ZOOMA Run Amelia Island 12k (Virtual)

In the past, I've been on the fence when it comes to virtual races. I've done some, but it's hard to justify spending the money when you don't get the whole race experience. And I feel like there's a little bit of a stigma attached - oh, you ran the distance, but did you really race? Does a virtual race count?

Then 2020 came along, and with it came a wave of race cancellations. Suddenly, virtual races made so much more sense!

Some Background

ZOOMA's Amelia Island race series has been on my bucket list for years. I went on a school trip to Amelia Island when I was a junior in high school and fell in love. It's such a gorgeous place; exploring it via a half marathon sounded like the perfect experience.

Unfortunately, I didn't make it a priority and now I live across the country. When ZOOMA and Skirt Sports paired up, though, it was the perfect opportunity to celebrate by signing up for the virtual race. I definitely didn't feel up for a half marathon and knew that my timeline for training would be tight, so I opted to run the 12k.

As I said in an earlier post, the majority of my runs lately have been in the 2-3 mile range. After running the Gasparilla 15k in February, I just didn't have the time or mental capacity to keep up with long runs; so, that's where I started when I began training for Amelia Island in late August.

My training basically consisted of lots of 3ish mile runs, a couple 5-milers, and then race day.

Race Day

I opted to run my race at Seward Park during the week when it would be less busy. I had brunch (two scrambled eggs and GF oatmeal with a drizzle of maple syrup) around 11:30am and arrived at the "venue" just before 2pm.

The weather was gorgeous, in the mid-50s and sunny. Having (mostly) learned my lesson about dressing for cooler weather, I opted for shorts and my Wonder Wool tee shirt. (I didn't post a flat!Ali picture the night before because I didn't know what I was going to wear until the morning of! Last minute outfit decisions are definitely a perk of running a virtual race.)

I warmed up quite a bit during the run, but never felt overheated. This outfit was a good choice! I wore a buff instead of a mask; I figured my route would be pretty unpopulated and the buff would help with my breathing more than a mask does.

Ready to go!

On that note, I put my inhaler in my back pocket because another lesson I've learned since moving to Seattle is that mid-run puffs are sometimes necessary in cold weather.

Matt set up his hammock and I started my run.

The paved circle at Seward Park is about 2.4 miles. I figured I'd run it three times, giving me plenty of opportunities to stop at the car for water or whatever I may need. My plan was to run the first two laps counterclockwise (the more difficult direction) and the last lap clockwise. 

The day was absolutely beautiful, but I felt sluggish at first. For whatever reason, I still felt pretty full from brunch. I think my body hasn't really adjusted to midday runs.

Two miles done!

Once I finished the first lap, I took a puff of albuterol and made a pit-stop by Matt to have some water. I had a feeling my second lap would be the easiest/most enjoyable of the three, and I was right. I felt much better for these middle miles, finally warming up and finding a good groove.

I may not have been running Amelia Island, but the views I was treated to were worlds beyond any virtual race I've done before. They certainly beat my usual Florida neighborhood views.

Around mile 5, at the end of the second lap, I began to feel tired. I turned around and started the final lap; around 5.7 I paused to eat two Honey Stinger Limeade chews and send Elizabeth a WhatsApp message.

I felt REALLY proud of myself when I finished the second lap.

I had to keep my running buddy updated on my race! The snack carried me the rest of the way, and I finished the race feeling pretty strong.

As I climbed uphill to Matt's hammock, he leaned out, holding up my medal. He slipped it over my head. It felt like I'd crossed a finish line.

If I'm honest, I didn't put any thought into race day. I just picked a day and decided I'd fight through it if I wasn't prepared. I didn't have a plan for execution, or even an inkling of my target pace. I'm glad that I was able to complete it before the end of October, which was my only goal, and that I felt fairly decent the entire time!

Post-Race/Swag

After stretching and cooling down, I took my usual post-race photos. It's been so long since I've raced, I kind of forgot what all I had to do!

I spy The Mountain behind me!

My original plan had been to finish the race and head over to Nuflours for a gluten free goodie, but I forgot that they have limited hours due to Covid. They were already closed when I got back to the car. I guess I will save the celebratory brownie for another day!

Instead, I indulged in a too-hot shower and made myself hot chocolate.

Remember when I said it's hard to justify the price of a virtual race, given that the perks are generally scanty? Not the case with Amelia Island (or ZOOMA races in general). My swag bag for the race came a week before race weekend and included a backpack that I immediately adopted as my new running bag. (I've been using a reusable grocery bag for the last few months!)

Besides the race-day bib and medal, I also got a sticker, tank top, backpack, visor, and luggage tag - I'll be all set when traveling is allowed again!

The medal is stunning, featuring a glittery jellyfish on a vibrant, mermaid-scale patterned ribbon. Is it any wonder I couldn't turn this race down?

The truth is, I've been over racing for a little while. I kept trying to get myself excited to race again, but after dealing with CECS, my perspective has shifted and I've just been running for fun. Training for Amelia Island was a good reminder that challenging myself can be fun, too. 

Around mile 6, I thought to myself, "Oh right, this is how long runs feel!" I struggled in the last two miles or so, but I was also filled with excitement at the prospect of doing more than I've done in ages.

That's all to say, I think I'll keep tacking on mileage while I enjoy it, and I think I'll sign up for some more virtual races. I really enjoyed the excuse to run long and get rewarded for it!

ABK

Big News & My Next Race

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen me share some exciting news from Skirt Sports. After fifteen years, founder and CEO Nicole DeBoom decided it was time for her to move on to something new. She was ready to sell Skirt but wanted to ensure the company's mission and values were respected by whoever the new owner would be.

Skirt has always been about empowering women, no matter their background, history, size, shape, orientation, color, age...Skirt is about inclusivity and supporting women, period.

A week or so back, Nicole made the official announcement: Sarah Ratzlaff, the owner of Zooma Women's Races, bought Skirt and the two companies have merged!

What originally was looking like a "finish line" for Skirt turned, with the passing of a bright pink baton, into a transition zone instead.

Click to watch the announcement.

I. Am. Stoked.

Seriously, what better handoff could there have been? A race series dedicated to empowering women merging with an athletic clothing company dedicated to the very same thing? It's honestly perfect.

I had been resigned to Skirt Sports closing and stocked up on my favorite skirts, tops, bras, and tights over the last few months. Now, I know more clothes are coming. I know the mission and values of a company I've represented for years are in good hands. I know Nicole's legacy will carry on and continue to change lives.

To celebrate, I signed up for my first race since February. The Zooma Amelia Island half marathon has always been on my bucket list; having left Florida, I don't foresee a chance to do this race in person anytime soon, but I did sign up for the virtual option. I'm doing the 12k because at this point I don't feel motivated to train for a half, but I'm excited to have something to work toward again. It's been a hot minute.

Admittedly, the swag and medal had something to do with my decision.

When I signed up, I used Sweet16 (in celebration of Skirt's 16th birthday!) at checkout to save $10.

This feels like the perfect way to celebrate Zooma and Skirt Sports coming together, and the perfect way to get some focus now that I'm all settled in in Seattle. This will (ironically) be my first West Coast race.

And, honestly, I'm kind of excited to have a reason to blog about running again. It's time to break out my calendar and put together some sort of training plan! Maybe you'll join me!

ABK

Fit2Run "Keep Running Stay Healthy" Virtual Races

I wasn't registered for any spring races when the news of cancellations started coming in, so I wasn't personally upset by the news. I was a little surprised when the big names canceled, and I felt for my friends who had trained for races that got called, but I didn't really have a stake in the game.

With spring races looking more and more unlikely and cabin fever setting in, virtual races are making a comeback. I've run a few; they never get me super motivated to race (I tend to run them for their cause more than anything else), but when you're stuck inside and working from home, any excuse to get out the door is a good one.

This is still shocking to me - hearing of this postponement was the moment I realized how serious Covid-19 is.

I am really lucky that I live where I do. Around 7:15 each night, the golf course ranger comes by and picks up the flag in our backyard (we live right behind a green), and that's when I know the course is closed. That gives me about 40 minutes to venture out and get some exercise in.

We're social distancing and avoiding the world, so fresh air and movement are more important than ever.

I was excited when Matt sent me information about Fit2Run's Keep Running Stay Healthy race options. This week, you can select pretty much any distance to run and be part of a fun, free, virtual event.

There is also a "pick your own distance" option.

The races are free but there are still a variety of perks, including coupons, medals, and the chance to win running gear. I created a team (Surf 'n Turf back at it!) for me and Matt, then got out there Tuesday and completed a 5k.

Still glad I went!

The nice thing about virtual races is that if you don't like your first result, you can try again. I got some pretty bad side stitches early on and had to take a couple walk breaks, so I may stow this run and go again later this week. (And maybe someday I'll learn that a bowl of cereal before a run is a bad idea, even given two hours to digest.)

If you're looking for some motivation or a way to change up your daily exercise, sign up! Given what's going on in the world, I think a virtual race is a great way to get yourself out the door and give your mind something else to think about for awhile.

ABK

What the Heck are Flatties?

When I wrote about my friend Christine taking a flattie-Ali along for a half marathon, a couple people were unfamiliar with this practice. I forget sometimes that my virtual running community on Facebook does some weird things...even for runners.

The best pictures for flatties are running photos, of course. The more fun and festive the picture, the better.

Flatties first started (for me, at least) with the Runner's World Festival in 2014. Dozens of Sub-30 members were attending the event, and those of us who were sad to miss out were hoping to somehow still participate. Someone cam up with the idea to send a laminated photo of ourselves to someone who would be at the event. That way, we could "tag along" during the races and enjoy the festivities.

Jennifer's comment says it all! When I actually got to meet her at Gasparilla this year, it was like we'd already run a race together!

I'm sure you've heard of people writing names on their arms and "running for" someone else...this is just a more tangible way of doing that.

As you guys saw on the post with Christine, bringing flatties along can be a means of keeping injured runners "running" and emotionally supported. Sometimes runners bring the flatties with them during a hard race for their own motivation and mental strength. I remember one time, we sent flatties by the dozens to a friend who was having knee surgery, so he wouldn't be alone.

There are lots of good ways to carry flatties. They have caught on in our group and now it's not uncommon to see someone with half a dozen or more pinned on.

Running belts and Camelbaks are a great way to carry multiple flatties at once!

Flatties also get to join the post-race party. They travel to new places and indulge in post-race meals. It really does make you feel like you're part of the fun!

Buckling in for a flight, staying hydrated before the race, and enjoying sightseeing and post-race snacks.

I talk about the Sub-30 Club pretty frequently here, and this is just another part of what makes this running group so wonderful. I didn't even realize this might be a strange or unique practice because it's pretty usual for the kind of fun and love Sub-30 is all about.

ABK

Weekly Workouts 6/20-6/26

Monday: Two rounds of Blogilates. You know what's weird about ab workouts? They burn SO much during but as soon as you're done holding a move, the pain goes away! I don't even feel like I've done a workout until DOMS sets in.

Tuesday: Elizabeth was leaving for Nicaragua to visit family that evening, so we fit in our last workout together on Tuesday morning. Usually we do speed work at night; it was hard to remember what I like to eat before an early, hard-effort run. I ended up just having a Gu (salted caramel, with caffeine); it's been awhile since I've eaten one and the texture was super gross, but it ended up being the perfect fuel for the morning.

We did 8 x.3 repeats. The first was slow (around 9:25) as we woke up, but after that everything was in the 7:40s. I felt unstoppable; I would have done two more repeats and I regret not going a little longer, but it is what it is.

Between rotations we did upper body (presses, bicep curls, tricep dips, and push-ups) and when I got home I did a few minutes of abs and iced my heel. I've been having a little pain in it that I think is mild, early PF. I've had this symptom before, so I'm just icing, massaging, and stretching diligently. Hopefully it goes away soon!

Wednesday: Rest.

Thursday: I created a lower body/core circuit and completed it while watching Castle reruns.

I was pretty proud of myself for putting burpees in there because I hate them, but I'm trying to learn to love them.

Friday: I went out for a moderate-paced run without a goal pace or distance in mind. I just knew I had to at least complete a 5k. It was my first solo run in months, and I just wanted to enjoy the golf course, my music, and my thoughts. I paused at one point to take a picture of a rainbow I saw. I ran in and out of the sprinklers. I generally just enjoyed myself.

Even though I'd already donated to the official GoFundMe for the Orlando victims' families, I signed up for this virtual race (the proceeds also go to the Orlando families) as well. Tonight was a good night to run it. I feel like that rainbow was kind of a sign.

Saturday: Lots of errands and work today...I was going to do some core work, but ended up resting.

Sunday: I slept fitfully Saturday night; I think being on prednisone for my allergies this week is messing with me and giving me insomnia. After waking for the fourth time around 3am, I turned off my alarm (which had been set for 4:30) and planned to run long in the evening.

Then this happened:

So in the end, I did a quick circuit instead. I'm really enjoying creating these myself, and I like that they're a fast workout but effective! I like that I can do them at home whenever I want, no matter the weather.

Burgees-In-Progress are hilarious!

This is the first run I've missed in months, and I'm pretty unhappy about that...although maybe I should be impressed with myself for fitting something else in, instead! Oh well; nothing I could about it this time around!

How was your week?

ABK

Teacher's Day Virtual 10k

I don't often run virtual races, but this was one I couldn't turn down. The medal is adorable and goes along with my growing collection of apple paraphernalia, and the cause is one I absolutely was willing to support.

Click for more info.

I signed up April 28 to run the Teacher's Day virtual race, and decided I may as well sign up for the 10k option because it was priced the same as the 5k and I was planning to run 8 miles on May 1 anyway.

Sunday morning, I had a packet of UCAN and half a pop tart. (I'm officially out of UCAN and ordered more while I drank it this morning; I'm absolutely a believer, and my performance on this run solidified that!)

I had been starving Saturday night and definitely overindulged in carbs, but in the end I decided that was okay because I didn't want to be hungry or depleted on "race day." I also drank a ton of water Saturday, and I could tell it paid off!

This was the longest run I'd done since the Marco half, and I was feeling a little nervous. I'm definitely in denial about summer's approach; I picked up Elizabeth and we began the run just before 7am. It was already sunny and warm. Luckily, the route I chose is fairly shady until about 9am, but it's time to start planning our long runs well before sunrise.

Anyway, we saw Adria at the very start of the run and that seemed to get us off on the right foot. We kept our pace nice and consistent - I wanted to keep it slow and easy after Friday's run - and we ended up running very even splits! My calves were tight in the beginning, but I didn't let it worry me too much.

At mile 3, my legs finally woke up and I started to feel really good. I slowly increased the pace; although we did have to pause at a couple crosswalks, we didn't take any walk breaks. I also didn't push too hard because 1) long runs are meant to be easy, and 2) Elizabeth was struggling a little toward the end.

I had water with me in my Flip Belt but I didn't end up needing any. I felt totally unstoppable during the entire run. I just felt right. I love when that happens!

I'm glad I got to try out the water bottles today even though I didn't use them. They were really comfortable, didn't bounce, and didn't leak!

I didn't actually take any pictures on this run, which makes this race recap kind of lame. Sorry about that! I was just too "in the zone" to pause for pictures.

Our overall pace was 10:56 and the run took 1:27; I was pretty happy with that because I'd estimated it would be 90 minutes.

Technically, because the "race" portion of this run was the 10k, my time was ~1:08:40. I love that this easy-effort long run actually truly felt easy. It feels like my consistency is paying off and I know I could have pushed this and "raced" if I had wanted to.

I came home and had a hardboiled egg, then showered and took a very long nap. Later in the afternoon I had may last piece of flourless chocolate cake and ice cream to celebrate.

All in all, this was a great long run and a solid "race"!

ABK

Thanks for hosting, Erika!

Sanibel Race for FISH 10k 2015/Virtual Runner's World Hat Trick

This year, when the Sub30Club rolled out its second annual Virtual Runner's World Festival races, I decided to run the hat trick. I felt like it would be a good challenge and the mileage would coincide nicely with my marathon training.

Completing the hat trick meant completing a 5k, 10k, and half marathon between the dates of October 15-18.

Thursday evening, I ran my 10k. I definitely felt my mentally shift this week, and this run helped to trigger that. There was nothing spectacular about it, but usually my weekday runs are 4-5 miles, and it felt good to have a real reason to push beyond my usual mileage.

Saturday, I had the Sanibel 10k. I love this race, and this was my fourth year running it. Because I needed to get enough mileage to cover the half of the hat trick, I woke up at 4am and ran just short of seven miles. Then, I drove to Sanibel.

My conversation with Matt when I left the house:
Me: Bye honey, I love you.
Him: Bring a towel; you're going to be so smelly!

I timed my arrival at Sanibel to be just 30 minutes before the start, because I already had my bib and wouldn't need time to warm up.

I parked and got situated, used the bathroom, etc, with plenty of time. In fact, almost too much time; my legs started to really cool down! I did some dynamic stretching to keep them warm and lined up toward the back of the start.

My mentality for the race was to go very slow and very easy. I ended up finishing with possibly my slowest 10k ever, but I was perfectly happy with it! I was proud of how steadily I held my pace, especially given that I'd run beforehand.

This is one of those races that attracts lots of inexperienced runners. Usually there's a lot of dodging and weaving in the beginning, but this year felt smoother. I did play leap-frog with a couple who were running/walking, and didn't seem to know that walkers should move to the side...That was a little frustrating to deal with the entire race. But you now, sometimes things like that just happen and we can't let it get to us on the course!

This was my first race of fall, and I got a little emotional in the first couple miles.

The most frustrating thing was being the only one who knew that the reason I was so lethargic toward the end was those earlier miles! Around mile 5 I took a walk break while I unwrapped a lifesaver and a couple of ladies passed me; one said, "Come on, cutie! You're almost there!" I wanted to shout, "I'm usually much stronger in a 10k! This is mile 12 for me!"

The packed-shell road from mile 4 to 5.5 is a little narrow, but I appreciated the shade!

This was the first time I've run Sanibel without a buddy. Because of the logistics of running beforehand and Matt's own training, I went alone.

I also had to head out immediately after finishing because Elizabeth was coming over with her husband to help with drywall in our kitchen, so I didn't enjoy the usual post-race celebration this year. Although I really enjoyed the race and got a little emotional at the thought of race season starting again, this one felt a little more practical than festive.

(Oh, and just to clarify: Elizabeth and I hung out on the lanai while the guys worked in the kitchen.)

Roniel and Matt making progress on the kitchen.

Anyway, my stats aren't stellar for this race, which is fine! I saw Sean afterward; he did really well. I also saw Lisa, one of my Ragnar teammates, and we exchanged a high-five as we passed each other. That really helped! Here's my long-run fueling reminder for next time:

Obviously I'm going by chip time here.

Total mileage and pace Saturday.

Finally, Sunday was the last run of the hat trick: the 5k. Elizabeth joined me at 6:45 and we just went out nice and slow and enjoyed the morning.

The temperature was 69 when we began, which was surprising and refreshing. My legs felt great! Elizabeth isn't really a runner (she prefers pretty much any other type of exercise over running) but wanted to come along.

Three virtual races and my first real race of the season, done! I'm feeling really accomplished and a little impressed with my mileage this week!

27 miles...not bad! I actually feel like I'm marathon training!

Now, it's time for a much-deserved rest day!

Do you like virtual races? I like that they motivate me to get running, but I don't really count them as a real race.
Have you ever done a multi-race challenge over a weekend?

ABK