Rock n' Roll Half Marathon: Arizona edition

I dragged and dragged my feet in signing up for this half marathon.

Part of it was that I had injured my ankle over the summer and it took a long time to heal.

Part of it was because my last half marathon was miserable.

And part of it was because I didn't expect the next race to come up so quickly after the first one.

Aleks, frustrated with my indecision, finally gave me a deadline and by the time it came, my ankle was feeling better so we bought 2 race numbers for the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon in Phoenix.

This time I had a slightly different training program; same amount of miles, but running 5 days a week instead of 4.

I also had more knowledge about nutrition during the race.

And most importantly I was planning to run it with Aleks.

Training went pretty well, it was sporadic around the holidays with my performing schedule, but I was mostly consistent.

And thankfully my ankle cooperated.

The majority of my training was done alone, on the treadmill, but Aleks and I were able to do our last two long runs together.

Aleks had a completely different approach to training.

He had hired a coach who was incorporating swimming and biking into his training schedule so as to keep up his triathlon chops.

Also, his runs were dictated by time, not miles.

From the get go Aleks let me know that he would love to have me run with him, but that he was not going to compromise his training plan or be pushed to run faster than he wanted.

He's got a big plan for the next few years and this race is one of the smaller steps toward that goal.

Even though I am able to run faster (not that much faster mind you! it's like I'm a slightly faster turtle than Aleks) I lack the mental confidence that comes so naturally to my husband.

Another of life's examples that shows me how Aleks is the yin to my yang.

Or something like that.

What I mean is, we balance each other.

So, for our long runs together, we braved the 30 mile an hour winds and freezing temps, running for 4 minutes and walking for 30 seconds.

And it was great, running with my husband.

SOOOO much better than running on a treadmill memorizing music or watching a movie.

There were over 20,000 people registered for this event and I expected packet pick up to take forever.

I was pleasantly surprised that we didn't have to wait in a line and the whole thing took about 20 minutes.

The night before I got a solid 8 hours of sleep and woke up before the alarm went off at 5.

We both ate a small breakfast and headed to the start line.

We both decided to just run with a fuel belt and to take a salt tablet before the race.

What we didn't expect was to be cold.

Thank God for the Methodists who opened up their fellowship hall and bathrooms to runners for free.

I think it kept our fingers from freezing off.

Of course, with such a large amount of people running the race, they did a wave start and so we stood in our coral for about 30 minutes before starting.

Those were a cold 30 minutes!

By the time we started, it was really, really hard not to go fast, just to try and get warm.

Finally by mile 2, my fingers were no longer cold and my muscles were warm.

There were some bands along the course and honestly, they were kind of terrible, but it was better than nothing.

We stuck to our plan, running 4 minutes and then walking 30 seconds.

At times it was frustrating for me, but that's where Aleks is really good.

He makes a plan and sticks to it.

I'm more easily swayed by how everyone else is running.

So we ran. And just kept going.

We Gu'd at 5 miles and I took another salt tablet around mile 7.

At mile 9 we were faced with a rather large hill and Aleks' hip really started to bother him and I could just see his morale plummet.

Ironically, it was at this point that I was feeling pretty good.

So, I tried to motivate Aleks and if he'd had enough energy, I'm sure he would have told me to shut up.

I Gu'd again at mile 10.

From my past experience, I knew that this was the hardest part of the race.

We'd gone so far, yet weren't quite in the homestretch.

Starting a half mile or so out from the finish line, spectators started lining the street and it got more and more dense at we neared the end.

I had told my mom to bring the girls and watch us cross the finish line.

It quickly became apparent that it would be a miracle if we saw each other.

We crossed together (well, apparently true to my selfless nature, I let Aleks cross the finish line ahead of me by one second) and were immediately given our medals and then bombarded with water and chocolate milk and protein bars and pretzels and fruit.

Official time was 2:57.

As we headed to pick up our bag, we just happened to see my mom and the girls sitting on the curb.

It was amazing we found each other in the midst of all those people.

Aleks and I were both tired and a bit sore for a couple hours after the race.

Today, I've felt good, mostly just tired.

It was such a different experience from the last time.

I felt stronger and happier at the end of this one.

I do feel a bit disappointed that I didn't run a faster race, but I'm glad that I stuck with my husband.

I don't know if I'll ever do a half marathon again.

Life is funny and you never know, but I think I'd like to train for something that isn't so high stakes.

Or maybe I'll become a bodybuilder.

Or a yogi.

Hard work and results

*This post is kind of a mess. It's taken me a long time to figure out what I want to say and how to say it best. I'm not sure I've been successful. If you want the point without any rambling, head to the bottom of this post for a concise thesis.*

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This week, post half marathon, has been interesting.

I've vacillated between disappointment/embarrassment in my race time and satisfaction in accomplishing something so difficult.

It's silly to feel anything but contentment and pride.

But there's that nagging, lingering, yucky part of me that likes to compare whatever I do to the rest of the world.

See how I measure up.

And the ugliest part of it all is that it affects how I value myself.

Gross.

This flaw is what kept me from joining a running group. I was worried that I would start to compare myself with faster runners and give up.

Ironically, not having support during the race proved detrimental.

This week as I've been processing my race experience, I was also preparing for last night; 

I sang the soprano solos in Mozart's Requiem with the WSU Choirs and Symphony Orchestra.

Let me tell you, I had the best seat in the house.

There's nothing like the physical vibration of sound waves hitting you in the back of the head during the Dies Irae. 

Our school's students did a beautiful job with this masterpiece.

At our first rehearsal with the orchestra, I was overcome with thankfulness that my life is full of so many different, wonderful opportunities.

And it brought some clarity.

8 years ago I "officially" became a singer. I walked that line of pianist/singer for awhile after that, but today, 8 years later I feel legit.

To find peace and enjoyment in this role, I've had to learn to silence those judgmental voices of comparison that run rampant in almost every performer I know.

It's been necessary to find a balance between comparing myself to my peers and having the confidence that what I'm offering is amazing.

(Does that word "amazing" sound pretentious? I'll admit, it's hard to write, but I believe a performer has got to feel that way in the very depths of their soul if they are going to stand up and face an audience).

Preparing for a running event and singing performance are similar in many ways.

1. You think about what you're going to wear. Running requires comfort and chafing worries, while singing involves more bra strap visibility and hair worries. Funnily enough, footwear is equally important.

2. Nutrition. Limited caffeine and sugar. No alcohol. Easily digested food.

3. Physical stamina. Training runs and practice sessions are so important to knowing how your body will respond to the stress of the event.

4. Mental stamina. This is something I am more familiar with as a musician than an athlete, but I've had a lifetime of performing from which to draw experience.

For me, both things require a lot of work.

As a singer, that hard work has afforded me really wonderful opportunities.

But in running, my hard work just barely keeps me from being the last one to cross the finish line.

In all honesty, it's difficult for me to work really hard at something and still be in the bottom percentage.

But, there's something in that comparison between myself and the world that spurs me on toward progress.

I'd be lying if I said that I haven't already thought about doing another 1/2 marathon. Or that I'm not already thinking of how to train better.

I guess what I've come to realize this week is this:

I need to find contentment in the work, not in the result that work brings.

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What I've been trying to say with all that rambling is this:

I'm better at singing than I am at running.

When it comes to running, I have to work really hard to be mediocre at best.

And I'm learning that it's ok to work hard at something and not be really good at it. I'm learning that there is value in the process too.

Runner Problems

So, I apologize in advance for the nature of this post, but I need advice!

I registered for a 10K on Saturday, the Easter Sun Run, an established race in Wichita with lots of participants.

I've run 6 miles before (and more!), but never in a timed, official capacity.

The race started at 8:30 and was about a half hour from my home.

According to my 1/2 marathon training program, my long run this weekend was 8 miles.

So, I needed to do a mile warmup, run the 10K, and finish with a mile cool down.

My point in all of this, is that I needed to leave my house by 7 to park and warmup before the race.

As a "runner" I've come to realize that bowels play a large role in the success and enjoyment of a run.

On Friday I planned my lunch to be my large meal, consisting of a sandwich, some pretzels, an apple, and a couple chocolate eggs.

I ate a light dinner of roasted butternut squash with toasted pecans and some mashed black beans with cheese. 

(In hindsight, the beans might have been a bad idea.)

My plan was to wake up at 5 am, have my coffee, drink a ton of water, both of which would help with my morning "movement" and eat a banana before the race.

Keep in mind, that I like things to be structured. I like a schedule. I like knowing what to expect. And my body responds. 

Things (if you get my drift) usually happen by 8:30 AM. In this case, I was hoping to speed along the process.

At 4:45 Saturday morning, a huge storm blew over our house. Lightening, thunder, hail, the works.

Both girls woke up terrified and were hiding under the covers in our bed.

No one went back to sleep after that. We got up, I had my coffee. Aleks and I, bleary eyed, supervised the girls' play. The storm lingered for a bit and then passed over. I was confidant the race would not be canceled.

Keep in mind, I had been anxious about this race all week. 

I know I can run the distance, but add that evaluative, competitive element and I turn into a nervous wreck.

So, at 5:30, with the girls in bed and all of us awake and listening to the abating storm, I was already starting to wimp out.

6:30 rolls around and there have been no trips to the bathroom.

7:00 still nothing. 

At 7:15 I decide to skip the race.

But not my training, darn it!

So at 9:00 I head to the gym to run my 8 miles. And I did it and it was fine.

It certainly wasn't as fun as the race would have been, but I had to stop and use the restroom in the middle, which made me feel validated about my choice to skip the race.

I would have been so miserable if that had happened on the course. 

What do people do? 

Are there port a potties around? 

Squat behind a tree?

I'm mortified just thinking about it.

And my stomach was messed up for the rest of the day.

I don't quite know what I'm going to do on the day of the half marathon.

I certainly can't wimp out on the main event!

Runners, help!

Should I just not eat the entire day before the race? 

Not sleep? 

Just eat bananas and things that will bind me up?

Maybe I should just take up Zumba.

Aleks would love that.

Running Playlists

I did it!

I've officially registered for a half marathon in May.

I really wanted to do one before I turned 32, and this will be a month late, but it's close enough.

You may remember that I trained for one back in the fall. 

I did the training, but during the weekend of the event, Aleks and I went to Chicago. 

So, I haven't actually, officially ran a half marathon.

I'm excited and nervous and feeling a little crazy, but mostly motivated.

Training started yesterday and due to a week of winter storms, it's a bit snowy outside.

I don't mind the gym too much because training inside has its benefits. Namely the T.V.s that are built into the treadmills.

However, even that can get tiresome. I mean, a person can only watch Dance Moms for so long.

What I really need is some good music on a playlist.

But, I stopped listening to music around the time I graduated from college. My last well-loved CDs include John Mayer (pre-douche bag), Norah Jones, Jeff Buckley, and a compilation of greatest women jazz singers.

In the last 5 years this is what I've been listening to:

• Any music that I'm preparing for performance. This includes classical art song, opera, oratorio, and some musical theater. My favorite way to memorize is at the gym with the music in front of me and in my ear.
• Sirius radio: NPR and Met Opera Radio stations for pleasure. I also listen to the Broadway Station, but mostly as research, to acquaint myself with the repertoire and performance practices.
• Kids Place Live on Sirius, which actually has some really great music. Sometimes I'm driving by myself and have just reached my destination when I realize that I had Kids Place Live on the entire time.

Recently, I've been thinking about why I don't listen to music.

1. Since the birth of the iPod, listening to music seems too complicated. Buying and downloading from iTunes. Transferring it to my phone. The whole iCloud thing. Complicated. I miss the good old days of CDs. We do have a whole wall of CDs, but no sound system. And I have a MacBook Air (no CD drive). I do have an external CD slot thingy, but again, so many steps!

Aleks got a record player from his dad for Christmas and since then, I have been listening to records. It's incredibly gratifying to lower the needle onto a record and hear that slightly scratchy sound. I plan to add to our collection.

2. My ears are my work. After teaching, I desperately crave silence.

3. The kids. OMG. They are so loud. They never stop talking. When I put on a record they inevitably start playing with their musical toys and we get a Charles Ives-like environment. Then I want silence.

4. I think I'm on the HSP spectrum. Sounds can stress me out.

5. I don't really know what I should be listening to. And I have a hard time spending money on an album, when I might not like the whole thing. Actually I have a hard time spending money on music at all.

So, combined with training starting up and the acknowledgment that I am out of touch with the current musical culture, it's time to listen again. 

For fun.

I signed up for Spotify, so that'll help my frugal side when I'm at the computer. But for those running playlists, I need help. 

What should I be listening to?

On my list so far:

Mumford and Sons

Florence and the Machine

Lumineers

Fun

I want to revisit Marc Broussard

I'm embarrassed to admit, the Oscars was the first time I heard Adele sing. But from my understanding, she might not be the best workout music?

Please help. I'm clueless.

Tell me what your favorite, bad ass, motivational, lose-yourself-in-the-music, groove worthy albums are!

When I'm slooowly running 10 miles, I'll be ever so grateful.

Canta Carol Run 2012

I've been meaning to write this post for a week now.

It's just been a wonderfully busy, happy week of get togethers and parties.

But, I do want to update you on what I did last Saturday.

WSU has a summer program for our opera students called Canta in Italia.

We send students to Italy for a month to study singing, the Italian language, and perform.

As you can imagine, it's a bit pricey.

I'm on the board of directors and we are constantly trying to find ways to raise money for scholarships.

Since I began running a little over a year ago, I've participated in several races and found them to be wonderful events.

My brilliant idea was to host our own 5k.

I'm drawn to big projects. You know, like starting an opera company.

Let me tell you, planning a 5k is right up there with producing an opera.

We hired Clark Ensz, a running legend in Wichita and a 5k race guru, to help us develop the event.

He knows things like what percentage of different size shirts to order and how to make the registration process run as smoothly as possible.

We held the race on the Saturday after finals and called it the Canta Carol Run.

We had about 30 of our students caroling along the course.

Our kids can sing! 

They sounded great!

And Santa was there.

Well, "pretend Santa" according to Maia, "who gave me candy corn!"

I love a good race.

We had a small crowd, about 150 runners.

Which, I suppose is not horrible, but we were hoping for 400.

It also means that we've got 200 shirts leftover. (Let me know if you want one!)

One highlight for me was seeing a mom run with her son in his first 5k.

He must have been 8 or 9 and they were both beaming as they crossed the finish line.

Before the awards ceremony we had a rousing rendition of the "12 Days of Christmas" with some costumed runners from a local theater.

It was a fun event that went very smoothly and people seemed to enjoy themselves.

The plan is to have a second annual Canta Carol Run and hopefully word of mouth will help bump up our numbers.

If you'd like to donate towards scholarships or be a sponsor for next year's run, let me know!

And of course, we'd love to see you as a runner too.

All pictures were taken by the amazing John Ellert.

Thanksgiving Part I

The holiday season is full of traditions and last year we started a new one by participating in the Say Grace 5k.

Due to several factors (hacking up a lung for the past 5 days + Aleks traveling last weekend), I hadn't been able to run in over a week.

   

About 80% of the run was grueling and painful.

But, I had some wonderful cheerleaders and finished without walking.

On the drive home, Maia told me that a girl next to them "was spitting yellow stuff." 

So, yeah, at least I wasn't that girl.

Our day was pretty low key.

Aleks spent Wednesday making mole and I bought a pie, so turkey day was relatively easy.

Because our girls go to bed so early we hardly ever eat dinner together.

(Go ahead, judge away)

It always feels special to sit down together for a meal;

with proper place settings and everything!

We ended up cooking just a turkey breast, which Aleks did on the BBQ.

I'd just like to point out that we have parented both girls in the exact same way, with regards to food.

And Maia will eat about 3 different things, while Ruby eats everything.

Our menu:

turkey breast with mole

mexican style stuffing with sausage and poblano peppers

roasted brussel sprouts

Maia loved her pancake with peanut butter.

And Ruby loved everything, except the brussel sprouts.

The were "too yucky."

To her credit, they were a little undercooked.

After the dishes were done we decided to take a walk and feed the ducks.

It was a gorgeous, warm afternoon.

A bit strange, but beautiful.

Walking with the girls is about the journey, not the destination.

There weren't many ducks and the ones present weren't too interested in eating.

So Maia ate the bread.

Ruby and I held hands,

and said "cheese!"

On the way home Maia's collection (specifically her flower) blew out of the bucket and got lost.

Being three is hard.

Especially when you've been sick and not taking naps.

It was a delightfully, low pressure, hugs and kisses-filled Thanksgiving this year.

We hope your day was filled with lots of love too.

Training

I've started week 5 of my 10 week training schedule.

To run a half marathon.

I'm proud to say I haven't missed a workout.

The ironic thing is, I'm not sure that I'm actually going to run a half marathon when I originally planned, but hey, training is the most important part, right?

It's probably good that I'm putting off the actual race.

While I'm running the miles and doing the tempo runs and all that, it's been taking place at the gym. And from what I've heard from other people and read in magazines, is that the treadmill is a lot easier than the reality of pavement.

The thing is, it's still really hot here. Today it's supposed to get to 102 degrees and this morning the humidity was 82%.

Tuesday morning is a preschool day for Maia and it was either take Ruby for a 3 mile run in the stroller (something I vowed never to do again) or wait and do it tonight at 8:00.

I opted for an AM run.

And I was sopping wet by the time I got home.

For one thing, it was like running in a cloud, but with the sun out. I could actually feel the moisture in the air when I inhaled.

And the other thing is that the tires in the stroller were a bit flat and I couldn't find our pump, so I ended up pushing a stroller with low tire pressure.

I think when it gets cooler and if I can find the pump, I might venture out again with Ruby. She really is a pleasant running partner.

She's quite content to sit quietly, eating her cereal and pointing out the various sights.

While I'm complaining about the heat, I know a guy who's training for the Chicago marathon and he did his long run yesterday in the early evening, when it was 106. 

So, clearly he's either crazy or made of tougher stuff than I am.

It's nice to have a goal and a specified training schedule. As with everything in life, it's so much easier to follow through when there is a plan.

This week is crazy. I'm putting together a concert of new music by Kansas composers, and most of my nights this week are filled with rehearsals or doing administrative things. I'm also preparing a thank you dessert evening for the composers and performers the night before.

If I can get my runs in this week it'll be a miracle, but I'm determined.

As I look out the window right now, I can see the sky getting dark, maybe we'll have a break in the weather?

Ballet Wichita 5k

Today Aleks and I ran Ballet Wichita's first annual 5k.

We were excited to run our first race of the season, but we were also doing a bit of reconnaissance work. 

I'm helping to plan a 5k this winter and I want to be sure it's as successful as possible.

There were between 400-500 participants at this event.

I chopped up my t-shirt via, this tutorial I found on Pinterest.

Unfortunately, you can't see my handiwork here.

We hired our babysitter to meet us at the starting line and hang with the girls during the race.

It was a luxury not to have to push the stroller!

Of course on a morning that we had to be out of the house by 7, my early bird 3 year old decided to sleep in.

In fact, Aleks had to wake her up.

And now that I think about it, other than über early travel plans, we've NEVER done that before.

I'm happy to report I PR'd today. By almost 30 seconds.

However, true to my type A, oldest child personality, I was disappointed because I'm in so much better shape than I was last fall and was hoping to take 2 minutes off my previous best time. 

Thankfully I'm married to a man who brings me back to reality and reminded me that I did run faster than several ballerinas.

And everyone who slept in this morning.

Of course afterward we had to go to the Donut Whole.

Ruby thoroughly enjoyed it and carbo-loaded for the day ahead.

I'm mustering up my courage to register for a half marathon in the fall.

I've got to make the decision soon...

Two unrelated notes:

1. I'm the most popular person in my family.

Maia, who do you want to take you to bed? "Mommy!"

Ruby, who do you want to read this book? "Mommy!"

Maia, do you want to come with me to the store? "No, I want to stay with Mommy!"

Ruby, can I get you some more milk? "No! Mommy!"

I don't get it.

Aleks is the best Daddy these little girls could have.

I just keep reminding myself that in 11 years or so, they probably won't want anything to do with me.

2. I am so excited for the Olympics.

I can barely stand it.