Happy Monday! I hope you all had an excellent weekend. I feel like we need to catch up, yes? Well let’s recap the festivities from the past few days.
Friday after work my girl Tammi and I went and had a little date at my favorite Uptown sushi spot. Sushi – probably my favorite way to carb load for a marathon. Good eats and girl talk were shared.
Saturday morning I was up bright and early for the Cowtown Marathon Expo! I made the 20 minute drive over to Ft. Worth to grab my race number and other materials. Saturday was the 5K/10K portion of the race and Sunday is the Half/Marathon/Ultra distances.
The expo was fairly small so I was basically in and out of there but first I had to stop off at the pickle booth. They were giving out some tasty pickles and also pickle juice which aids in muscle cramps. I tried some bloody mary pickles which were a little spicy but oh so tasty!
Saturday night was a fairly chill night. My mom spent the night at my house since she was my cheerleader for the day. I laid out my race clothes and had everything ready to go.
Race morning I was up around 4:45 am to eat my cookie dough flavored power bar and get my things together. We were out the door by 5:15 and made a quick stop off for some coffee before we headed out to Fort Worth! We parked and made it there just before 6 am. Just in time to stop off at the restrooms and find my friend Jeanette for a quick pic.
I was in corral 2 so I made my way up to the start line. To take more pics of course.
Around 7:05 am we were off! Gorgeous course mostly starting off a little bit downhill. My friend Toni came up behind me and we ran together for a little bit. She had just gotten done running the Carlsbad Marathon in California so I got to catch up with her for a bit and chat! My first mile was right at a 9 minutes, perfect conversational pace for me. We got to trucking along and entered the downtown area. First 5K down, many more miles to go.
I parted with Toni shortly after this because I was feeling great. I decided that I wanted to bank a little bit of time in the first half of this race. Since I had no real goals I decided early on that I wanted to finish the first half of the race in under 2 hours and then see what I could do in the back half. We hit 10K and entered the beautiful Ft. Worth Stockyards.
Lots of spectators here and running on the cobblestone made for a good time! I vividly remembered this part of the race from when I ran the half last year so I enjoyed it. I picked up the pace here a bit and was feeling good so I figured, what the heck. Soon I looked ahead of me around mile 9 and I saw an incredibly steep incline. Again, I remembered that this was the toughest hill from last year. I made my way up and thought of this little mantra I shared with you not long ago.
‘Mounds of opportunity’ just kept floating around in my head. I decided from that point on I would coach myself up every hill I encountered. I would say it over and over again, out loud…not really caring about who heard me. I would say it…and a little voice in my head would say…’say it again‘. ‘Believe it this time’. Crazy right? Anyway, it helped. I hit the half marathon point and was feeling pretty much like a rockstar.
At this point the half marathoners had detoured and finished their race…and the ultras and 26.2ers just kept trucking along. We hit a few more rolling hills and entered a pretty shaded neighborhood with lots of spectators outside with their kiddos and families cheering us on. Everyone was so friendly and encouraging. I stopped at just about every water station and grabbed both powerade and water and took tiny sips. I also ate my energy jelly beans whenever I felt like I needed them…just munching away. Towards the later miles they were also giving out pieces of banana and some orange wedges…don’t mind if I do, thank you. I hit 20 miles feeling pretty dang awesome and holding steady.
For just a moment there, I thought in my head…I could break 4 hours today. Just knowing that in the back of my head (especially after October’s mediocre ‘for me’ finish time) kind of made me a little excited. After I hit mile 22 I started fading a bit and my pace slowed down. I never truly walked for this entire race but with the temps rising to 70 that day and the hills that just wouldn’t quit I knew I couldn’t maintain under a 9 minute mile. I tried with all my might but my legs were tired. The wind picked up a bit and I took a double espresso Clif energy gel around mile 23-24.
I had actually never tried this one before and bought it on a whim. I LOVED it! I will definitely buy more of these in the future. It tasted just like a delicious cup of coffee…which was just what I felt like I needed at the moment. I ran along the beautiful Trinity River and of course had to snap a pic.
At mile 25 we broke off with the ultra peeps and headed home. Another little incline but then straight on downhill into the finish. I picked up the pace a bit when I saw that finish line. #6 complete.
I saw my mama at the finish and the volunteers let her put my medal on me. We stopped and took some post race pics. How awesome is that sign?
4:04 finish. Pretty sweet for having no goals whatsoever for this race. I honestly didn’t know what to expect but I am so happy with that time. I know in the near future I will be breaking 4 again with a rockin’ PR and I can’t wait for the next one. I have to say that I enjoyed this race no matter the outcome. The course, the friends, spectators, volunteers made this race an incredible one and one that I will always remember. I conquered those mounds of opportunity.
CONGRATULATIONS!!! You did awesome!!! And you look super cute and look so very happy!!! Love the medal!
Thanks love! It was a good time for sure!
Congrats Chelsea! Great job yesterday – sounds like a fun race!!
Thank you April! I really loved the course! Definitely will be on the calendar for next year!
Congratulations! This was really impressive!!!!! Love your outfit 🙂
Thanks so much! It was a fun race 🙂
WOOT WOot the weather looks on your side for that race! You rocked it
It got a little warm towards the end but overall excellent conditions and good times!
Awesome Chelsea! You are such an inspiration. Your mom is awesome too, I can’t ever see Lois doing that for me. Tee hee!!
Aww thanks Lisa Lis! Hope you are doing well! It was definitely fun having my mom out there!
oh my gosh i almost ran that race last year! so wish i would have known you then! too fun!
Girl you should definitely run it sometime! Let me know, I definitely want to run it again!
So your race day was completely opposite of mine! I was in survival mode for the last half and you were in rock star mode!! Congrats on a very impressive race–you are amazing!
Thanks Jeanette…Congrats to you as well! It was fun seeing you out there. Tough race but we did it! 🙂 On to the next one!
This is awesome, so inspiring! Great job girl, and so sweet of your mom to be your cheerleader 🙂
I know I am a lucky daughter 🙂 Thanks love!
Congratulations! That’s really awesome!
Thanks so much!
You are so awesome!!! I am super impressed and loved the re-cap!! Way to go girl!
Also, a pickle stand at the expo?!?!?! I love it!
Thanks! Girl the pickle stand was on point!
Loved reading this recap….I held on to every word! What an exciting race and AWESOME time! Congrats! So inspired by you!
Thank you Amanda! Can’t wait for you to crush your next race!!
Congrats to you. I love how your mom was there to cheer you on. Her sign is 100% on! Awesome post.
Thank you! It was so nice having her there!
So many congrats!! That race looks so pretty. Running on cobblestone scares me, but maybe that’s because when I cobblestone it in Philadelphia, it’s SLIGHTLY less put together. Haha. I also love your mom’s sign. Love seeing the support. 🙂
Thanks! Yeah it is a little rough on that cobblestone!
You rocked it! You made running a marathon seem so easy, way to go!! Love the skirt great choice:)
Thank you! It was so much fun, an adventure for sure!
Congratulations! You did such a great job, and it sounds like you ran a smart race. Be proud 🙂
Thanks Amanda!
Congrats girl! Way to go! and you were stylish too in your pink Newtons. 😀
Thanks! Oh and you know I love me some Newtons! Just got a new pair in the mail last night!!
awesome! I have been wanting the 2013 gravity, but my local running shop hasn’t gotten them in yet. So I am going to wait another month, but if they don’t get them by then, I might have to order me a pair online.
Congrats!! And I DO love the sign. 🙂
Yeah mama did a good job!
Great job! Love the pictures along the way. And you definitely look way too cute to have just run all those miles (love your little ruffles)! 🙂
haha thanks! Those headbands help keep the flyaways in place!!
YES, YES, YES!! WAY TO ROCK!! STANDING OVATION!!!
I hope you enjoy this runner’s high for the next few weeks. Spectacular, and great time. Awesome job, girl!!
Cute, cute pics. I love sushi before a big race as well!
Thanks sweet girl!
Big congrats on finishing another marathon !
Thanks!
WOWZA!! CONGRATULATIONS!! You are incredible! And that outfit — Looooove! Thank you for taking time to tell this all in detail! Feels like if I were there as well! 😉
Thanks so much Greta!
Pingback: Recovery Treats. | thedancingrunner
Congrats! Looks like a fun course.
‘Twas! Thanks.
Congrats congrats congrats! #6 in the bag! Rockstar status. I really like the double expresso flavored cliff shots, too. Yum yum yum. GU choc is my fave (tastes like brownie batter), then Cliff double expresso 🙂
That sushi looks divine!!! I might just have to treat myself to some sushi this weekend. Congrats on the marathon!
Thanks so much!
Mmm, I love sushi for carb loading!
Awesome pace and I am so glad you were having fun at mile 20! Those are always my fav races, when you feel good throughout. Congratulations and TOTALLY agree that you’ll go sub-4 very soon 🙂
Pingback: GNO, A Bendy Session and Back to Running…Wknd Recap. | thedancingrunner
Pingback: 11 Miles, a Shakeout Run, and Wknd Snapshots. | thedancingrunner
Pingback: Throwback Thursday…Enjoying the Journey. | thedancingrunner
congrats Chelsea! i can’t wait to go sub-4 in my marathon time. i gotta find that gel. my favorite right now is the gu chocolate outrage.