Do you get the post-race blues? I know they’re a thing, but it’s amazing the mixed feelings I get after a race. While it’s somewhat freeing to know I can just run whatever I want when I wake up in the morning and not have to stress about when I’m going to do my long run, etc. that feeling quickly gives away to sadness about my big event being over.
This week I spent most of the time recovering. My hip and knee was sore after Sunday’s race, so I tried to keep it easy, get back into my weight training, do some walks and light running, and just stay sane. Here’s what a recovery week looked like for me:
Well, that was a whirlwind week! This time last week I was in Orlando for work … in fact, just a few days ago I was in Orlando, running on little sleep, a decaf latte, helping with my company’s annual sales meeting. But here I am now, writing a recap of the Cleveland Marathon Race Weekend! And what a weekend it was. We also had a piano recital, a ballet recital and more …. but this post is about the Cleveland Marathon event so let me stick to that.
As I’ve shared, I’m a Cleveland Marathon Race ambassador, which means I get to promote the fun race and get free race entry. Really, it’s just a wonderful way to meet with some other really wonderful people in the Cleveland running community. Take Adam, for example, our leader — he shared impromptu videos about each of the ambassadors leading up to race weekend and here’s what he had to say about me:
Since this is also part of my weekly recap, here’s a quick look at my week before the race weekend – it included some short runs but I tried to keep it simple the week before the race. Unfortunately for race prep, I didn’t get much sleep (including 5 hours Monday night and 3.5 hours Tuesday night), and I had a lot of time on my feet during my work trip. I did take a few days off which included some walks:
Sunday: 4.12 miles before my flight out and some weights
Monday: 4 miles hotel gym
Tuesday: 3.23 miles hotel gym and some weights
Wednesday: Off – just a 2.5 mile walk
Thursday: Off – just a 3.3 mile walk
Friday: Off – just a 2.6 mile walk
And then race weekend began! This year, here’s what the weekend entailed:
FRIDAY — THE RACE EXPO
One of my favorite race weekend traditions is volunteering at the Cleveland Marathon Race Expo with other Cleveland Marathon Ambassadors. I volunteer at the registration/packet pick-up booth on the day/time the Expo opens, and it’s the best way to kick off the weekend! Seeing everyone in the expo picking up their packets really does get me so excited for race weekend! When the doors open at 12 and the rush starts, I feel ALL the feels. And as an added bonus, I get to meet up with some other race ambassadors who also volunteer.
FRIDAY NIGHT — AMBASSADOR PRE-RACE DINNER
Friday night, one of the ambassadors hosted us all for a pre-race weekend dinner! It was the first time we had an informal dinner at someone’s house. We typically have a formal event hosted by the Marathon, with other VIPs, but it was nice to be with just the other ambassadors in a more intimate environment. She had a gorgeous house and an amazing kitchen, and hosted us for a fabulous pasta party.
SATURDAY MORNING — 5K
Saturday morning: I kicked off the day with the Cleveland Marathon 5K. It looked like it was going to rain, so I ended up wearing my old sneakers and a short-sleeved shirt, but by the time it started, it was 68 and sunny. I regretted the sleeves (I was hot!) and old sneakers (my feet were sore), but I had an okay time running. I’m not going to lie – I was disappointed after this race. Especially after last year when I felt like I was flying and could’ve kept going – and I finished at an 8:15 min/mile. This year I was 40 seconds slower per mile and felt awful. So I left the 5K feeling disappointed and also nervous about what the half marathon would hold for me, knowing how lousy I felt running the 5K.
SUNDAY — HALF MARATHON
Sunday morning: Half marathon time! Again, my goals this year were to just have fun. A few months ago, my goal would’ve been to get close to 2 hours, but the past few weeks have not been great. I haven’t been sleeping well, my feet were sore from standing all day Friday and wearing heels during my work trip (when will I learn?), and after Saturday’s 5K, I told B my goal was 2:10 or under.
I kicked off the race with a pre-start photo with my other ambassadors. Being at the starting line with them always gives me a boost of energy. After the photos, we head our separate ways and into our own corrals. We have such a diverse group – one of the ambassadors even won the full women’s marathon several years in a row!
I’m so grateful for B and the kids. They got up EARLY with me and headed to the starting line to take photos and then watch me all along the course. I am so lucky to have them – I couldn’t have done this year’s training without B there to support me, watch the kids, etc.
I had debated wearing a tank or short-sleeved shirt – it was 58 at the start, and I like wearing tank tops at 60 degrees for races. I clearly opted for the short-sleeve but wished I had the tank top on by 1.5. I’m not going to lie – I was not feeling good the first 5-6 miles. My feet were already hurting, and I felt hot and out of breath. By mile 6 when I saw B, I realized I hadn’t taken any fuel at the start as I had in the past, so I quickly grabbed my Gu and within a few miles felt better! I decided to take it easy and not try for the sub-2, and instead, just enjoy the run. I gave all the high fives out I could, touched all the “power up” signs, ran through a hose, stopped at all the water and gatorade stops, etc. I decided to just enjoy the run – and I’m so glad I did! It made the 2nd half of the race that much better.
Even with all my stops, I finished at 2:02:22! While my Garmin time was slower, my official time was faster than last year by 20 seconds, so I’m counting this as my post-partum PR!
THANK YOU Cleveland Marathon for A WONDERFUL weekend. I can’t believe I’m now one of their old ambassadors. Every year I wonder if taking on the Challenge Series during the craziest time of year is a good idea, and I’m SO GLAD I did. I’m so grateful for B for taking care of everything to help me run, and the Marathon for letting me run around my city. It really is a beautiful way to see it and take it in, and I loved every moment of the weekend (well, minus the first 6 miles or so hehe). I’m so grateful to be part of this amazing ambassador team!
Questions for you:
What is your “tank top” temperature if you have one?
What’s your post-run go-to meal? I love a rosemary bagel with egg and cheese sandwich.
I am linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down.
Um, where did the year go? It felt like just a few days ago I was starting my race training. But no, one week from today, I will be running my half marathon! I’m doing the 5K & Half Marathon Challenge Series for Cleveland this year, and race weekend is coming up!
This week I spent trying to keep up my mileage, stay injury free, and stay sane. Easy goals, huh? I should have added “get more sleep” to my goals because my sleep this week was awful — 4-5 hours/night. And I am pooped! I leave for a work trip today, and that includes late nights and early mornings, so my sleep won’t be much better. Not the best before race day, but I’ll try my best.
Well, I’m back in the swing of things and getting started with BUSY season in life and work! My work annual meeting is in May, school ends in May, spring and summer sports overlap in May, I have 2 trips planned, and it seems that every other possible event (ballet recital! piano recital! etc) is in May. So to all the parents out there – and everyone else who is busy – YOU GOT THIS!
But because it’s MAY here’s a quick look at April:
Kept up my weight training, 4x a week
Stayed uninjured
Ran 150+ miles again for the month
Got in lots of walking when I could – and finally some outdoor walks!
FW and LM go to school early in the mornings, and on the days I work from home, GM and I have about 45 minutes to an hour to kill before he goes to preschool. On those days, sometimes we go for walks, sometimes I start working, sometimes we read together, and other days – we bake! With Teacher Appreciation Week coming, GM said he wanted to make some cookies for his teachers. I started showing him several pictures of different types of cookies, and when I showed him photos of chocolate cookies, he immediately said he wanted them. I decided to add white chocolate chips because I love white chocolate and they were a hit! Each of my kids liked them – and that doesn’t happen often. They’re brownie-like goodness with milk and white chocolate inside. Yum! Make them for you, your kids, your teachers – or just because.
Inside Out Chocolate Chip Cookies
Here’s what you need:
2 1/3cupsall-purpose flour
3/4cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1teaspoonbaking soda
1/2teaspoon salt
1cupunsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1cupgranulated sugar
1cuppacked light brown sugar
2large eggs
1 1/2teaspoonspure vanilla extract
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup milk chocolate chips
Here’s what you do:
Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a large baking sheet – I like to line with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix butter and sugars until smooth (about 2-3 minutes)
Add eggs and vanilla to butter/sugar combination and mix until well combined.
Gradually add the flour mixture to the stand mixer ingredients, about 1 cup at a time. Beat on low until just combined — do not overmix!
Add in chocolate chips and stir with a spatula.
Scoop up the dough with a tablespoon and place on the prepared baking sheet. At this point, I like to place a few more chocolate chips on the cookies so they look clean when they come out of the oven. Mine made about 3 dozen and I cooked 1 dozen a time on the baking sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes; the cookies will be soft in the center. Cool on the baking sheet for about 3 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.
Happy first Friday in May! Join me in a virtual coffee date. It’s a fun way to share some randomness on my brain with you … here’s what I’d share if we were having a coffee date today.
Not my coffee, but my husband’s mocha at brunch at my new sister-in-law’s cafe!
If we were having coffee today, I’d order some herbal tea, since I don’t drink a lot of caffeine. That said, I did have a Liquid IV with caffeine in today because I did a long run before work and needed all the caffeine I could get afterwards!
But I digress. If we were having coffee today, I’d tell you…
I’m just a few weeks out from the Cleveland Half Marathon!
I can’t believe it’s already May, and race day is just around the corner. I’m officially almost done with training — I hit 12 miles today and it felt great (okay, it felt great after I was done).
As an ambassador for the event this year, I’ve loved being part of the community, going to the kick off run, etc. BUT I can’t wait until race weekend to volunteer at the Expo because that’s when it really feels real. The weekend is always so inspiring – the spectators, all the volunteers, the runners, etc.
Remember, as a Cleveland Marathon Ambassador, which means I also have discounted race admission should you want to sign up – you can use SAVE20MELCARN for 20% off your race entry into ANY of the races (including 5K, 10K, kids run!). I’m doing the challenge series which already sold out, and the other events are selling out FAST!
May is MAYhem.
Honestly, this month rivals the holidays when it comes to chaos. Work is nonstop, we’ve got spring and summer sports overlapping (this weekend alone, my son has FIVE games — soccer and baseball!), and we’re juggling a piano recital, dance recital, school events, and a few upcoming trips. It’s all fun and exciting, but also … a little overwhelming? Just trying to stay upright and caffeinated over here.
We got a piano!
One of the bright spots in our house lately is the addition of a piano. My son started taking lessons through Musicologie, and he’s been having so much fun learning. If you’re in Ohio or Indiana you should check them out — while we have one dedicated teacher, I can schedule and reschedule all the lessons online, which is helpful this time of year when baseball games, weddings (more on that in a minute), etc. get in the way of our regularly scheduled lessons. I just got him a Beatles piano book and he’s already picking out the notes to “Hey Jude.” Watching him sit down and play totally on his own has been one of those proud, heart-melty parenting moments.
I got a haircut!
I chopped my hair off last week!! It was time. It was getting so long and I needed something shorter and easier. I love how they will curl it afterwards so it’s a wavy bob — I wish I could do that myself. I’ve tried to no avail. It just stays straight for me!
Same day, different hair (also wearing makeup in the 2nd one …)
We celebrated our 14-year wedding anniversary this week.
14 years! It’s wild to think how much life we’ve packed into those years, and I’m feeling especially grateful for B this month — for being my favorite dance partner (more on that in a sec), and keeping me sane in all the chaos.
14 years ago … we had the best weather!
Speaking of weddings… my brother-in-law got married last week!
It was a beautiful weekend full of family, friends, and so much dancing. Thursday night’s welcome reception was a full-on party — the kids loved it, and I baked cookies for the dessert table. Friday was an adults-only evening, and after the ceremony (LM was a flower girl with some of her other girl cousins!), B and I danced until midnight before heading to an after-party. It felt like a throwback to pre-kid life, but of course, during half the reception, I kept saying to B, “Oh, LM likes this song… FW would love to dance to this song!” etc.
Scroll through the below photos for some videos too – including dancing and flower girls 🙂
May is going to be the most I’ve traveled since the pandemic I think: three trips, four flights, a road trip, and lots of logistics, packing, unpacking, etc. I’m crossing my fingers that everything goes smoothly. It’s a lot, but I’m excited – it will be a lot of fun!
From the last time we all flew together as a family – Germany last year!
Ultimate Coffee Date is hosted by Coco and Deborah
I Crashed The Web 