ALSO Youth Turkey Trot 2019

The last time I ran an A1A race, I wrote about how I had created some false memories of all the previous times I had run it. I discovered this year that I did the same for this turkey trot! Matt, Steph, and I have run the ALSO Youth Turkey Trot three times, and this year made the 4th, but those year weren't consecutive. Here I was thinking this was a Thanksgiving tradition, but actually the years we ran were 2012, 2013, and 2018.

2018

2013

2012

It's weird how memories work, isn't it?

Anyway, this was the 10th annual, so this year there were medals! Steph opted out this year because, although this race is stroller-friendly, she and Gordon are operating on very little sleep thanks to little Mr. Wyatt. I don't really blame her! They actually didn't make it into town until after our race.

BABY SPAM!

Matt and I went to packet pickup the day before at a local Fleet Feet. Some things on sale caught Matt's eye and he ending up buying his first ever pair of running shorts. He always runs in regular gym shorts. Now he's a convert; after running in his new shorts he's already looking to buy more!

The race start was at 8am. There's been construction on the road where the race begins for years now, so we left the house at 6:45ish and arrived right around 7:20. We had plenty of time to park and use the bathroom. We also checked our water bottles; the race was attempting to cut down on waste and offered a reusable cup check, which was super neat.

How could I NOT request this photo?!

This year, I told Matt we needed to line up at the front of the corral. We always get stuck behind so many children and walkers who don't know race etiquette. I think that made all the difference.

I wasn't sure what to expect performance-wise. I never seem to be at my best for this race and I never set a goal because the bridge is intense. But I saw early on that I was holding a pretty steady pace without having to think much about it.

We are not in this photo even though we started pretty close to the front!

Within the first mile, on our way up the Ringling Bridge, a woman in front of me slid on some of the grates and took a pretty intense tumble. I stopped to help her up and see if she was okay. (She ended up passing me later on so she was fine!) At that point I thought, "Well, I've been running on my bridge but it barely compares to this one, and now I've already stopped once, so this may be a slower race."

Still, I felt really good on the rest of the first ascent. I waved to Matt as I began the descent and saw him passing on his way back up. This year, they moved the start/finish so the turn around to go back up the bridge had to be moved, too. Rather than getting off the bridge and running on flat land for a bit, we turned right around at the bottom and climbed again!

I am actually in this photo but good luck finding me.

Not far from the top, I was having a lot of trouble breathing. My heart rate was out of control! I decided to take a quick walk break.

Can you blame me?! Also, interesting to see that quick stop just before the mile mark, where I helped the lady who fell.

Once I crested the top, though, it was all downhill. I wasn't sure how I'd be able to finish the last half mile or so without walking; I felt completely depleted and exhausted. I was trying to do math and figure out if I was coming in sub-30 or not and was totally failing. My brain refused to work. Somehow, though, I managed to talk myself out of a final walk and keep it in high gear through the end.

I was so psyched to see the clock! My terrible math had not given me an ounce of hope that I'd be so safely sub-30! This was a huge course PR for me.

Actually really pleased with these splits.

My pace matched my bib number! 19/77 in my AG. I'll take it!

Matt and I collected our medals and water, took some photos, and then headed back to my parents' house to officially start Thanksgiving.

Matt finished 10th of 49 in his AG, with a time of 24:21.

As usual, I enjoyed the challenge of this race and was happy to support ALSO Youth. Hopefully I'll be back again next year!

ABK

Prepping for Ragnar

At the end of summer, I put three races on my fall/winter calendar to end the year. While there were some minor changes and additions to that original schedule, the main events have stayed the same, and now my final big race of 2019 is on the horizon.

Last time I ran a Ragnar relay race was in 2014. That race was a traditional Ragnar, where our team of twelve runners split into two vans and covered the 200 miles between Miami and Key West over 24 hours.

This time, I'll be running the Florida Trail relay. Ragnar trail races are camping races, so our team of eight (World's Okayest Running Team) will set up camp at the Alafia River State Park just south of Tampa. We'll each run three legs totaling about 16 miles.

The park's trails are made for mountain bikes and built on old phosphate mines, so they are actually hilly. My legs are quaking at the thought! If you're skeptical, have a look:
Running the bridge isn't going to be much of a comparison, but I just keep reminding myself that Matt and I ran the trails on Orcas Island and I really enjoyed that, and the elevation and distance is fairly comparable.

Reading the loop descriptions has me feeling completely daunted, but I'm equally excited to take on a challenge and try something new! Our start time is 12pm and I am the third leg, so I think I'll be running my hardest loop in daylight.

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A post shared by Alafia MTB Trails (@alafiamtb_trails) on Oct 15, 2019 at 1:38pm PDT

I really hope my legs can handle it!

We are expecting a cold front next week, too, so that's good news!

PERFECT race weather!

The logistics of Ragnar are a little overwhelming to figure out, but that's part of the challenge. I'm weirdly looking forward to packing and getting everything situated! I'm not generally a very organized person, but this kind of planning is right up my alley.

Leading up for Ragnar, I have one more race on my calendar. Matt and I will be running the ALSO Youth Turkey Trot again this year on Thanksgiving.

We love running this race because it benefits such a wonderful cause. This year is the 10th Anniversary and will be the fourth time we've run it.

I hope everyone has a restful Thanksgiving. I appreciate all the warm sentiments regarding my last post. My grandma's funeral was beautiful and so special; she was treated to some well-deserved pomp and circumstance and it was wonderful to see her honored in that way.

This year, I'm more thankful than ever for my family.

ABK

ALSO Youth Turkey Trot 5k

It's been awhile since I've run a Turkey Trot, but I'm a sucker for family events, so when my sister floated the idea of running the ALSO Youth 5k on Thanksgiving morning, I had to say yes. The race fit in nicely with my training plan, too; I planned to go easy so my legs would still be fresh for my long run on Saturday.

Gordon drove Steph, Matt, and me to the race start around 6:15 in the morning. He wasn't running, but kindly volunteered to watch our stuff and get photos for us.

Race morning, I opted to wear the Wonder Wool shortsleeved top rather than the Watch Me Go because it was a little warmer than anticipated.

We picked up our packets and wasted 40 minutes waiting for the start by using the bathroom multiple times. This race benefits a great cause; all proceeds go to ALSO Youth, which is an organization for LGBTQIA kids ages 13-21 who are in need of a community and support. It was really nice to see 1500 participants supporting the cause in this red county in Florida.

Steph borrowed my Redemption Shorties so she'd have a pocket for her phone.

Matt opted to wear his HRC equality flag, since he was just running for fun and didn't foresee himself placing.

The downside of this race is that it's very popular and runs a pretty narrow route. It was a full 2 1/2 minutes between the starting gun and when Steph and I crossed the start line. (Matt had gone ahead of us.)

Moseying along to the start line.

For the first mile or so, Steph and I stayed together. We had to dodge in and out of a lot of walkers the entire race. That's another downside of...well, of turkey trots in general: they tend to attract race newbies and tons of young kids. In other words, there's a major lack of race etiquette on the course.

I had planned to walk the ascents of the bridge, but felt pretty good on the first one. After cresting the top, Steph overtook me and we ran the rest of the race alone.

I took my one and only walk break on the second ascent. I was just tired. Plus, the wind was now against me and my music station was boring me to death. I changed music and was running again after one minute of walking. It was all I needed to power up the rest of the bridge and through the end of the race.

With half a mile to go, I began to regret my effort. I knew the dodging-and-weaving from early in the race was going to add mileage, and I knew I had a long run on Saturday. I realized I should have set a more conservative goal, something like 33 minutes, and just taken it easy. But now I was in it and I just couldn't let up this close to the end. I kept on pushing right through the finish line.

The others found me and we rested a bit and then found our finishing times. I wasn't sure what to make of mine; considering the total distance according to my watch, the chip pace/time seemed off, but since I wasn't really hoping for a strong performance, I didn't mind much. None of us placed, so we decided to head home.

Steph's and my finishing times according to the chip.

My Garmin data. The distance tracked long, so I think my actual 5k was probably sub-30; that being said, I should have run this much easier than I did.

I'm glad we ran the turkey trot, but I do hope the organizers fix the congestion issue next year. Even just having walkers start five or ten minutes ahead of racers would be helpful! That said, it's been 9 years on this same course, so I doubt a solution is forthcoming.

The course is definitely a tough one, so it's not always easy to fit into my schedule, but I do hope to be back in future years to do this one again so I can continue supporting the cause.

*Edit: My legs held up fine and felt good on Saturday. A little tired, but not painful; I kept my pace a little easier than it has been on previous long runs and was fine!

ABK

One And Done? & the Spartan Race Winner!

Today's topic for TOTR really spoke to me...in a way that made me laugh! I've never been a "one and done" runner. I never even said it about my first marathon. I knew that no matter how it went, I'd want to run at least two.

I'm joining Erika and the ladies for TOTR!

But really, I was tickled by this topic because I'm notorious for running the same races over and over again. I have so many duplicate bibs and medals from local races - especially 5ks - because I just love a familiar, nearby course! Here are some notable repeats in no particular order (all the race recaps can be found on My Races page):

Sanibel Race for FISH 10k. This is my favorite 10k and I've run it four years in a row. I plan to run it again this year and I'll be dragging Elizabeth along as well. The course is beautiful and always a joy to run. This is my most-often repeated race because they've never changed anything about it and the date (early October) is always easy for me to fit into my schedule.

My PR is on this course and I hope to break it here again this year.

Race the Roof 8k/15k. This race is absolutely gorgeous. It winds through lots of vegetation and over boardwalks. The inaugural year they offered a 5k and 8k, and after that they bumped the 8k to a 15k. I missed it in 2014 and 2015 because they don't advertise registration very well and I always miss it, but I plan to repeat it a third time this fall.

The Fast and the Furriest 5k. This was the first race I ever ran alone. I loved that the course was the same as the Race for the Cure course, so I knew it really well and could plan my strategy by it. I ran it the next year with my friend Kim, who drove over from the other coast to visit and run it with me, and that's another reason this race has such good memories for me. They moved it in 2014 and now it's too far for me to drive for a 5k, so I don't run it anymore, but I'll always think of it fondly.

A1A half/marathon. When I ran this half in 2015, it was on my birthday and I was getting over some sickness. I was surprised by how strong I felt and how much I enjoyed the entire course. Obviously I returned this year and surprised myself (and everyone else) by running the full. Again, I loved every step of the course. I'm debating going back next year for logistical reasons, but this is definitely one I like to repeat.

ALSO Youth Turkey Trot. I really loved this race when it was a 10k, but when they got rid of the 10k option I ran the 5k once and lost my love for it. Running over a HUGE bridge twice in a 5k is just too much to ask of me; I'm not against running it, but it hasn't been a priority for me over the last couple years. I do love the cause it supports, though, so I hope they bring back the 10k option eventually.

Shark's Tooth 10k. The Shark's Tooth is a 10k I've run more than once but probably won't run again. Last year it was just too hot! The first time I ran it was as the last race in a series challenge, and it was fairly cool out and a nice race. The next year, it was downright brutally hot. I wish it weren't an April race because the course is lovely and the medal is cute, but there's no shade during the entire 10k and the start time is after sunrise, so it's just too hot for me to truly enjoy.

Pretty course...but no shade at all! In April in Florida, that's a deal-breaker.

These factors make me want to repeat a race: location, cost, swag, and my own personal experience on the course. If I had a magical time out there, I'll probably be back for the next one!

PS: The winner of the FREE entry to the Spartan Race is my good friend Montana! I know that seems improbable, but I used Rafflecopter to generate a random winner, so who am I to argue?!

I know the race entry is going to someone who will really use it, so that's good news, too :)

Are you a "one and done" racer?
What is a race you like to do every year?
What factors win over your race loyalty?

ABK

ALSO Youth Turkey Trot 5k, 2013

Last year was the first time I ran a Turkey Trot, and I chose to run the ALSO Youth 10k because it was local and supported a great organization. This year, ALSO Youth only offered a 5k; I was disappointed, but never thought twice about entering the race.

Desperately trying to warm-up with some pre-race coffee.

Unamused by 40 degrees in Florida.

I knew the course would be tough. This race is basically half bridge...and this isn't just any bridge. This is a super-steep causeway that rises 60 feet in less than a mile. Last year, when running the 10k, I was only three days off from my half marathon. With more time to recover and train this time, and a shorter distance, I was excited to push myself without aiming for a real PR.

This race also doubled as my virtual Sub30v5K for the Sub30-Club. I was hoping to break 30, but that was really my only time goal for the trot.

When Matt, Steph, and I rolled out of bed and into the car at 7am, we were greeted by our first hint of fall weather. Overnight, the temperatures had dropped from the balmy 70s to the low 40s. I had remembered my new Saucony running zip, and Steph had her capris, but Matt was sadly unprepared.

We three pre-race!

We arrived at packet pickup with 30 minutes to start time. Luckily, our shirts this year were much more wearable than last year's...and they were long-sleeved! Matt quickly donned his, and we stashed our bags, used the bathroom, and got to the start.

(I need to mention that I saw someone wearing the FMB Half shirt, and I was so excited to see someone who had just run that race with me!)

Pre-race and rarin' to go!

Pre-race and freezing!

Steph took out ahead of us early on. Matt had been dealing with a painful arch, so he stayed at my pace for the first half of the race. We dodged a multitude of slower runners who were clearly just running for the novelty of doing a Turkey Trot and made our way to the base of the bridge.

Bridge, I will own you!

On the way up, I felt great. I steadily passed runners, smiled for the camera, and kept my pace strong. The turnaround was poorly organized, and by then I was starting to tire. Once we hit the bridge again (about an eighth of a mile after the turnaround) I was beginning to feel the steep climb and hard descent. Matt took off ahead of me, and I kept moving at a steady pace, determined not to walk.

Post-race food and a view.

By the second descent, I found my second wind. I pushed ahead toward the finish, only a half mile away, and enjoyed a fantastic neck-and-neck sprint finish against a guy who'd been on my heels. I coughed laughter as I crossed the finish line; my legs nearly buckled beneath me.

Post-race...all smiles!

Bridge and all, I'd finished the race in 29:36, happily beating 30 minutes and running a race I could 100% be proud of. Matt finished in 29:10, despite his injury, and Steph placed 3rd in our AG with just over 23 minutes.

I love having such a fast sister!...Even if she is in my age group and ruins my chances of ever placing lol

I absolutely love running on holidays. It's such a great way to center yourself and come back to the whole purpose of this running thing we love so much...Finding an inner strength, finding gratitude, finding truth.

I am so grateful to my legs. I am grateful to my body for what it can accomplish. I am grateful for my relatively new mental toughness. I am grateful that I have the freedom, means, and time to dedicate to this activity that gives me so much in return.

Running is about finding your weakness and breaking past it.

Seriously pleased with these splits, especially the last one!

A run on a holiday is just about the best tradition ever...a race on Thanksgiving is even more perfect. Besides the thankfulness and strong reminder that running is life-affirming and amazing? It allows for an awesome calorie deficit before the holiday festivities!

Stay tuned for actual Thanksgiving updates sometime this weekend. I hope you all had a fantastic holiday!

ABK