2 + 2 = 7; Recapping the Winter Night Trail Half Marathon

All layered up & ready to go!

Running trails is hard.  Running at night is hard.  Running trails at night?  2 + 2 = 7.  At least.  I had really been looking forward to the Winter Night Trail Half Marathon.  I've come to really enjoy winter running.  And this race is at Eagle Creek Park, which is practically in my back yard, & is the same place I ran the Summer Trail Quarter Marathon last year.  Not the same trails, though - this race starts & ends in a different part of the park.

The weather forecast was calling for temperatures around 36 & wind chill around 32 at 6pm start time, falling to 32 with wind chill around 28 by my estimated finish time of 9:30.  There was a 30% chance of some light snow starting around 8, but no accumulating snow until much later.  I debated on 3 layers + vest, or only 2 layers + vest, and in the end went with 3.  I'd much rather be hot than cold.

Tshirts & Totals of 2014

It's time for one of my favorite blog posts: showing off all the commemorative shirts I collected last year, & totaling up my miles, plus a little preview of my 2015 plans.

If you've been reading our blog for a while now, thank you!  You may remember from the goals I set for last year (14 Things for 2014) that I wanted to collect 21 commemorative t-shirts.  I ended up with so many that I had to split them out into 3 groups just to get them all pictured.  First up, my race shirts:

This pic is in chronological order, but it's missing the shirt from the Great Pumpkin Run.  I packed that away with my Halloween stuff.  So that makes 18 shirts just from races.  I actually ran 19 races, but they didn't all offer t-shirts.

Gobble Gallop 2014 Recap

Swag + Door Prize

Running a race on Thanksgiving has become a tradition for a lot of people in the U.S.  The big one here in Indianapolis is the Drumstick Dash, which raises money for Wheeler Missions.  Thousands of people run or walk in that race.  Many of the suburbs and neighborhoods have begun to host their own Thanksgiving races, to offer alternatives that are less crowded and closer to home.  The Hendricks Regional YMCA in Avon has hosted the Gobble Gallop for three years now.  I ran it last year (see that recap here) and really enjoyed it.  Last year's shirt is still one of my favorites.

This year's shirt is pretty cute too, and we got some other good swag as well.  Headphones, chewing gum, chapstick, and waived registration fees for joining the Y are all pretty great freebies.  This race doesn't offer finisher's medals, but race fees are really low so it's still a great deal.  One improvement the Y made over last year was holding the pre-race announcements in the gym.  Last year they did the announcements while we were lined up outside, where it was hard to hear, plus that left us out in the cold a lot longer.  And it was even colder this year, so we were glad to be inside while we waited.

It's only cold when you're standing still

I was happy to spot my friend Jana before the race, and we went through our lunge matrix together before we headed outside to the start line.  Did I mention it was cold?  27, with a wind chill making it feel like 16, and flurrying.  I know my WNC family & friends actually had snow on the ground for their run, so I shouldn't complain too much.  I was properly layered with Cuddl Duds under Nike Therma-Fit plus a down vest, so I was fine once we started running.

People paid a little more attention to the pacing signs when they lined up this year, so there were not as many walkers to dodge on the narrow trail.  I felt really great, even with the cold weather.  I would say last year's winter training has really benefited me, as I no longer struggle breathing and running when it's cold.  My finish time of 34:59 was not a new PR, but it was 53 seconds faster than last year's time, plus I just felt better for the entire run.  Jana took this pic of me smiling as I approached the finish line.

Pic by Jana Gearries

Afterwards we went back into the gym where we were handed tickets for door prize drawings.  We also saw our friend Merit, who took 2nd in her age group and took home a pumpkin pie.  Congrats Merit!  Lots of people left before all the prizes were drawn, which was pretty crazy since the big prize was a $150 gift certificate to Runners Forum.  There were some other really nice prizes as well, and sometimes 3 or 4 tickets were drawn before someone was there to claim it.  I went home with a $20 gift certificate to Runners Forum, so I'm pretty happy with that.  I want to get more Smart Wool socks - those are the best!  I'm also planning to get some trail running shoes, so if anyone has any recommendations let me know.

I definitely recommend this race if you are looking for one on Thanksgiving in the Indy area next year.  And be sure to stick around for the door prize drawings!  See also my review on BibRave.

Don't forget: use discount code TERHAZELIN for the Santa Hustle in Indy and save $5!

Weekend Recap: 2 Sisters = 28.1 Miles

The Rollinses Win Again!

Badass Winners of Big Ol' Mugs

Laura & Mark ran in the Bays Mountain 15 Mile Trail Race on Saturday in Kingsport, TN.   They were a bit nervous about the weather as there was a chance of storms, but it turned out okay.  They did get a bit of rain, but no lightning or thunder.

Laura finished in 3:14:02, with a pace of 12:57, and won third in her age group!

Mark finished in 2:37:31 with a blistering pace of 10:31 and won second in his age group!

Friend Alice also had an impressive finish at 3:12:38 with a pace of 12:51.

A New Half Marathon PR

I ran in the Hendricks County Half Marathon, a wonderful little race and the runniversary of my very first half marathon.  It was 47, cloudy & very windy.  I wished I'd worn long sleeves, as I was cold for over half the race.  Other than the cold, however, I felt great.  I was nervous-excited, but I felt ready.  My knees didn't hurt at all, and at the end I really felt like I could keep going for a couple more miles.  I finished in 2:45:55, which is 4 minutes & 13 seconds faster than I finished this same race last year, and 9 whole seconds faster than I ran the Mini in May.  A new PR!

This race is only in it's third year, so it's still pretty small, but I bet it grows quickly as word gets out.  It's a great course:  well marked; with some slight inclines (Hoosiers probably call them hills); nice straight county roads with pretty views; and wonderful volunteers at water/Gatorade stops every mile.  I am of course partial to the stop at mile 1 & 11 manned by Living Faith Church, but the one with the cheerleaders was pretty fun too. 

My only complaint would be that the pictures aren't free this year.  I looked at the proofs, & I really like them.  Especially the one that caught me with both feet off the ground, so I look like I'm floating.  It would cost $12.99 to download it, though, and that's half the cost of doing another race.  Picture of me running versus me actually running?  We all know which one I'm choosing.

Coming Up

This week I have three 5K's within 48 hours.  First up, the Merrell Summer Series #3 on Thursday evening in Carmel.  Then the Arsenal 5K on Saturday morning at Arsenal Tech High School, and finally the Chateau Thomas Winery 5K on Saturday afternoon in Plainfield.  Perhaps I was a little overambitious scheduling all three of these.  The Arsenal 5K isn't chip-timed, so it will not be a 5K PR attempt.  The other two races are, and the weather is supposed to be in the 60's both days, so good running weather. 

Laura has the Rock the Quarry 5K trail run this Saturday - a repeat of one of her favorite races and one in which she placed last year.  Expect to see another picture of her with yet another award.

Race Discounts!

If you'd like to run the Chateau Thomas Winery 5K or 10K this Saturday, go HERE to sign up, use discount code FBFRIEND, and say you were referred by Teresa Hazel to save $5!

If you'd like to run the Santa Hustle 5K or Half Marathon in Indianapolis on 12/21, go HERE to register and use discount code TERHAZELIN to save $5!

500 Festival Mini Marathon Recap

This race was an amazing experience!  I have to thank Blue Mile again for their training and support, and for giving me the opportunity to run this race as part of Team Blue Mile.  And thank you to the 500 Festival for putting it on, and to the thousands of volunteers, and thousands more people who lined the course to cheer for us, just because.  Wow.

Pre-Race Thoughts on the Mini

Josh on the cover of the 500 Festival Guide in 2000

My friends & family who aren't in the Indianapolis area might be wondering what's so special about this race?

I will try my best to tell you, but it's hard to explain if you haven't visited Indy during the Month of May.  The whole city takes on almost a holiday feel during May - very much like how December feels special because of all the celebrations and special events surrounding Christmas.  Of course the Indianapolis 500 is the big holiday, but celebrations and festivities go on all month.  We have one of the best parades in the country (I'm in it this year - more on that in a future blog post).  We have qualifications and practices all month, Community Day at the track, free concerts, Kids Day and the Rookie Run....  The holiday parties go on all month long.  Kevin & I went to the 500 in 2008, and I've been to the parade, Kids Day, and all the other events many times.  The Mini is the only event I haven't participated in yet, other than as a volunteer.  Once I really began thinking of myself as a runner, I realized I had to do the Mini.  Running from downtown out to the Speedway, doing a lap around the track, and then back downtown is something you can only do during this race, and only here in Indianapolis.  I love this city, and I love this time of year, and I love being a runner.  Combine all three, and that's why this is such a big deal.

500 Festival Parade 2013

To track me during the race, download the free Indy Mini app (Apple or Android) and enter my bib # 30719 into Tracking and Results.

Kevin & me at the 500 in 2008

Komen Race for the Cure Weekend Recap

Momma, Teresa, Cindy, Daddy, Janet, Josh

 The tagline for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure is "More than a Race", which is very true for our family.  We lost our aunt Dotty to breast cancer in 2002, and it has also affected other relatives, in-laws and friends.  As many of us as possible do this race each year, either in Indy or in Raleigh (or both if we are lucky).

Race Swag!

This was my second year running it, but I've walked it many times.  I was so happy this year that Momma, Daddy & Cindy were able to come to Indy for the race, and that Josh & Janet could take time off work & do it with us.  It was lots of fun walking around the pink village as a family, and enjoying time together all weekend.  Hopefully next time, everyone else can make it too (Looking at you Kevin, Nick, Vikki, Kimmy, Laura, Mark, Tim, Starr, & David.)

Teresa's 1Q14 Review

I am one of those either annoying or inspiring (depending on your point of view) people who keep their new year's resolutions & goals.  One way that I do that is by periodically reviewing where I am & making adjustments if needed.  Much like in business & accounting - you don't wait until the end of the year to see if you met or exceeded your budget & financial goals - you review things as you go.  So, with that in mind, here is my 1st quarter review as compared to my original 14 goals for 2014:

1. Run 451.25 miles.  So far I've run 142.8, or 32%.  Well ahead of 25%, so I may be on track to exceed this goal, barring any injuries or serious illnesses.
2. Bike 345.80 miles.  I haven't biked any yet, but I plan to get going on this next week when my sister Cindy is in town.
3. Play 2 rounds of golf with Kevin.  I haven't golfed any yet.  I prefer to wait till it's in the 70's or even 80's.  Kevin has been out several times already though.
4.  Swim at least once a week from Memorial Day thru Labor Day.  Not there yet.
5.  Read the Bible through.  I'm reading The Message version this year, and I am 25% through as of this morning.
6.  Read 26 books for the #Read26Indy challenge.  I have read 7 books, or 27%, so right on track.
7.  Incorporate strength training into my fitness routine.  Yep, I'm doing this & I'll blog more about it soon.
8.  Volunteer at 6 events.  I have volunteered at one so far (a fund raiser for the Boner Center), and I have two more lined up so far - a Bourbon Street Running Club event this weekend, and the 500 Festival Parade in May.  
9.  Collect 21 commemorative t-shirts.  I'm way behind here, I only have 4 so far, which is 19%. I'll have to work harder.
10.  Run a 5K in under 30 minutes.  Not yet, but I'm really going to work on my speed over the summer.
11.  Run 2 half marathons.  I am registered for the Mini, and I have 3 others in mind.
12. Celebrate Kimmy graduating high school, with honors!  Friday June 6th!
13.  Take better pictures.  I've taken a lot so far; I posted a few of my faves in this blog entry.
14.  Enjoy all the surprises! Winter, joining Team Blue Mile, new friends...

Winter Miles Bring Spring PRs

Winter Miles Bring Spring PRs.  It's a saying that I first heard in the Winter Miles Challenge on Run With Jess, and it certainly seems to be coming true.  I haven't run any races yet this year, so I don't have any official times or new PRs yet, but my training pace is more than 1 min/mile faster than I was training last summer for my first half marathon.  I ran that one in 2:50:08, and I am hopeful that I will significantly improve on that time when I run the Mini in May.  I haven't set a definite goal time yet, but I will soon.

I wrote last December about needing to sign up for events and commit to training so that I wouldn't end up taking the winter off as I had done in the past.  If I had known Indianapolis would have the 3rd snowiest (so far) winter on record and the extreme cold of the polar vortex, I might not have been so eager to keep at it.  But now, with Spring finally close, I am glad I did.  Besides the increase in speed, I feel stronger.  I actually did come to appreciate the beauty of winter, & took some nice pics along the way.  I didn't get cabin fever or the winter blues, nor did I gain any winter weight.  I have several races coming up, and I'm ready for them.  How did I do it?  Three main things that helped me are:

Bad Example, Good Run

The Tardis covered in snow after work Friday

I was initially going to title this blog post Half Marathon Training in the White Room, although only Helix fans would get that reference.  We had another 6 inches of new snow last Friday evening, before our Saturday training run.  I'm beginning to think we will never get out of the White Room. 

But instead, when I thought about all the mistakes I have to confess to, I had to call it Bad Example.  Yet I still ended up with a Good Run, so hopefully this encourages you to get out & do your activity of choice anyway, even if you think you aren't doing it "right".

Treadmills: Maybe They're Not That Bad

Another snow day

When better than a snow day to blog about treadmills?  Lots of runners call them dreadmills, & I've probably said that once or twice myself.  But since I committed to start training for the Mini with Team Blue Mile, and we have had LOTS of snow days so far this year, I have been hitting the treadmill at the Chase Near Eastside Legacy Center twice a week.

Treadmill selfie

At first I really struggled - running 30 minutes on the treadmill seemed a lot harder than running 30 minutes outside.  But I wasn't out of breath, my legs weren't tired, & I wasn't in any pain anywhere; so why was I struggling?  After really thinking about it, I realized it was because I was bored.

I switched from listening to music to an audio book, but even though it was a really good book it still didn't change anything.  Then I tried a funny podcast, and listening to something funny seems to work for me.  So there's my first suggestion: change up what you are listening to and see if that helps.  Here in no particular order are a few of my fave podcasts (links go to their websites, but all are also available on iTunes):

1. Brant Hansen from Air1
2. Nerdist
3. Nerd Lunch
4. Nurture and Support

   

   Workout summary

My second suggestion is to change up what you are doing.  I read an article which I can't find now to link to, but it said that you get a lot more out of a treadmill workout by varying the speed and/or incline every few minutes.  You can find plans online, use a preprogrammed workout on the treadmill, or do what I've been doing & just watch the timer & change the speed, incline, or both every 2 minutes.  It really does make the workout seem faster, definitely more interesting, and more challenging physically.

I still much prefer running outside, but I no longer hate the treadmill. Anyone else?

Team Blue Mile Training in the Snow

Monon Trail

The forecast for our second training run last Saturday was for 2-4 inches of snow.  I was very nervous - not about running in the snow, but about driving to Blue Mile on snow-covered roads.  I've lived in Indiana for almost 22 years, and I don't think I'll ever get used to driving in the snow. 

I set my clothes out the night before, made sure my headphones were charged, and set my alarm a little bit earlier to allow for extra time.  Once I got up, I watched the news and checked my Facebook & Twitter feeds, trying to decide if I was going to be able to drive or not.  I was so nervous about it, that I forgot to post anything about middle sis Laura, who was running a 15.5 mile trail run that morning.  Sorry Laura!

Once I made the decision to go, I had to get out, clear the snow off Josh's car, move his car, pull mine out of the garage, then put his back in the driveway.  Again so nervous I forgot something - I forgot to close the garage door.  Sorry Kevin!

Team Blue Mile Spring Training Has Begun!

We met this past Saturday at the Broad Ripple Blue Mile store for our first Spring Training run.  Calling it Spring Training in the middle of winter must be a mind-over-matter thing.  It was 14 & flurrying, but there was a large turnout.  It's nice that we meet inside to listen to the trainers, before heading out to run.  I can handle the cold as long as I keep moving - it's just that standing around waiting outside that is miserable.

I can tell I'm really going to get a lot out of this training.  If you shop at Blue Mile, you already know how approachable & helpful the staff are, and the trainers are just the same.  It's not too late to join if you are interested in training for a Spring race - click here.  After meeting the trainers & going over the program & some of the upcoming sessions, we headed out to walk or run the Monon.

Team Blue Mile

I am so excited to be part of Team Blue Mile and train with them this spring for my second half marathon.  Training starts January 18, but you can join anytime.  Stay tuned to this blog for regular updates, and if you are interested in Blue Mile's training program, you can sign up HERE.