2016 Inaugural Impi Team of Influencers

I personally have terrific news.  I had long work day on Monday and thought I was absolutely drained for the day, but I opened up an email and proceeded to stand and do a little happy dance!  There is nothing more satisfying than promoting a product I truly believe in. Getting rewarded for my passion is merely the icing on the cake.  I TRULY believe in my Balega Hidden Comfort Socks.  I am proud to announce I am part of the 2016 Inaugural Impi Team of Influencers.  I am stoked to speak, promote and have contests to share my love of this running sock.  What does "Impi" mean?  Well- straight from Balega International Press Release:

Impi is a Zulu word roughly translating to mean “warrior”. The 2016 inaugural team will be made up of approximately 100 men and women athletes from across the United States that will act as an army of Balega warriors. These run enthusiasts will help spread the Balega love across their social media channels, at races and in their day-to-day life.

I plan on being a champion warrior for Balega International.  I am excited to complete my 2016 miles in 2016 in my Balegas.  What I think I love most about my Balegas is that mine have never slipped down into my shoe.  They have a slightly deeper heel which makes my narrow heels happy that the fabric is not being stretched while on my foot.

Look for some exciting contests/giveaways coming up through my social media:

Instagram:  @cindyabarbour
Twitter:  @cindybarbour1
Facebook:  Cindy Kearns Barbour
Pinterest:  cindybarbour.com

Find me...let's keep in touch!

Here is where I am in my 2016in2016 journey:

I look forward to sharing my running journey with you in posts to follow!

2016: Oh Boy What a Year Ahead!

It seems crazy we have  finished the first week of the new year.  Resolutions, resolutions, resolutions.  Did you make any?  Without further ado, I did:

I agreed to complete 2016 miles in 2016.  I ran over 2,000 miles in 2014, but I actually did not even keep track in 2015 which may have led to  laziness less miles this past year.  I did not race in an ultra marathon last year and I only competed in 1 marathon; TCS NYC Marathon.  I paced and raced a few half marathons.  After my whirlwind year in 2014 my 49 year old body needed some time recover.  I feel energized and ready to tackle this year's goal.

I joined an online group to help keep me accountable.  As I usually tell people, I spend much of my time holding others accountable, so I frequently neglect myself.  Not this year.  This is my golden year. 50.  I am still swirling that number/word around in my mouth.  Haven't decided how I feel about it yet. But (if you know me) I'm going to make it EPIC!

Back to the online group.  I love seeing inspirational photos, quotes and funny stories from this group.  They live all over the world and it is nice to see snow, beach and all weather in between.  I also see this as a cautionary tale;  1 person's ultra is another person's 5k.  Translation: Remember the tortoise and the hare story?  Not every day should be a run day for everybody. Rest and recovery is key to longevity in this sport.  I should know.  I've been running for 40+ years now and I am rarely sidelined with an injury.  The few injuries I have experienced in my life were from tennis and not running.

Creating goals are great. Goals shared with like minded people are even better; till they are not.  Be careful.  I am hopeful that everyone is listening to their body!  Okay. I will stop preaching.  I will say this, however, this group got me out the door the other day when it was 24 degrees at 5:15am for a speedy (because I was cold!) 5 mile run.  All the posts from the midwest were reminding me I can be tough and handle a little cold weather running!

Last weekend I kicked off the running year with 50k with some running friends.  We were the "Blister Sisters".  We were an all female masters team and finished in 3:49:xx.  It was cold, but fun.  Salem Lake has always been one of my favorite places to run so it was especially great to run it with a great group of ladies.  This photo is missing my running friend, Dena.  She got to sleep in, arrive, kick butt and leave with our hardware for winning our division.  I am sandwiched in between my friends, Jen & Jeriann.  They may look adorable, but they are speedy ladies!

I am signed up to race the Wrightsville Beach half marathon in March.  I will pace the 1:45:00 group in the City of Arts Half Marathon in Winston-Salem on April 2nd  with my friend, Jeriann.  We have way too much fun pacing together.  I am pacing the Raleigh Rock and Roll half marathon on Sunday, April 17th.  The only other (little, haha) event I am signed up for so far is the Hinson Lake 24 hour Ultra.  I ran there 2 years ago and completed 92.7 miles in a little under 23 hours.  I look forward to attempting a 100+ this year.  Here is Dena and me at the start of the Hinson Lake 24 hour ultra 2 years ago.  We had a blast.  I look forward to making memories in 2016.

I always love hearing what goals/resolutions others make for the new year.....I want to make a vision board with your responses....please take a moment and comment!

Happy Running!

TCS New York Marathon

There is so much to tell about this race. I feel like I should break it apart into 2 sections:

What was GREAT about the day
What was BAD LESS THAN IDEAL about the day

There was so much I did right, and so much I wish I could change, but that is the inner dialogue all most runners experience with every race.

New York was unlike any other race I have ever done:  50,000+ runners converging onto a bridge to run through the streets of the 5 boroughs.  These were city streets.  I was awestruck by the sights and sounds.  I loved the cheering of the spectators, runners and volunteers.  I experienced the quietness of the bridges, and then the surge of loudness of the bands, DJ's and noisemakers (insert:  need more cowbell!).  I also was impressed by the efficiency and thorough planning it must have taken to pull this event together.

The expo felt like a kid walking into Disney World for the first time. It is heavenly to see what is out there in our sport. Decades ago when I started running there were not all the gadgets, cute outfits and paraphernalia there is today. I am glad it is now a fashionable sport!

I am one of the lucky ones that got to stay 2 blocks from the South Ferry at my parents' condo on Wall Street.  I had an easy walk to the ferry that took us to the bus which took us to the entrance of all the color coded athlete's villages at 6:00am. It is hard to wait for a race with 50,000+ people walking/milling about, but they sure make it easy with food, 1700 port-a-potties, and a plethora of runners from many countries. I was settled into my assigned village with over 3 hours to go. For those of you who know me, I chatted with people, lots of people.

My starting corral was on top of the bridge.  They started funneling us towards the starting line with about a half hour to go before the start.  Each corral had several Goodwill donation bins that we threw our extra clothing into before the start. The temperatures were warm for a November day in New York. Well...they were too warm for me!

My goal for NYC was to run happy and Boston Qualify.  I wanted to run in the 3:20-3:40 range (which is a rather large time range) so I hid my Garmin from myself.  I wanted to run by feel and feel alone. It was a pretty crowded start so I settled into a pack.  We climbed the first mile up the bridge and I looked around smiling (didn't look down because the thought of 50,000+ runners on 1 bridge was scary to me). My Garmin was set to divulge only mile splits, no paces. The first mile was a 7:48 which was perfectly in the wheelhouse.  I actually felt like I was not moving at all.  The second mile was down. Down is an understatement.  When we reached the 2 mile mark I saw a 6:48 on my Garmin.  Oppss- didn't mean to do that, but I was in a pack and wasn't working very hard.  Besides, it was almost a completely downhill mile.

Mile after mile was comfortable and fun to see all the screaming/cheering spectators.  I was in a great groove because I returned to 7:30 pace miles just like I practiced at the Mini-Myrtle Beach (half) marathon 2 weeks earlier. Actually, when I cruised across the halfway point I was pleasantly surprised I was within 30 seconds of how I finished the Myrtle Mini run.  All was going great....until mile 14 (cue the screeching brakes).  Cups. Lots of cups. Ridiculous amount of cups I was dodging, jumping and sliding across.  Did I mention cups?  Well, there were also sponges, banana peels and assorted carbohydrate/electrolyte replacement gels.  It seemed there were water tables every mile. I slightly jumped over then landed on a cup. I then slid with that cup until I smacked my right foot into a subway/sewer grate.  I practically fell over and probably would have if a volunteer hadn't caught me. Then everything went bad. Very bad. My second toe was throbbing.  I kept running and grimacing and then watching me lose quite a few people I was running alongside. I wished them good luck and proceeded to question my ability to run further, but I was determined to Boston Qualify so I pressed on.

I altered my running gait to accommodate my toes that did not want to touch the ground again. For those of you who don't run, this can be a very bad thing. My body is used to running a certain way. I have been running that way for 40 years. I do NOT recommend doing what I proceeded to do. I then did what I tell myself never to do in a race. I walked. I think I walked a certain portion of every mile and then I would start running again because I felt guilty for walking. Why did I feel guilty for walking? I have no unearthly idea. I remember doing a 3:13 at a marathon at Myrtle Beach and getting beat by a woman who was doing the walk/run racing method. It was hard playing the yo-yo game with her, but she smoked me to a 3:11. I think I am stubborn (I am sure Dan is smacking his head in an 'aha') and wanted to BQ so badly that I didn't care what I did. I needed to get to the church finish line on time.

I saw Dan and Amber at mile 16. I was so in shock that I actually heard/saw them I look a little surprised in this photo, don't I? You can see my black Fellow Flower about to fall out on the side of my head. Amber is my son's girlfriend who is doing an internship in NYC and staying with my parents. Having Amber there was like having a piece of my kids with me on my journey.

I could not tell you what mile 17-23 looked like, sounded like or even felt like. I truly do not remember anything but focusing on putting one foot in front of the other. I took water/gatorade at every opportunity and had plenty of Honey Stinger chomps, so I know I hydrated and fueled during those miles. I started some cramping in my outer calf muscles due to the altered running gait and was trying my best not to touch my right foot to the ground each step. That is hard to do...just sayin'. I saw Dan and Amber again somewhere in between 23-25 and I knew I was going to finish in time to BQ. I remember whining to them that I was cramping and something was wrong with my right foot/leg. I pressed on and could not even enjoy the last mile which I am sure would have normally had me smiling ear to ear. I walked a little in that last mile and lamented on how I have NEVER done that before!

I finished the race and immediately squealed for the medic personnel saying there is something wrong with my calves and my right toe. They were great. They walked me to the medical tent which was right past where I took a finisher photo on the way. I thought I was grinning ear to ear but you can clearly tell I am grimacing. Oh well....(insert smile) I Boston Qualified!

Within 3 minutes of finishing, they took my blood pressure and it had dropped to 76/46 with a pulse of 56. I am going to watch my BP in the next couple of months to make sure there is not something wrong. They gave me ice for my calves and salty chicken broth for my tummy. They kept asking if I was dizzy and I actually felt great sans the calves and right toe! They let me leave once my blood pressure rose to 80/50 and I walked hobbled to get my post race poncho. The arduous journey was worth it. What an awesome plus! After collecting my poncho and walking 8 blocks I found these 2 lovelies. I am so lucky to have a supportive husband and family to do this crazy little thing called running. Running inspires me. Running challenges me.  Running keeps me grounded.

I have so much to be thankful for and so much work to do to stay running healthy. I am taking time to heal my foot and monitor this BP thing.  I did so much right in this marathon, and I did so much wrong. That is why I love running. Be grateful for days where you feel invincible and learn the lessons you need to learn on days things don't go as planned. Runners can be a little bogged down by numbers, past times, and paces. I am choosing to stay in the moment and enjoy every step!

In case you were wondering, I finished in 3:34:17. I was the 808th female and 4858 overall. I am a NYC New York Marathon FINISHER and I am proud!

Taper Crazies: The Road to the TCS NYC Marathon

The taper crazies have hit.  For those of you who do not run, this is the 2 weeks where you drastically cut your weekly mileage to prepare your muscles to run a marathon (26.2 miles; don't underestimate that .2).  This is where you review your training cycle and hope you 'did enough'.

The questions swirling around in your head can be staggering.

Did I run enough long runs?
Did I run enough hills?
Did I run enough tempo runs?
Did I? Did I? Did I?

Even though I have run over 15 marathons, 6 ultra marathons (anything over 26.2 is considered an ultra) and many, many half marathons I still respect the distance.  Yes I know I can run 26.2 miles.
Am I trying to race this marathon?  No.  I just want to run happy and enjoy it.  My focus is going to be shorter distances after this marathon so I truly just want to Boston Qualify (under 4 hours).  I ran a 1:37 half marathon the weekend before last and felt amazing.  Boom. I would be just fine keeping that train moving a little slower but nonetheless chugging along at a comfortable pace (for me). There is nothing better than feeling the miles click off on your Garmin without you realizing you are exerting effort.  Unfortunately, most runners know it is solely about THAT (race) day.  Race day can be anything, a mixed bag of sorts.

Each time I lace up my shoes to run a training run I always wonder if this is going to be a good day, tolerable day or a horrible running day.  Some training runs you question what the heck you are doing with running shoes on.  Some training runs you feel on top of the world.  This is where the taper crazies begin.

The time I would have used for running is now empty.  My energy levels swing higher and lower than a kid on a swing trying to touch the sky.  I find myself not sleeping very well either.  I have been waking up super early almost every day since my taper began.

The taper crazies have hit me so hard, I painted our youngest daughter's bedroom over the weekend. She is in her third year of teaching, so to say I dragged my feet is an understatement.  One of my steady running partners, Jeriann, helped me gather all my painting necessities because she was in taper mode till yesterday.  She rocked the Marine Corps marathon in DC with a 12 minute PR (3:25). I was singing and dancing following her on my phone all morning.  I should note I started texting her at 4:25am and she answered!  I think my husband was ready to have me committed.

Jeriann meeting me for a quick goodbye lunch before leaving for DC

My New York experience starts on Thursday afternoon.  I am lucky my Dad lives on Wall Street in Manhattan so I am walking distance to the South Ferry.  I will take the ferry to the starting line on Sunday at 6:00am. 

I found out that I will be starting at 9:50am on TOP of the bridge (insert yikes) in Wave 1, Corral D so I SHOULD have plenty of time to find where my corral is located.  I will also be taking a whole meal with me (in clear plastic bags) because I will be HUNGRY after just sitting/standing there for hours. One of my biggest racing idiosyncratic behaviors is that I need to see the starting line the day before or I don't sleep well because I will dream about the gun going off and I am scrambling trying to find the starting line.  Yes, that IS a taper crazy I have hung onto since high school.  I will have to deal with this this year because I will not be looking at the starting line the day before.  I will be visiting with family.

At Boston I had my friend, Jen Farrell with me.  Jen is one of my favorite running partners who put up with my crazy work  hours for years.  She was great about meeting me anywhere at anytime.  I still miss her immensely!  I will feel very alone without her with me at New York.

Notice the taper crazies unfolding in the above paragraphs?  I am bouncing all over the place.  I feel like a hamster who had their wheel taken away from them. I just want to run.....right now!

This morning I had a leisurely 6 mile run with some running buddies I do not get to run with very often.  We had a chatty, silly run that felt amazing in our cooler temperatures here in North Carolina. 

Beth and Amy allowed me to process my taper crazies while we chatted and ran farther than we originally scheduled.  This is why I love our Greensboro running community....EVERYONE IS AWESOME!

Amy and Beth were so much fun to run alongside!

I am sure I will have more to say about New York, Much more. I am trying to contain my excitement about seeing my Dad & Stepmom, and my sister and her family. I look forward to running all 5 boroughs by myself (alongside 50,000+other runners).  I think ONE of them will help me find the starting line before the gun goes off.

I leave you with a quote from William Shakespeare, "Things won are done, joy's soul is in the doing". I am fortunate to have supportive family and friends that give me daily encouragement.  Speaking of encouragement....here is a link to the trailer of my son's (Nick Westfall) first full length feature film he wrote and directed, "Finding Home".  I couldn't be more proud. It will premiere in Wilmington, NC on Saturday, November 21st on National Adoption Day.  Enjoy!

Click here to see "Finding Home"

Preparation for the TCS New York Marathon by way of the Myrtle Beach Mini Marathon

How do you make sure you have some good solid training runs while preparing for a marathon?  Pick a couple of half marathons and sign-up.  Yes.  Just sign up.  Put the ego aside, slap on a cute, fun outfit , lace up your shoes and run for the sheer fun of running with friends.

I happen to have a great community of runners here in Greensboro, NC.  I tend to float from group to group so  I can experience a nice, varied mix of people.  This includes running with everyone from beginners to seasoned veterans (notice I didn't use the word 'old'. I'm taking issue with that word lately).  I am what you call a undisciplined free spirited runner.  I mainly run other people's plans.  Am I a certified running coach?  Yes.  Do I care exactly what my training plan should be when preparing for a marathon?  No.  I have been running my whole life.  I like to think I have a base that has a base.  I do, however, make sure I build distances, then take an off week where I decrease mileage considerably.  There is where that 'old' word comes back into play:  In order for ME to stay healthy, I must listen to my body and give it proper rest when I need it.

2 weeks ago I paced the Cannonball Half Marathon in Greensboro.  My friend, Jeriann and I paced the 1:45 group and had a blast talking, teaching, singing and coaching our group to the finish line in under 1:45.  The skies were gloomy and humid, but it never rained.  We remained upbeat and cheered everyone around us.  THIS is what the love of running does.

Jeriann is getting ready to run in the Marine Corps Marathon in D.C.  So proud of her and her running accomplishments as a new runner!

Yesterday was the Myrtle Beach Mini-Marathon (I love that they say 'mini' instead of 'half' marathon).  I wanted to run happy, consistent and stay within 1:35-1:45 range.  I ran each mile within 5 seconds of one another and  allowed myself to go a little faster the last mile.  I stayed in my sweet spot so that I didn't feel taxed, yet I knew I was working.  I worked myself comfortably to a 1:37:44 finish, which translated to a 7:27 average mile.

  I was so happy to run into these running friends after the race!

Johnny and Suzette Redwine,  We competed in  the Denver  Rock and Roll Marathon together last October.  I just adore these two!

Running happy (for me) involves a couple of things:  great traveling companions and perfect weather.  I had great travelling companions and the weather was PERFECT for running.  It was windy, but the temperature ranged from 45-60 degrees.  Aah, perfect running weather!

Here is the gang trying to stay warm before the start:  Christie, Lori, me, Amy and Erin.  Erin was competing in her first half-marathon ever and cruised her way in to a 2:07 finish.  She was wanting under 2:30.  I say she crushed her goal.  Don't you?  We had a great race mom:  Amanda.  Amanda drove us to the start line, parked the car at the finish line, and cheered for us with her sombrero on throughout the course.  Everything went smoothly and thanks to her super driving skills it was a fun weekend.  Here we are trying to stay warm after the race!

                             Amanda, Erin, me, Suzette below me, Lori, Christie and Amy

Next up:  TCS New York City Marathon...do I have a race plan?  Yes.  Finish. I want to run happy so I can take it all in and enjoy myself.  I need to BQ so that if a certain group of special running friends all qualify we will go together in 2017.  The only time I enjoy being old is the qualifying BQ time for my age is 3:55.  I  need to race under 3:49 to secure my spot.

I know I have been terrible about blogging this past year.  I keep thinking things need to be EPIC.  I am accepting that this is my issue and I will work on it this year.....through the blog.  Thanks for reading!

The Elusive 100 miles in 24 hours is Finally Mine and I have a Virginia State Record to Prove It!

It's been (gulp) a week since I ran the Crooked Road 24 Hour Ultra, but the miles still seem fresh.  This was the first year I achieved breaking the 100 mile barrier and ironically this year was the easiest.  Was I stronger than last year?  Probably yes.  Was I more patient than last year?  Decidedly so.  Was I more relaxed about it this year?  ABSOLUTELY.  I have photographic proof of my calmness.  In previous years I would not have stopped long enough for a photo for fear of being late to the starting line.  We were definitely bundled up because it was 21 degrees outside.  The good news is that we knew this would be the coldest it would get throughout the next 24 hours.

Me, Chris Bean, Trish Lebsack & Josie Whitmore

I coerced convinced some tennis/running friends into participating in the Crooked Road 24 Hour Ultra.  Trish Lebsack & Chris Bean came to cheer me on last year with another friend, Chris Walker. Even though I had a rough day (didn't feel well, even colder than this year complete with snow showers) they loved the party atmosphere of a 24 hour race.  You see, everyone has different goals and aspirations but the common denominator is everyone has FUN!  The volunteers are awesome and since the loop is only .95 miles long you get to see everyone quite often.  By far, this is my favorite course.  I liken it to cupcake racing.  You get food and drink every .95 miles.  What's not to love?

Trish, Josie, Chris and myself show up to the starting line and it's like a reunion of sorts.  Usually at the start of a race candid shots of me closely resemble someone about to throw up, not this time.  I found this one and I look like I'm happy and confident. I don't know if I'm stretching or strutting.

 I got the most sleep I've ever gotten before one of these type of races and felt FULLY ready to tackle my 100.  My friend, Charlie Engle, and I shared a picnic table under the shelter.  Every year I've procured the same table.  I think his superior talent rubbed off on me which enabled me to break a 100.  Anyway, I had oodles of stuff (as usual) because  you never know what you are going to need for a 24 hour race.  I knew Charlie was going to be there all night, but I knew I had my friend Jen Pack running with me for a little in the evening (she ran 10 miles with me!) and Pam (who I met at this race several years earlier and I adore) running with me at 2am.  My friend, Dena, shared the table with us, but didn't show up for the race until the start.  In fact, I didn't see her until a couple of laps into the race.  We are sole sister racing buddies and good friends.  We have worked together at 24 hour races before and have pushed each other to new distances that we never thought possible.  She and I mostly ran together the first 50 miles.  She had logged many more miles than me the last couple of months, so her body was done after 50.  If she had not done a 24 hour race,  a marathon, etc. I think she would have been right there by my side.  We took a little photo somewhere in the 35-50 mile range.

Unlike last year, I decided that I was not going to attack the sugar table until deep into the race.  I think this may have had a big impact on my blood sugar levels.  I felt great throughout and I did not have a single gummy bear, oreo, etc.  I did have my magical elixir, coke, but I didn't have any until after the 50 mile mark.  I took a couple of ounces every 5-8 miles.  I did drink some Nuun, Heed, Gatorade and water throughout.  Another reason I had so much fun was that we had so many friends from Greensboro running in the event.  Everyone arrived with different plans, but it was so exciting seeing everyone throughout the day and into the night.

Food.  I probably didn't eat enough of it, but I did have Kashi bars, banana chips, Honey Stinger waffles and peanut butter crackers.  Crooked Road provided McDonald's hamburgers, peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, soup, and pizza.  I stayed away from dairy this year, but had plenty of sandwich squares and chicken broth to fill up on.  The volunteers made it easy.....I would ask for broth and by the next time you arrived at the table, it would be there.  It was magical!  I also had some great help from Chip and Kerri Person.  They are Wilder's parents and it was so nice seeing them every mile while Wilder completed 50 miles!  I was so proud of his progress in this sport.  Longevity does not come overnight and he is well on his way to really make an impact in this sport.

Around 2am I (for some unknown reason) felt like I could not have solid food anymore.  I wasn't feeling bad, but I just knew I didn't want to eat anything.  I then switched to broth, Muscle Milk, Gu's and Honey Stinger Chews until I finished.  I never had GI issues (unlike the year before) which was lucky. I also never felt delirious and I definitely didn't do any death marching.  I was running, jogging and power walking throughout.  I don't think I slowly walked at all as a matter of fact.

Pam and I ran a few laps but I soon sent her to administer to the runners that really needed her.  I was feeling great.  Unfortunately we were passing some people that were doing a death march slow, staggered walk so I told her I felt great and they needed her more than me.  I continued my jogging/race walking as I counted down the laps I needed to achieve my goal.  I even took a selfie in the brand new heated bathroom with only 4 1/2 laps to go!

The eyes were definitely tired looking and the heavy salt intake was taking its toll.  But.....the bathroom was warm and I wanted 1 more minute of warmth....taking a picture seemed normal (maybe I was a bit delirious?).  Maybe it was foreshadowing because this picture proved to be the signal for my friends, Mel and Christine, to get there fast because I was going to finish ahead of schedule!  I had no idea they were coming.

Every time I was within 50 feet or so of the volunteer table I would say, "HHHHIIIIIIIII    Taaaaaarrrrrraaaaaaaa" (yes, I dragged out her name that long because it was great to see her each lap!)  Well....when she yelled that I just finished 105 laps my smile was huge, but when Mel and Christine appeared I went euphoric.  I remember jumping up and down (knocking my headlamp off) yelling, "You came!" over and over and over.  I then remember giggling like a kid at Christmas and we took off.  I forewarned the girls at the table that they might hear some yelling when I reached the 100 mile sign, but that I was okay.  The 3 of us took off hand in hand and we screamed at the top of our lungs at the sign....well, the girls at the table screamed back.  We couldn't stop laughing.  We ran the rest of the lap and I stopped.  Yes, I stopped.  My goal was 100 miles.  I completed 100.7.  Could I have gone on for the next hour and a half?  I don't know.  All I knew is that I felt so great I didn't want to jinx myself.  I then cheered Emily on to break the Virginia State Record for her age group and overall.  Little did I know that I broke a Virginia State Record that day for my 45-49 year old age group and ended up 2nd overall female. I sat by the fire and waited for my husband to pick me up.  When Dan arrived I think he thought he was going to walk a few laps with me, but I was already done.  We He packed up all my things and I decided I couldn't wait for the awards ceremony.  The tiredness set in.  Ricky Scott, the race director, handed me my precious jewel.  I couldn't have been more proud to receive this

My day got just a little bit brighter because I was inducted into the Team Buttercup group.  Bill Keane, pictured here with Amy Surrette and myself sent me a "Suck It Up Buttercup" shirt and the 100 mile sign he confiscated from the course.  I talked to that sign for 106 laps....I truly YELLED to that sign 106 times.  I cannot wait to hang it in my home office.

Sorry this was so long, but I am trying to blog a little more often.  I keep reminding myself it doesn't have to be big or epic.  It just has to 'be'.   Happy Running !!

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I felt lazy not running in a Thanksgiving Day/Weekend race, but I did manage to run 10 miles on Saturday with Jeriann and her husband, Byron.  We ran happy....can you guess who's wearing the dirty shoes?

The 2014 Road to Crooked Road, a year in quick review

Well....I finally did it.  I completed 100.7 miles within 24 hours. Actually, due to my poor math skills, I  completed it in 22 hours 27 minutes. I thought I was in the 23rd hour so I was actually running quite a bit those last couple of hours thinking I was going to be racing the clock.  Seeing as I have not had time to blog in the last YEAR, I thought I should give  a quick recap of the year and the race and then go into more specifics of the race in a separate post.

2014.  What a year it has been thus far.  To be honest, it has flown by not just because I am getting old  seasoned, but also because I returned to the full-time work force in February.  I am back in the wellness industry at Starmount Forest Country Club which is 3.5 miles from my house.  I have the privilege of imparting my passion for wellness to a great group of members.  Besides loving my job, I have the most incredible view from my desk.  Most who know me know I don't sit well, but if you have to sit to get paperwork done, a great view of the golf course helps!

A couple of days before I started my job, I paced the Myrtle Beach Half Marathon.  I LOVE pacing races.  I get out of my own head and focus on helping my group achieve their goal.  I paced the 1:45 group and I take my job seriously!  I always forewarn my pace group that I will indeed talk the whole time.  I also tell them I will sing, joke and get the crowd involved.  I am enjoying some high success rates because they are relaxed and laughing. There is no better compliment than to have someone come to me after it's over telling/hugging me that I helped them achieve a personal best.  If I could, I would pace every weekend.  Here is one of the only photos I have from that day, my friend Melanie and I picking up our pacing shirts.

March brought me participating in the Wrightsville Beach Half Marathon.  I was with awesome friends, but I was food poisoned the day before the race and didn't have anything in my system for over 24 hours.  I ran the race because I signed up for the race.  I pulled back every time I felt dizzy, and just enjoyed the run.  This is a theme this year......I've been running    h   a   p   p  y  .  I know I don't look very happy in this photo, but I had had zero food for over 28 hours and ran this race and somehow kept everything together.  I was indeed happy!

April brought  another pacing job.  This time it was the Raleigh Rock & Roll Marathon.  I was entrusted with the 4 hour pace group....and as you can see by the picture I took my job seriously had an incredible time getting my group in on time.  In fact, with the exception of only a few I had most of my group ahead of me.  This day was hot, hot, hot.  I was carrying 6 extra Gu's in my pocket and begged my group to stay hydrated.  This was probably the hardest pacing job I ever encountered because of the humidity and the sun.  Two people lost their lives in the half marathon this day, and my prayers still remain with these 2 families.  Rock & Roll events are incredible because they are well organized and  hearing the bands throughout the course make it even more fun!  

Due to a last minute phone call from a dear running friend, Rebecca Byerly, of Women of the Mountain, I was invited to pace her in Lake Tahoe during her Tahoe 200 race (may I just say it is REALLY 202 miles) in September.  It was a whirlwind trip I will never forget.  I flew and drove to Tahoe getting there somewhere around 2am with a Greensboro high school student named Wilder Person.  Wilder and I became fast friends even with the decades between us because we were there to get Rebecca across the finish line at all cost.  Wilder is not a seasoned runner and did over 40 miles with Rebecca.  Amazing!  I ended up pacing somewhere in the neighborhood of 90 miles and collectively we helped get Rebecca to the finish line as the 4th overall female.  It was easy being her friend and mentor, it was hard getting tough with her a few times as she battled fatigue.  I was so happy to help her, this picture is one of my favorites......

I ran a few other races, but by far my biggest race this year was the Denver Rock N Roll Marathon.  My hubby and I flew out to Colorado on a Friday, explored downtown Denver that afternoon and spent the next day hiking up near Boulder.  I knew I was going to have fun at Denver and not try to race it, so hiking for many hours in the mountains seemed normal to me.  I fell in love with Colorado and hope to return one day soon.  I encountered some altitude issues during the race on Sunday, but I ran happy.  I ended up 17th woman overall but the most interesting note is that I was the first female NOT from Colorado on the results list.  In my crazy world, I consider that a win!  I look too fresh for just running a marathon, but my time was pretty (relatively) slow for me.

Now we come to Crooked Road 24 Hour Ultra.  This race is a true test of your will and determination.  It gets dark by 5:15pm and doesn't get light again till almost 7am.  That is a LONG time to be running with a headlamp.  Crooked Road is set in a park near Rocky Mount, VA and is a certified .95 mile loop.  Notice I said .95, not 9.5!  May I just say I LOVE this loop.  It gave me 106 times to say hello to the great volunteers and more opportunity to run into people.  I love people!  Especially during a 24 hour race.  Here is a photo of my Greensboro Sole Sister, Dena, who was with me when I started running Crooked Road 4 years ago.  If you haven't read any of my previous posts from Crooked, I invite you to because this year's experience was NOTHING like the previous years.  I will explain that in more detail in an upcoming post.

I wanted to wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving and thank you for reading. I hope to write a full race report by the weekend!  I leave you with a few things I am thankful for:

1.  I am thankful I have the most wonderful husband, family and friends who support, lift, and encourage me.  More importantly, they accept me the way I am.
2.  I am thankful I have remained a healthy runner thanks to cross training and actually listening to my body.
3.  I am thankful I love running everything from the 800m to 100 miles.
4.  I am thankful that I surround myself with women who empower me and not try to tear me down.
5.  I am thankful I was born with endless energy which probably drives many people crazy :)
6.  I am thankful I have met so many incredible people through a sport I love.

Happy Thanksgiving!