I must have blacked out for the rest. All I can remember thinking is, "Are we done with Bothell yet??"

The course wound around itself in strange ways, so I kept thinking we were done with Bothell and could head back to Woodinville, but then we would loop around another corner and go up another hill. Rude.

It was also hot by this point, and Carly and I kept up with our great water-station strategy that we used through the whole race: Walk through each station, grab a cup to drink and a cup to dump on our heads, down our shirts, etc.

We each took an energy gel at about mile 7.5, which you can see helped us power through mile 8 even though the hills slowed us down in the miles before and after.

I had my own chocolate Clif Shot tucked into my shorts, which is really the only flavor I like of any type of energy gel. I held onto it for a while and probably took a mile to eat the whole thing. I did not cramp up or experience any negative side effects from it, unlike my last half, when I got a horrible, frustrating side stitch after eating Shot Bloks. I call it a fueling victory!

Mile 10 marked the end of the Bothell section and the hills, thank God, but the route was almost completely shadeless from there on out. It was hot, we were tired from the hills and I could tell Carly was not feeling great. (I learned after the race that she started seeing spots... not good.)

I had a good amount of energy from my Clif Shot and wanted to keep a strong pace, but Carly fell behind more and more each time I looked back. I felt bad for leaving my friend, but we had agreed to run our own races if it came to that, and she waved me along. I had more race left in me and badly wanted to run it — I kept telling myself there was only a 5K left! — so that's what I did.

The last water station was around mile 11, and I needed it desperately. It gave me an excuse to walk briefly and cool down, since it was becoming harder and harder to run in the heat. My tired legs felt like they were moving faster than they actually were, and I kind of panicked each time I looked down at my watch because I realized my finish would be very close to two hours and that I needed to pick up my pace.

I needed a strategy to finish strong because, holy hell, I was not going to come this far only to miss my goal by a few seconds.

A woman ahead of me seemed like she was running strong, so I ran right up behind her and stayed on her for the last mile. I was probably no more than two feet behind her, and all I did was stare at her feet and try not to trip her. It was the only thing I could do to keep moving at a good pace, and it worked.

Near the end of mile 13, we hopped off the Sammamish River Trail and onto the road that leads to Redhook. I stayed on my pacer until we reached the entrance to the brewery, and then I fully sprinted the 0.1 (or 0.2, according to my watch) to the finish line.

Fun fact: 6:47 pace feels like death!

My watch said 1:59:50 as I crossed the finish line, and I later confirmed my official time of 1:59:46 at the official results station. Sub-two by the skin of my teeth!

My mom found me after I had my timing chip cut off and was all excited to congratulate me, but all I could say was, "Water! Water water water water water." Then I found a shady spot in the grass and collapsed. (She got me some water, and I apologized for my rudeness once I returned from the brink of death.)

Carly finished strong at 2:04:59, and we both felt a lot better after downing lots of water and hanging out in the shade. Although we didn't finish the race together like we'd hoped, we both did the best we could under some pretty intense circumstances!

I also ran into Aaron before and after the race, and he absolutely killed his first half in 1:39:35 (7:36 pace). Amazing!

Aaron (#610) eats half-marathons for breakfast.

I'm extremely proud of this race. I completed six weeks of training that included running, cycling, swimming and strength-training to achieve this sub-two-hour finish, and I ran the smartest race I could. My body never failed me, and the biggest challenge — the heat — was something I prepared for and didn't let stop me from reaching my goal.

Now I get to rest and relax... for about a day. And then there's my first triathlon this Saturday.

The next challenge awaits!

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Training for the Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas MARATHON!

This time last year, I would've laughed if you told me I'd run a marathon.

Actually, I would've also laughed if you told me I'd run a half-marathon, and I've already done that. In fact, here's a video I made about my Rock 'n' Roll Seattle experience:


My First Half Marathon: Rock 'n' Roll Seattle from Devon Mills on Vimeo.

(Here's a tidbit I forgot to include in the video: Thanks to help of family, friends, co-workers and blog-readers, I raised $2,200 for the American Cancer Society while training for the half-marathon! Woo-hoo!!!)

To be specific, this time last year, I hadn't even run my first 5K — that wasn't until September 26. I was strictly a treadmill runner, going one to three miles per workout with walking breaks. I was terrified for my first race.

After crossing the finish line, I was inspired.

I've crossed 10 finish lines total, and the one I'm working toward now will be the most difficult by far. The Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon on December 4 will be my first trip to Vegas, my longest run ever and an accomplishment I never thought I'd achieve (or even want to achieve) in my life.

Why put myself through hell for 26.2 miles? For a medal? For a bumper sticker on my car?

Nah. I'm going to do it because I once thought I couldn't. Because I think it's pretty badass. And, most of all, because once I conquer the distance, there will be one less thing in this world that I'm afraid of.

But first I have to respect the distance and put in the months of hard work it'll take to run it to the best of my ability. Here's where this plan comes in (click to make it larger):

This is my 19-week marathon training plan. Today marks the beginning of Week 2!

I love having a plan when it comes to tackling big goals, and this is exactly what I need to stay on top of my training. Life will inevitably creep in between the pretty lines of this Excel spreadsheet and interfere with the plan, so I'm going to be flexible and open to switching things around. But at least I can make sure I don't get too off track by checking in with this plan each day. I'm thrilled to have completed Week 1 and look forward to feeling so much stronger and more fit as the weeks pass by.

(My college roommate who remembers watching me lie in bed eating canned frosting while watching Oprah just went, "Huh?")

I based this training plan on Hal Higdon's Novice 1 plan. I switched the weekday runs around so I won't be running three days in a row (my legs can't take it), and I added two days of strength training as well. Since I've focused only on running up to this point, I have strong leg muscles but a weak upper body. I need overall strength to be the best runner I can be, so I'm hitting the free weights at my gym on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

I specified cross-training on Sundays to either be biking or yoga, but I might have to change that to biking or swimming... since I might sign up for a triathlon that's in September!

My excuses for not doing a triathlon so far have been that I don't really know how to swim (the correct techniques and all), and I don't have a road bike. Well...

...I'm quickly running out of excuses! This is my lovely new bike, which I bought this weekend to replace my seriously outgrown pre-teen mountain bike. I'm all grown up now!

Remember: If you don't want to do something, you'll find any excuse not to do it. If you want to do something, you won't let any excuse get in your way.

I'll still need to work on the swimming, though... check out the caption I gave this photo back in March!!

You'll also notice that I'm running another half-marathon on September 5! The race is the Labor Day Half, formerly known as the Super Jock 'n' Jill Half, and it starts and ends at the Redhook Brewery in my hometown, Woodinville. How could I pass up a race on my home turf that could give me the opportunity to run a sub two-hour half?

I'll be busy for the next several months — running, biking, swimming and freaking out about the idea of running 26.2 miles. But if I learned anything from my half-marathon, it's that no matter how nervous I feel in the days leading up to a race (uhhh, did you watch that video?), once I reach the start line, I'll feel happy, excited and incredibly lucky to be able to do what I'm about to do.

I'll look forward to that moment every single day until December 4.

Viva Las Vegas.

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Seattle Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon Recap

I trained for three months with the American Cancer Society's DetermiNation team for my first half-marathon — Rock 'n' Roll Seattle on June 25!

Official time: 2:03:15
Average pace: 9:25

My goal was to hit 2:05 or under, so I am THRILLED with my time! Especially considering what happened to me at mile 8.5... I think my splits do a great job of telling THAT story.

You'll notice that mile 1 was my fastest. I felt GREAT starting out, and really had to force myself to slow down and conserve energy. You'll also notice that mile 13 was my second fastest — suck it, mile 13!

And then there's mile 9. Ohhh, mile 9. You were like death. But I'll get to you in a little bit.

(Can we pause for a moment to acknowledge my mad Garmin skillz, as my Garmin time exactly matched my official chip time? Also, I only ran .01 over the official race distance!)

I woke up at the unholy time of 3:10 a.m. for this race. I ate plain oatmeal with chia seeds and an apple with almond butter as I got ready, then left the house at 4:00 a.m. Aaron and I got to the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Seattle at 4:15, where I met up with the DetermiNation folks to take a 4:30 shuttle to the start line in Tukwila. We got to the start line just before 5:00 — plenty early, which calmed me down, since I think just getting there was what made me the most anxious about this race!

The American Cancer Society had a very sweet setup waiting for us: a tent filled with bananas, bagels, bottled water and private porta-potties. There were ridiculously long lines for the main porta-potties (as anyone who's run one of these 26,000-person races knows), so the VIP potties were invaluable!!

I wrapped myself in a hot-pink fleece blanket that I'd brought and sat down to rest my legs while chatting with a veteran half and full marathoner. The blanket was the best idea ever, as I would have been freezing for a good hour and a half without it! I ate a whole bagel, half of a banana and a chocolate-chip Clif bar to fuel up for the race, plus drank plenty of water.

The DetermiNation group trekked to the start line at 6:15 for a photo op with our "celeb motivators" — Jason and Molly Mesnick from The Bachelor, and Andrea Powell, an actress who plays Sasha in the upcoming Twilight movie. (Yes, random, I know.) Aaron was tapped to be the ACS videographer, so we did smiles for the still photos and cheers for the video — a great way to pump up for the race!

I hurried back to the ACS tent to pee one last time, then to the gear check to get rid of my stuff. By the time I was ready to head to corral 12, the race had already started! But it took some time to release my corral, so I was able to jog to it and line up with about 5 minutes to spare.

And then we were off! I ran the first mile in 8:52, which was faster than I wanted, but I was going with the flow of the other runners and felt great. I wasn't even breathing hard, so I didn't stress about it. I just kept thinking, "This is it! I'm finally running my first half!"

The first few miles were uneventful. I concentrated on trying to slow down, and was really happy with my splits for miles 2 through 7 (9:13, 9:24, 9:23, 9:28, 9:11, 9:15). Around mile 6, the course dipped down to Lake Washington Boulevard, which is a beautiful stretch of road along Lake Washington. The weather was cloudy, but not nearly threatening rain, and the coolness was even nicer with a little breeze coming off the lake.

Mile 7 was unexpectedly emotional. It was dedicated to Wear Blue: Run to Remember, a running community that serves as a living memorial for fallen soldiers. There were photos of soldiers who had been killed, along with their names and ages (so young...), and people lined up along the course holding American flags. It was really incredible. I fought back tears as I clapped for all the flag-holders, along with many of the other runners. (Here's a great video about this portion of the race from KOMO News.)

I took in my first fuel during mile 8 — a Shot Blok just after the 7-mile marker and another at mile 7.5 (you'll see that this mile was a little slower, at 9:29, because I haven't mastered the whole eating-and-running thing.)  I had also been grabbing water and Cytomax at every station to stay hydrated.

So I blame what happened during mile 9 on my lack of eating-and-running preparation. Around mile 8.5, I got a wicked stitch in my right side, right in the rib area. I tried to run through it at first, but it became clear that it wouldn't go away unless I walked a bit. I pulled off to the side and walked quickly, trying all the tricks — holding my right arm up in the air, breathing deeply in and out, massaging the area. I didn't want to walk too much, so I started running again, and then it hurt worse.

I couldn't believe this was happening. My legs felt fine and I wanted to run — but this stupid side stitch felt like I was being stabbed, and I couldn't get rid of it!

So. Mile 9 took me 10:30, which I was actually amazed by — it felt like it had cost me much more time. I kept alternately running and walking through mile 10, which went through a tunnel on the I-90 express lane. It was kind of depressing. I was in this dark tunnel, trying my hardest to get rid of the stabbing feeling, and had lost satellite reception on my Garmin, so I had no idea of my pace. When I did run, I tried to run fast to make up for the walking, and I completed mile 10 in 9:52. I was getting back on track.

I'm not gonna lie: the side stitch really pissed me off and made me kind of a grumpypants for the rest of the race. Even when I felt better, I never made it back to 100%, and miles 11 through 13 were a struggle. The splits don't show it because my anger made me really want to kick the shit out of those miles. So I did (9:23, 9:22, 9:10).

I'm amazed by those splits because I did a little walking during each of those miles — yeah, I even walked during the last mile, even though I really hated doing it so close to the finish. But when I wasn't walking, I was hauling.

By the end of any race, I'm usually so overjoyed to be finished that I smile and laugh across the finish line. Oh no, not this time. I was still in shit-kicking mode and busted out the last .1 at a 7:12 pace, crossing the finish line with what I'm sure was a Grumpy McGrumperson face. DONE.

I immediately walked over to the fence lining the finish chute and leaned over onto it, resting my head on the railing. I had planned to eat more Shot Bloks throughout the race, but I didn't want to take any chances after the side-stitch debacle. I felt really weak and just wanted to lie down.

A volunteer next to me was all like, "Hey, don't you wanna keep walking?" clearly trying to get me to move along, but I said, "Nope, I'm good here for a second." She tried a different tactic: "You'll feel better if you walk a little bit, and you can go get your medal! Don't you want your medal?"

Ughhh. Fine. Smart move, lady. If you'd ordered me to move instead of tempting me with hardware, I would have punched. you. in. the. face. Grumpypants!

I got my medal and posed for a photo with it, then tried to get through the "secure zone" as fast as I could so that I could go to the DetermiNation tent and lie down. It was super crowded and hard to get through, but I finally made my way to the tent — which had all kinds of food, more private potties and couches — and promptly plopped down on one. Ahhhh.

It took me a little time to recover from my grumpiness and feel really proud of what I'd accomplished. The side stitch was a bummer, but there was nothing I could have done and I now realize that I made kind of an awesome comeback from it.

My secret dream was to break 2:00, but that goal was destroyed by the stitch. In the depths of the pain, I was worried that I wouldn't even break 2:05, but I decided I wouldn't let that happen. And I didn't.

I feel like next time I could definitely break 2:00... and this is why people get addicted to racing...

I hung out in the wonderful ACS tent, drank like six bottles of water and Cytomax (not an exaggeration) and ate pizza while swapping congrats with my DetermiNation teammates. It was great to share the experience with the people I've been training with for the last three months, including my wonderful coaches!

A few of us also got to meet and take photos with Everclear after they finished their set at the finish-line festival.

Yes, random again, but this was just one of the many perks that came along with training with and fundraising for the American Cancer Society!

*****

When I registered for this race on November 30, 2010 (!!!), I distinctly remember checking the "no" box next to the question, "Would you like to fundraise for The American Cancer Society?" I figured I'd have enough to deal with training for this race, and that I'd be uncomfortable asking people for money.

But since last fall, I've made calculated efforts to do things that are uncomfortable and scary. And in March, I received a postcard inviting me to join the DetermiNation team. I was still nervous about meeting new people and intimidated by the minimum $1,250 fundraising requirement, but this time I said YES.

The day after I joined, I discovered a family member had been diagnosed with stage 4 throat cancer.

Since that day in March, I've met new friends, had the privilege of training with incredible coaches, dealt with a shin injury, ran my first 10K, ran my first 15K, made a fun video that was a big hit with Brooks, held an online raffle that raised nearly $1,000, received an incredible show of support all the way from Switzerland, and raised more than $2,000 total for the American Cancer Society. Oh, and I ran my first half-marathon.

It'd be an understatement to say that my YES was worth it.

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Brooks, lululemon, Runner's World and Do Life Raffle!

How would you like to win an awesome prize while also supporting a great cause? This raffle benefits my American Cancer Society fundraising efforts as I train for my first half-marathon with the DetermiNation team. I appreciate your support!

1. Here's what you can win:




* One (1) pair of Brooks Running shoes — winner's choice!

The very generous folks at Brooks have donated a pair of their awesome running shoes to the winner of this prize. You get to choose which style, size and color you want!

Desiree Davila rocked Brooks shoes as the first American female finisher and second overall female finisher at this year's Boston Marathon. Brooks shoes continually win "Editor's Choice" awards from Runner's World. And I "Run Happy" in my Brooks Ghost 3 and Brooks Defyance 4 shoes. You will LOVE your Brooks!



* One (1) $50 lululemon gift card — it'll fit you perfectly!

Whether you're into running, yoga or just lookin' fine in stretchy black pants, lululemon has something you'll love — and yes, guys, lululemon offers awesome gear for men, too! Or, your wife/girlfriend/other special lady will love you for this one. (Prize sponsored by me, myself and I.)


* One (1) copy of The Athlete's Palate Cookbook — generously donated by Runner's World!

"With healthy and delicious recipes for all phases of training along with labels for quick-and-easy meals, The Athlete’s Palate Cookbook is perfect for any runner, cyclist, swimmer, or triathlete who wants to train hard while eating well." --Rodale Books




* One (1) copy of The Runner's Rule Book — generously donated by Runner's World!

"With 100+ rules that cover the basics of running, racing, track etiquette, and apparel and gear, including hilarious running commentary on running culture, The Runner’s Rule Book will be the reference guide you’ll turn to again and again for answers to your burning running questions." --Rodale Books





* Two (2) Do Life/race fuel prize packs — look good and run strong!

Do Life, Inc. has generously donated two Do Life shirts of the winners' choices — black, white or pink cotton tee, OR black tech tee! — along with Do Life stickers. Plus, these two winners will receive a fun selection of race fuel from me! Enjoy some Gu, Shot Bloks, Sport Beans and more for your next race.

2. Here's how you can win:

Make a donation to my American Cancer Society fundraising page between NOW and May 21, 2011. You can donate up until midnight Pacific time on May 21 to enter the raffle!

• $5 gets you ONE raffle entry.
• $10 gets you TWO raffle entries.
• $15 gets you THREE raffle entries.
• $25 gets you SEVEN raffle entries.
• $50 gets you FIFTEEN raffle entries.

I'll draw the four winners and post the results on Sunday, May 22. Woo-hoo!

IN ADDITION, I'll add a second pair of Brooks shoes to the prize pool if donations received between May 16 and May 21 reach $1,500. I know that's a big number, so please spread the word to your family and friends to encourage participation! We can do it if lots of people pitch in! (This second pair of shoes will be sponsored by me, myself and I as a personal thank-you!!!)

3. In conclusion, all you need to do is...

•  Donate to my fundraising page by midnight Pacific time on May 21, 2011.
• Spread the word to help me add a SECOND pair of Brooks shoes to the prize pool.
•  Be able to provide a valid shipping address in the United States to claim your awesome prize.

Whatcha waiting for? Go ahead and throw your hat into the ring! You might just win a fantastic prize — and you'll definitely feel good about supporting a fantastic cause.

BIG THANKS to Brooks Running, Runner's World and Do Life, Inc. — aka Ben, Jed and Pa — for donating some great stuff to help make this raffle possible. You all rock!


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Do Life: Seattle and My DetermiNation!

I first wrote about Ben Davis in October 2010 in a post called Start taking your dreams very, very seriously. I was inspired by the video he made about his 120-pound weight loss and began following his blog, Ben Does Life.

I also took his advice, "If you want to do it, all you have to do is do it," to heart and set a goal to buy a DSLR camera and begin pursuing photography. I had ridiculous anxiety and self-doubts about taking up a new hobby, but decided to stop being silly and just do it.

Fast-forward to this past weekend. Ben visited Seattle with his dad and girlfriend to meet up with some of his readers and run an unofficial 5K. I brought my camera, plus Aaron and his camera. Together, we made this:


Do Life: Seattle from Devon Mills on Vimeo.

And took a bunch of photos, including this shot of me with both of the Davis men:

In an interesting way, Ben's weight loss inspired me to get my camera. I spent most of the meetup using that camera to try to capture the inspirational effect Ben has on others (and trying not to destroy it while running).

I'm just now realizing how things have come full circle. Life is funny, huh?

In other running news, I'm about to start training for the Seattle Rock 'n' Roll half marathon! I recently joined the American Cancer Society's DetermiNation team to train for the race and raise money, working toward a goal of $1,250 by June 10. My first team run is this Saturday at 8 a.m. (eek!), but I've already received my tech shirt and am super excited to rock it!

When I registered for the half marathon several months ago, I actually opted out of fundraising for the American Cancer Society. At the time, it seemed like too big of a challenge on top of actually running the race.

But, once again, I realized that I too-often say "no" to things just because they are outside my comfort zone. I also realized that nothing bad could come out of making this commitment. I might not reach my fundraising goal, but at least I'll have tried, done some good and made some new friends along the way!

I kicked off my fundraising efforts today and raised $111 with the help of several of my Tumblr buddies. Even Ben threw down some money and encouraged his readers to contribute! If today's donations are any indication, I think I have a good shot at meeting my ultimate goal.

If you'd like to support my efforts to raise money for the American Cancer Society and crush 13.1 miles in June, please visit my fundraising page to make a donation!

Anything helps, and each gesture of support gives me a fantastic mental boost as I go into training for my first half marathon.

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Winding down 2010, gearing up for 2011

Dear blog,

I'm sorry that I've been ignoring you. But guess what? After a year and three months of living with my mom, I'm house hunting!

Finally!!!!!

When I was in the midst of paying off all my debt, I wrote a list of specific financial goals — ones that I needed to accomplish before I could move out. I'm happy to report that I have only half of one goal left to cross off, and that is moving out itself:

1. Pay off my credit card by my birthday.
2. Pay off my student loan by July 1. (OK, technically it was July 16.)
3. Move out of my mom's house by the end of January 2011 with no debt and more than $10,000 in the bank.

(A year ago, the last half of the last goal seemed impossible, but here I am. It wasn't easy to accomplish, but everything has been worth it.)

Looking for a place to live is exciting, but time-consuming and a bit stressful. Mostly exciting. I'll let you know when my future roommates and I nail down a place and get the details worked out.

Until then, posting on Answering Oliver will be light since I'm a perfectionist and like to spend way too much time writing these posts. It's a sickness.

In the meantime, you can keep an eye on my running blog, where it's much easier on my psyche to throw up quick posts that I don't have to obsess over. Plus, I'll have tons of stuff to write about there since I need to start training for my next 5K and another little race that I'm registered for...

Oh, yes. It's happening.

I'm ridiculously excited for 2011. The half marathon is just one of many adventures I have planned. Let's finish 2010 strong, and then go get it!!