When I crossed the finish line of the Zooma Annapolis 10K, the time clock screamed 1:14. I didn't know what my chip time was yet but I was hopeful that I squeaked out a PR by mere seconds. I completed my first 10K in 1:13. You can imagine my glee when I checked Facebook and saw that my time was 1:11. I had shaved two whole minutes off my time for a PR! I was floating on the humid air. Then, a few days later, I got The Email. We, the runners, were misdirected along the course, which resulted in the course being a quarter mile short of a 10K. Bye-bye PR. I was disappointed -- who wouldn't be? -- but I wasn't upset. It actually made sense. It was a hot day. I stopped several times to take photos and at least once to walk the hilly bridge that was the turn around point. I wondered why I didn't see mile marker three and why there were only two water stops along the course on such a hot and humid day. No PR just made more sense. I still ran a great race and look … [Read more...]
Run Report: Rockville Twilighter
Last night, I completed my first 8K race. (pause for a congratulatory woot! woot!) It was the Rockville Rotary Twilight Runfest – or the Rockville Twilighter for short. 4.97 miles through an urban neighborhood, college campus and town center. I did not train. I should have. I tried but only managed to run once a week (rather than 3 times) and no more than 3 miles, if that. And I’m feeling it today. Oh, boy, am I feeling it today. Stairs are not my friend. I easily ran the first two miles – in light rain and on slick pavement – but got discouraged and walked the next hill. It didn’t help that the second mile marker intersected with the finish line, which runners were crossing at the time (24 minutes in)! I kept going, mostly running, walking more hills. When I got to mile 4, I kept on running. I was determined to finish strong. My running partner and I crossed the finish line in just under an hour (our goal) – 58:57! The highlight for me was hearing my … [Read more...]
Marketing Your Book With A House Party Tour
It’s National Running Day but this post isn’t about running. Not exactly, anyways. Its about two runners who wrote a book, went on tour, decided a traditional book tour wasn’t for them, wrote a second book and decided to do something different. I’m talking about Sarah Bowen Shea and Dimity McDowell, authors of Run Like a Mother: How to Get Moving--and Not Lose Your Family, Job, or Sanity and Train Like a Mother: How to Get Across Any Finish Line - and Not Lose Your Family, Job, or Sanity. Last week, I had the great honor to attend a house party to promote their new book, Train Like A Mother, and meet Sarah and Dimity in person (that’s us in the photo above). In one word, this event was A-MAZING. And the house party idea – F’ing Brilliant! (excuse my f-bomb). Instead of giving readings at (potentially empty) bookstores across the nation, Sarah and Dimity decided to host house parties and invite their fans to an intimate meet-and-greet. The invite-only event was … [Read more...]
Disney Parks Chat With Melissa Joan Hart Tonight
Where do you dream of vacationing? A sandy beach? A hip and happening city? A mountain retreat? I've been dreaming of Disney. Seriously. I really want to run the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon. Early registration ends today, though, and I don't see it the budget cards for me this year. I also really want to take my son. Not just because he'd love to meet Mickey and the gang but because I hear Disney is a fabulous destination for kids with food allergies. But this dream vacation will have to wait. In the meantime, I'm going to check out the live Disney Parks web chat with Melissa Joan Hart tonight at 9 p.m. EST. The former star of Sabrina, The Teenaged Witch and current co-star of Melissa & Joey on the ABC Family network will be chatting with Disney Mom Panelists Amanda Ficili and Jill Cooper live on the Disney Parks blog, sharing her experiences vacationing at Disney with little ones, and answering questions from moms, dads and fans. Did I mention … [Read more...]
Vote Cupcake 2012
At yesterday's primary election, I voted for the cupcake. Ok, not really. But I am endorsing Candidate Cupcake. He’s the mascot for the 3rd Annual Cakes for Cause Cupcake 5K. Cakes for Cause provides job training at Moxie Bakery & Café for teens in the welfare system to help them transition to adulthood. The first Cupcake 5K in 2010 was my very first 5K. I walked a lot of it but managed to run across the finish line in under 45 minutes. I was proud of that time. The upcoming race will be my second this year (I ran the Heartly House Break Away 5K, a race to end domestic violence, in March and earned a new PR, 36:26). I’m looking forward to it because so many of my friends are participating – we have a team of about 20 runners. And, did I mention, there’s a cupcake at the end? I’ll always run for a good cause…or a cupcake. Why do you run? … [Read more...]
