Profiling Sucks!

I am sure most people have heard of racial profiling.  Some of you, myself included, have been profiled due to our minority status.  I cannot stand racial profiling!  I know that people judge me all the time, but I wish it had more to do for my abilities rather than my presumed abilities because of my skin tone.  This week I was profiled, not because of my skin tone, but more my lack of presumed athletic ability.

I am on a quest to find a goo that is tolerable, made of real ingredients that I can pronounce and are not created in some chemistry lab.  I had asked someone I knew several months ago about such a product, and he told me about one he uses, but I forgot what it was.  I was in a natural supplements store and figured that they might be helpful in this department.  I explained to the staff that I participated in endurance races, and what I was looking for.  The staff looked at me and explained that they had some products, but I would not need endurance gels as those are only for people who do half marathons and more.  Since I am only doing short races, I should worry about my electrolytes.  I tried to explain more and more that I was interested in the endurance gels, and that I was a half marathoner and had another race coming up soon.  I really was interested in the gels and wanted to know where they were.  Where was I led?  To the electrolyte drink mixes, which I had already explained I was not interested in.  I ended up finding the gels on my own, with the staff again reminding me that those were of no use to me since they are for people who do long distances. 

I don't have the body of someone you would expect to be athletic.  But I have a body, and I know how to make it move, and I DO!  Needless to say, I did not buy anything gel related at this store.  I am sure there are other places where I can have my needs met and be respected as a person. 

This is not my only experience in the land of profiling.  I strongly dislike going to one of the running stores in my home town because of the same treatment.  In fact, I typically shop at a local store in Seattle, WA for my needs as they see me as a human and treat me as such.  I have enough doubts and insecurities on my own.  But I am up, moving, and going!  Catch me if you can :)

71 days til Phoenix!

Next Stop: PHOENIX

Happy Holidays...to me!  It is now official.  Half Marathon #3 will be on March 1st, 2014 in sunny, desert like, Phoenix, Arizona!  I registered for the race today.  I have already begun training as well.  I am needing to change up my training schedule some as I am recently employed.  Those glorious long walks I did on Sundays now need to move to a different day as I work long hours on Sundays and Mondays.  I will start setting goals regarding my next race soon, but one is that I complete the race with at least some improvement from Seattle.  I know that realistically, I will not be shaving another hour off of my time.  I would love it if I could do the race in under 4 hours though.  This will be different for me though.  While Seattle is typically 10 degrees warmer in the winter than my home town, Phoenix will be a roasting 30 degrees warmer, or more! 

I really am feeling like a half marathoner now.  Doing the first one entered me into that exclusive club, but it didn't seem like I was one.  With a second race under my belt, and having done training and such for it, I feel as if I have earned my place in the group a bit more.  Registering to do a third race, and looking into future options makes it all seem more official now.  I am a half marathoner!  This is my niche.  I have found some random activity that I enjoy, excel at, and can continue to do.  It is healthy, and does not negatively impact my family.  And other than race fees, it is a relatively in expensive sport.   

73 days until Phoenix! 

$200 away from Airfare and Hotel Accommodations being covered for the trip!  Want to help out with that?  Go visit:  Happy Birthday Half Marathon.

Below Freezing Temps Means: NO WALKING

It has been 10 days since the half marathon.  I felt great last week.  I went out walking around downtown Seattle the day of and the day after the race feeling wonderful and re-energized, then I came back to Eastern Washington...

OMG!  Frozen tundra of horrible Arctic temps!  The moment I got off the bus, I knew I wasn't in Kansas anymore.  My nostrils instantly froze.  The wind went through me, piercing with bitter coldness.  The layers I was wearing were proving to be the equivalent of a wet sheet.  Watching news reports showed highs in the single digits, and this was before the negative temps were mentioned thanks to the wind chill factor.  I took this as a sign from the universe:  "Darlene, this is your rest week following your race.  And because you are stubborn, we made the weather so horrible that you really would listen."

Today is a very warm 28F.  You know it has been so cold that 28F seems toasty, and I am only wearing a tshirt and hoodie, no coat, while outside and am staying warm.  So what does this mean?  It means I get to start walking again.  Time to break in the new tennis shoes I bought.  Time to work on my speed and endurance some more.  Time to get myself ready for Phoenix!  One way or another, I am going to Phoenix for the half marathon on March 1st.  Especially now that the entry fee is covered thanks to donations I have received on my fundraising page at Go Fund Me.  Next fundraising goal is to get enough for airfare, which is going down more and more from the original $450 I found in October, to $350 that I found this week.  Let's do this!!!

Next Race, or Birthday Gift to Me

I had started thinking about my third half marathon about 6 weeks before I had even completed my second.  You see, I really love the number 3.  I like to do things in 3's.  Chewy knows that if I say "pick a number", she is wise to choose 3.  I was born in the third month.  Three is just fun to say.  With that in mind, I must do a third half marathon.  Then I started thinking...

I am 33 years old.  I have done two half marathons with 3 months between them.  It would be 3 months until my birthday following the second half marathon.  And why not give myself a birthday present such as another race.  We have established that I live in a cold part of Washington state.  Not much is being run over here, except for snowblowers during this time of the year.  I started researching races in February and March 2014, and one race stood out:  The Phoenix Marathon and Half Marathon on March 1st.  This is one week before my birthday.  It is in an area with decent weather.  It has the potential to be a great course.  The race will keep me motivated to keep walking during the frozen months of winter.  This is the perfect birthday gift to myself! 

I recognize that I lack the finances to travel the country to race.  I also fully admit that my pace is not exactly something to brag about while looking for corporate sponsors to fund my racing.  What I do have is heart, dedication, and desire.  Oh, and I have a Go Fund Me page where I am hoping that I can raise some of the money to help fund this gift to myself.  I am piecing the dollars together, and finding the cheapest options as possible.  I know I can do this, and can't wait to make it reality.

If you are curious about my fundraising page, please feel free to visit:
Happy Birthday Half Marathon

Thank you!

 

Seattle Half Marathon is Mine!

I am a rock star!  Well, not really...But I am a half marathoner for a second time today and that is much more interesting.  What an amazing adventure!  I have so much to share about the race, so many comparisons to make, new things I learned about myself, and lessons for future races. 

The time was 7:30 am and I was being dropped off at the race start.  I was officially there, ready, and amped!  I had spent the evening at a friend of mine's home.  She made a pre-race breakfast of boiled eggs, which let me just say, were the perfect pre-race meal.  Straight shot of protein, but light and bland which made for easy digestion.  In my fanny pack, I carried a banana, a couple packs of goo (the flavored bathtub caulk), dried fruit, and some random necessities like my phone and camera.

7:45am was the race start for the half marathon walkers.  The marathon walkers and half marathon runners had already left.  The marathon runners were leaving 30 minutes after us.  It was time to shine.  I had trained and was ready to just do my best.  I started my race with a fast pace, so much so that I slowed myself down as I was worried about losing my stamina towards the end.  Walking through downtown Seattle was nice as it gave me good perspective of where things were in relation to other places I frequent while here.  At Mile 2, the first water station appeared.  Remembering that I had cramped during the first half marathon, I made it a point to take one cup of electrolyte drink at every station, regardless of if I was thirsty or not.  At this water station, I did receive hugs from some teens which I found to be very nice and quite the boost.

It was during Mile 2 that we began our journey on I-90 express lanes.  This was exciting!  Cars zipping past us.  Horns honking in praise.  Marathon runners coming through so fast, yet so silent.  And lots of spectators.  I love spectators!  I realized during this race that any future races I do should be larger races as they tend to have more people cheering on the sidelines.  I am very much a people person, so this feeds me in a wonderful way.  The idea of going down the freeway was also exciting.  It is not everyday that you are allowed to go down the freeway by foot without a gas can in tow.  Across different parts of the city, and into the tunnels we went.  Thousands of people making this their route for a few miles.  

 

The half marathoners are led off the freeway much earlier than the full marathoners.  And once again I am receiving hugs, but this time from a guy in a robot costume.  I love people!  Walking along the west side of Lake Washington, my phone went off.  It was the race officials sending me an update on my time.  This was my first realization that I was going a decent pace.  My main goal was to do this race in under 5 hours.  Beyond that, I was not worried about time.  I knew I was on track for a 4 hours and 30 minute walk, if not quicker.  I keep going strong.  Around Mile 5 or 6, I ate my banana and enjoyed another cup of electrolyte drink.  Now I get to the real eye opener moment:  The halfway point, and another text from race officials.  My pace was now putting me at completing at 4 hours and 7 minutes!  I was on a mission to keep my pace going, I was going to make it under 5 hours.  And in my mind, I was going to go for keeping it at 4:30 at the slowest.


Go, Darlene, Go!  This was the constant mantra going through my mind.  I can do this!  I have this.  As the Seattle Marathon website had been saying, "This is your year".  Miles kept flying by, and no wall was being hit.  I was on it!  Saying that I felt good is an understatement.  And then I hit Mile 11.  I looked at my phone for the time and realized, not only could I finish under 5 hours, but finishing under 4 hours was actually potentially possible.  WHAT!  I knew I was rocking it, but WOW!  I had a mission, I was going to try my hardest to get under four hours.  Mile 12 told me different though...

I was wearing my walking shoes this race.  You know, the ones I said were too big a couple weeks ago.  Well, I now know how too big these things are.  As tight as I laced them up, my feet were still swimming in the shoes and the dreaded blisters were forming.  One GIANT blister on the bottom on my left foot.  Another one of similar caliber forming on the bottom of my right foot.  Add a couple to the backs of my heels, and now you know I was a mess.  I had been struggling with the blister pain for several miles, but Mile 12, the easiest of all as it was primarily all down hill, proved to be the most difficult.  As I continued to take my steps down the hill, my foot kept landing perfectly on the blisters on the bottom of each foot.  There was no way to avoid this, and the sliding in my shoe that also occurred intensified the discomfort.  I definitely know I slowed down on this downward home stretch.

A small incline, a tour around a block, and a nice long stretch of spectators led me to Memorial Stadium and the finish line.  I was finished!  I heard my name announced as I crossed the finish line, as they do with all participants.  Military service men were waiting to place my newly earned medal around my neck.  But honestly, I never looked at my phone to see what time it was until about 10 minutes later.  I snapped a quick picture with my phone and sent it to the few people who were directly keeping tabs on me for the race. 

At this time, the friend who had got me to do the first half marathon responded back wondering my time.  I found the results table, and this is when I knew that I had made this race mine...

4:04:11! 

Not only did I do this race in under 5 hours, I also shattered my previous half marathon time by an entire hour!  I can handle not finishing the race in under 4 hours.  I spent a bit of time taking pictures, hugging people, and cursing the blisters under my feet.  I am more than pleased with my time!  Training was beneficial on so many levels:  speed, endurance, knowledge of my personal needs, and mental stamina.  With all of this in mind, I really did "win" this race (see previous blog post for reference).