2014 Dirty Spokes: Georgia Peach Jam Half Marathon Recap

This half took place over on the Big Creek Greenway over in Cumming, GA on April 19th.

Back in February I was going back and forth with myself if I was going to do this half or not. It would be almost a month after doing the Georgia Publix Half so I knew I wouldn't have to worry about training too much. So during the last of the snow storm I decided I was going to bite the bullet and sign up.

The course is flat with a few little inclines but nothing too crazy. Very manageable.

Race week rolls around and I immediately start checking out the weather. We had been having some warmer days but since Georgia does have bi-polar weather I just wanted to be prepared for anything. Of course, the forecast was calling for rain. That wasn't the big issue. The issue was the greenway. Most of the time when it rains A LOT the greenways here in Georgia tend to flood since they are usually near creeks.

Friday rolled around and the race was still on even though the rain was coming down. I knew no matter what I was going to get soaked and have some mud on me.

So I laid out my outfit for the next day really hoping that it would stop raining so we could get this half marathon over with.

Woke up bright and early race day to make sure I got there in time to get my number, shirt, and to get ready mentally for the half.

It was still raining some but not crazy. Only thing we were going to have to worry about were the slippery boardwalks (which I didn't find to be very slippery) and the mud/puddles.

After getting my number and shirt, I found Brandi. She and I walked around for a bit until Jen got there then it was time for us to line up and get ready for the half.

We kind of all started around the same area. I am normally more up in the front of the pack, but seeing how this was going to be a slippery/muddy race I had planned on just taking it easy and having fun.

I started off a bit slow but that was the plan. I took it easy until most of the crowd thinned out.

The course wasn't bad at all as far as water goes except for one area that had a few puddles. I somehow managed not to get muddy on the first time through but on my way back I had no choice but to go through some of the mud. 

I was feeling pretty good about myself all the way through the race. I only started getting tired around mile 10 so that's when I decided I would go ahead and eat some jelly beans.

Before I knew it I was making my way up a small hill before turning onto the track to do my last little bit of the half.

When I saw the race clock I knew I was going to PR. I was really hoping I could have finished under an two hours, but I will take what I can.

Official time: 2:03. I took 4 minutes off my first half marathon time. :)

Once I got my medal I was able to see the damage of what I went through on the course. 

After we had all finished the half marathon we got a group photo before taking off to Dutch Monkey to get some yummy doughnuts.

Finisher's shirt. :) We decided the logo kind of looked like the Crush Orange Soda logo. What do you think?

Cute little 13.1 sticker they gave us. I added the "finisher" part.

Yummy doughnuts after running 13.1. :)

National Running Day!

Happy National Running Day! (I think its a happy one? lol)

Anyways, so sorry I haven't really posted much. Not a lot has been going on with me. I am in training mode or so I would like to think. I am slowly but surely getting use to the heat. I have been making myself get out there mid-mornings to run so I am somewhat use to it. Don't worry though...I have my water bottle with me anytime I am going over 2 miles.

We are officially one month away from the AJC Peachtree Road Race. I can't believe we are a month away. OMG! It seems like yesterday I was freaking out over my registration mess up. I am so excited about running it this year. Heck, I am excited about running it every year, but this year will be super special to me. :) I have already decided that I will run it again next year. It will be my Mom's 10th PRR so I have to be there for her.

I am hoping within the next week or so I will have two race recaps up. I can't believe I haven't done a recap on my half marathon from April. I swear these months keep flying by. I promise though I will eventually have it up as well as a recap from this past weekends 5K.


How are you adjusting to the warmer weather? Liking it, loving it, or missing winter?

June: Last Month of PRR Training 2014

Holy cow! It's the last month of training for the Peachtree Road Race. Hard to believe I am so close to running my favorite 10K!! :)

Here is the June schedule:

4 miles - June 3rd

6 miles - June 5th

2 miles - June 7th or 8th

5 miles - June 10th

3 miles - June 12th

3 miles - June 14th or 15th

2 miles -  June 17th

5 miles - June 19th

10K Race - Possum Trot - June 21st

3 miles - June 24th

4 miles - June 26th

5 miles - June 28th or 29th

3 miles - July 1st

2 miles - July 2nd (Last Day of Training for the Peachtree Race!!)

2014 Chattahoochee Challenge 10K Recap

This takes place on the same course as the Possum Trot (which I ran in June of 2013). I knew this would be the only race I could actually run to get a great qualifying time for the AJC Peachtree Road Race.

In June, I set a new time for the Peachtree but I was really wanting to try to get an even higher wave group.

So on February 8th, I set out to hopefully get a 50 minute 10K time for the Peachtree.

It was a cold morning so I wasn't sure how I was going to handle it seeing how I do a lot better when its a bit warmer out.

Immediately from the start I knew the race was going to be a long one. I felt so off for whatever reason, which isn't normal for me. I decided to brush it aside and hope that once I warmed up that I would be fine.

This is when I knew it was going to be a long race

At around mile 2 or 3, I could tell everything but my left leg wasn't warmed up. I stopped to walk briefly a little after mile 4 in hopes that I could somehow shake my leg loose.

I was fighting with myself the whole time. I knew I was making great time. My pace was faster than I was wanting it to be but for some reason I wasn't able to slow myself down Crazy how that works, huh?

Just before mile 5, I stopped one more time to stretch before running the rest of the way. As soon as I passed Mike, Katie, and Jen at the finish line, I met up with another runner who was also trying to get through the next 1.2 miles. We decided we would run the rest of it together.

Once we knocked the hill out we finally made it back around to mile 6. At this point in the race I was at 50 minutes. I knew I needed 50:59 to move up to the next wave, but I also knew there was no way I was going to be able to run the last .2 miles that fast.

I crossed the finish line with an official time of 51:31. I am hoping that they will move me up to the next wave because I am so close, but if they don't I will gradually take wave C.

Finisher's shirt!

After the race Jen, Katie, Brandi, Karen (Brandi's Mom), Mike, and I all went out for brunch afterwards.We also celebrated Brandi's 30th birthday. :)

My running family! :)

Back to Running

Quick update:


Decided on Thursday that I was going to go for a 3 mile run with my local running group. It was a slow run for me, but my foot/toe felt great. I am so happy I have finally healed.  Hoping this never happens again. :)

Back to training for the Peachtree Road Race!

May: Second Month of PRR Training 2014

Thankfully no half marathons during this month to mess up my schedule.  :) Fingers crossed that I stay injury free this month as well.

Hard to believe it's May. This year is FLYING by. Slow down please!!

Here's the schedule so far for May:

2 miles - May 2nd

2 miles - May 4th

5 miles - May 6th

6 miles - May 8th

3 miles - May 10th or 11th

2 miles - May 13th

3 miles - May 15th

3 miles - May 17th or 18th

6 miles - May 20th

7 miles - May 22nd

6 miles - May 24th or 25th

4 miles - May 27th

3 miles - May 29th

3 miles - May 31st

2014 Publix GA Half Marathon Recap

I've been a little slow at writing recaps and I apologize. I still need to publish my recap from the 10K I did in February. Hopefully, I will get that up sometime in the near future.

Here is my recap from the half marathon I did on March 23rd, 2014.

A few days after finishing my first half I decided I would take the challenge and sign up for the Publix Half. I knew going into this that I was going to be facing a challenge....HILLS. I am not really a fan of hills. Heck, I don't think anyone really is, but I decided I was going to do my best and most of all...have fun.

After staying close to the race site for the Allstate 13.1, Jen, Brandi, and I decided we were going to stay as close as we could for this half marathon. Jen made reservations as the Doubletree Hilton. It was literally a block or two away from Centennial Park,which is where the start of the race took place.

Fast forward a few months and here we are at race weekend.

Saturday March 22nd, I met up with Jen to head on down to the expo to pick up our race numbers/shirts and to do a little shopping before heading to the hotel to check in. We also had made plans to go to Max's Pizza for a little carb loading with some friends of ours (Angela and her husband, Matthew, Jill and her husband, Matt and their daughter, Abigail, Brandi, Jason, and Katie). Had the best pizza and garlic knots. Seriously, think I will be going here again next year.

Lovely view from Centennial Park

After dinner we went back to Angela and Matthew's hotel to hang out at the SkyLounge before heading back to ours to call it a night.

View of the Atlanta skyline from SkyLounge

Before I knew it was time to leave, but we would be seeing each other the next day after the race for some brunch.

Since we didn't have far to go, I set my alarm for 5:20. Like always I couldn't sleep the night before the race. I am so anxious to get out there and go.

Alarm went off at 5:20.

It was time to get up and get ready.

All week we had been hearing about the threat of rain so of course we check the weather when we woke up to see what was going. Luckily, it wasn't raining and was going to hold off until after we were done.

At 6:20, we left the hotel. It was nice not having to take Marta down before the race.

Got to the park. I took my energybits, and ate some of my protein bar before going to gear check. After gear check, I said my goodbyes to Brandi and Jen before heading to my corral (G) to get ready for the start of the Publix Half.

A good thing about staying close to the race we were able to walk down 40 minutes before the start of the race. By the time I found and got in my corral we only had 10 minutes before the race started.

As I was making my way to the start line I kept telling myself to take it easy on the hills and I will do just fine.

....I did just that.

I really don't remember too much about the race. I remember getting to mile 6-7 and then 9. Most of the race I was in the zone and just don't remember passing a lot of the sites. I guess that's a good thing?

Soon I was passing over the "fake finish line" and making my way back to the park.

I was feeling amazing. I definitely felt better than I did after my first half. My legs were happy.

I crossed the finish line with an official time of 2:09:06. Not my fastest, but I wasn't trying to do that. I wanted to have fun and I did.

Earned my bling!!!