Country Music Half Marathon

My first time to run the country music half marathon was in 2010.  It was my second half marathon ever.  It was hot and hilly and poured rain just as I was finishing.  I finished in 2:44:53 that day.  I promptly swore off ever running country music again.  I love the Rock n Roll race series.  I think their races are so well planned and runner friendly.  However, the course in Nashville is hard.

After Mark's surgery last month, I missed a race and was looking for a way to make it up.  I started thinking about running country music this year.  I kept hearing so many people talk about running it that it made me want to run it too.  And I wanted to see if it was as hard as I remembered.  Personally, I think races in the city you live in are harder because you know the course so well.  There is plenty of time to dread the next hill or think about how far away the finish is.

The race yesterday was hilly, hot and hard.  However, it was also beautiful, fun and inspiring.  I've done lots of half marathons and, by far, country music has the best crowd support of any race I've done.  I love hearing the people cheer, reading signs and high fiving kids along the course.  Nashville looks it's best when you are running it with nearly 40,000 friends. 

I know lots of people who completed their first half marathon yesterday.  I find myself getting just as excited for them as I do for myself.  I'm so proud of their race, but I'm even prouder of the hard work and determination they put in to train for their first race.  I've often read and heard people say the race is the reward for all the training.  It's so true.  If this was your first race, I suggest choosing another race in this fall of this year to sign up for.  After all you don't want to start over.  And being signed up for another race is great motivation to keep going.

My goal for the race yesterday was just to enjoy it.  I also wanted to finish faster than I did 2 years ago, which I knew wouldn't be terribly hard.  I didn't wear my watch, and I purposely ignored the giant timers (of course when you start in corral 20 the time is off anyway).  I focused on running the mile I was in and enjoying it.  When I found myself complaining or hurting, I refocused.  It was a great run.  And I finished in 2:34:43.

I really enjoyed seeing so many friends and celebrating their accomplishments.  It's been so fun to hear how everyone did either in person or on Facebook.  My favorite part of the race was seeing my family on the course.  Mark and the boys were near miles 5 and 9.  They were easy to spot because Mark was waving one crutch in the air.  I know it was physically hard for Mark to be there, and I'm so appreciative.  I'm also thankful for my friend Jeanie (and daughter Meg) who picked them up and wheeled Mark around all day.  It was great to see them cheering me on too!

Country Music Marathon and Half Marathon

*originally posted on nashvilleandbeyond.com

Can you feel the energy in the air in Nashville? Extra excitement is buzzing around town. In case you’ve been living under a rock – I mean in case you didn’t already know – this Saturday is the Country Music Marathon and Half Marathon.

Even if you aren’t a runner, you can find a reason to be excited about the race. It’s easily one of the top 10 road races in the country based on attendance. Over 35,000 of your closest friends will lace up their shoes to run. Many of those people will come in from out of state, which gives us a great opportunity to showcase our fabulous city.

If you are running the race – best of luck to you! It’s a great race and an awesome experience. Running a race is one of my favorite ways to see a city. If you aren’t running the race consider volunteering or cheering the runners on. Having participated in the half last year, I can say it makes a huge difference to those of us running to have people cheering along the route. If you are feeling creative make a sign, most runners welcome the distraction and enjoy reading your sign!

For the last 4 months I’ve been pacing a group of runners for Fleet Feet Nashville’s training program for this race. Every Saturday morning instead of sleeping in, we’ve been up early to train. This is going to be the first half marathon most of them will complete. It’s been a truly amazing experience to watch each of them grow and prepare for a goal as big as running 13.1 miles.


If you want to feel inspired or encouraged, find yourself a place near LP Field (the finish line) and watch thousands of people meet their goals on Saturday morning. Each of those finishers has been training for months. They’ve gotten up extra early in the morning or stayed up late at night to get in their miles. They’ve been training in both freezing and hot temperatures, the rain, the snow and the sun. No matter how hard or easy the race has been for them, you will see each of them break into a huge smile as they cross the finish line. The feeling in the air will be joy, exhaustion, elation, but most of all, accomplishment.


For more information on the race, road closures, volunteering, being a spectator and much more check out http://nashville.competitor.com/.

Double, Double, Toil and 2 Fabulous Races

First things first, good luck to all the runners I've trained with for the Country Music Half. You all are more than ready. You will rock the race. I can't wait to hear all the details about how fantastic you did. I'm so proud of all of you! I wish I could be there to run with you or cheer you on, but I'll be there in spirit!

I'm not sure who thought it would be fun to run back to back half marathons, but I know I eagerly agreed. Today, I'm a little more apprehensive...it must be nerves. Tomorrow, is the Derby Festival Minimarathon (I don't actually think of 13.1 miles as a "mini") in Louisville. Sundy is the Flying Pig Half Marathon in Cincinnati. There are about 10 people from our running group doing Louisville, and 4 of us will be going on to Cincinnati.


The goal for both races is survival! I've been giving myself a pep talk and reminding myself this is not the time to set a PR. And the best part is, I will add two states in one weekend.


Look for blog updates after each race!

Wanted: A Good Run

So it's been awhile since my last post.  Why?  Well, lots of reasons.  Two weeks ago our run was cancelled.  Last week was my worst run EVER!  I was in tears at one point (ok for those of you keeping it up it might have been two points).  Thanks to Nicole and Gail for sticking with me even during the tears.  I didn't even want to think about that run...much less write a blog about it. 

My last blog was all about my best run ever and how great it was.  Since then I've been plagued with bad run after bad run.  And really, who wants to hear me whine and complain?  At several points in the last couple weeks, I've even thought running wasn't for me.  Needless to say, after 2 weeks of progressively worsening runs and only being a week away from the Country Music Half, I really needed this week's group run to be awesome - or at the very least good. 

Yesterday's group run was exactly what I needed!  I felt great.  Last week, I had a lot of pain in the arch of my right foot.  I rested all week.  I probably should have gone to the doctor, but hoped I could get away with just resting.  I had a little bit of pain, but was able to push through and it went away.  I felt really rested and the run was easy - well as easy as a run ever is. 

6 days until the Country Music Half.  I'm so excited!  Even though this will be my second half, it is my first big one and the one I've been training for since January.  I'm trying to ignore all the talk of the hills and what a tough course it is.  Instead, I'm reminding myself that I am a runner.  I will have fun.  I will be positive and smile.  I will finish the race.