Race Report: Tough Mudder Indiana 2011

I felt like I had run 10 miles. I was done, defeated. We had jumped into an ice bath, clawed up one too many hills, forced our way over three walls and run through endless mud puddles.

We turned around a corner, walking at this point and saw a little sign that read "Mile 4".

Then there was another sign mocking us: "Don't worry, you only have 6 miles to go!"

The Tough Mudder seemed like a much better idea when we signed up in July. Yet another sign mocked us. "Think it's cold? What did you expect, it's November!"

I'm ready to kill Beth at this point for suggesting this. She looks miserable too. I keep my mouth shut and truck onward.

I did the Tough Mudder Sunday in Attica, Indiana with Beth O., Traci P. and her cousin Katie H. What an experience! I came out alive, something only 60 percent can say (40 percent drop out), and despite the toughness of the event I had so much fun.

It was a 10-mile course with 23 obstacles at an ATV park. We couldn't do all the obstacles but I'm stoked that I was able to do the ones that I could. (These may not be in the right order! I'm going by what the website said which isn't entirely accurate.)

It was also a road trip, so the four hour drive included a trip to WalMart to over-prepare:

MIT Year 2

This weekend I officially registered for Fleet Feet Columbus' Marathoner in Training program for 2012!

I make this case so often in this blog, MIT is a phenomenal program and I'd recommend it to anyone wanting to run a half or a full marathon!

So this means I'm committed to 2 marathons for 2012!

The spring marathon will either be the Flying Pig marathon in Cincinnati or the Canton Marathon.

Fall marathon is an easy choice: I'm going to run Columbus again! The MIT and crowd support was enough to make me want to do it again.

Tough Mudder complete!!

The Tough Mudder is complete! I earned my orange headband!

Look forward to a full race report soonish, but here are some photos. I wore an ugly Christmas sweater :)

SpeedyJessica.blogspot.com hits the road!!

This crazy elf hat is only the first clue toward the crazy thing I got to wear as my throwaway layer :)

I'm super-stoked! Not only will this be my first time wearing something silly to run in, but it's my first road trip for a race! I'm headed to the Tough Mudder in Attica, Ind. with three other girls.

I'm bringing my laptop with the goal of posting some photos and videos from the road.

It'll be like the Warrior Dash but 10 miles long. I fully expect to look far worse than this when I finish!

Going minimalist

First of two posts today :)

I've had the Zoots for awhile but I'm finally making the jump into a true minimalist shoe.

I'm going to keep the Mizuno Precisions for my longer runs, but I have a new pair of New Balance Minimus' for shorter runs.

I remembered Sara W. at Words to Run By got them and loved them so I decided to go to Fleet Feet Sports today and try them out. I just love the way they feel! Thanks to a sale and a gift card I got them for cheap.

Apparently I'm a toe striker now. Way back when I first got fitted for shoes I was labeled as a heel striker so things have definitely changed after two marathons!!

I really like how it felt. I feel like I was striking really evenly, and the shoes are crazy comfortable. I'll blog again about them a couple runs in!! And it's crazy to feel the difference between them and the Asics Kayanos I started out in way back when!

Race Report: 2011 Buckeye Classic 10K

Run DMC and friends at the Buckeye Classic. 

It took me over an hour to run a 10K, and given all the factors involved I'm still thrilled with my time! Official time was 1:02:36, a 10:06 pace.

Let's just say I woke up this morning a bit dehydrated. Forgot my rule of thumb last night, 1 to 1. I didn't think it would be that bad, but it was.

That and the hills were evil! From here on out it's hill repeats twice a week until Salt Fork, and once a week thereafter!

It was the Buckeye Classic at Highbanks Metroparks in Lewis Center. This is one I decided to do on a whim, using my free race entry from volunteering at Emerald City.

2 more races for 2011: Buckeye Classic and Salt Fork Trail Challenge

Where did 2011 go!?!?!?

In addition to the Tough Mudder Nov. 20, I've picked out 2 more races to round the year out.

In less than 2 weeks I'm going to do the Buckeye Classic 10K. The goal will be to beat my current PR (I've only done one 10K) of 56:53.

On Dec. 3 I'm planning on running the Salt Fork 10-mile trail challenge. The goal will be to beat last year's time of 1:57:42.

Race Report: Nu Hop Trail Run 2011

I felt like I was running down a mountain, and suddenly I stopped dead in my tracks.

The trees were starting to bare so I could see a good half mile both ahead of me and behind me. And there was no one out there. The path was... kind of clear. I think it's the hiking trail? Come to think of it I haven't seen any of those little flags that told me I was on course in awhile. And are these leaves trodden down like they had been behind me? I really had no idea. In retrospect, it may have been an appropriate time to panic but at that point in time I just shrugged my shoulders and stayed the course with my fingers crossed.

I think I've run about 10 miles at this point, but that's really just a guess too. 

When I got to the bottom of the massive hill I breathed a sigh of relief, stuck in the ground were two white flags and a black flag. I was still on course.

So many told me not to race so soon after the Columbus Marathon. Before the marathon I had delusions of grandeur -- completing the 50K distance, but I came to my senses and signed up for the 13.5 miler instead.

Happy birthday to blog

After seeing a post on another blog, I decided to look up when by blog's birthday was. 

Turns out I've blogging about my running adventures for 1 year and 6 weeks.  I started speedyjessica.blogspot.com on Sept. 15, 2010.

It doesn't seem like it's been that long now.