What I've learned about winter riding

Let me start off by saying that I pretty much hate winter.  I think Madeline Khan summed it up best..." it-it- the f - it -flam - flames. Flames, on the side of my face, breathing-breathl- heaving breaths. Heaving breaths...".  Those are my feelings about winter.  Unfortunately, I hate the stationary bike almost as much, so this winter I've learned how to suck it up and ride in the cold.
The real key here is wind proofing.  I can handle running in some pretty chilly temps, but rolling through arctic breezes at 20 mph is a whole different ballgame!

1. Essentials - bootie covers (not the one in the rear).  Two pairs of Smartwool socks were not enough to insulate my little tootsies against bitter winter air seeping into my shoes.  A pair of decent booties did, however.  Not optional!  Find a pair on sale, they don't have to be fancy, just wind proof.
2. Essentials - Good gloves.  Again, it's all about the wind proofing.  Knit gloves are NOT going to do the trick.  Layers aren't great either, because you lose a little bit of control on the gears / brakes.  Get some decent cycling gloves.  Bonus, they are grippy where they need to be, and have a soft panel along the thumb that's perfect for wiping boogies.
3. Needed, but you have some flexibility - windbreaker.  This does not have to be cycling-specific, but you do need one.  Also, consider layers.  You don't need a heavy insulated jacket, just one that blocks the wind, and you can throw on some base layers beneath.
4. Cycling pants.  These suckers are not cheap - score some on sale if you can.  If not, wear your cycling shorts / capris and throw a pair of long running tights over them.  Some companies make knee covers...kinda like extensions for your shorts.  They typically don't go all the way down, though.  Go all the way down. (TWSS)
5. For your noggin, a beanie or very thin headband like a Bondi band.   You can also use one of those little earmuffs deals that wrap around the back of your head.  Whatever you do, cover those ears....they will get COLD.
6. A face cover or balaclava is a good choice, too, but don't pull it up too high on your nose.  Unless you get one of those neat face masks with the little holes in front of the mouth, your breath is likely to travel right up you face and fog the heck out of your glasses.  Seeing is fairly important.

So that's about it.  Oh, and I don't plan to ride outside once it drops below 30.  Or is super windy.  Or rains or snows.  Other than that, bring it, Winter!

Race Report - Tuna Run

We did it!  200.9 miles with our new bestest friends!  Here's the good and the bad (you take 'em both and there you have.. the facts of relay running).

The Good

• Did not die!
• No vomiting from our team - which is an accomplishment, because dude, it got hot!  Many teams kept track of their "kills" on their vans, one team started a vomit count. 
• No bear sightings this year!  In fact, the night runs did not feel anywhere near as creepy this time as they did last year.  Not sure if we were just used to it, or it was the clear weather.  We'll take it either way!
• DINNER!  Hours-cold pizza is not exactly foodie heaven, but at 2 in the morning, it'll do the trick.
  
• No rain.
• We did overlap van transitions for the first leg (Van 2 showed up 1 leg before the big transition, and Van 1 stuck around 1 leg after), and it was nice to hang with each other a bit more.
• We bought collision insurance on the vans, and the guy told me, "you could run this into a ditch, bring it back, and you'll just need to sign some paperwork".  I took that to heart.  Keep reading...
• Cheap Bait is semi-officially the Most Congenial Team.. we even got them to say it as we crossed the finish line! (ok, we totally just asked them to do that, but ask around, people will vouch for us).
• We got all the tags!  It was a rare vehicle that wasn't driving around with a "CB" on it.  DoorKicker even tagged another RUNNER!
  
• Pancakes. And Sausage.  And chocolate milk.  'nuf said.

The Bad

• The rental company called THE MORNING BEFORE and said, "soooo.. we're overbooked on these 15 passenger vans.. can we give you 2 small ones and 1 big one?".  HECK NO!  I had to call around to other companies to find a matching pair (Triangle RentACar totally saved the day!).  Woe unto those who deny me my Big Girl.
• We drove right past the campgrounds after our 2nd legs.  We had to backtrack, and were quite pooped when we found it.  Should've watched the mileage closer.
• At the campsite, there was order-ahead dinner waiting.. pizza and ...subs.  With meat and cheese.  Sitting out for a few hours.  Draw your own conclusions here.  Somebody who shall remain nameless had a sub, and ended up talking to the cornstalks during Leg 3.
• Here's a tip for future relay-ers.. make sure that people in your van don't all use the same mobile provider.  I woke up after a scant hour or two of sleep to see Sara sitting upright in the tent whispering many profanities.  She'd moved her phone just enough to pick up a flurry of messages that had been waiting for her to move back in range.. telling us that Van 2 was AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.  We threw everything in the van and took off like we stole it.  I had the first leg, and had to dress on the way!  (we made it)
• Those subs came back to haunt *someone* during their run.  At one point, we'd pulled over to cheer, and were asked, "is there a bathroom anywhere nearby?".  I looked about 20 yards down the road and suggested the cornfield.  What I'm sure felt like a few pounds lighter, our runner practically bounced on down the road!
• Leg 3 (as always, for everyone) was tough.  DoorKicker had the 2nd to last leg (Sara's least favorite from last year), and was struggling with a serious douche grade.  We pulled over a bit more to offer moral support.. and DROVE IT INTO THE DITCH.  I could not believe it!  AND, AAA does not cover these behemoths under normal coverage, they're considered RV class.  Fortunately, some pierced and ponytailed angel came to our rescue, pulled us out with the tow cable he had lying around in his vehicle, and would not take a dollar for his trouble.  Beware of soft shoulders that look even, but really aren't.  Bring a 2x4, and some tow rope.
  
  
  
• The next day was also HOT, and the closer you get to the beach, the less shade there is.  We passed alot of other teams running WITHOUT WATER (I know, crazy!).  We started pulling over to cheer for folks, and handing bottles of water to other teams.  In hindsight, we really should have also brought some ice, it would have been great to soak some shop towels in ice water and draped them around our necks.
• Someone tagged Bruce. (you can see it on his fin).  While initially shocked, we all had to admire the moxie of the person who stealthily climbed our van to tag him (while we stuffed our faces with pancakes).
• 

Drama, part The Second

So what happens DURING the race?  What do you need to know if you are signing up for one of these wacky events?

1. The morning of will be a mad scramble.  Everyone is going to bring more crap than you thought they would, and you're going to have to cram it all into that van, AND get to the start on time.  Plan for extra time, and make sure everyone knows who's bringing a foam roller so that there aren't 6 of them rolling around in the van.
2. It will not be just like you planned.  I don't care how many Twofer Tuesdays you've been doing, there's a big difference when you sit in a van for 6 hours, and then run an 8 mile leg by yourself.. in the dark.  Accept that you can't totally prepare yourself for this.
3. The night run will be creepy.  It's dark out there.  If you can find someone on another team with a similar pace, ask if they mind if you run with them.  They'll probably be grateful!  It will also help pass the time, since there's no real sense of it when you're running into a funnel of light in the middle of nowhere.
4. Not all drivers are nice.  The course will not be closed.  Run against traffic, and be prepared to jump off to the side if needed.  Did you read about what someone did at the Ironman Chattanooga?  Some people are just dicks.. be ready for it.
5. You will hit the wall.. especially if you don't watch what you eat.  Don't nosh on bars and Gus the whole time, eat some real damned food.  Even if you do, there's a good chance you may just mentally be ready to check out by the time you get to your third leg.  I still remember the text from somebody last year - "need Nuun and Bodyglide.".  We turned the van around, provided the requested supplies, and paced our runner in to finish up!  It's hard.
6. The finale is a little... anti-climatic.  Especially if you are in Van 1.. you get there, but you don't actually get to cross the finish line yet.  You hang out, do whatever, cheer on the other Van, and wait for the last runner before you cross the finish line as a team.  Kinda weird to get to the party and then wait.

What you won't know about a relay.. until you sign up.

Part of the impetus to start this blog was to share tips with people who've never done a relay.  We've shared the helpful stuff.. how to pack, what to eat.  That's nice, right?  Now here's the underside of the relay world.. the darker facts that no websites will list in their FAQs. 

There will be pre-race drama

1. Finding people and getting them to commit.  Not only do you have to find 12 people crazy enough to do this, you have to get them to commit.  Poor Captain!  They need to sign up (and pay) early enough to get a good rate, and then figure out how much everyone owes, and get them all to pay up!  If you don't have the full 12 yet, then that cost sits there on your credit card until you find them all! 
2. Keeping up with changes - you can bet money that someone's gonna bail!  We lost 1 person to bigger goals, someone got pregnant (on purpose, and you can't really be mad about that!), and a near-injury scare!  So not only might you have to quickly re-figure the leg assignments, you need to decide how to handle refunds!  Have some backups ready, and discuss up front under what terms people will get their money back.
3. Leg assignments - and even if you keep all 12, someone's not going to like their legs!  Or their van.  Be upfront about how long you'll need to run.  If everyone ran the same length, it's an average of 17 miles a person.  If you have a van full of people who've run a half marathon at most.. they will run more than that!  Not only that, but you're almost always going to have one or two people who simply can't, and you'll want to balance that with your longer-distance runners. Aaaannnd.. the legs are all different lengths.. it's however long it is between transition points.  Some are 3 miles, some are 9 miles - at night!  There's a lot of sucking it up.. don't sugar-coat it, let people know what they're in for!
4. Because of leg iniquities, you can't have all of your strong runners in the same van.  You can probably accommodate some buddies, but folks are gonna have to go where they need to go! Make everyone friends with regular group runs leading up to the race.  We started doing "Twofer Tuesdays" (credit: Melissa B), doing a run in the morning, then another in the evening, followed by dinner at a local eatery.  Good practice for back to back running and good team building!

Next up... race drama!  What to expect during your adventure!

What to expect when you're expecting... to run a lot.

Here are your legs

Just kidding...Kelly V will be creating "The Bibles", which are hardcopy notebooks that each Van Cap'n will receive.  These Bibles will contain your legs (assignments.. not actual body parts), tattoos with your directions*, and other good stuff.  In the meanwhile, for those of you can't wait that long, here's the lowdown on how things are gonna go down!

6:00am - Bright and Ugly!  Kelly V(aka "Trooper" or "The BookKeeper") will lead us off at the start line.  Our journey begins at Lake Benson Park in Garner.  Van 2, be there to cheer us off, then go carb up before your legs!

Van 1 is orange, Van 2 is yellow.  Also, times are approx, Van Cap'ns should keep their phones handy so that they can text one another as we approach one of the spots where we meet.  The idea was that we could overlap slightly so that we didn't feel like two separate teams running the same race.

Leg	From	To	Distance	Runner
EVERYONE at the start line! (no start line, no cowbell)
Leg #1	Lake Benson Park	Juniper Level Baptist Church	5.53	Runner 4 Kelly
Leg #2	Juniper Level Baptist Church	Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian Church	5.69	Runner 2 Melissa
Leg #3	Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian Church	White Memorial Presbyterian Church	3.45	Runner 6 Terry
Leg #4	White Memorial Presbyterian Church	Piney Grove Chapel Baptist Church	5.61	Runner 5 Shawn
Leg #5	Piney Grove Chapel Baptist Church	Elevation United Methodist Church	9.08	Runner 1 Sara
Van 2 joins the party - holla! (approx 10:50am)
Leg #6	Elevation United Methodist Church	Four Oaks Civitan	6.88	Runner 3 Caryn
Leg #7	Four Oaks Civitan	Unity Advent Christian Church	8.07	Runner 7 Bradley
Van 1 departs in search of carbs...(approx 1:15pm)
Leg #8	Unity Advent Christian Church	Stone's Creek Advent Christian	4.82	Runner 11 Mara
Leg #9	Stone's Creek Advent Christian	New Zealand PFWB Church	5.4	Runner 8 Colleen
Leg #10	New Zealand PFWB Church	Bentonville Battlefield Historical Association	4.3	Runner 12 Judy
Leg #11	Bentonville Battlefield Historical Association	Selah Christian Church	6.61	Runner 9 Maureen
Van 1 rejoins, fully re-carbed! (approx 4:45pm)
Leg #12	Selah Christian Church	Eureka Christian Church	3.69	Runner 10 Lisa
Leg #13	Eureka Christian Church	Smith Chapel United Methodist Church	7.42	Runner 1 Sara
Van 2 bugs out - time to refuel! (approx. 6:45pm)
Leg #14	Smith Chapel United Methodist Church	Daughtrey Field	4.71	Runner 2 Melissa
Leg #15	Daughtrey Field	St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church/Union Church	6.06	Runner 4 Kelly
Leg #16	St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church/Union Church	Snow Hill Original Free Will Baptist Church	9.32	Runner 3 Caryn
Leg #17	Snow Hill Original Free Will Baptist Church	BF Grady Elementary School	4.1	Runner 5 Shawn
Van 2 is back, baby! (approx 10:45pm)
Leg #18	BF Grady Elementary School	Pink Hill Elementary School	6.33	Runner 6 Terry
Leg #19	Pink Hill Elementary School	Bethel Baptist Church	7.46	Runner 10 Lisa
Van 1 jets - off to Trent River to camp, and get some pie! (approx. 12:45 in the dogggone morning)
Leg #20	Bethel Baptist Church	Pleasant Hill Christian Church	4.18	Runner 8 Colleen
Leg #21	Pleasant Hill Christian Church	Tuckahoe Christian Church	5.61	Runner 9 Maureen
Leg #22	Tuckahoe Christian Church	Comfort Elementary School	3.64	Runner 7 Bradley
Leg #23	Comfort Elementary School	Trent River Campground	4.34	Runner 12 Judy
Van 1 rejoins Van 2 to cheer them on! (approx. 3:40 in the doggone morning!)
Leg #24	Trent River Campground	Jones County Government Complex	6.42	Runner 11 Mara
Leg #25	Jones County Government Complex	Jones Senior High School	3.33	Runner 3 Caryn
Van 2 returns to Trent River to hit the sack! (or to Midway to wait out the hotcakes) approx 5:20am
Leg #26	Jones Senior High School	Free Will Chapel Church	3.63	Runner 2 Melissa
Leg #27	Free Will Chapel Church	First Baptist Church of Maysville	8.68	Runner 6 Terry
Leg #28	First Baptist Church of Maysville	Onslow County Soccer Association	5.36	Runner 4 Kelly
Leg #29	Onslow County Soccer Association	Silverdale Elementary School	6.51	Runner 5 Shawn
Van 2 jumps back into the game, to cheer on Van 1's final leg before they start theirs! (approx. 9:12am)
Leg #30	Silverdale Elementary School	Midway United Methodist Church	2.6	Runner 1 Sara
Leg #31	Midway United Methodist Church	Crystal Coast Assembly of God	8.41	Runner 10 Lisa
Van 1 returns to Midway UMC for the best damned hotcakes and sausages.. evah! (approx. 10:50am)
Leg #32	Crystal Coast Assembly of God	Western Regional Beach Access	4.94	Runner 8 Colleen
Leg #33	Western Regional Beach Access	Emerald Isle Boat Landing	3.11	Runner 11 Mara
Leg #34	Emerald Isle Boat Landing	Salter Path Regional Beach Access	7.28	Runner 12 Judy
Leg #35	Salter Path Regional Beach Access	Iron Steamer Beach Access	3	Runner 9 Maureen
Leg #36	Iron Steamer Beach Access	The Circle Beach Access	5.3	Runner 7 Bradley
Everyone meets at the end of the boardwalk (wear your Cheap Bait shirt!), and we run across the finish line together! Should be around 2:30 - 2:45pm

Other stuff - in your Bible, there will be little temporary tattoos for each leg.  It includes the name of the leg, the points, and each turn along with the distance to each turn (or they did last year).  There will also be Tuna Run signs along the route, but some jerk might yank one out, and you'd better know where the heck you're going, so wear the tattoo.  FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS.. we messed a few up last year (duh!).

Countdown - 2 Weeks to Tuna!

Are you ready to run?  By now we've picked vans, assigned legs, and are in the final push to get ready.  Here's what you need to think about in the next 2 weeks

At least the week of, start to taper back your workouts so that you're fresh for the run.  That first leg will feel fine, it will be fun!  The second leg... eh.  Not too bad, but you'll feel it.  That third leg is gonna suck out loud.  So be ready and rested!

Order your food!  This year you can order dinner (!), a campsite and showed (for realz!) and you cannot miss the hotcakes and sausage breakfast on Saturday.  Order and pay in advance!

Van Cap'ns, make sure you have the following figured out with your van-mates:

• Two reflective vests for the night runs - this is mandatory
• Headlamps (everyone may want their own, but if you're gonna share, you'd better have 2 or more)
• Blinky lights - match 'em up with the vests
• Race belts (if you have 'em).. we get bibs, but if you have a race belt, it's easier to pass off rather than pinning on (totally optional, pin them on if you want).
• Food and water - figure out who's bringing what.  See the "what to pack" post if you need help.

Make sure that you spoke to Sara if you want a hotel room.. if not, you'll be spending a 2nd night in the van (which might feel like home by then!).

These 2 weeks are gonna go fast!

Meet Cheap Bait - Caryn W

Name: Caryn W

Age: Masters Age Group :-)

Relay Name: Hot Rod Red or Krav Mama

Hometown: All over - I grew up military, but consider myself a naturalized North Carolinian - this is where I put down my roots!

Current: Raleigh, NC 

Have you ever done this before? Yes, I did the Tuna Run last year for the first time

What are you looking forward to the most? Hotcakes and Sausage. Ooo.. and that tuna!  Ooo.. and the beers at the finish line (summary: food and finish)

What are you looking forward to the least? The long run at night

What should your van mates know about you before hand?  Hmmm...  don't like peanut butter?

How long have you been a runner?  20+ years.  I started when I was in the Air Force - my running buddy and I ran all over DC on our lunch breaks!  Running the MCM a few years back was like being home again!  I recently made the leap into triathlon, too!

Favorite gear: I do love my pretty running clothes!  SkirtSports, Oiselle, and Sugoi are my favorites!  I've recently realized that I also need Injinji socks for my long runs.. my toenails disagree vehemently with the marathon!

What is your favorite color? ORANGE (and also pink, grass green, and turquoise)

Do you have any children/pets? 1 husband, who is responsible for 1 child (10 year old boy, James), 2 beagles (Blue and Merle) and one useless cat (Newkie)

Hollah! 

 
What's your favorite food?  I could live on Tropical Smoothie Cafe.. sadly there will be no Island Green smoothies on this trip.

Hobbies: Krav Maga (above.. looks like fun, right?!), gardening, and all kinds of crafts!

Meet Cheap Bait - Sara S

Name: Sara S

Age: 29 bahahaha no really it’s 38

Relay Name: Mountain Goat or Goat 

Hometown: Wilmington, NC

Current: Raleigh, NC 

Have you ever done this before? Yes, I did the Tuna Run last year for the first time

What are you looking forward to the most? The silly antics and camaraderie of our team and a good Bloody Mary at the end

What are you looking forward to the least? The lack of sleep

What should your van mates know about you before hand?  I have a pretty sick sense of humor and may not always be politically correct. I also hate rude people so don’t piss me off or your toothbrush may get swirled in a toilet (just kidding I wouldn’t do that to my friends). I like a good challenge, which is why I like to run hills.

Scrappy, like a goat!  Or maybe scrape-ey

How long have you been a runner?  Maybe 12 years. I started to run to get into shape and then did a 5k and it’s been uphill (and yes I love a good hill) ever since. Last year I started doing triathlons and really like the challenge of 3 sports.

Favorite gear: Balega socks-I have way too many. Headsweats visor-I always wear one as I hate sweat in my eyes. Running Shoes because who wants to run barefoot. Right now my favorite shoes are my Brooks Glycerin and my Hoka One One.

What is your favorite color? Pink but I love all colors except maybe dookie brown

Do you have any children/pets? Yes, 21 month old named Sophie (she’s a human although sometimes she acts like a crazed animal). 2 Corgis, Pippa and Murphy. 2 chickens, Henrietta and Edith.  If I could con my husband into it I would have a bunny, goat, and bees in my backyard and a horse.

Making a friend during last year's Tuna Run

 
What's your favorite food? Indian-Chicken Tikka. It’s my favorite food before a long run and yes I have a stomach of steel.

Hobbies: Knitting (no I am not 80), running-duh!

Meet Cheap Bait - Mara B

Name: Mara B. (she's the one on the right... hey.. Cheap Bait was there, too!)

Age: 31

Relay Name: TBD

Hometown: Sligo,PA

Current: Raleigh, NC 

Have you ever done this before? Nope! 

What are you looking forward to the most? A new challenge and meeting a new group of runners 

What are you looking forward to the least? The next day soreness

What should your van mates know about you beforehand? I am very Easy going, I do tend to require more bathroom breaks than the average joe and I am a constant grazer so I will come well stocked in snacks

How long have you been a runner? I’ve run off and on since high school but have definitely picked up a bit in the last couple years.

Favorite gear: I have zero preference as long as it’s comfy. I have a little of everything.

What is your favorite color? Blue (like a lightsaber)

Do you have any pets? Yes, Toogie who is a sweet dachshund and Walter who’s my running buddy.

What's your favorite food? That’s a hard one! Tossup between ice cream, turkey sandwiches, and crab legs (let's hope not all at once)

Meet Cheap Bait - Kelly V

Name: Kelly V
Age: 31

Relay Name: TBD  Oh, c'mon, we can do better than this, Cheap Baiters... let's give our girl a nickname!

Hometown: Pinehurst, NC

Current: Raleigh, NC 

Have you ever done this before? Nope! 

What are you looking forward to the most? The experience and challenge of trying something new 

What are you looking forward to the least? The stench (stink, stank, stunk)

What should your van mates know aabout you beforehand? I'm pretty easy going. I’ve been told I’m a fun person although I can be shy at first. Lucky for you I’m more apt to be silly in the wee hours of the morning with little to no sleep.  There will be plenty of that (little sleep, that is.. which I guess is little of that?!)

How long have you been a runner? I started running in October of 2010, ran my first race ever (a 5k) February of 2011 and my first half-marathon November of 2011

In case we haven’t met that is me on the far left.

Favorite gear: Athleta Fast Track Tank, Honey Stinger Organic Energy Chews (thank you Caryn for the intro), my Garmin  You're welcome!

What is your favorite color? Blue excluding Carolina Blue 

Do you have any pets? Yes, Olivia the sweetest 5lb chihuahua you’ll ever meet and Kelso a 10+lb longhaired cat

What's your favorite food? Ice Cream

Favorite movie: Steel Magnolias  

Most memorable vacation: My trip to China in 2009  

Most desired place to visit: Greece or somewhere tropical is what I’m feeling right now 

Hobby(ies): Running, reading, crochet/knitting 

Spouse/kids? Husband Charles, together 7 years/married 3 years, and a 19 month old son, Noah  

Yes I am that cheesy girl who has a dog, at a wedding, in a dress. (I didn't notice that the dog was wearing a dress.. did anyone else?)

Occupation: officially a Stay At Home Mom as of October 2013, formerly the Project Information Coordinator for an architecture firm in Raleigh  

Favorite TV show: The Office or Law & Order SVU 

Favorite book and/or author: Hmmm recently I guess I’d say The Violets of March by Sarah Jio

Meet Cheap Bait - Colleen B

Name: Colleen B

Age: 27 

Relay Name: Shotgun Betty 

Hometown: Fort Worth, TX

Current: Raleigh, NC 

Have you ever done this before? Did it last year for the first time! 

What are you looking forward to the most? the amazing experience that comes with the camaraderie from your teammates and the epic party after! 

What are you looking forward to the least? The exhaustion and mental abuse you give to yourself when you're tired and feel like you can't go on

What should your van mates know about you before hand? I'm loud, opinionated, crass, offensive, I curse a lot (the F word is my favorite...and I don't mean fudge), and I love to laugh!

How long have you been a runner? I started running in the spring of 2012 and ran my first half marathon spring of 2013.

Favorite gear: Brooks shoes, Nike barely there tanks, Moving Comfort sports bra, Pro Bar gluten free gummies, my Garmin Forerunner 610

What is your favorite color? Purple...no pink  AHHHH (movie reference) Monty Python for the win!

 

Do you have any pets? Yes, 1, a Pit bull/boxer mix. She's 5 and her name is Zoey Pupperlumps 

 

What's your favorite food? Mexican & French 

 

Favorite movie: Forrest Gump 

 

Most memorable vacation: epic road trip with my dad in 2013 and visited New Orleans, Fort Worth, 

Austin, and Houston 

 

Most desired place to visit: France (will be going next year!) 

 

Hobby(ies): Running (duh),  photography, food, and wine 

 

Favorite word: moist (because everybody else hates it) ew... we'll all be "moist" during the relay!

 

Most despised word: failure

 

Spouse/kids? Boyfriend of 7 years and the Pupperlumps is the only kid I'll need :) 

 

1 song that sums up your life: Heart of Gold-- Neil Young 

 

Occupation: Operations/Office manager at a local Allstate office and part-time Meredith student (graduating 2015!!! woohoo!) 

 

Favorite TV show: Trashy TV and Big Bang Theory

 

Favorite book and/or author: Mary Kay Andrews (author), The Invention of Wings (book)

Rave Race - Runcations!

"Well, I think that's kinda crazy, but if that's what you like, then good for you!"... said my sister-in-law, from the pool, as I excitedly explained to the family that I found a 5K right at the beach where we were vacationing!
Apparently, there's a company that puts on weekly races along the Outer Banks (runcations.com), and they even have great swag!  For roughly 40 bucks, me and nearly 400 other people spent Wednesday morning running through scenic Currituck, beginning and ending at the Whalehead Club (sort of like Biltmore Estate at the beach).  There's a Wednesday series, called the Lighthouse 5K (there's a lighthouse right next door), and a Thursday series in Nags Head*.  For a 5k, it had surprisingly nice swag - a decent t-shirt (same brand as our Cheap Bait shirts!), sweat towel, stickers, and a MEDAL.

Bonus, they emailed my results, and included which place I was in my age group (11th out of 44) and overall (not quite as good!).  Post-race food was delish, and I even made a race friend - someone who was doing her first 5K ever and just needed to connect with someone for a little confidence boost (she also did great).

What's an early morning vacation race without a little treat afterwards?  Not worth having, if you ask me.. which is why I stopped at Duck Donuts on my way back to reward myself with maple bacon donut!  What a way to start the day!

*we actually stay in Nags Head, and had I known that there was a series a bit closer, I would have opted for that vs. driving nearly an hour up the coast to Currituck.. but it was a beautiful drive!  Next year I'll do Nags Head, and when the kiddo realized there was bling, he regretted his decision NOT to - he'll be joining me next year :-)

What to pack for 36 hours of living in a van

With our team meeting coming up this weekend (and me so sad that I won't make it!), I thought it timely to add a "here's whatcha need" list to the blog.

Crap you need to wear

• 3 full changes of clothing, along with 3 gallon-sized zip locs.  Put 2 of the sets into ziplocs and squeeze out the air to save packing space.  Wear the 3rd set. (Top, bottom, socks, bra) - THREE sets are not optional, unless you want to ride on the roof.
• 2 sets of sneakers (if you have them), rotate them during your runs.  Also, it may rain.
• 1 pair of comfy shoes for not running - these are your chillin' in the van kicks.
• Sweaty bands, scrunchies, hair bands (not Ratt or Motley Crue), bobby pins, whatever spares you'll need to keep your hair out of your face.
• Loungewear - something comfy to wear during the 2-3 hours in which you might sleep.  Immediately after, you will change into one of your running outfits.
• Your Team shirt for the finish!
• Post-race clothing - something for Saturday night (dinner or hitting the bars), to sleep in, and to wear home on Sunday.  Ideally all of this after a shower.
• WIPES - you don't actually wear these, but they will be part of your clothing ritual, so keep 'em handy with your changes of clothing (along with DEODORANT).  After each leg you run, you'll cool down while the next person runs their leg, THEN you'll change at the next stop.  Wipe yourself down, stuff the sweaty clothes into one of the ziplocs (seal TIGHTLY), reapply smell-good stuff, then get dressed in your next outfit.
• Each van must have 1 reflective vest.  We had 2 in each, so that it was one less thing to hand off.  You also need blinky lights, front and back.

Crap to make you comfy (most of this is optional, personal preference.. remember, it all needs to fit!)

• BODY GLIDE, sunscreen
• Sunglasses or visor
• Foam roller
• Yoga mat, for stretching or just hanging out between legs (of the run, not someone else's)
• Sleeping bag or blanket
• Tent - really, only a few people from each van need to bring one.  You can double up, and some people can sleep in the van if they like.
• Pillow
• Towel(s) - Just because.  Either to sit on, or in case there's an oasis on the final leg that actually has a working shower.
• Folding chair
• First aid kit (one per van)
• Markers, paper, signs, decorations - crazy crap to pimp your ride.
• Electronics - camera, phone, charging cords (and an adapter.. these vans won't have USB ports)
• Toiletries - you will want to brush your teeth when you wake up!
• Hand sanitizer, extra TP

Crap you might wanna eat

• Bring whatever hydration, fuel belt, etc you normally use for long runs.
• Fuel, especially for that final, early morning run... you probably won't feel like eating anything heavy at 3am.
• Split the rest of the stuff up amongst the van.  Everyone can certainly bring their favorites, but you don't want 6 people bringing their own coolers and grocery bags!  Divvy up the big stuff, and then let people add whatever else they need.  Suggestions:
• Bottled water - grab a few cases
• Some Nuun tubes
• Case of single-size chocolate milks (also conveniently available at BJs)
• BJs-sized tub of pretzels
• Bunches of bananas
• Muffins for breakfast
• Cheese sticks or squeezey yogurts
• veggies and hummus
• PLAN FOR DINNER!  During the day, you'll be able to find somewhere to eat.  After your night shift or before your night shift (depending on when your van starts / finishes), you will probably be out in the boonies, and pickin's will be slim.  Bring a big pasta salad, or some sandwich fixin's.

... and THAT is how you pack for a relay!  The MotherRunners also have a nice printable version of this, without all of the editorial comments!

Race Report - Bucker Mission Man

This past Saturday (gloriously overcast, thank goodness!), Sara and I stepped up our game and took on a full sprint (vs. super sprints).  This was my first ever open water swim tri, and Sara's second... although she mentioned minutes before we hopped in the water that her first OWS race was a shorty.  Technically, this was a first, then, for both of us!

I didn't even have the luxury of many OWS practices beforehand.  Thankfully, Sara and I popped out to Beaver Dam Lake the DAY BEFORE to log some quite OWS time!  I'm glad we did, it calmed my pre-race jitters considerably.  There were still many left!

So we got up at the ass crack of dawn (technically, before dawn even thought about getting up!) and drove to Burlington, NC.  We arrived bright and ugly, and made a beeline to the porta potties, where we had the first-time-ever priviledge of being the FIRST TO USE THEM!  We had to break the seals on the TP rolls!  We quickly christened them, and moved on to packet pickup.

The race itself was great!

• It was small - there were just around 300 finishers
• Well-managed with super nice volunteers (church folks, this race supports an annual mission trip, hence the name)
• It had great swag - nice technical tees, socks, a tower, and a water bottle
• Good post race food - lots of fruit and carbs served by the aforementioned super nice volunteers!
• ...and a BEAUTIFUL course!  The lake was.. ya know, a lake.  The bike course had maybe 3-4 turns, rolling straight roads, and the run was a trail run through the same park as the lake.  Hilly, but pretty.

(view of the lake, through the transition area)

I won't lie, the swim freaked me out a little.  I think I went out too fast (when Sara told me later that I was ahead of her, that confirmed it.  That should NOT have happened!).  I couldn't catch a good groove or control my breathing.  The first leg was a funky combo of breast and back stroke, followed by random crawl when I could manage to catch my breath.  I locked it down a little on the 2nd leg, breathing every other stroke, and then by the third leg I settled in.  I stuck to the other edges of the mass of swimmers, but in hindsight, had I gone right up the middle, I probably would have saved considerable time.  I also bumped into a few people (and shoved my hand into some poor guy's teeth at one point!).  When I did, I took a sec to reorient myself and then just kept going.  Overall, it was no where near as frightening as I thought it would be.  When I climbed out of the water, I felt pretty good!  Overall time was just over 18 minutes for 750 meters, and I think I could do much better with some control and better steering!

The bike course was nice, too.  I found myself trying to do math while pedaling furiously!  Was this a 12 mile ride or a 15 mile ride?  I passed way more people than passed me, although I did get passed by a clump of dudes right around mile 14.  I could've gone a smidge faster, but again, I was pretty ok with my time - 49 minutes for 15 miles.

The run... whew.  The run.  3.1 miles of hilly trail.  The good:  I took 2 short walk breaks to grab a drink, and other than that, kept going.. even right up those hills.   The first 1/4 mile or so was a total douche grade, but we noticed that when we arrived and were prepared (just enough uphill to make you feel like you're working way too hard for what LOOKs like flat).  Once you hit the trail, it was a gravelly little roller coaster!  It peeked out over the lake at several points, and was a really pretty run, just not an easy one.  Sadly, it also ended STRAIGHT UP A DOGGONE HILL.  Just under 32 minutes for the run.  Not my best, typically my tri runs avg less than 10 min / mile, but with the hills, I'll take it.  

We were so pumped up that we both took to the plunge and signed up for White Lake International Tri in 6 weeks!!!  (kidding, I nearly peed in my pants when I hit "register", but I did it anyway).  And that, as they say, is that!