Race Recap – Page 4 – Zenaida Arroyo

Category: Race Recap

29
May
2018

Soldier Field 10 Mile Recap

categories: Ambassador, BibRave Pro, Race Recap, Running, Tuesdays on the Run

Disclaimer: I received a free entry to the Soldier Field 10 Mile as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find and write race reviews!

This past Saturday I ran the Soldier Field 10 Mile. This race is one of my favorites. The first time I did this race was in 2009 and this year was my 7th time running it.

I had to stay late at work on Friday so I couldn’t go to Fleet Feet to get my bib. Thankfully my friend, Claudia, got it for me. I like the color of the shirt.

It was supposed to be a HOT one. Man, we complained for so long about the winter and Mother Nature came back with a vengeance.

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Saturday morning I woke up, got ready, and drove to Soldier Field. I love that they offered FREE parking to race participants. I met Claudia to get my bib and then we used the bathroom. There were plenty of port-a-potties outside but we went inside the stadium (the start line was inside). No line…ever better!

My left leg had been bothering me so I wasn’t sure how do running 10 miles.

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The race began at 7am. I was in corral K but moved to L to start with Claudia. We had to wait about 15 minutes before we could start running. It felt good inside because it was shaded and there was a slight breeze.

As soon as I got outside, I could feel the heat. I knew it wasn’t going to be a good race. I don’t remember it ever being this hot on race day. I was feeling OK for about 3 miles and then it went downhill. The sun felt so hot and I took my time by walking and running.

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At the runaround point the announcement teased us by saying that we looked like we could use some ice (while the song “Ice Ice Baby” was playing). I thought for sure we would get some ice at the next water station. Nope. It was Nuun and water. I did get an extra cup of water to pour over my head and that helped a little.

At this point my goal was not to pass out and just to finish. I didn’t care about my time. My left was hurting even more but I kept running and walking.

Did I tell you how hot it was? I was happy to cross the finish line and to get my medal. It was cool to finish inside Soldier Field.

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I stayed for a little bit to see Heather and Claudia by the finish line. Then I went home. I was hungry and tired. In the past I’ve stayed a bit longer to hang out with friends and enjoy my free beer.

Love that Athlinks provides FREE race photos. However, I will admit that I cringed when I saw the photos and almost did not post the one below. All I see is my big, bloated and round stomach. 🙁 2018SoldierField10Mile-18

My finish time is 2:17:21. That is definitely my worst Soldier Field 10 Mile race. According to Athlinks, my worst time was 1:55:45 in 2017 and my PR is 1:41:56 in 2015.

Facebook reminded me of the first time I did that race. I was thinner back then. Sigh.

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Another race done and another medal. I have now completed 160 races.

Linking up with Marcia, Patti, and Erika for Tuesdays on the Run.

TuesdaysOnTheRun

22
May
2018

Chicago Spring Half Marathon & 10K Recap

categories: Ambassador, BibRave Pro, Race Recap, Running, Tuesdays on the Run

Disclaimer: I received a free entry to the Chicago Spring Half Marathon & 10K as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find and write race reviews!

On Sunday I ran my 159th race! I did this race mostly for fun and am glad I did it.

The forecast mentioned rain on race day. The weather continues to be ridiculously crazy here. Even with that forecast, I planned to wear a singlet, shorts, and compression socks. Not sure what I was thinking. 🙂

I signed up for the 10K but got a bib for the half marathon.

On Sunday morning it was in the mid 40s so I wore a long sleeve underneath my singlet, a jacket, and tights.

It was cold and cloudy. The half marathon began at 7am and the 10K at 7:45. I arrived at 7:30 am, dropped off my gear, used the port-a-potties, and got in line for the race. Per my Garmin, I started running at 7:58 am.

I ran by feel and paid no attention to my watch. I would only look down when it would vibrate with my mile splits. I wasn’t cold and was feeling pretty good.

For the most part I was consistent with my pace. I HAVE no idea how I ran mile 5 that fast. At least it is fast for me.

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The 10K started on Columbus Drive next to Maggie Daley Park. We ran there for a little bit and then ran along the lakefront path. I found the path to be crowded since there were the 10K runners heading back along with the half marathoners.

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When I was done, I got my medal and then went to get my gear. I got there just in time because after a few minutes there were a lot more people waiting in line. I felt bad for the volunteers because they were working as fast as they could but could not keep up with all of the runners.

Post race there was a hot breakfast, Lagunitas beer, and a spring flower station. I wanted to take part in it but I was just too cold. I hanged around for a little bit and then went home. But before I did that, I checked my finish time courtesy of Athlinks. Not my best and not my worst either. My last 10K was the Run Mag Mile in September 2017 and I finished in 1:07:09. However, my PR is 1:04:02 from September 2010.

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The medal is pretty cool. It has a spinning Navy Pier ferris wheel.

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I wished the weather would have been nicer and for sure I would have stayed longer and enjoyed the post race activities.

Overall, I enjoyed the race. I love the distance and the medal. Many races do not offer food (only beer) and it is nice to see this offered to the race participants.

Linking up with Marcia, Patti, and Erika for Tuesdays on the Run.

TuesdaysOnTheRun

01
May
2018

Illinois Half (of a Marathon) Race Recap

categories: Ambassador, BibRave Pro, Illinois Marathon, Race Recap, Running, Tuesdays on the Run

Disclaimer: I received a free entry to the Illinois Marathon part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find and write race reviews!

Whew! It was an interesting weekend. The weather was perfect after battling with Mother Nature with the never ending winter. However, my race didn’t go as I planned. I didn’t run the marathon but instead ran the half marathon.

Let’s go back to Friday before the race. I worked for 1/2 day and then drove to Champaign. It took me about 3 hours to get there. No big deal.

I arrived at the Activities and Recreation Center to pick up my bib at the expo. The expo was pretty small. I didn’t buy anything but did sign up to be a bone marrow donor for Be The Match.

Found a picture of the course and saw Abe Lincoln. 🙂

Later that evening I went out to dinner with some friends at Old Chicago Pizza and Tap Room. I had pizza and pretzel sticks. We didn’t stay out too late and I think we left around 9pm. Earlier in the day I got my stuff ready for the race and that night I double checked to make sure I had everything I needed.

The next day my alarm went off at 5am. I got ready and then went to Dunkin Donuts for coffee and a bagel. It was cold. I knew it would warm up and was glad to see lots of sunshine in the forecast.

I parked in the lot and stayed in my car to stay warm. Finally I got out to use the port-a-potty and to check in my gear. I saw a few friends and we talked for a bit and got more excited about my race. I took one huma gel at about 6:50am. The plan was to take one every 4 miles.

I ran into Amanda (another BibRave Pro) and it was great to finally meet her. Then it was time to run!

My plan was to start running “slow” and then pick up the pace after the 13 mile marker. I was enjoying the warm sun and soaking it all in. I was FINALLY running a marathon that I had trained for a very long time. Training that took me outside running in very cold weather this winter. Finally everything was coming together.

I took another gel at mile 4. Still feeling good. I made sure to drink water at the water stations. Then after mile 6 my stomach began to hurt. I felt like I had to use the bathroom. I decided to walk a little and hoped that I would feel better. I didn’t. I kept walking and knew I was in trouble. I could feel my heart beating fast but couldn’t understand why since I was WALKING. I then got very tired, had some trouble breathing, and struggled to run. There was some wind but nothing worse that what I had encountered during my training. I wasn’t cold since I had a jacket. By mile 9 I knew I wasn’t going to finish the marathon.

I was in tears and was so mad. I was angry because I trained so hard for this marathon. Angry because instead of allowing this anger to push me to keep going, I was allowing it to mess with my head.

Yep, I went left.

The finish line was inside Memorial Stadium. I got my medal and went up the stairs to the Great West Hall to get some food.

I didn’t stay there too long and then went back to the hotel to shower. Afterwards I met a few Oiselle gals for brunch at Big Grove Tavern.

I spent the weekend trying to figure out what went wrong. Did I panic? Did I get nervous/scared? Was I a wimp and decided to take the easy way out by running 13.1 miles instead of 26.2? Did I start off too fast? Too many questions and honestly I am not even sure I will figure it out. Below are my splits.

Thanks to Athlinks I added another race to my profile. I have now run 158 races (69 half marathon)!

By Monday I decided to just let it go and stop thinking about it. Regardless I still ran a half marathon and I should be proud of it.

I thought the race was well organized. The half marathon course was pretty flat. There weren’t too many spectators and the ones that were there did a good job cheering for us. The best part was seeing a guy on a unicorn bike blowing bubbles. 🙂

Illinois Marathon-227 — Source: https://www.instagram.com/jenhawleyprice/

So what’s next? My next races are a 10K on the 20th for the Chicago Spring Half Marathon and the Soldier Field 10 Mile on the 26th. I would like to continue running a half marathon in each state. I will be running in CO in October which will make it state #39.

For now I don’t plan on running a marathon anytime soon. I am signed up for the Marine Corps Marathon but plan to transfer my bib, so if you are interested in a bib, let me know.

Linking up with Marcia, Patti, and Erika for Tuesdays on the Run.

27
Mar
2018

Shamrock Shuffle 8K Race Recap

categories: BibRave Pro, Race Recap, Running, Tuesdays on the Run

Disclaimer: I am promoting the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find and write race reviews!

On Sunday I ran my first race of the year – The Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K. It was my 10th time running that race with the first time being in 2006. This race is always a fun one and is the start of the official running season in Chicago.

Saturday morning I went to the expo to pick up my packet. There were hardly any vendors there. It was a very small place for an expo. In previous years it’s been held in a much bigger room. A friend had mentioned that it was a small expo but I had to see it with my own eyes. I was there for about 20 minutes. I was supposed to be in Wave 2, Corral F or G but went to Participant Services and asked to be moved to Wave 1.

I tried kombucha and did not like it.

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The shirt and socks are cute!

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I bought two Sparkly Soul headbands.

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Sunday morning it was another cold morning. I am over this cold weather. I know I’ve run on so many cold days but mentally I am done with it. I want some warm weather!

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My cat woke me up at 4:30 am. She didn’t care that I wanted to sleep in till 6 because I had a race. She just wanted to eat. I got up, got ready, had a protein bar with coffee, and drove to the train station. I was supposed to meet the Oiselle gals at the Hilton Chicago for a group photo.

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After the photo I left to use the bathroom again Then I walked to the race to drop off my gear and do a 20 minute warm up. I was also supposed to meet Wendy since we were both in the same corral. Unfortunately I didn’t meet up with her. I did my warm up but had to cut it short by 1 minute because I was supposed to be at the corral entrance by 8:20 and I was afraid that I would be too late. I wasn’t. There were so many people still trying to get in after 8:20.

Even though it was sunny, it was still VERY COLD.

I waited in my corral for 15 minutes before I began running. I removed the auto lap function on my watch because the buildings always seem to mess up the satellite signal.

I felt good for 3 miles (10:19, 9:31, 9:44). I ran nonstop. I didn’t stop for any water or Gatorade. I had 3 layers on and was not cold. I remember last year it was windy but this time it wasn’t too bad. Mile 4 (10:23) is when I began to get tired and walked a bit. I told myself to slow down instead of walking but that didn’t happen. I was surprised at how well I did for mile 5 (10:06) because I walked the small hill that is right before the finish line, and once I made it to the top, I ran as fast as I could.

Finish time is 50:03.

My PR is 48:38 from 2014. You bet that over the years I’ve been wanting to better that time. Last year my finish time was 56:26. I am pleased that I bettered my time by more than 6 minutes. To me that is a HUGE accomplishment!

After my run I did a 20 minute cool down. Then I went to get my bag and some pizza because I was hungry. I checked out the beer tent but had no desire to drink beer. Everyone there was having a good time.

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I was about to leave when a friend saw me. I ended up talking to her while she waited for the rest of her family. They were going out for breakfast and I decided to go with them.

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We walked to the train station and I got VERY COLD again. Once on the train I was still cold and decided to just go home. I needed to get out of my wet clothes and take a hot shower.

Thanks to Athlinks I have a summary of all of my finish times for the Shamrock Shuffle 8K. Have you checked out Athlinks? If you haven’t, do so soon and you’ll have access to dates and times for ALL for all of your races.

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I am happy I did this race. It is one of my favorite races. I will admit that I was a bit disappointed that I didn’t PR because I’ve been doing so well in my training for the Illinois Marathon. However, I will not dwell on it anymore but instead be happy with how well I did on Sunday.

Linking up with Marcia, Patti, and Erika for Tuesdays on the Run.

TuesdaysOnTheRun

23
Jan
2018

Shoes, shoes and more shoes!

categories: Brooks Running, Race Recap, Running, Tuesdays on the Run

It’s no secret that I am a fan of Brooks running shoes. In the past I’ve worn the Ghost, Ravenna, Adrenaline, Pure Flow, Pure Connect, and Pure Cadence.

Lately my all time favorite is the Launch. I remember my first pair of the Launch 2. They hurt my feet and I sent them back. Months later I decided to give them another chance. Cannot remember the reason. I mean, they hurt my feet so why would I try them again? I am very glad I did because those were GREAT. I was upset when they weren’t available anymore. Then the Launch 3 came out and they felt different. I trained one summer in them and then sent them back to Brooks (they have a wonderful 90 day return policy). They just didn’t feel as good as the Launch 2. Then the 4 came out and they are just as good as the 2.

They are so good that I am stocking up. I have 3 pairs in rotation and have 10 new pairs in boxes. They’re still on sale at Running Warehouse and I am tempted to get more pairs. That’s how much I love them! I know the Launch 5 is available but I am going to wait a few months before trying them out.

I don’t just own running shoes. 🙂 I teach 2nd grade and am on my feet all day long so I need comfortable shoes. Last summer I invested in a pair of Tieks by Gavrieli ballet flat. I’ve been wearing them almost everyday and like them a lot. They’re comfortable but I am not too crazy about the price (the cheapest is $175 and the most expensive is $265).

Each pair comes neatly packed in a blue box with a cute bow. Tieks are sold in whole sizes only. Tieks typically suggests going down if you’re a half size unless you have a wide foot or sometimes size up. I’m an 8.5 but I have wide feet but ordered an 8 and a 9. Included in the box is a black pouch to store your Tieks and a small tote bag. There was also a handwritten personalized note which I loved.

I tried both pairs and kept the size 9. I love that they have FREE shipping. And if you want to return or exchange them, they also have free return shipping.

You’re probably wondering if they’re worth the price. For me they are. I’ve worn shoes from Aerosoles and Naturalizer but after a while my feet hurt. Plus, they don’t last long. I will admit that when I first started wearing them, when I went back to work in August, my feet did hurt. I thought about sending them back. I couldn’t so I kept wearing them and after a few more days they were comfortable enough to wear all day. Now, I am very pleased and happy with them.

I know they’re expensive but the next pair I want to get is the Chestnut. Black and brown are shoe colors that go with pretty much every outfit. But check how pretty the red, purple, and blue shoes!!

What is your favorite brand of running shoes? How many pairs do you have?

Linking up with Marcia, Patti, and Erika for Tuesdays on the Run.