half marathon

Recovery Week

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 7 Comments

Does anyone else get all the post-race feels? I’m feeling up and down this week, now that my half marathon is done. 

In case you missed it, last Sunday, I ran the Cleveland half marathon. I came in at 2:06ish, which isn’t a PR or anything, but still faster than I was last year. My 5K time on Saturday was also faster, which I’m considering a win.

But now that the race is over, I’m feeling up and down. Happy that I can just run whatever I want in the mornings vs. stick to a training plan, and even sleep in a little again … but sad because I’m not sure what’s next!

This week I took it easy. I was feeling a little sore in my quads on Monday/Tuesday, and my feet were sore overall most of the week, but I felt pretty good otherwise. Here’s how the week turned out: Continue reading →

Cleveland Marathon Weekend 2023: Challenge Series Recap

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 9 Comments

Wow, what a week! I can’t believe that the Cleveland Marathon weekend has come and gone. Just a few days ago I was in Orlando for work, and then I made it home just in time for all the Cleveland Marathon festivities to begin.

The week included a few runs, but nothing crazy. I was out of town on business and on my feet all day, so I got in 15000+ steps all day each day. But I did sneak in a few runs at the hotel gym, including:

Sunday: 3.3 miles before my flight out

Monday: 4.4 miles hotel gym

Tuesday: 4.5 miles hotel gym

Wednesday/Thursday/Friday: off – no workouts!

The weekend included:

THE RACE EXPO

Friday afternoon: I LOVE kicking everything off with the Cleveland Marathon Race Expo. As you may remember, I’m a race ambassador, and get free entry. With that, I volunteer at the expo every year, and this year I was again at registration with some of my fellow ambassadors. It’s so fun to talk with people, get them checked in, answer their questions about the race, and feel the excitement with all the runners in one place.

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VIP RACE BANQUET

Friday evening: I continued the festivities with the Cleveland Marathon banquet. I feel so fortunate to be invited to this event and to be with those that plan and produce this great event each year. And, of course I love catching up with my other ambassadors. Not only did we get a photo of all us dressed up, but BERNIE KOSAR was in the shot.

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5K

Saturday morning: We started the day with the Cleveland Marathon 5k. I met up with my fellow ambassadors at the starting line and to wish everyone a good race. The weather was less than ideal– it was 50s and rainy the full time. But I was so glad it was that weather for the 5k and that the weather was still looking okay for the half marathon.

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HALF MARATHON

Sunday morning: Half marathon time! My goals this year quickly got pushed to the back burner and I was just hoping to have fun during the race. I was getting over being sick and my breath was still not all there. My feet were sore from wearing heels most of the week and being on my feet for several days. I was still tired after a few days of long work hours and staying out late with coworkers. But the race conditions were PERFECT and I ended up finishing a few minutes faster than last year, at around 2:06 (last year was 2:11). 

In case you’ve been following along Cleveland Marathon social media, you saw CourseGate 2023- they changed the course this year to focus on running mostly through just Cleveland, with only one outside suburb included (for the Marathon). There were tons of complaints about the course, but here was my take– I loved the new course! I didn’t mind all the turns, for me, it kept the run interesting and moving. I could look ahead until the next turn and just keep moving until we approached the turn. The crowd support was stellar – there were people out all over downtown since the course looped around several areas. Then when we got to Tremont, we passed the house from A Christmas Story (have you seen that movie?) and there tons of people out to support the runners. WAs it a perfect, painless run? Of course not. I got a cramp around mile 9 that didn’t go away. My big toe was hurting for most of the run, and I had a headache at the start that never went away (Blaming it on the lack of sleep). Did I break 2 hours, as I would’ve a few years ago? Nope. Was it super flat? No, and the Scranton hill nearly killed me. But I had fun, saw my fellow ambassadors and the weather was near perfect – a little warmer than I would’ve liked but still not bad!).

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Overall, I’m really happy with how the race went. I had SO MUCH fun running the race again! But I’m looking forward to NOT waking up at 3-4 a.m. for the next few weeks!

THANK YOU Cleveland Marathon for a great weekend. For letting me be an ambassador AGAIN. For letting me run around my city once again. I’m so grateful to be part of this great race!

Questions for you:

  • What’s your goal half marathon time?
  • What’s your ideal racing weather?

I am linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down.

2022 Cleveland Marathon Challenge Series – Race Recap

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 4 Comments

Was it really only just a few days ago that I was running through the streets of Cleveland with thousands of others, in my first in-person Cleveland half marathon since 2019? 

Okay, okay, I’m getting ahead of myself. But yes, just a few day ago, I completed the Cleveland 5k/half marathon challenge series, running a 5k on Saturday and half marathon on Sunday. As a race ambassador, I was able to take advantage of some amazing perks. Even nearly a week later, I’m still feeling proud and grateful for the whole experience — so here it is.

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Tired and Ready

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 4 Comments

I have one more long run left until the Cleveland half marathon, and to be honest? I’m ready. I’ve been feeling tired lately, and fitting in my long runs has been harder this training cycle than usual.

I have typically liked doing my long runs on Saturdays, but FW has track meets Saturdays now. B is also training for the half marathon, and he does his long runs on Sundays, so I need to be home to watch the kids. I’ve been fitting all of them in so far on weekdays, which means a lot of EARLY mornings (meaning waking up at 3:30 a.m. this week), but also not the ideal conditions. Almost all of my runs have been done before sunrise, with 30-40 degree temps. Race day, I imagine will be sunny and a lot warmer, and I’m in no way prepared for that!

That’s a long way of saying, I’m looking forward to taking a few days off and not waking up before 4 a.m. Here’s to hoping for an uneventful, injury-free rest of training!

Here’s what this week looked like:

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Technically Springtime

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 3 Comments

While it is technically spring, this week’s weather was once again wonky. Most of my runs are in the morning, and they were in the 30s or even upper 20s one day! But Sunday was nearly 80 degrees. Oh well, just another week in half marathon training for a spring race right? (I can’t believe the Cleveland half marathon is less than a month away!!) Here’s what this week’s training looked like:

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One Month Until Race Day

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 8 Comments

We’re ONE MONTH until Cleveland half marathon race day! Ahh! The weeks are going by so fast, and it hardly feels like we’re less than 30 days away from the race weekend.

That is probably partially because earlier this week it felt – and looked – like winter. Sunday and Monday I ran outside in 30 degree temps. Tuesday I woke up to rain/ice overnight that had turned into snow so I hit up the treadmill. It hardly feels like it should be almost May and halfway through spring!

Here’s what the week looked like for training:

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Double Digits

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 5 Comments

And just like that, I’m back at double digits this week! I can’t remember the last time I ran 10 miles at once, but it’s been some time, and it feels good to be back. With a little over a month until Cleveland half marathon trace day, I’m just hoping to keep it up, and stay healthy and uninjured. Is that so hard? (Don’t answer that, it is!)

This week threw some wrenches into plans, but also included some positives. GM was exposed to COVID at daycare, and had to stay home while the class was closed for the week (he tested negative thankfully). On a positive note, FW was on spring break, which meant I could sleep a little later because there was no early school bus to catch. Even just sleeping in 40 more minutes has made such a difference. It gives me hope for summertime!

Here’s what the week looked like – all outdoor runs!

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Feeling Back!

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 5 Comments

Running is just like life is – some weeks are GREAT and others are not. But this week, I felt back! After a week of not feeling well, I felt like I really this week’s Cleveland half marathon training. I got in a few treadmill runs, a speed run, and even some outdoor runs. I even got in a 7 miler before work one day!

The only thing not great was my energy levels this week. The time change and some busy (but fun) days at my job didn’t help. But with the weather being great nearly all week, it was hard to complain!Here’s what the week looked like:

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Under the Weather

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 7 Comments

Two weeks ago I kicked off Cleveland half marathon training with a bang. I ran every day, including getting outside for G’s first run in the big-kid running stroller, and was feeling great!

Then this week, the wheels fell off. I started feeling under the weather on Sunday night, and felt sick through Friday. It wasn’t anything major – mostly tired, slightly nauseas and achy (and yes, I took a COVID test – it was negative!). And even though it lasted only a few days, it put me out of commission and I wasn’t able to keep on track of training.

I didn’t try for speed, mileage, etc. this week. Instead, I still tried to run/walk when I could, knowing how exercise does wonders for my mood, so here’s a look at what this week looked like. It’s better than nothing, and If finally started to feel like myself almost on Saturday. Hopefully I’m back at it next week!

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Training Season Is Here

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 6 Comments

It’s training season! That means I’m actually going to be following a schedule, not just waking up and running whatever I feel like. That’s right, Cleveland half marathon training is here!

The last half marathon I ran was in 2020, and it was virtual. Thanks to the pandemic, and then being pregnant, and then giving birth and having a newborn, it has been quite a long time since I last ran anything of distance. But I’ve been keeping up running and have a solid base, and ready to start training again.

My goal in the past has been to run a sub-2 hour race. And I’ve done it a few times. But these days, I’m starting much slower. So, my goal now is to get a little faster, and complete a full training cycle. I plan on following something similar to Hal Higdon’s plans, which have worked for me in the past. This means each week will contain:

  • One rest day
  • One speed training day
  • One long run
  • A few easy runs

Each week, I’ll share my training – how it went, what I actually ran, etc. My goals are to do the full training program and run my best. Between not being as in shape as last training cycle, my lack of sleep is real (see: 3 kids plus a 7 month old) and I have been having a hard time finding enough time to run every morning (again, 3 young kids). But enough excuses – it’s training season! And here we go!

With that, here’s how this week went:

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