RACE REVIEW:HARTFORD MARATHON

"Anyone who has done something at a high level knows it's not about trends, hacks, or fads. It's about showing up with relentless consistency. It's about surrounding yourself with the right people. It's about being patient & finding joy in the process."

~ The Growth Equation

On Saturday I ran my 34th marathon down in Hartford, CT.  It was intense and wonderful and everything in between.  And it will definitely go down as one of my favorite race experiences.  Here's the story.  Back in July, I applied and got into the Hartford marathon's New England's Finest Program (NEF) which basically recognizes and supports athletes from the New England area who have run a specific qualifying time.  My friend and teammate, Jackie, had done this same thing back in 2023 and loved the experience so I was pretty excited about it; both the program and the race itself.  My last two marathons, Cape Cod in 2023 and Boston this past spring, had been hot garbage.  It's hard not to wonder if perhaps you're done putting good races together when you have a couple bad ones in a row.  And I don't blame my age for my performance, but being 49 certainly doesn't make things easier.  But, I'm stubborn and I love to train for marathons and I like proving myself wrong, so hell if I wasn't getting back on the proverbial horse and trying again.  I started working with a new coach, Jon Green, after Cape Cod which was a much needed change.  Prior to Hartford, I had only worked with him for Boston and that, as I said, was a shit show, and definitely not his fault.  So, I was eager to see if a good training cycle with him would yield the results I was hoping for.  We started ramping up in June and successfully made it through the next four and half months without any major issues which, at this stage in the game, is a big win.  I have to give a shout out to my dear friend, Frankie, a crazy fast runner who would meet me at the track over the summer with her 7 month old, Codie, and pace me for repeats of all distances with the stroller in hand like it was no big thing.  

Frankie & Codie making it look easy

She and Codie were always down for anything.  Side note, Codie is the least fussy baby I have met, maybe ever.  As you know, summer training can be brutal, so having them around for so much of my harder work was such a huge help.  Come September, I was back home and doing a lot of my training with my dear friend and Whirlaway teammate, Lauren, who was training for NYC.  We don't really live near each other, and yet both of us are pretty much always ready and willing to drive stupid distances to meet up for runs and coffee.  Strength in numbers, right?  As we were getting closer to my race, Lauren asked if she could join me for the weekend and use the half that was also being offered as a long run when I did the full.  My own family doesn't come to my marathons with me anymore when the race is out of town because, let's be honest, after 33 of them they've been there and done that.  So Lauren thought it would be nice for me to have company over the weekend and was psyched to come and cheer me on.  I was obviously thrilled to have her with me and knew it would make the whole experience notably less stressful and more fun.  This will not be the first time in this blog post that I talk about what an absolute rock star she is.  

Before I dive into the weekend, I want to mention my pre-race nutrition which I completely changed after listening to a podcast with Meghann Featherstun, a sports dietitian, recommended to me by, you guessed it, rock star Lauren.  Prior to this race I had never legitimately carb loaded but after listening to Meghann explain it, I was convinced it was the right thing to do.  So, I dove in head first.  I began loading up on Wednesday and did it for the three days leading up to the race.  I used her carb loading calculator to figure out how many grams I needed for my specific height and weight and carefully tracked my food to make sure I was getting every single gram, if not more.  I'm not gonna lie, it's a shit ton of food and getting all those carbs in feels harder than it should be.  As my friend CB says, true carb loading is work.  I get it now.  You can see what I ate for the full cycle right up to the race itself.  I'm sharing this info for a couple reasons.  I now know it works because I could legitimately feel how much more energy I had in my body on race day compared to past races.  And two, because, even at my age we can learn more and try new things.  As Meghann wrote to me (yes, she responded to my questions that I sent in a panic because this was new territory), in a nutshell, the information that is available to us is always changing and getting so much better so why not take advantage of that?   

Lauren drove down to my house on Friday and we took off for Hartford around 1pm.  I was very happy to have someone to talk to as we sat through a ton of traffic.  Gotta love the Mass pike.  We got to the expo around 4:00, grabbed our bibs and shirts, she took the obligatory pre-race photo with number and then we made our way over to the hotel.  One of the perks of the NEF program is a free hotel room which is obviously wonderful.  They had us staying in a Marriott right by the finish line so the location was super convenient and the hotel itself was lovely.  All in, a really nice experience.  Lauren and I settled in to our room, got our gear out for the next day, ate more food; in my case a very large serving of plain, white rice which was very practical and not at all delicious.  Then we watched some slightly inappropriate comedy shows (thank you, Nikki Glaser) until 8:00.  There was a lot of laughter and even some tears and it was exactly the distraction that I needed to get me through the rest of the evening.  Again, rock star.  

We set our alarm for 5:00am but both of us were up and moving at 4:45.  As always, I brought my own coffee maker and coffee so we brewed up two cups and then sipped and ate in bed as we tried to wake up.  I had more graham crackers for breakfast which at this point tasted like cardboard.  I had to work hard to get them down.  But successfully managed to eat six full sheets.  

The weather forecast was calling for 40s in the morning and highs in the 70s and it was actually right for a change.  We woke up to a pretty beautiful morning and while it was a little chilly, there was no wind and the sun was working its way up.  It really couldn't have been better if we'd requested it ourselves.

My sweet friend Mary, who I've known for years through skiing and running, was also racing the marathon and was there with her family.  We'd made plans to meet up and walk over to the start together the night before.  So, we scooped her up around 7am and headed out.  Lauren and I actually had no idea where we were going so we were very grateful to have her with us as she already knew the drill having run it the year before.

Another bonus of the NEF program was a special tent with everything we could possibly need before the race including, but not limited to, food, water, coffee, changing rooms and our own set of portos.  It was notably warmer inside the tent than out and it was very nice to have these perks as we waited things out.  Finally, around 7:45, the NEF coordinator gathered our crew and walked us over to the start.  Again, Lauren was planning to run the half as part of her long run for the week so the two of us were in the start coral together which I was very happy about.  My nerves were in high gear at this point and having a human security blanket with me was pretty freaking fantastic.  After the national anthem, we hugged and said goodbye (she scooted back because she would be running her own easy pace) and then right at 8:00am we were off.

THE RACE:

Miles 1-5 (6:51, 6:44, 6:46, 6:38, 6:44)

Like the carb loading plan, my race day fuel was also new.  For obvious reasons, I wanted to follow Meghann's recommendation over what I typically have done.  So, instead of taking three gels at 7, 14 and 21, I packed five of them and hoped to get one down every five miles.  I was pretty nervous about this because, as you may know, the gels can be tricky to stomach.  And successfully eating five of them seemed very daunting.  Knowing that I was following this fuel schedule, I decided to break the race up in to five laps, if you will.  I told myself that each gel would be a lap and to focus on fueling at each lap rather counting my overall miles.  Runner math for the win.  After posting this video, I now know that many of you use the same logic.  The race plan that I'd made with Jon was pretty simple.  The goal was to settle in and be patient.  He told me I should feel like I was almost sleeping through those first 15 miles; meaning very little effort, just coasting.  That was kind of funny because in no marathon have I ever felt like I was sleeping through the first half but I understood the point.  Relax and take it easy until it was time to buckle down and go.  He told me to check in with my body every six miles or so and not to panic if my watch was throwing out weird splits, which often happens.  He would not give me a predicted time and we didn't pick a final goal time.  He emphasized the fact that my buildup had gone very smoothly and that he was confident, barring any major issues, that I could run a solid race. This was definitely an opportunity, he thought, to run a time I would be excited about.  It all made sense to me.  So, I did my best to heed his advice and just cruised through the first five miles with a clear head.  Side note, my friend, Erin, had suggested I make an effort to smile at all the race photographers.  Helps take your mind off the pain sometimes to put on that smile, she said.  As you can see, I really nailed this.  Turns out I could only focus on one thing and the smile got priority over the eyes.  Or maybe I was actually sleeping.  Yea, no. 

Miles 6-10 (6:36, 6:42, 6:36, 6:38, 6:43)

Earlier in the week I had looked at the 2023 results and seen the times that the top 3 masters (40+) women had run.  My friend, Mary, who I mentioned above, had won the year before with a time of 2:57, which would be tough to match and I thought it would be too aggressive to try and follow her.  But, the second woman had run 3:10 and I felt pretty confident that this was within reach and a good benchmark for the day.  Plus, it would be nice to place top three as master and this was another fun goal to aim for beyond time.  So, while I don't check my watch religiously during marathons, I was glancing every mile or so to see if I was staying close to that that 3:10 time.  Clearly, I was running a bit faster than this but I felt okay and trusted that my body would let me know if I needed to pull back.  The gels are kind of tough for me to digest so I opened my first one at five and ate it slowly between miles five and six while also taking in some water.  This worked really well for me and was a small, unexpected boost of confidence as I settled into my second lap.  These miles flew by pretty smoothly and I was trying to just zone out and take in the scenery while soaking up my music.  I ran a lot of these miles with Greg Lee, who is next to me in the below photo and whom I connected with after the race (love that about running).  As you can see, he was super focused and I was still trying to smile at the photographers.  He was probably like, I'm in the game here but you keep doing you over there.

Miles 11-15 (6:48, 6:49, 6:49, 6:51, 6:50)

These miles were a little tricky mentally.  The half and full marathon courses were the same for the first 8.5 miles.  So, I'd be running with someone who I thought was pacing similarly to me and then they'd suddenly be picking up the pace which then had me wondering if they were doing the half and changing gears for the finish or if I was potentially slowing down?  There was also a marathon relay happening so runners were hopping in and out at various check points.  Right around mile 6, a woman flew by me and had me a little panicked because I'd been with her from the start but then I watched as she passed the baton off to her teammate and quickly calmed down as I realized what was happening.  You plan to run your own race and not follow what others are doing, but it still messes with your head when all of this is happening around you and you're not quite sure who's doing what.  Once we split and the marathoners went off into a different direction I was back into my own zone telling myself to chill out and focus on myself.  

Miles 15-20 (6:39, 6:57, 6:55, 6:42, 6:43)

I gingerly took my third gel and set off for my 4th lap.  The crowd was now much smaller as not as many people were doing the full marathon.  The runners began to spread out quickly and this was when I lost a wee bit of focus and slowed down a bit as you can see in miles 16 and 17.  This situation in a race is dangerous territory as it is easy to start fading without really realizing it when no one is around you.  But then the course turned and the top runners started coming towards us which was a great mental boost.  One, it's fun to cheer on the people who are crushing it.  And two, I now knew that this turn wasn't far for me and that I'd soon be on my last lap.  Don't get me wrong, I was feeling the work in my legs at this point.  But, as Jon had told me to do, I checked in and had a little talk with myself.  I said something like, okay, it's starting to hurt.  But you're still mentally okay.  Your legs are still moving pretty well.  And when we get to 20 you only have one more "lap" to go. We got this.  Usually if things are going to fall apart for me, this is when it begins to happen.  Honestly, I could almost could feel all that extra energy from the massive amounts of carbs I'd consumed over the last three days.  I was trying to trust that I had enough fuel in the tank for the remainder of the race and since I also had my gels, the breakdown that usually happens wasn't inevitable.  

Miles 21-26.2 (6:48, 6:41, 6:44, 6:42, 6:36, 6:57, 6:06)

Somehow I managed to get that final gel down.  Holy crap, that was challenging.  Just so much sugar having already had 3 up to this point.  I tried not to think about it.  And now I was digging in.  I was starting to hurt a little more but I also kept telling myself I'd done so many workouts of 6+ miles at this pace and made it through.  I was doing everything I could think of to distract myself....counting to 100 and starting over, singing songs in my head, thinking about my kids, my Lex athletes, my friends, my dogs, coffee; anything I could come up with to not focus on the pain and getting to the finish.  I was now running with another woman, Katy was her name, who was clearly aiming for a similar time.  She would surge ahead and I would try and hold on and vice versa.  Both of us knew, I think, that we were now in this together and while we were competing against each other we were also going to ultimately get each other to the finish if we stuck together.  Which is exactly happened.  At mile 25 the clock said 2:50.  You often make that pie-in-the-sky goal and then put it in the back of your mind, right?  At least I do.  And sub-3 hours was that for goal for me.  But I didn't want the outcome of my day to be determined by this alone, so I made a couple other goals that were tangible and that I was equally excited to chase. At this point, though, I realized my big goal was potentially doable.  I also knew that I had not run the tangents very well because my splits were clicking off before the mile markers so if I was going to make it happen I had to find one more gear.  I literally had zero time to waste.  I threw down everything I had to hold on and finally turned into the finish shoot to see the clock rolling at 2 hours, 58 minutes and change.  Sweet lord above.  It was over.  And it was wonderful.  I mean, it hurt like hell, but it was also the most satisfying challenge.  And I loved every second of it.  Lauren snapped the below photo as I crossed the line.  As you can see, I was pretty surprised.  And that moment of pure joy.  There is truly nothing like it. 

Finishing a race effort like this when I'm solo is pretty weird.  I'm either high-fiving myself or walking away quietly with my tail between my legs and then taking myself out for coffee.  So, having Lauren there was really special for me.  I fell straight into Lauren's arms and just stood there in disbelief.  To have someone to hug and celebrate with meant so much to me.  And, I know if things had gone South, it would have been equally as valuable to have her with me; probably more so.  Yep, rock star. 

So, yea.  It was a banner day.  But, this one hit different.  Sure, I was happy with the time.  But that's not why it was so amazing.  This training cycle was one of my best and I know it was because I approached every day with gratitude.  Of course I had some shitty workouts in there, but my mindset had shifted for this one to just appreciate all of it; the good, the bad and the ugly.  And to trust that all of it would add up and help me get the best out of myself on the day, whatever that looked like.  I really had fun this time around.  I didn't dread the work.  I embraced it.  I mean, yea, I complained sometimes, I'm not a Pollyanna (you youngsters need to look that one up).  But, I did my best to recognize every moment for what it was and appreciate every mile.  I always tell my Lex athletes to find the joy in what they're doing.  Always remember why you love it.  I finally took my own advice.  

Before I left I thanked the gentleman who had led the NEF program.  He was such a pillar for us throughout the weekend.  Questions, issues, all of it, he dealt and he was so calm and relaxed about it all. I never once felt stressed from a logistical standpoint.  And this is so rare.  So much credit to him and his team for making this such an unforgettable experience.  

And that, my friends, is all she wrote.  Lauren and I quickly packed up and showered and were out of our hotel by noon.  We grabbed a coffee and some food for the ride home and got right on the road.  All of that in less than 24 hours.  Which is kind of nuts when you think about it.  We made it home easily, again, chatting the whole time.  Similar to the post-race finish when I'm on my own, the post-race solo car ride home is a massive buzzkill.  Not even music is enough to distract me as I'm processing a race; no matter how it played out.  So, bless you, Lauren, for being the most amazing wingwoman.  Thank you doesn't even begin to cut it.  Next up for me?  As far as racing, I have no idea.  For now, my main focus is supporting Lauren for the next two weeks as she gets ready for NYC.  Hopefully I can do as good a job as she did.  This sport.  It's such a gift.  I love it and hate it but it's always there for me and truly brings out the best in who I am as a mom, coach, friend, human.  I probably won't be doing marathons for too much longer, but for now, you'll find me out there getting ready for the next one.  Because I can.  

Listen to this:

Levitating by RÜFÜS DU SOL

RÜFÜS DU SOL · Levitating

YOU KNOW YOU'RE A COACH:A TOP 10 LIST

"Being a coach is easy. It's like riding a bike. Except the bike is on fire. You are on fire. Everything is on fire."

I've been coaching cross country and track at Lexington High School since 2011.  I love it.  I started as a volunteer and am now the head coach for all three seasons - cross country, indoor and outdoor track.  Funny how that happens.  Is it hard?  Yes.  It is exhausting?  Also, yes.  Is it fun?  I wouldn't be doing it if it wasn't.  Truth?  Not a day goes by where I don't realize how lucky I am that I get to do what I do.  As I drove home from NH last night, I started to think of all the telltale signs that someone might be a coach.  And while I came up with many, I pared it down to the top 10 list that you see below.  I'm not gonna lie, this piece gave me a good laugh.  I have to believe if you do anything similar - work with kids or athletes in some way - that you can relate to most of these.  Mind you, these aren't complaints.  Just the facts.  And I am just out here living the dream.  In my sneakers.  With my coffee.  On Saturday.  

TOP 10 WAYS TO KNOW YOU ARE A COACH

1. Saturday means, well, nothing really.  You probably have to go to bed early the night before because you have a meet the next morning.  And if not, you have practice.  But either way, you're not jumping for joy when Friday rolls around.  And, in reality, you probably haven't had a weekend off since summer, which, in my case, is the only season I'm not coaching.

2. Your main source of sustenance while you are in season is coffee and protein bars.  

3. You spend more time on a bus than you do in your car.  

4. You have two wardrobes.  Regular.  And coaching.  Which, for me, is athleisure (thank the Lord).  You probably have double the amount of clothing in your coaching wardrobe than you do in your regular one.  And let's be honest, you're rarely pulling clothes from the regular wardrobe.   Because who has time for life outside of coaching?

5. You are always cold.  Spring?  Fall?  Doesn't matter.  You're typically standing around for two hours or more essentially not moving.  Wind picks up, sun goes down, rain starts to fall. Boom. It’s over. Don’t fight it. You’re going to end up freezing.  It's just what happens.

6. You are a walking medical kit.  Band-aids, ice packs, tape, antibiotic ointment, tweezers, Advil?  Yes.  If someone needs it, you have it.  

6. Your car is both a locker and a lost and found.  

7. When you go to the store, you get excited about things like clipboards, stickers and fun pens as opposed to anything you might actually need for your life outside of coaching.

8. You consistently repeat yourself to your family and friends despite them not asking you to because you assume they're not listening.

9. You consider blowing your whistle any time you're in a large crowd and need to find someone.

10. You don't answer to your name but any time you hear "Coach" you assume it's directed at you.

Listen to this:

Levitating by Rüfüs Du Sol

RÜFÜS DU SOL · Levitating

FROM THE ARCHIVES:WALKWAY MARATHON 2015

I recently started going back and looking at some of my old race reviews for fun.  Specifically, the marathons.  I've finished 33 of them and they've all had their own story to go along with them.  More often than not they've been pretty wild for any number of reasons....the breakfast guy at the hotel slept through his shift so we didn't have any coffee before the race (unacceptable) , I sliced the back of my heel open on a glass door and ended up in the ER (devastating), I ran through a deluge at Boston as a guide for a blind runner and we managed to finish (miraculous).  You get the point.  These stories hold a lot of meaning for me and are such a big part of the runner and person that I've become.  Today, I'm going to start with the Walkway marathon which I ran back in 2015.  I was 40 at the time and honestly thought my marathon days were almost over.  Ha!  If only 40 year old Trax could see 49 year old Trax now.  I happened to win this marathon and was absolutely shocked that I'd been able to pull it off at "my age".  Little did I know that I had just gotten started and was nowhere near done.  Here's the full story.  Hope you enjoy it.

 "You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream..."

~ C.S. Lewis

Last Friday, the day before I would be tackling the Walkway Marathon in Poughkeepsie, NY, I gave my coach a ring around 8:30am.  Mainly, I wanted to talk strategy; particularly since the weather was looking pretty brutal for Saturday.  Our conversation went something like this:

Lowell: Hey Rebecca.  How are you feeling?
Me: Well, it's 72 degrees outside and ridiculously humid.  So, there's that.
Lowell: Yeah.  I know.  I just checked the forecast for Poughkeepsie.  It's not ideal.
Me: Well, I suppose it was wishful thinking to race in June and get decent weather.  But, I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around it.  How do you think I should approach this?
Lowell: I hate to say it, but a PR is not something you should be shooting for in this situation.  I think you should just focus on running a good race and go for place.  I never tell any of my athletes to bank faster miles in the beginning of a marathon because it's just too risky.  But, I think you're going to have to do that tomorrow.  Try and get out at a solid pace while the temp is (somewhat) lower and you have some shade.  You'll have to dial back when it heats up, but you will at least have a solid base to fall back on.
Me: Okay, so pace-wise, start off around 7:10-7:20, hold that for a while and then let it rip at the end?
Lowell: That pace sounds good.  Realistically, though, it's very unlikely that you'll have much more to tap into for that last 10K.  The heat takes a serious toll.  You're just going to need to try and dig in and hold on for those last few miles.
Me:  Oh.  So, just run hard and steady until I can't run hard and steady anymore?
Lowell: Yea, pretty much.  You're really fit.  And you've got the strength.  But, the weather is out of your hands.  You're just going to have to work with what you've got.  We knew this might be the case with a June marathon.  It is what it is.  Have fun.  And go for it.
Me: Right.  Yeah.  Ok, thanks.  
So, my strategy was set.  Do what I could with what I had and hope for the best.  No problem.

SONG:AWESOME
TEMP:NOT AWESOME

The rest of the morning was a combination of stressing, shuttling my kids around and packing.  Around 2:00pm, I hit the road for NY.  Unlike most of my destination races, this was a solo mission.  It was just me, my music and all the other drivers on the MA Pike.  Turns out, a lot of people decided to cut out early and head West for the weekend.  Shocker.  What should have been a 3 hour and 15 minute drive ended up being about 4 hours and 30 minutes.  Thank the Lord for Spotify.  I did have one minor heart attack about 2 hours into my ride when I looked at my dash and saw that the temperature was 91 degrees.  That seriously freaked me out.  When I arrived in Poughkeepsie, it had just rained and steam was rising up off the streets as I parked my car.  It wasn't good and there was nothing I could do about it.  Deep breaths.  I headed into the expo to grab my number and check things out.  For a relatively small race, I was surprised to see that it was a pretty sizable event.

The Mid-Hudson Civic Center

I quickly grabbed my number and shirt and then strolled through the rest of the expo to see what was what.  There were the typical booths that you see at most expos (ie. running stores, clothing vendors, and sports drinks).  And there were several vendors from the local businesses giving out samples of tasty treats that most runners would not dare try the night before a marathon.  Not for lack of desire.

Strawberry Shortcake?  I think not.

Around 7:00, I headed over to the Hampton Inn, where I would be staying for the evening.  After providing my ID and a credit card, I asked the next most important question...what time did they start serving coffee in the morning.  Her answer?  "We serve coffee 24/7, ma'am."  Brilliant.  Things were looking up.  Shortly after I got to my room and got settled, a thunderstorm rolled in and the sky opened up.  Cats, dogs, fish, you name it.  It was all coming down.  All I could think about was what it meant for the next morning.  So many possibilities.  None of them great.

THE STORM

I decided to pass on going back out for dinner (the hotel didn't have a restaurant) and ate a bagel, a banana and a orange instead.  I'd been carb loading for the past few days so I wasn't that hungry anyway.  I turned out my light around 9:30.  Not surprisingly, sleep didn't come. I tossed and turned and tossed some more.  My nerves were in high gear and the storm had just heightened my restlessness.  I fell asleep with visions of heat and humidity dancing in my head.  Finally morning came.  I headed downstairs, grabbed a cup of coffee and stepped outside.  Maybe the storm had cleared things out.

COFFEE CUP W/ MUSTACHE: AWESOME
WEATHER: NOT AWESOME

Or maybe not.  At 6:00am the temp was already in the 70s with 90% humidity to boot.  It was almost laughable.  Almost.  I went back up to my room, packed up and then checked out.  The race was taking place about 10 minutes down the road at Marist College.  I parked my car and headed over to the start area.  I didn't even think about the fact that the very long path I was walking down to get to the boat house, where everything was happening, would be the same path I would be running up for the beginning of the race.  Good thing I wasn't thinking.  I did have the pleasure of meeting Tiffany, a Oiselle flockster, in line at the port-o-potty and enjoyed getting to know her while we waited.  Both of us run for Oiselle and follow each other on social media, so it was nice to put a face to a name.  After that, I checked my bag, did some stretching/dancing, grabbed some water and waited for the the start.  Things were running a little late, which was not ideal given the weather, but we eventually got going a little before 8:00.  As I mentioned, the first mile was uphill which was a pretty serious mental and physical battle.  But, once I got onto the path, I was able to settle down and reset.  For the next few miles I cruised along at a 7:15 pace.  I fell into step with a young gentlemen who was running the half at the same pace.  In the photo below, he's behind purple tank guy, who, for the record, smiled like that for the entire 26.2 miles.  We ran together until mile 6, which was the turnaround point for the half marathoners.  Funny sidebar, I'd had a conversation at the start with the girl behind me about whether or not she should quickly squat in the woods to avoid the lines at the port-o-pottys.  Her friend said not to do it.  I said the opposite.  Not sure what she decided but she did end up coming in 3rd overall in the half which was pretty badass.

At mile 6 w/ fast girl, pace guy and purple tank smiley guy.

Pace guy and I wished each other good luck at the turnaround and fast girl and I high-fived.  I felt a sharp pang of envy as I forged ahead and they headed back to their finish.  For the next 6 miles I was totally by myself.  This was kind of weird and I found it somewhat tricky to stay focused.  I leaned heavily on my music during this stretch and worked to keep my pace on tempo with the beat.  Finally, I reached my turnaround point at mile 12.  As I rounded the cone, I began to see my other fellow runners coming toward me.  Oh, how happy I was to see them.  We were all clapping and cheering for each other as we passed by.  And then someone let me know that I was the first woman on the course.  WHAT??!!  Between learning this info and being with runners again, I got really fired up and back in the zone.  I realized I had a shot at winning this thing and there was no reason not to go for it; weather be damned!  Around mile 15, the crowd started to thin out and I knew I would likely be solo for the next 10 miles or so which was going to be rough.   And then the WORST possible thing happened.  No, not a muscle cramp or gastrointestinal malfunction....way worse than that.  I had been pouring water on my head every 1.5 miles and by the 16th round I had successfully flooded my iPod.  My music stopped.  Total silence except for my very loud, labored breathing.  OMG.  I shouted many bad words and fought with it, on and off, for the next few miles.  I was trying to dry it off, pushing buttons, holding it at different angles, all to no effect.  My worst nightmare had come true.  All I could do was keep fighting.  For miles 21-23, we went over the Poughkeepsie-Highland  Railroad Bridge.  The wind was coming at us from all directions and between that and the loss of my music I was losing energy and could feel my legs getting heavier with each step.  I rounded the second cone to head back over the bridge again and toward the finish and it was here that I discovered I was still in the lead for women.  I didn't sit back and relax, but I did ease up a bit, knowing that I didn't have to grind it out quite so hard to make it across the line. And then, after those two river crossings, a tunnel cut through, a massive downhill and a small and very painful uphill, I could see the finish line.  A huge smile spread across my face as the race officials pulled out the ribbon for me to break through.  There are no words to describe this feeling.  It was beyond amazing.  Final time: 3:13:48.  Not a PR, but pretty close.  Not that it mattered. 

Shortly after I crossed the line, I grabbed my bag and some chocolate milk and headed over to the tent to put my feet up.  I was floating....also in pain...but giddy.  Never in my wildest dreams did I think I could pull something like this off.  I was trying to just bask in the moment and not think about the fact that I had to get in my car and drive myself back to Boston.  I stayed for the awards ceremony and was given a very cool miniature version of the bridge we had crossed made by the SUNY New Paltz students with a 3D digital printer.  Easily one of the coolest awards I've received to date. 

I grabbed some more snacks and slowly ambled over to my car.  I was eager to get home and celebrate with my family.  It was a long drive.  But I could have cared less.  I kept replaying the finish over and over in my head.  It had been an incredibly difficult and painful race.  On top of that, it had been a very long and mentally and physically trying training cycle.  And, in the end, it paid off.  All of it.

Lessons Learned:
1. Never pour water anywhere near your music listening device.
2. Never run a June marathon unless you absolutely have to or you live in Florida and are used to the heat and humidity.
3. Always set reasonable goals.  And then set some that are a bit loftier.  Because anything is possible.

Listen to this:
IN MY HEAD - Galantis 

RWM & SMM PRODUCT REVIEW:hDROP

hDROP WEARABLE HYDRATION SENSOR: YES or NO?

I am admittedly bad at hydration.  For the amount of running that I do, I should be taking in significantly more fluids, both water and electrolyte enhanced drinks.  And, well…I just don’t.  For no good reason, honestly.  I’m just not on top of it.  And I don’t really get that thirsty.  But I am one hundred percent sure that my training would improve enormously if I was better about staying hydrated in general and rehydrating post-run.  Particularly in the summer when both the temperature and my mileage steadily creep up.  So, you can imagine my excitement when I recently saw an Instagram post about the hDrop gen 2 Wearable Hydration Sensor.  I had no idea anything like this existed and, as with all new things, was somewhat dubious.  But after reading some reviews, most of them solid, my interest was peaked.  I reached out to the company directly and asked if they would send one out for me to test and review and to my good fortune, they agreed.  Grab a seat and I’ll tell you all about it.

First, the hDrop sensor is very easy to set up.  Once you have downloaded the app, you are walked through step by step instructions with video images to go with it on how to get it started, which I very much appreciate as I am not one to read a manual.  Beyond that, you just need to thread the strap through and charge up the device.  After that, you’re ready to roll.  You can also sync the device up with your Garmin and there are step by step instructions on how to do this as well.  Again, very simple.

The first thing I did once I had it set up and charged was to take a THUMB read.  You can do this early in the morning before you have anything to eat or drink to get a sense of how well you are hydrated at that point.  I find this incredibly valuable as I’m a big coffee drinker and if I know I’m starting my day off under hydrated I’ll make an effort to take in some extra fluids before I down multiple lattes.  I’ve started doing this reading every day before I do any activities and I’m finding it super helpful.

I have also been wearing the hDrop device when I’m running for an active hydration reading.  I’ve tried to test it out in high heat and humidity (not a problem in July in MA) but also in cooler temps when I don’t intuitively think I need as much fluid.  I’ve worn it for easy runs, track workouts and long runs.  And the data I get back is fascinating.  For example, today I ran 16 miles.  I left at 7:40am and the temp was in the low 70; so not too hot.  But, the humidity was through the roof.  So, within five minutes I was dripping.  For the record, I drank a cup of coffee and a cup of water before my run.  I stopped to drink water from fountains at mile 5, 8 and 11.  I also splashed it on my face and neck.  I was out for a little over 2 hours in total.  Below you’ll see my post-run hDrop stats.

But what does this mean, you ask?  Fortunately, the hDrop team breaks it all down for you in layman’s terms.  I won’t go into full detail but I’ll try to give you the abridged version.  My sweat rate is above average; similar to losing about ¾ of a sports bottle per hour. So, I lost almost two full bottles during this run.  Even with the water I took in during the run, I lost more than I thought I would.  The sodium concentration in my sweat is on the higher end of medium.  As far as how much I lost, it was about a teaspoon of table salt or the equivalent to what’s contained in a full can of soup.  So, I’m going to need to heavy up on electrolytes and salty foods post-run.  Not a problem.  The temperature metric indicates the device’s temperature and it changes during my activity which it can read because it is directly on my skin.  Given how much I sweated, the reading of 85.7℉ (max 88.7℉) tells me that my body temp was well regulated throughout the run which suggests good hydration.  Go me.  There is also a graph that goes along with each of these metrics which is ideal for the visual learner.  And finally, hDrop provides a suggested recovery plan based on all of this data with the disclaimer, of course, that the device and the app are not FDA approved and the data may vary in accuracy.  In other words, this is yet another tool but by no means something to live your life by.

In a nutshell, this little white cube tracks fluid loss, sweat rate, sodium loss, potassium loss, and temperature. In my opinion, the best feature is that it provides a baseline sweat zone which is calculated after you’ve done several workouts.  This number may change over time but unless you’re doing something majorly different, it will likely remain the same or close.  Mine is currently 63.5 and has been the same for about two weeks.  But, here’s what I love.  It will then give you a score for each activity based on that baseline so you can get a sense of how well you’re hydrating for each run.  Today I scored a 78/100, so pretty good but not great.  Definitely room for improvement.  Now, for those of you who are skeptical, I get it.  There are a lot of gadgets out there in the sports industry and some are definitely more of a gimmick and, let’s be honest, probably unnecessary.  “Just drink lots of water”, you say.  And that’s fair.  But, for those of you who like data, and I know you’re out there, this thing is really, really cool.  And while it might not be as helpful for those who aren’t logging as many miles, I’m guessing it’s a very useful tool for those training for marathons and beyond.  I’m guessing it’s probably very useful when you’re fighting something and your body needs more fluids to heal.  Or a good way to get a read on how well you’re hydrated after a long flight.  I can think of several scenarios beyond running where this gadget could be a game changer.  For me, what it boils down to is this, when I’m dehydrated and I’m a little out of it, having a device that sends a signal suggesting that I replace fluids lost is just the tool I need to keep me from unraveling.  And I am all for that.  So, in conclusion, I give the hDrop device two very enthusiastic thumbs up.  Check it out and see for yourself.  And, no matter what, stay hydrated!

Retail Price - $249.99

*Use code TRAX to save 20%

** Click here for more Six Minute Mile gear reviews

LISTEN TO THIS:

I Love You So F***ing Much - Glass Animals

Glass Animals · I Love You So F***ing Much

'NEW TRICKS' SERIES: ON RUNNING VS RACING

"Thank God I didn't look at the clock the whole race....if someone would have told me this morning that 3:56 doesn't make the team, I don't want to know that."

~ Nikki Hiltz, after winning the 1500 at the US Olympic trials

Checking my time. Running. Not racing.

When was the last time you raced with the goal being to beat as many people as you can as opposed to running a specific time?  Last summer I was trying to get mentally fired up for a local 5k.  It's not my favorite distance on account of how short it is.  Put it this way, I'd rather do a half than 3.1 miles.  But, I do them anyway as I know it's good to get outside my comfort zone every once in a while.  And I try really hard to practice what I preach.  So, this one was in July on Cape Cod.  The weather was calling for very high temps.  Fine, that's summer.  It's to be expected.  But also for high humidity.  Now this combo is really special.  Basically you know ahead of time that the simple act of breathing will be significantly more complicated than usual.  And, yet I still do these.  For fun.  But, I digress.  Okay, so I already knew this particular race was going to be incredibly challenging.  I was also coming back from a bout of mono last summer and hadn't greased the wheels for quite some time.  So, overall, my confidence was not super high.  I reached out to my friend and fellow coach, Halston Taylor, and asked him to help me with a race plan.  In so many words he explained that, to date, most of my races that I'd done had been for time.  For this one, he suggested, why not run to race?  Don't limit yourself to a time.  What if the goal is simply to perform?  To beat as many people as you can across 3.1 miles?  Why not try to be strategic and competitive and work to outrun your opponents both mentally and physically?  It was an interesting concept.  And he was right.  I have rarely raced for anything other than time.  More often than not, especially for marathons, a time has always been my primary goal.  So, this would be a different approach for me and I was curious if I could run this way.  For this race specifically, I knew there would be a lot of high school kids from one specific school that was nearby as they tend to show up every year as a team.  In my mind, before I even lined up, I assumed these kids were unbeatable for obvious reasons; mainly the age gap.  But also, because they're high school cross country runners. 

Coach Taylor laying it out

But, why?, Taylor challenged me.  You have know idea who you're up against.  There are a million factors that contribute to a good or bad race day performance.  Did you get enough sleep, are you feeling under the weather, did you do a hard workout two days beforehand?  Maybe you slept like a champ and Susie was up all night with her friends.  You should look at every race as an even playing field.  Make no assumptions.  Go out there with the plan being to run people down or, if not, to make them work for it.  In thinking about them versus yourself, you're taking the "me" out of the equation.  You're playing offense as opposed to defense, if you will.  And this changes everything.  Rather than thinking about yourself and what might go wrong you're thinking about your opponent and how you can best compete against them.  You're racing, not running.  And that became the goal.  I was going to try and truly race.  Not just show up and run for time.  I made a goal to pass five people in the second half of the race.  The weather?  It didn't matter anymore as we were all running in the same hot garbage.  Even playing field, right?  It's anyone's game.  Let's do this.  So the gun blew and we all set out.  There was a clear pack in the front, lead by the same gal who'd won the race the year before and followed by a handful of her teammates.  I ran in the back of this pack but kept them in site and tried to work off of them.  After the first mile, I'd managed to pass one of them and was close to a second.  I was hurting, don't get me wrong.  But, I knew we all were and I was thinking about who was in front of me, not how I was feeling or what might go wrong.  After mile two I had managed to pass two more runners.  And, get this, I was having fun.  Three down, two to go.  I could see the leader and one more guy in front of me.  I wasn't close but I was there and they knew it.  In the third mile, the guy walked off the course and I saw him leaning over his knees, most likely overheated and possible getting sick.  Not good.  Are you okay? I screamed out.  He nodded and waved me off so I kept going.  I watched as the leader looked behind her to see where I was.  

RUNNING TO RACE (& having a blast)

We were getting near the finish and I didn't think I could catch up to her but I was sure as hell going to try.  And, yes, she took the win, but it wasn't easy as it had been the year before.  I had given her a challenge and made her work for it.  And on top of that I'd passed three other people.  So, in my mind, I'd had a freaking great day and ultimately accomplished my goal.  I was pumped. And realized at that moment how racing can feel very different when you approach it from this angle versus just trying to run a time.  I joined a local racing team about five years ago, primarily to find more people to train and race with.  As I've gotten older, I've realized that I'm no longer as excited about running for time.  As a member of a team, I'm running to place high and score well.  Every point matters.  If I can edge someone out in the last kilometer it helps my team score higher.  I can honestly say that thinking this way puts a whole different spin on the mental aspect of the race for me.  Sure, I'm still nervous.  But, I'm also a hell of a lot more excited.  And at this stage in the game, that's really what it's all about.  As the great Coach Frank Dick once said, "Don’t look at the scoreboard (or, in this case, time), look at your performance and stay in the moment."  Words to live by.  

Listen to this:

Carousel by Until The Ribbon Breaks

UntilTheRibbonBreaks · Carousel (feat. Homeboy Sandman)