On August 24, 2019, I finally became an ultra runner. I'm so proud of myself and quite humbled. Check out my experience at the Moebius 50K!

I runfess that I love everything about the Shamrock Shuffle. I love running in downtown Chicago. I love the distance. I love that the finish line is the same as the Chicago Marathon. I love the green. I love the bling. What's not to love? photo courtesy of the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle The first time I ran this race was in 1994. Running races was a lot different then, but the vibe of the Shamrock Shuffle remains the same. This race is all about having fun. When Steph asked me if I wanted to do it with her, of course, I said yes. She had never run the Shuffle before! Neither had Marcia, and the three of us hopped on the El early Sunday morning to toe the line with 25,000 other runners. R-->L Zenaida, Steph, Marcia, me The weather called for rain and the sky was gray. The temperatures were in the 40s and the wind was light. Perfect running conditions! While waiting to run, we ran into Zenaida and Tiffany, 2 local running bloggers. R-->L me, Tiffany, Marcia At 8:20 we were in our corral, waiting for the race to begin. The Star Spangled Banner was sung beautifully and by 8:45 we crossed the starting line. As with most Chicago races, we ran up Columbus Drive. The course was crowded but not so much that you couldn't move. I quickly found a groove, running about a 9 m/m pace. I hoped I could maintain that pace and not have to stop to walk. I hadn't been feeling well and so I had no goals but to finish. Not sure what we're laughing at but we're ready to run! We traversed the streets through the Chicago loop, running past enthusiastic spectators and bands. Some runners were walking pretty early on. By mile 3, I was one of them. I took a one minute walk break, hoping that would be enough to allow me to recover and finish without stopping again. Unfortunately, I would have to stop 2 more times. Mile 5 takes the runners south on Michigan Avenue and up Mount Roosevelt. I vowed not to stop and I didn't. It's not a big climb but it is long! We turned north onto Columbus Drive and I flew down the final 200 meters to the finish line. I heard the announcer call my name as I approached. Determined to conquer Mt Roosevelt (apologies to MarathonFoto) Once we finished, it was a long walk to get the post-race refreshments, which were provided by local grocer Mariano's. There were bananas, squeeze pouches of applesauce, fruit bars, and nuts. None of that appealed to me, so I grabbed a water and kept walking. And walking. Finally, a volunteer placed my finisher medal over my head. Can I just comment on what a nice touch that is? Finishing is winning As I walked towards the gear check, I spotted the Green Guys in the middle of the street, posing for photos with some of the runners. The Green Guys are Shamrock Shuffle icons who start the race with the elite runners. They've been around for about the past 10 years. I was pretty excited to get a photo with them. This may be one of my favorite race photos ever! Even though I was disappointed with how I ran, it was hard to feel bad in such a fun atmosphere. After my diagnosis with RA, I made a vow to myself to make a goal of having fun at every race I run. Mission accomplished. The Shamrock Shuffle is one of the most well-organized races I've run. Since I opted to have my packed mailed, I didn't go to the expo. Runners received a Nike race shirt as well as a stocking cap, which I wore to the race. The medal, commemorating the 40th anniversary of the race, was simply beautiful. There were 2 aid stations on the course and they were well staffed with volunteers. I hope to be running this race for many years to come. Green guys and beautiful bling! My recap of @ChiShuffle /via @oldrunningmom #shamrockshuffle #runchat #chicago #chiruns Do you have a race that you return to every year? What's your favorite distance? Have you ever run the Shamrock Shuffle? I'm linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down.

Rugged Maniac recently made a stop in Denver. See how the event went and how it brought the mud to a dry Colorado.

Read Courtney's Predictions and Resolutions 5k Race Recap for 2015 here!

Many of us are returning to racing for the first time in a year. Make sure you avoid these racing mistakes as you return to racing!

Contributor Tanya headed to Dallas Savage Race for her first Savage Race experience. Find out why she gave it a 5 out of 5 for the event.

Items are checked off a bucket list and a passport is lost on the third leg.

I had an incredible time running the Boston BAA 5K and am excited to share a bit about the race with you all. I don’t often recap 5ks mostly because I find it hard to find anything interesting to say about them. However the BAA 5K is really just an amazing experience and I had [...]

These race recaps are always so overwhelming to start. Which is kind of funny if you think about it. When else are you going to dive into so much detail over a few hours of your life? Maybe I shouldn’t go into detail, do you really care that much? Probably not. But As I said...

In January 2020, my friend and I set out on a 4 day, 4 race journey where we would run a total of 48.6 miles. A 5k, 10K, Half Marathon and Full Marathon. Disney calls

Marine Corps 17.75 March 25, 2017 1:58:22 Temp: mid-50s What I wore: hat, short sleeve shirt, Skirt Sports Happy Girl skirt, compression socks, and my Altra Escalante shoes I love this race. It's one of the hardest races I run each year, but I keep coming back. I didn't originally sign up to run because of

CerusRuk is expanding the obstacle racing offerings in Colorado with their 5-mile obstacle/ruck/ninja style race. Learn more about this local event in Livermore, Colorado.

Courtney's Marine Corps 17.75k race recap highlights the ups and downs of this hilly race.

Properly Warm Up for a Race Standing at the start line of your next race: would you prefer to be cold and stiff or warm and loose? The majority of runners could run faster during a race if they wer…

In short, here is my Big Sur Marathon race recap: it’s amazing! Suffice to say the course is beautiful, breathtaking, and scenery is hard to beat. Yet, it is a difficult course! ~2,500’ elevation loss and ~2,200’ elevation gain, with a 2.2 mile uphill climb at mile 10 (this is the infamous Hurricane Point). I

On March 9th I participated in the Annapolis Running Festival Half-Marathon. This was somewhat of a last minute decision.

Even before I ever ran a marathon, I wanted to run the Big Sur Marathon. My husband and I honeymooned in this area of California almost 28 years ago, and the idea of running in such a breathtakingly beautiful place really appealed to me. So last summer, when the lottery entrance date was approaching, I broached the subject. My husband surprisingly told me to go ahead and put my name in. I've never run a race with someone before, but Big Sur seemed like the kind of race that would be fun to do with a friend. Even though we'd never met in real life, my fellow Facebook page admin Kristina was up for it, and we were both ecstatic when we secured spots. We texted frequently over the next 9 months, exchanging messages more often as the day grew closer. As much I was looking forward to running my bucket list race, I was really looking forward to meeting my friend! This was truly the experience of a lifetime. My husband and I arrived in Monterey California on the Friday before the race. We ate lunch at Fishermans Wharf and spotted the expo tents nearby. After lunch, we went to pick up my bib. The expo was split into 2 different tents, one for check in and one for merchandise. Check in was easy. I'd hoped to run into Bart Yasso, but no luck. There were a ton of Boston to Big Sur runners, easily identifiable by their teal and pink jackets. I wore my most recent Chicago Marathon shirt but felt a little intimidated. What can I say? As far as the expo goes, the merchandise tent was underwhelming. I picked up a few race shirts and we left. The following morning was bright and sunny. I texted Kristina and we made plans to meet on the beach for some yoga. There were hugs, tears, laughs, and yep, some yoga. Meeting her for the first time made me really excited for the race! Kristina and me Partner plank Partner headstand My absolute favorite picture. Look at our smiles! I wanted to check out the course and my husband and I drove south along the coast to Big Sur. The ride was as beautiful as I remembered from our previous trip. We stopped for lunch at Rocky Point Restaurant and ate on the patio, soaking in the views. We drove the rest of the way to Big Sur and stopped at the "general store". Judging by the people we saw there, it looked the 1960s called and stayed. I was somber on the return trip as I contemplated the inclines. I knew it was going to be tough, but coming from the flatlands of suburban Chicago, I naively didn't imagine hills like that! What was I thinking? Rocky Point. And yes, we would be running down that hill in the background behind me. Kristina and her husband met us for dinner at a pizza place. Pizza is my pre-race meal and I was happy she indulged me. We talked a little about the race but mostly made small talk. I felt pretty relaxed after dinner and easily fell asleep after laying out my clothes and gear. Unfortunately, I woke up in the middle of the night in a sheer panic and spent the rest of the night trying to calm myself down. What had I gotten myself into? Pre-race pizza! The next morning we met at 3:45 to get on the buses that would take us to Big Sur for the start of the race. The volunteers quickly moved the racers onto the buses and we were on our way to the start line. After an hour school bus ride, we waited in a parking lot surrounded by portapotties. There were funny signs on the doors. I was cold and nervous and the parking lot soon became packed with runners. There were so many people that it became hard to move around. Kristina wanted to meet up with her fellow Inknburn ambassadors, so we headed out of the crowd to their meeting spot near the start line. I was grateful for the distraction! Pre-race, pre-dawn in the holding area Did you know Hulk Hogan ran Big Sur? There weren't many costumed runners, which surprised this guy from England! Being a relatively small race with 4000 runners, there were 3 waves. We lined up with wave 2. The sun came up and with all the people, it was starting to feel warmer so I removed my throwaway sweatshirt. I attempted to toss it over the crowd but instead it landed on some guy's head. He looked surprised and I tried to apologize. Kristina just shook her head and I started laughing. The national anthem was sung and 5 minutes after wave 1, we were off! It's really happening! Kristina and I had planned to just enjoy the experience of running in Big Sur and not try to push our pace. We decided to go out at about 10 minutes per mile and with stops for pictures and refilling our Tailwind bottles, figured on about a 5 hour finish time. The first 6 miles or so were run through the piney woods of Big Sur, with a net downhill. Knowing what was to come, we made a conscious effort to hold back while the rest of the runners flew by. My Garmin shows the true story. This is up to mile 23, after which my battery ran out. There was one more climb at mile 25. Taking it easy at the start was a wise decision. We started climbing uphill shortly after mile 6 as we headed up a steep ascent for about 2 miles. It was also at this point that we were hit with an icy blast off the Pacific. This wind, which we later learned was 30+ mph, would be with us for the rest of the race. As we headed up the hills, I was reminded of my training with Becky, specifically when she had me pulling the sled loaded with plates. I kept hearing her voice telling me to drive forward and as I put my head down, that is what I did. We got to the top of that hill and started running down. Naively, we thought that was as bad as it would get. After that first climb. "That wasn't so bad!" But no. About 2 miles later, as we came around the corner, we saw what was waiting for us. With its 500 foot climb over 2 miles, it was the famed Hurricane Point. We heard the beating of the Japanese Taiko drums strategically positioned at the base of the hill. The drummers invited us to join in. Up, up, up. The headwinds continued blowing at us. This climb is what everyone talks about when they talk about Big Sur. And it's no joke. They invited us to join in! At mile 11 or so we began to descend. Although I had been told to train for the downhills, nothing prepared me for the sheer effort I would feel in my quads. My right knee started to tug, a new sensation for me, and we slowed to a walk. We stopped to take in the breathtaking view. We could see the iconic Bixby bridge, the halfway point of the race, in the distance. We could hear the music from the pianist who was located at the far end of the bridge. Combined with the view, it felt surreal. Bixby Bridge We started running again, downhill. We knew that rest of the course would be rolling hills. We also had to contend with that wind. Kristina called out the miles as they ticked off on her Garmin. I started to feel nauseous, and I asked her if we could walk while I sorted it out. We ran/walked the next couple of miles and at mile 17, I told her to go ahead without me. I felt so sick that I wanted to cry. Kristina refused to leave me and told me we were going in together. I did not want to ruin her race. Because I have a tendency to feel nauseous on long runs, I pulled out my secret weapon, an anti-nausea medicine I prescribe in the office. I sucked on the tablet and waited for the magic to happen. Meanwhile, we continued to run/walk. At mile 18, we saw a woman on the side, being attended to by medical personnel. She was crying. Oh hell no, I thought to myself. We pressed forward. Mile 20 came up and we passed the sign with a picture of a brick wall. I was feeling much better by then--thank you Zofran!-- and I smiled as we passed it. If mile 17 was my wall, I had climbed over it. Our run/walk intervals became less frequent as I got a second wind. The uphills continued to feel fine for me, but the downhills were really painful in my quads and knee. Kristina commented that it was pretty funny that I had no trouble running up but wanted to rest on the downhills. And my foot? Not a whisper. I felt very grateful at this point as I realized I was going to finish this thing. These funny signs were at every mile! We kept running. At mile 25, Kristina asked if I wanted to walk one last time. We walked briefly and picked up the pace as we headed towards the finish line. One last climb and then downhill the rest of the way. She grabbed my hand and we crossed the finish line, holding hands, high in the air. We threw our arms around each other and I started to cry. Crossing the finish line of a marathon is always an emotional experience. This finish line was a big one for me. A bucket list race, battling injury during my training, and getting to run with one of my very best virtual running friends made this an experience of a lifetime. Pushing through those tough miles and hills, while running on the most beautiful course was an incredible experience. As I write this and look through my photos, I cannot believe it really happened. Hearing people calling my name throughout the race really helped me keep moving forward! Even one week after the race, I'm having trouble putting into words exactly how this experience has made me feel. I have so many emotions after accomplishing such a big goal! This was the hardest race I've ever run. This was the most beautiful race I've ever run. How often do we get to chase our dreams? More than anything, I'm feeling grateful. Grateful that I am married to a guy who indulges my dreams. Grateful to my parents for holding down the fort and staying with my boys while we traveled to California. Grateful to Kristina for agreeing to run with me and staying with me the whole way. Grateful to my coach Becky for modifying my training when injury threatened to derail the dream but pushing me hard to get ready for those hills. Grateful to my doctor for telling me she would get me to the start line and helping me find alternative ways to train to take the load off my foot. Grateful to my friends for all their support, especially Marcia, who offered me expertise and talked me off the cliff more than once. And grateful to my body for holding it together after my PF battle and my bike crash, throughout the race, and afterward so I could enjoy the rest of my "not a second honeymoon" with my husband. We hiked Yosemite and those hills of San Francisco. Our first trip away together since we had the boys, we completely relaxed and enjoyed every minute of our vacation. Not my fastest marathon by any means. But my favorite. This is what it's all about. Running down a dream. Life is indeed very good. Have you ever accomplished a big goal or realized a big dream? I'm linking this recap up with Holly and Tricia for their Weekly Wrap.

Spartan Race South Carolina Ultra – Race Recap What is an Ultra? A Spartan Ultra, previously known as “Ultra Beast” is one of Spartan’s longest and most challenging events, consisting of 30+ miles on trail terrain (usually lots of elevation) and 60+ obstacles. As quoted by Spartan, “The Ultra is the first race of its […]

When Kristen said she'd get a PR or blow up trying, she had no idea how accurate that statement would prove to be.

Army Ten Miler Race Recap.

The Spartan Super in Monterey, California was held at Toro Park on June 1, 2019. A great course and smooth logistics made for an excellent race.

Kathleen Davis heads out to Maryland to take on a Savage Race Blitz. She battled the elements on the course and off race weekend and reviews her experience.

marathon race strategy. Plan out how to run a great Boston marathon and finish strong without hitting the wall. Stay motivated and positive during your race

Post race depression can be very real for endurance athletes after completing a race. Here are 5 ways to combat the post race blues & get back out there.

This "Ironman Miami 70.3 Race Recap ...Pelotons and Pizza" post is my race recap for the good, bad, and ugly of what unfortunately ended up being the last Ironman Miami 70.3 triathlon.

Running the Paris Marathon this year? I ran in 2019 and finally broke 4 hours! Here's my advice for what to expect.

You've finally crossed that finish line with visions of a deep dish slice of pizza, only to find that bananas are all they provide. Not these races!

Canal de radio independiente

Curious to try the runDisney Virtual races? Read "runDisney Virtual 5k Race Series Recap" for the full scoop!

Saturday I ran the MPS 5k run here in Raleigh, NC. This was my second year running it and I have to say it was a great race to run! Pre-Race My sister was unsure weather to run or volunteer for thi…

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You've heard of Seawheeze, but you're missing out on so much more fun thanks to the Lululemon 10k. Here's my review and recap!

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Berlin Marathon race recap.