Updates, Race Discount Info, and More!

Posted on April 9, 2013 Written by Leave a Comment

I know, here I am taking time off from blogging again! I think the next month or so will probably be only weekly posting instead of three days a week.

I have finally finished redoing the boys’ room, and I will do a post with pictures as soon as it’s complete! Since we are knee-deep in home improvement and other associated issues, I am cutting back on posting frequency.

Unfortunately, I have also cut back on running frequency! I am trying hard to squeeze everything in, and I know things will normalize again someday soon!

logo_capecodNow for some cool race discount information!! ZOOMA Cape Cod will be this September again, and I am super psyched to be a race ambassador again! I recently received a promo code to share with you guys:

Use code CCAMB5 to save 10% off the registration fee for the half marathon or the 10K. Grab your running partner or other girlfriends and sign up for a weekend race on the Cape. September is hands-down my favorite month here!

While you’re at it, you can also sign up for a cool sweepstakes ZOOMA is running for their inaugural Chicago race! Check out details HERE.

If anyone is interested in running the Falmouth Road Race this year, and you want to make sure you get an entry (it’s a lottery system for non-residents), the Melanoma Foundation of New England has some entries available for those interested in fundraising.

Raise $1,000 for the Melanoma Foundation of New England, and you get guaranteed entry into the race. It’s a great race AND a great cause! Win-win!

In other news, I am SO glad spring is finally here, and I can’t wait to hit the roads more often! Smile

Filed Under: Racing, Training Tagged: ,

There’s a First Time for Everything…Part 2

Posted on August 15, 2012 Written by 10 Comments

My face does get really flushed when I run, but this time I just felt like I was overheating and I didn’t think it was going to get any better. After mile four, I stopped and walked twice and then started again, but realized it wasn’t to be. Thankfully my mother’s house is along the route at about 4.5 miles—I walked there.

I was pretty upset about pulling out, but when I checked the weather and saw that it was 75 with 92% humidity, I didn’t feel so bad. I had actually seen a Kenyan masters runner who was “jogging” and had seen an elite woman bail at the first mile. A friend later told me that she had seen another Kenyan jogging and one walking! Apparently there were a number of runners who collapsed on the course.

An article on Boston.com had an interesting quote from Frank Shorter (1972 Olympic marathon gold medalist and frequent Falmouth runner): “I couldn’t tell you how many Falmouths I’ve run,’’ Shorter said, “but I can tell you this one was the hardest.’’

I know I did what was best for my body, and I don’t regret my decision. I don’t think I am going to a race again until the fall weather sets in. Smile I have felt great in the weeks leading up to the race, so I don’t think it was a fitness issue. Maybe I am just not cut out for summer racing!

Now for the good part—I had a wonderful time on the Cape. On Saturday, my friend and I went to get our numbers and check out the expo. I got to hang out with the ZOOMA ladies (Brae and Brooke) at their expo booth. I also got to chat with Bart Yasso at the Runner’s World Half Marathon booth.

After the expo we embarked on a mini culinary tour of Falmouth, hitting Cape Cod Bagel for lunch before driving the Falmouth Road Race course. We then did some shopping—I found some great birthday gifts in the clearance section at Caline for Kids. After working up an appetite shopping, we stopped at CupCapes for some delicious cupcakes! CupCapes makes organic cupcakes that are pure awesomeness. They had Thin Mint, Red Velvet, Rocky Road, Hot Fudge Sundae and more!

For dinner we went to my favorite pizza joint in Falmouth Stone L’Oven. It’s a great place to get a craft beer on tap and some excellent pizza. I got one of their featured pizzas (breaking away from my almost 100% veggie diet!).

The pizza had roasted sweet potatoes, caramelized onions, baby spinach and gorgonzola cheese over a creamy pine nut and garlic spread. The toppings also included apple-wood smoked bacon, olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar. It was such a different combination and SO GOOD!

So the weekend may not have been the best on the racing front, but it was definitely a culinary success!

Who else raced Falmouth? What was your experience?

Filed Under: Racing, Travel Tagged: ,

Almost Time for the Falmouth Road Race!

Posted on August 9, 2012 Written by 8 Comments

This Sunday will be the 40th running of the Falmouth Road Race. I took a sneak peek ahead at the weather, and it looks pretty good! You never know what you are going to get with the second weekend in August on the Cape (hopefully not too much heat and humidity).

Skirt Sports Sexyback Dress!

I will be running again for Team Running for Cover (to benefit the Melanoma Foundation of New England). I can’t wait to run in support of this fabulous organization that raises melanoma awareness and provides valuable patient support services. Melanoma awareness is a cause that is very near and dear to me, and I am happy to have a way to honor my stepfather’s melanoma battle.

If you are interested in donating, you can visit my fundraising page HERE. Thank you so much to all of my wonderful readers, friends, and family who have donated. It means the world to me!

This Sunday will also be the first time that I will be rocking a running dress in a race! How cute is this Sexyback dress from Skirt Sports? It’s super comfy, and I think it will be perfect for Falmouth! I’m curious if any of you have ever raced in a dress…

So, who else is running Falmouth this year? I know there are some of you out there!

Filed Under: Racing Tagged: ,

Assembling a Racing Schedule

Posted on May 16, 2012 Written by 9 Comments

Last night I finally decided to put pen to paper (actually keyboard to Excel spreadsheet) and hammer out a racing schedule for the summer and early fall. I kept going back and forth about when to run my first comeback race. After talking it over with my coach, we decided on a preliminary schedule that looks like this:

  • July 4th weekend  – 5k or 10k (rust buster, motivation for May and June)
  • July 28-29 – 10k (“training through” type race to assess progress and fitness)
  • August 12th  – Falmouth Road Race (training run)
  • August 18-19 – 5k (work on speed a little)
  • Sept 1-2 – 10k race (final tune-up)
  • Sept 22 – ZOOMA Cape Cod Half Marathon (goal race)

One of the reasons I love having Coach Jeff is that he can help me with this type of dilemma. While I am sure I could put together a race schedule, I don’t know that it would be the smartest one—i.e. I would probably sign up for a ton of races!

I already found a race for July 5, the Cotuit Firecracker 5k. This race will be my “rust buster.” Hopefully all of the rust is busted off by then! One of the hard things about planning a comeback race is that you don’t want to just show up and run. You want to run it well. I freely admit that I will be very nervous when I toe the line for that first 5k.

I am sure there will be a million questions running through my head. What if I don’t finish? Will I be able to keep the pace I want? What if I am too slow? In the end, I know I need to take a page from Nike’s old playbook and just do it! I think like a lot of things in life, the first time can be the most difficult.

I am having a bit of a harder time finding a couple of 10ks. I feel like there just aren’t as many any more. Everything is either a 5k or a half marathon! If you know of any 10ks that would fit into the above schedule (and are in RI/MA/CT, please let me know. I will be forever grateful. I can only scroll through the Cool Running listings so many times! Winking smile

Also, if you happen to be looking for a fun 5k to run in early June on the Cape, a family friend has organized the Falmouth Flag Day 5k to benefit the Falmouth Education Foundation. This will be the second year for the race, and it will be held on June 10 at 10:00 a.m. If you would like more information, visit their web site HERE. The beautiful course runs right along the beach in Falmouth Heights.

Filed Under: Racing Tagged: , ,

Falmouth Road Race!

Posted on May 15, 2012 Written by 9 Comments

Anyone who has not yet run the Falmouth Road Race should definitely check it out. Registration opened yesterday for the lottery. This scenic 7 mile (yes, I know it’s an odd distance) starts in Woods Hole and finishes in Falmouth Heights. This year is the 40th running of the race, and it will be held on Sunday, August 12.

You reach the first mile as you round the bend at Nobska Light. The view is really breathtaking. While a deejay is spinning tunes, you can look out over Vineyard Sound as you and thousands of other runners head towards the beach.

Source: http://www.capecodbikeguide.com

Miles two and three are a bit hilly as you follow along Woods Hole Road. The nice thing about this stretch is that it is in partial shade—key if we happen to be suffering from the heat and humidity of an August morning! After the hilly portion, you come out and pass mile marker 4 along Surf Drive beach, right down the street from where I grew up.

The vista along Surf Drive is also really stunning, and there is a TON of crowd support (the crowd support for this race is HUGE). There are aid stations along this stretch and people are often out misting runners with garden hoses. You will hang right and follow Clinton Avenue as you pass mile marker 5.

The next part of the race follows along scenic Falmouth Harbor. There will be more music at the band shell. As the course nears the beach again, you pass the 10k marker. The last mile of the race is a little challenging. There is a pretty significant hill at mile 7, which you will hit just as your quads are screaming for mercy. Winking smile Don’t worry, the rest of the way is downhill, and you will cross the finish line right in front of Falmouth Heights beach.

I love this race because the course is truly one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. The crowd support is also UNREAL. I thrive on spectators, and if you are the same way, you will love this race even more. Race volunteers are also first-class.

Because the race has grown so much in popularity over its 40 year history, organizers have had to institute a lottery registration. While Falmouth residents (verified by tax records) are provided with guaranteed entry, the rest of us have to enter the lottery. Registration for non-residents opened yesterday at 7:00 a.m. and will run through May 23rd at 11:59 p.m. The registration fee this year is $45, and it is only charged if you are accepted into the race. Lottery results will be posted on the web site on May 28th.

I am very excited to be running the race again this year for the Melanoma Foundation of New England (MFNE). Since I am passionate about my hometown and raising awareness of melanoma, this is a perfect combination. I ran for team Running for Cover last year, and I am SO happy to be doing so again this year. If you do not make it into the lottery, but would like to run—please let me know. MFNE has some openings on our team. In exchange for free and guaranteed entry into the race, you will need to raise $1,000 for the foundation.

Have your run the Falmouth Road Race before? If so, are you planning to run this year?

Filed Under: Racing Tagged: