Boston Marathon

My first marathon took me over 5 hours to complete. I worked hard, stayed focused, and slowly chipped away at my time until was consistently running sub 4 hour races. Just when I thought running was all a matter of inputs, a string of injuries slowed me down. Healthy again, I set my sights on Boston only to fight my way through a year of disappointing races that kept me only minutes shy of the 3:40 qualifying time. During my 12th marathon, I finally ran a 3:33 and solidified my “worthiness” with 2 more BQs soon thereafter, including a 3:31 PR.

Truth be told, I have enjoyed telling my running “story” up until this point. Unfortunately, it also made me wonder if I had already experienced the most gratifying part of Boston- overcoming self doubt and learning what I was capable of in qualifying alone. No offense to Chinese Proverb, but whoever said “the journey is the reward” never ran Boston…

Trey and I arrived in Boston on Sunday morning. “Marathon Monday” is held on Patriots' Day, a public holiday celebrated in Massachusetts. Since the trip was short, it was important for me to spend time with friends and visiting family. Heather, Jack, and Amanda helped make this possible by fighting the expo crowds to pick up my bib/chip/shirt/goodies the day prior. Trey and I made our first stop at their “marathon brunch”, where the three of them made me feel like an absolute celebrity.

After a great walk around Boston Common and Public Garden, Mom joined Trey and I for a pre-race dinner. I wasn’t thinking too much about the race, but must have been overly excited at some level because I could not fall asleep! Two hours after lying down and assisted by 4 Tylenol PM, I finally got some shut eye!

On race day, Trey and Mom woke up early to walk me to my 6 am bus. Some marathons, like Chicago or Marine Corps, start and end at the same place. Boston, by contrast, is a point-to-point marathon- race; organizers must get all 26,000 runners to the starting line in Hopkinton for the run into downtown Boston.

On the grounds of Hopkinton High School, bagels, water, Gatorade, coffee, and massages were available at the Athlete’s Village. Since the race did not start until 10 am, it left plenty of time to either be nervous or social. I, of course, chose the latter. "Where did you qualify?" became a common conversation starter through which I met several Marathon Maniacs and North Carolinians.

Although I snagged a position in the first wave, I was in the 12th corral and waited 9 full minutes to even cross the starting line. I knew that the first four miles dropped downhill very quickly and tried to settle into a steady pace but still ending up a bit too fast with 51:05 at the 10K mark.

I have often said I don’t need spectators during a race but part of what makes Boston so special is the tremendous crowd support that exists all along the course. Even though it runs mostly through smaller, less populated areas before ending downtown, spectators turn out in ridiculous numbers on race day. Bands played from porches, parking lots, and chalked sidewalks. Oranges, vaseline, and water were available in every other outstretched hand. Balloons and motivational signs were everywhere. Residents of Hopkinton, Ashland, and Framingham greeted us with food, drink, high fives, and even invited us to autograph shirts! Kids lined the course with their hands out, begging for high fives. Despite the good advice of a fellow Maniac to reserve energy, I left no hand untouched.

My favorite part? Spectators not only recognized the “Suz” on my arms and shirt, they used it the entire race. I’m still not sure if it was the ease of a single syllable or my thumbs up reaction, but they shouted “SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOZZZE” and “SU-SU-SU-SU-SUZ!” so often that other runners around me commented on it! I even got a few “Go Suzz” (rhymes with “fuzz”), which I acknowledged and enjoyed.



It's always encouraging to see people you know, and knowing where to look for them gives you a goal that helps break the race into more manageable segments. Seeing Amanda, Heather, and Jack at mile 10 gave me an amazing boost- they even had signs for me that “honored” our college days! High on the feeling of seeing my friends, the next couple of miles flew by.

Prior to arriving, I had read about “scream tunnel” at Wellesley College, whose students offered what was supposed to be the best support along the course with an almost deafening, high energy “wall of sound”. The skeptic in me had to wonder whether the students actually provide this kind of volume for the entire race…hearing them just before the 12 mile mark (knowing they were physically at mile 13) left no doubt that they do. By the time I reached the campus itself at the half (1:48:39), the sound was overwhelming. Other marathons have inspirational moments, but no other marathon experience comes close to this one: the noise is unreal.

The hills of Newton make Boston an especially challenging course. After pounding your quads by running downhill during the earlier miles (don't be fooled- it is hard work) you now give your hamstrings and calves a beating as you climb the long, steep hills. The hills themselves aren't Pike’s Peak or anything, but placement on the course, at about 20 miles, poses an extraordinary challenge for even the best trained runners.

The energy of the crowds gave me a much-needed boost and, despite the increased gusts of wind, I felt strong and passed quite a few runners on the first and second hill. Even better, my 30K time was 2:46:39- proof that I had run a consistent race up until this point. Unfortunately, I thought there were only 3 hills in Newton. I know, what kind of marathon runner am I? Who puts the hammer down and charges up the third Newton hill thinking, “Oh, Heartbreak isn’t so bad! “? Pick me.

Since you have to qualify in order to run Boston, the field is not a random sample. These are all determined, experienced runners who ran very competitive qualifying times within the previous months. In short, these people are in excellent physical shape. Nevertheless, Heartbreak Hill exacts its punishment, and I was not the only runner to find myself panting and groaning up the half mile to the Boston College campus. However, I must admit that even during the race I was glad to be in pain at this specific point. I never imagined feeling good at this point in the race; if I had it would have meant one of two things: I had not worked hard enough up until that point or Heartbreak Hill was a bunch of hype. It was exactly how I wanted it to be- the worst part of the race.

Because it marks the beginning of the final mile of the marathon, the Citgo Sign is one of the most welcome landmarks on the Boston course. What I did not know at this point is the final mile is when you pass the sign- not when you see it. After a mile or so of thinking my Garmin was wrong, another runner told me to stop looking at the sign and instead just wait for the Sox fans, who would just be coming out of the game. High off of a win, they were as rowdy as I had hoped for (“Go SOOOOOOOOOOZZE!”) and before I knew it I really was at the final mile.

After the final turn onto Bolyston Street, I had no problem picking out the yellow and blue finish line spanning the street. Spectators lined up several people deep to watch and encourage the finishers and I squeezed every remaining bit of energy I had to cross the finish at 3:42:13. This was my 19th marathon and state- hands down the best “reward” I have earned in my running journey.

Rehoboth Beach Seashore Marathon

"..or imagine being magically whisked away to Delaware! Hi, I'm in Delaware."

November 29, 2008

Every reason I had not to run the Rehoboth Beach marathon was countered with a better reason to just go ahead and do it. I hadn't really trained at all, but I was still riding the training benefits of the 50 miler only 4 weeks earlier. I didn't particularly want to travel mid-semester, yet Rehoboth beach is only two and a half hours outside DC and I had no other plans. Although I didn't know anyone else who was doing this particular race, a few other Marathon Maniacs had already signed up. Besides, when else would it be this easy to check Delaware off my 50 state list?

As soon as you equate something with "easy", go ahead and bet that something will go wrong. That was the case with Rehoboth Beach. The inaugural race was being held on a Saturday and it began snowing around lunch on Friday. By the time I went to bed, the roads were covered and I was sure I didn't have enough layers for the 15 degree start the following morning!

My hotel was only 3 blocks from the starting line and, in true Suzy fashion, I got there in just enough time to line up and start. With only 500 runners, I didn't expect or need bells and whistles, but it was sort of weird that there was no National anthem or starting gun. The first quarter mile was on the very slippery, snowy boardwalk and runners were at opposite ends of the spectrum: some were laughing at the sheer ridiculousness of it and others were terrified, cursing with every step. I was the latter.

Even though some runners stubbornly wore shorts and tanks (brave or dumb? You decide!), I decided on CWX tights, 2 long sleeved dri-fit tops with my Maniacs jersey over them. Let's be honest, I looked like a marshmallow but I was not only warm, 3 other Maniacs recognized me. One MM was running his 498th marathon and Cowboy Jeff, who I met earlier this fall in Akron, ended up winning his age group. Once again, the camaraderie of the Maniacs was one of the best things about the race.

I usually skip the first water stop, making my first stop at Rehoboth somewhere around mile 5. Imagine my surprise when (1) My watch reads 47 minutes (this is much slower than normal) and (2) the Dixie cup has a thin layer of ICE on top! The icy Gatorade and water was a constant through about mile 12, exemplifying just how cold it was outside. The wind, coming strong off of the Atlantic Ocean, did not help matters. Parts of the course were single track trail, so as the ice melted it was a slippery mess. Amanda (who guided me through my first marathon) often reminds to "choose your attitude", which is especially applicable in running. Oh, I chose alright- chose to sulk in it. As a result, I had a horrible first half and clocked 1:57.

Finally it hit me that I was not going to have my best time so I decided to just have fun. I stopped looking at my watch, began high fiving all of the kids, and thanked every course volunteer and spectator for being out there (jeez, they weren't even getting a medal at the end of this miserable morning!). When I finally settled into a steady pace, banished negative thoughts, and noticed the sun beginning to poke through the clouds, I look down at my Garmin and was shocked- mile 19. 19?!?! It has never taken me 19 miles to start enjoying the race.

By the last stretch of boardwalk, the snow had melted and I switched over to one of those who just laughed at the sheer ridiculousness of it all. I finished in 3:49, solidifying a (very!) negative split. I was the 15th female overall out of 186 women and grateful to have finished under 4 hours. The best part? I can now mark Delaware off as the 18th state!

The North Face Endurance Challenge 50 Miler

"Oh crap…WHAT am I doing?"

That was pretty much the only thought going through my head at the beginning the North Face Endurance 50 miler. I was one in a sea of runners with headlamps and flash lights necessary to navigate the ups and downs of the trails in the pitch-black 6 am start. It didn't take me long to learn the trail running etiquette of calling hazards to my fellow runners (Stick! Mud! Ditch! Root!). When I missed a 2 person-tree collision around mile 4, I thought of my starting line friend Tim who had said, "Don't get out your mp3 player until sunlight." Yeah right…with terrain like this, you couldn't PAY me to have the distraction of music!

By mile 6, I had gone ankle deep in mud twice- shoe sucking, deep, squishy mud. As a "roadie", my first instinct was to worry about the blisters my soaking socks would inevitably create. That was the least of my concerns! Combined with wet leaves, the slick mud caked on my shoes made the entire course a hazard- especially the steep down hills. After a wrong turn for a quarter mile, the white ribbons marking the course guided us out of the woods and into an open field. The sun was beginning to come up and despite my less than stellar start, I was able to calm down and focus on getting a good rhythm.

Having chosen to have my first drop off bag at mile 21, I stopped only to take the rocks out of my shoes and ditch my headlamp at the first aid station. By this point, the field of runners was settling into "groups". I met Marathon Maniacs Bekkie and Joe as well as another gal right around my age, which is uncommon because ultra running isn't exactly a younger person's sport. I instantly liked Katie because she had a cute pink shirt on, a feeling solidified by her confession that this was (also) her first 50 miler, she had not (also) been over 35 miles, and she (also) was more of a road racer.

By the 4th hour at mile 21 (also well within the first hard cutoff), Katie and I had a "come to Jesus" regarding terms of our partnership: we were grateful to have shared the miles, but if one person was holding the other back it was totally fine to separate. When we got to the aid station, her husband Chris must have realized we DTRed because he attended to me as well. With fresh socks (hallelujah!) and a dry shirt, I felt like a new woman!

Even as the elevation changes became more drastic, I was able to maintain a steady pace with the help of my now established partner. After comparing running histories, recurring dreams, and deciding that giving birth wouldn't be that far from the pain we were experiencing, Katie and I both splashed into a mud puddle, completely soaking another pair of socks. We squish squashed to Aid 5 at mile 28, where my pacer was scheduled to meet up and run 7 miles. Charlie was waiting with a smile, fresh legs, and wait for it…a pair of extra socks!

Charlie, who was my coworker in 2004 and has been a great friend ever since, had planned to pace me only 7 miles that day. I was already grateful to have the QT from such a great athlete, but as we were out there I realized what a mental boost he was. Not only could he deliver great one-liner jokes, having 3 people watch for course markings was a blessing. Somewhere around mile 34, he mentioned that he may take us through the end. I'm not sure if it was our whimpering or what, but his "may" turned into a "definitely" and the three of us became a package deal for the rest of the race!

Combined with the sounds of a local shooting range in the distance (oh Wisconsin!), we twisted back to a tight single track portion of the course. The thing about trail running is you have to be alert and focused at all times…the second you let your mind wander, you've tripped on something or turned a non-turnable body part. Physically, I was feeling fine enough but my mind was all, "Isn't this running? Don't I get to zone OUT?!"

Mentally, I was so spent by mile 40 that I didn't even care about the two HUGE blood blisters on both of my big toes…in fact, I joked that they were an advantage as "extra toes", knowing good and well that when they popped I would be in for an even more painful ride. I fought an overwhelming urge to call Trey, who is still training at Fort Knox, for a pep talk...but I knew exactly how the conversation would go: "What do you need from ME? Call me back when you are finished with YOUR race!" He later confirmed that this is, in fact, how he would have responded. And it's one of the reasons why I love him.

As we made our way back to Ottawa Lake, Katie began to recognize some of the earlier markings and we realized we were less than a mile from the finish. I was perfectly happy with a slow grind in those last turns, but Katie and Charlie convinced me otherwise. Running is inherently an individual sport, but on Saturday I felt as accountable to them as any teammate and cannot imagine having done this race alone. When we finally crossed finish line in 10 hours 11 minutes (putting us in the middle of a field that was overwhelmingly male), trying to wrap my head around what I had just done seemed impossible. Although I felt exhilarated, stunned, overjoyed and accomplished, I couldn't help but still think: "Oh crap…WHAT did I DO?!"

ING Hartford Marathon

October 11, 2008

8 am start?! Isn't that really late?? After double checking the website umpteen times and asking the race director "if he was sure" (!) the race began at 8, I set my alarm clock to essentially sleep in on race day. My hotel was across from Bushnell Park, where the ING Hartford marathon began and ended, so I was able to take my time and enjoy a leisurely breakfast with other runners. Cindy, the breakfast attendant, asked "which one of you will win today?!" and then inquired if our marathon was shorter than the one they do in Boston. Bless her heart.

Despite being on extremely narrow roads, the first few miles out of the park and through downtown were great! I couldn't have imagined a more perfect autumn day- the sky was a stunning turquoise-blue backdrop to the intense reds, fiery oranges, and bright yellow leaves on the trees. As we went over the bridge and into a quaint residential area, complete with white picket fences, farm animals, and pumpkin patches, I thought "I am running in a Norman Rockwell painting!"

I ran these beginning miles quickly, clocking 1:22:46 at 10 miles. I don't recall thinking the pace was TOO fast; I was simply focused on my "first 10 miler". During a marathon, I always break the race up into 3 parts: 10, 10, and 6.2. During 1-10, I only allow myself to think of those miles. Mile 11, in my mind, becomes mile 1 of my "2nd 10 miler". The third segment, at a little over 6 miles, is when I'm "allowed" to break down the numbers on the clock. This allows me to digest the intimidating number of 26.2 miles and focus on the task at hand. I wanted to complete this race in under 4 hours.

Because of the out and back turnaround on a 3 mile stretch, I was able to see almost the entire marathon field- the frontrunners coming back as I was headed out and those behind me as I headed back. It was exciting to see the (many!) Marathon Maniacs who would give a thumbs up and an encouraging "hey, Maniac!" Even the spectators and volunteers noticed there were a lot of us- toward the beginning of the race I'd overhear them say, "there's another one" and by the end they were all, "Yeeeaaaahhh Marathon Maniacs!" Even the live bands, one about every other mile, caught onto our presence and gave shout outs!

I hit the half at 1:48:02, just before seeing the BEST spectator sign of the day: Running on King Street is better than investing on Wall Street! By the time we hit the waterfront at Great River Park, I was cruising just in time to hear my favorite feel-good association song, "Cupid Shuffle". I was with Trey in Kentucky when I heard it for the first time and my friend Terrill and I had a blast learning the dance, which is totally Electric Slide meets Soulja Boy. Anyway, I hit a button on my mp3 to turn it up (or so I think), but when the song played again, again, and yet again…yep, I realized I had pressed "repeat" instead. Nonetheless, I Cupid Shuffled my way through the "second 10 miler", hitting 20 miles at 2:45:50.

Crossing Founders Bridge and into Riverside Park, I was too distracted by the beauty of Hartford and enthusiasm of the spectators to notice the pain in my legs. One of the last live bands I heard was playing the Boss' "Born to Run" and I remember thinking, "okay, maybe not Norman Rockwell but definitely Nike commercial!" Finishing at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch was picturesque and receiving a medal in its likeness was ohso cool…which is perhaps why I forgot to turn my Garmin off and didn't even know my results until a full day afterward!

In Connecticut, I ran 3:37:59, was 16th of 128 in my age group, and 446th of 1948 total runners. Don't tell Cindy I didn't win…

Akron Marathon

September 27, 2008

I'm the gal who takes extra packets of splenda from coffee shops and absolutely refuses to buy something at regular retail price. You call it cheap-o, I call it "deal-conscious". Anywhoo, I knew my Ohio race when I saw it: included in the registration fee (and in addition to the medal and long sleeved technical tee), the Akron marathon included a one year subscription to Running Times and FREE Brooks running shoes.

My fall training, including the Akron marathon, has been designed around a 50 mile race in October. I had prepared for this race with the understanding that I would not be "racing" it, simply "running". Yet, in the days leading up to the race, I felt like I was in the shape to beat my current best time from Arizona (3:32:59). I admit this to NO ONE since that would automatically make me accountable to actually doing it.

During the drive to Akron, I offered up my secret to Trey. Without hesitation, he went into full support/coach/inspiration mode. By the time I got off the phone with him, I had convinced myself to line up with the 3:30 pacer and see what happened. Besides, this was my first race as Suzy GOODWIN!

At the expo, I was able to see my friend Dane speak about his 52 marathons (a race every weekend, while maintaining a full time job) in 2006 to benefit L'Arche Mobile Foundation. Dane is an awesome role model for anyone who embraces the camaraderie, spirit, and challenge of marathoning. So when he asked me what time I was aiming for the next day, I dug myself even further into the hole by admitting, again, that I'd try for a personal best.

On race morning, I met up with Kim, who had run the Air Force marathon the weekend prior and had a half marathon…wait for it…the next DAY! I mentioned going for a PR but instead of getting nervous or overanalyzing it, we caught up and chatted as if we were anywhere BUT the start of a race. When I lined up, thanks to Kim, I was not nervous or worked up at all- I didn't really have time to be!

We had a cool, crisp 50 degree start in downtown Akron for a few loops. I enjoyed running through the University of Akron's campus, although I was a bit disappointed not to see any Phi Mu ladies out and about! Clocking 48:58 at the 10K mark and solidifying a sub 3:30 pace, I would find out later that Mom (who was receiving text messages with my splits) thought, "Oh no! She's going WAY too fast!"

Running very even 8 minute miles brought me to 1:13:57 at 15K (9ish miles), as we headed to the Ohio & Erie Canal Trail. This dirt towpath was eerily similar to the Steamtown Marathon in Scranton, where I bonked in 2007. As soon as the negative association and thoughts entered my head, a gentleman from North Carolina lifted my spirits and my pace. He joked that marathons were the "only time he could chase young pretty girls and get away with it" and we discussed training on the Tobacco Trail in Durham. We were rockin' a 2:03:28 at the 25K (15ish mile), on pace to finish around 3:33- the time I was aiming to beat!

Despite my best efforts to maintain a positive mentality, my "bad self" started creeping in at mile 19. I began to make excuses- "I wasn't expecting all of these hills", "I started too fast", "nobody will know if I walk for awhile", "this isn't even my main Fall race! It's a training race and nobody PRs on those anyway". The negative thoughts were reflected by my performance- the 3:30 pace group blew past me, I slowed down to a 3:38 projected finish time, and hit 30K at 2:29:19.

Bad news or good news first? Bad: mile 23 was dubbed "Heart Rate Hill" (funny play on words when you're NOT reevaluating being a runner in the first place). Good: at the top of the hill, a spectator shouted "the last 2 miles are downhill!" 2 whole miles? For real?! I just KNEW it was some cruel joke until verifying it with the runners around me...so then I told myself, "Suz, you will never be this close to a PR again with a downhill advantage".

Even though I learned in my sport physiology class that strenuous eccentric movement brings on DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness…I really shouldn't study my hobby, should I?!), I let the last 2 miles RIP. I sprinted. Turned the music in my headphones off and focused on moving as fast as I could.

The finishing stretch into Canal Park baseball field was the most painful .2 I have ever experienced, but secured my finishing time (and PR!) of 3:31:22, 10th of 119 in my age group, 27th of 543 women, and 174 of 1585 total runners. No matter how you crunch the numbers- time, ranking, or value of race-related schwag for the "deal-conscious", Ohio was my best state/race yet!

Ocean Drive Marathon

March 30, 2008
I decided I wanted to complete a "double" last summer, after talking with an experienced ultramarathoner in the waiting area of an auto mechanic’s garage. After discovering the Saturday/Sunday schedule of the National and Ocean Drive marathons and confirming the less than 4 hour drive between the two, I was in. Simply finishing would be fine…but completing both in a combined sub 9 hours was the goal.

Ocean Drive Marathon: For those of you who don’t know my Dad, he is absolutely THE most positive, energetic person in the world…hence, the perfect person to keep me in good spirits while accompanying me to race number 2. Having never been there, we both had different (stereotypical) expectations of New Jersey. Dad thought it would be busy and dirty. I was convinced we’d see a lot of gold chains and hear the F bomb every other word.

Of course, it was NOTHING like that! We actually drove through a lot of quiet farmland on the way to the shore, which was simply beautiful. The course was a perfect point to point, running from historic Cape May, NJ, north to Wildwood, Wildwood Crest, Avalon, Stone Harbor, and then to Sea Isle City. For most of the race we traveled on the closest road to the beach, except through Wildwood and Sea Isle City, where there was a very cool boardwalk.

The people in NJ were so friendly. In fact, the only curse word muttered all weekend came from my own mouth when I felt the cold winds on race day morning! There was a steady 10 mph headwind throughout almost the entire course, with serious icy gusts over all the inter-island bridges. I had battled wind like this at the Las Vegas marathon last December, so beyond having ran 26.2 a day prior, I knew I was in for a gut check.

This time, the sign on my back read: "52.4 OR BUST! I ran 26.2 yesterday in DC"...again, this allowed me to again trade my mp3 for conversation and I even met 2 others who had done National the day before! During mile 12, I met a 60 year old gentleman who was running his 206th marathon. When amazing athletes like that are willing to talk with me, I soak up all of the information possible about training, nutrition, mentality and strategy...however, when I asked him for advice he simply said, "Just keep moving!" When I asked how long he’d continue running he said, "Until I stop moving!".

All the towns we traveled are summer beach towns so there aren’t a lot of people there in March. However, for 600 runners the crowd support was good and the camaraderie among participants in this race was unbelievable. My Dad saw me several times along the way, enthusiastically shouting to the top of his lungs and wildly ringing a cow bell each time! I actually skipped 3 of my Galloway-style walk breaks because he was at the front of a pack of spectators.

The end of the race was as tough as I had imagined back in the auto mechanic’s garage. From mile 25 to the finish, I literally repeated out loud "I feel good. I feel good. I feel good" over and over again. Seriously, 10 minutes of it! "I feel good. I feel good. I feel good." People must have thought I had gone nuts! "I feel good. I feel good. I feel good..."

I’ve never wanted to feel a medal around my neck so badly...and finally I got one, coming in at 4:10:27. Not only did I run Ocean Drive faster than National, but I was well within the 9 hour goal!

National Marathon

March 29, 2008
I decided I wanted to complete a "double" last summer, after talking with an experienced ultramarathoner in the waiting area of an auto mechanic’s garage. After discovering the Saturday/Sunday schedule of the National and Ocean Drive marathons and confirming the less than 4 hour drive between the two, I was in. Simply finishing would be fine…but completing both in a combined sub 9 hours was the goal.

National Marathon: I met up with a myspace friend, Kim, at the expo. After several months of race reporting, running chats, and messages of support, it was very cool to finally meet her face to face! Running is, of course, a very individual sport- having others to be accountable to (even if it is online) is a major source of motivation. If you are reading this blog now, odds are YOU fall into this category as well. Thank you.

My roommate, Claire, is a coach for TNT so my Dad and I grabbed a ride to the start at RFK Stadium with some of her runners. The excitement of first-time marathoners really lifted my spirits and positive mentality for the upcoming 26.2! Mayor Fenty, who was also running the full marathon, spoke as we lined up and I began to get nervous. Those nerves turned to heavy emotion during the national anthem when I thought about Trey, who is currently in OCS at Ft. Benning.

I tried to take the first part easy because I knew the overall challenge would be staying within my limits and preserving energy for the next day. The first few miles were the real "welcome to DC" miles – past the Library of Congress, National Gallery, and US Capitol Building. Even though I have been running past these things on a regular basis for over a year, I was as excited as the newest tourist…DC is a beautiful city. Also, the Howard University marching band and step teams were great support additions that I normally don’t get during my weekend training runs!

I had a sign on my back that read: "26.2 today + 26.2 tomorrow = 52.4 miles in 48 hours"…this invited a lot of conversation from the beginning. Typically, I run with music the entire way; this time, I only had my ear buds in about a third of the time! I got a lot of "which race are you doing tomorrow?", "I couldn’t imagine doing this tomorrow!", "You’re insane, girl!", and welcome advice from experienced runners who had already accomplished the feat. I talked at length with a woman who was running her 83rd marathon, a man who was completing his 27th state of 50 plus DC, and another who was using National as part of training for his 7th Comrades ultramarathon. No doubt about it, at races you will ALWAYS find someone who has crazier running goals than you do!

Because of the recovery benefits, I had planned to use the "Galloway method" both days, meaning I would run 9 minutes and walk 1 throughout both races. As the crowds began to thin out around DuPont Circle, I put Galloway into action and by Adams Morgan the ratio was consistent. Somewhere around the Maine Avenue waterfront and new Nationals Stadium, dialogue with other runners surrounded my falling behind to take a walk break and then quickly passing them (again, again, and again)! To credit the run/walk method, I beat each and every runner I played this "game" with. I finished Saturday’s race strong with an "official" chip time of 4:16:17. One down, one to go….

Rock N Roll Phoenix Marathon

January 13, 2008

The Boston Marathon is my ultimate runner's dream. I first tried to qualify in 2006. I was in great shape and had already broken the 4 hour mark but a string of injuries kept me from being 100%. I gave my body a rest before making the resolution that I would run my 3:40 at some point during 2007. The year came and went, and I was still within minutes short of qualifying: 3:46, 3:45, 3:49, 3:51.

Being SO close is sometimes worse than being far away…you're taunted with the reality of achieving your goal but still you cannot have it. There were many races in 2007 when I just knew I had it, but in the later miles of the race I hit the wall and could not recover. The disappointment of seeing my watch turn to 3:41 while I still had less than a mile to go was gut wrenching. And it happened over and over again.

At the beginning of this year, I made plans to do a double (2 marathons, 2 consecutive days) in March. The sheer challenge, of course, fascinated me but a huge part of me just wanted a major running goal that was NOT tied to Boston. I was tired of feeling like a failure! It never occurred to me that the Rock N Roll marathon in Phoenix would be a possible race to BQ…

On a whim at the expo, I decided to wear a 3:40 pace band and even join the pace group. Hell, I may as well TRY, right?! On race morning, I ate breakfast with Amanda and Jen (who were both running their 3rd marathon that day) without giving much thought to my time OR strategy. As Trey and I drove to the start in downtown Phoenix, he told me to "stop talking so much and focus on a PR". He never sugarcoats anything, which I appreciate because it is always exactly what I need to hear.

I met up with the pace group and headed north away from downtown for the first 5 miles. We were at 52:09 at the 10K, 8:24 minute miles- dead on for 3:40. It was refreshing to see friends at mile 7 (Trey, Ashlea, Jeff, Shane, Zach). Near mile 8, we saw Camelback Mountain for the first time and it got closer and closer as we continued east. While I enjoyed the camaraderie of running in a group, a lot of the girls were really talky. Had our leader not been so efficient, I would have left them earlier than in mile 10, when I pulled away.

The "signature" piece to the RnR marathon is a band at every mile; it's a great boost to hear them even if you don't like their style of music! They also had a ton of local kids participating in "spirit squads". Since my name was on my shirt, I got to hear their appreciation. "Way to go Suzy", "You can do it Suzy", "Suz, lookin' good". The support helped, because at the halfway mark I was running at a pace of 8:18 and hit 1:48:37. This gave me a very small amount of cushion for 3:40.

At mile 19, we entered downtown Scottsdale and I was feeling GREAT. You talk to yourself a lot during 26 miles, and I kept reminding myself that the uncontrollables were in my favor: great weather, flat course, super crowd. I could only focus on what I could control and…no pressure…but I was the controllable. If I had to see another 3:41 while still in the race, it was my own fault. Maybe this thought sped me up, because at mile 20 I clocked 2:44:55 and had an 8:13 pace.

As we crossed over the bridge at mile 23, I could see ASU and Sun Devil Stadium. It was 3 miles away and I knew that was the finish. At this point my legs, knees, hips were hurting. It was quiet, not like the start when everyone's all talky. Almost eerie. We all just kept moving forward.

I held off thinking about the reality of qualifying for Boston until I got to the final mile. Mile 25 started with a detour around a water main break. As Young Jeezy and R Kelly sang "Go Getta" on my mp3, we ran through the Salt River Project compound. I looked at my watch at mile 26 and knew that this WAS in fact going to be my BQ race.

Perhaps exhilarated by the realization, I began my final "kick" to the sound of TuPac's "Hail Mary" and took my pace down to an 8:08 minute mile. This would not only solidify my negative split, but also my BOSTON QUALIFYING time of 3:32:59. I finished 773rd of 6489 marathoners, 163rd of 2974 females, and 39th of 620 in my age division. Having committed to a full 2008 calendar (including the aforementioned double), I will run Boston in 2009...FINALLY!

Marine Corps Marathon: Whatever it Takes!

October 28, 2007
So there we were at the Marine Corps marathon expo 2 days before the race…Jen was stuffy and barely breathing and I was still limping from my injury at the Steamtown marathon 3 weeks prior. Definitely not in the shape we had envisioned when we signed up, we had both mentally prepared for the fact that dropping out of the race was a real possibility.

Then we saw it: the most gorgeous medal ever. Shiny silver Marine Corps eagle, globe, and anchor attached to a beautiful navy blue ribbon with details that confirmed it was, in fact, this year's medal. Agreeing that we had to have it and deciding that crawling wasn't necessarily that embarrassing after all, we confirmed our motto for Sunday's race: "WHATEVER IT TAKES".

On marathon morning, Mom, Trey, and I met up with Jen and her folks to metro to Arlington National Cemetery for the beginning of the race. Lining up to a cold and windy starting line, Jen prepped herself with Vick's vapor rub and I resisted the temptation to "test" my hurt heel with a warm up. If the gun went off, I knew I would go into "fight" (instead of "flight") mode.

After the gun, we had 8 full minutes until our area started advancing forward. I purposely started with the 5+ hour group, not really knowing what kind of time to shoot for. With "WHATEVER IT TAKES" written on my back, I began the first mile with almost no pain and I knew immediately that I would not have my first DNF (did not finish). I saw my support at mile 2 and gave them a thumbs up so they knew my heel would be okay.

The elevation course map made them look scary, but the early hills in Rosslyn were a joke (of course, it helped that I had trained on these exact roads). The real scary part came at the first water stop, when the Team in Training coach shouted "stay together" and 20 people around me slammed on their running brakes. The vivid memory of slipping and falling at a Steamtown water stop came rushing back…I didn't fall, but I came close. Water stops have now replaced clowns as the odd thing I am really freaked out by.

We swung back towards the memorials, past Kennedy Center, around the backside of Lincoln towards the White House and then past the Washington Monument. The crowd support was incredible! I hit the 10 mile marker at 1:32:43.

Looping back around the Capitol, I saw my support (including Trey, who looked really hot!) and gave them another thumbs up. At the half, I was at 1:58:53...I only know this because of the splits they e-mailed me, though. I really didn't care during the race. I was focused on picking off the runners ahead of me, one by one.

Somewhere between mile 14 and 15, a HUGE stabbing pain began in my injured heel. I slowed down…the pain was even worse. You will not believe me when I say this (I'm not even sure I buy it myself), but when I sped up it felt MUCH better. As if I "ran it off", by Hains Point it did not hurt at all. At all! AT ALL! At 18 miles, I clocked 2:39:51.

Waving goodbye to the District and heading into my now hometown (1 year on Nov 1!) of Crystal City, where the crowds were deep and loud. After the turnaround at mile 22 (3:15:05), we went past the Pentagon to the 25 mile marker. A gradual incline during the last mile, topped off with a super steep .2 mile sprint to the finish just seems unfair…but as if they could read my mind's focus and heart's desire, the announcer had the crowd chanting "UNDER 4! UNDER 4!". The hill, as well as any pain I had at that point, did not matter and I finished with 3:51:41- a (very!) negative split!
Looking stunning in her signature Cardinals hat, Cox also finished strong. After the race, we took tons of pictures with our gorgeous medals ;) WHATEVER IT TAKES!

All I need to know about running, I learned at Steamtown

October 7, 2007

"Whether they go up or down, hills are tricky"
I usually slip in and out of expos, allowing myself enough time to pick up my race packet, register my chip, and complain about the free shirt ("why isn't it moisture wicking? Man, I wish it had long sleeves...!"). This time, I attended a presentation of the course by the race directors. I was aiming to qualify for Boston and felt like this race would be "the one".

The Steamtown marathon has a reputation for fast times, mostly due to the 955' net elevation drop during the first half of the race (which is exactly why I chose it). Most of the advice surrounded running an even pace on the downhill, even holding back a bit, to avoid quad burn out. That made perfect sense to me.

"Expect the Unexpected"
We started in Forest City, home of the cleanest port-a-potties on Earth- port-a-potties at races are typically really disgusting. Rather than a gun, the huge BOOM of an authentic civil war cannon signaled the start to get us moving! A very narrow, extremely steep 2-block downhill began the race. This is the sort of grade that necessitates constant braking (i.e. "marathon shuffle") or else you'll twist your ankle before the race even really begins.

In spite of the downhill I managed to keep things in control with a 7:55 first mile. At the bottom of the first hill, a surprisingly large and enthusiastic crowd welcomed runners. Do they bus these people in just for the marathon?? Surely they can't all be local residents...!

"Slow and steady keeps you in the race"
Along the course, the scenery was magnificent...it was like something out of a beautiful autumn watercolor painting. Through mile 8 we had a steady decline- people were flying down the hills! Using an incredible amount of self control, I averaged 8:20 miles until we got into the town of Carbondale, which ended the drastic decline. In the coming miles, I would pass almost all of the runners who sped past me during the early downhills. I was on pace to BQ.

"Computers are about trying to murder you at a water stop"
Last week on The Office (ironically set in Scranton), Michael Scott drove his car into a lake because he was too focused on his GPS. In a weird twist of fate, I slipped on a cup and puddle of Gatorade at the mile 10 water stop and fell down. Shaken and embarrassed, but certainly not hurt, I got right back up and continued to run. It wasn't until mile 13 (1:48:30, still on pace for BQ) that I realized the distance on my Garmin still read "10.05 miles" and only the time function was working. I had relied on my Garmin perhaps too much during training, so this was a definite setback.

The next few miles were on the Rails to Trails path: a beautiful, tree lined dirt trail and really cool environment for a run. The surface was a bit tricky, causing me to lose some time, but a welcome exchange for the scenery and mental lift.

"Never never never give up"
Knowing I have to average 8:23 min/mi to get a BQ I am now 3 minutes behind goal. Mentally this is disturbing, but I don't recall a moment where I thought, "you won't make it." I had thought for awhile that this would be "my" race and held on to the hope that I could make up the time somewhere.

Somewhere between miles 21 and 23, I started shutting down physically. I just didn't want to run anymore. It hurt. My quads were now feeling the early downhills, my right calf was screaming, a dull ache began in my left foot, and the "squish, squish" of the water in my socks assured me that blisters were inevitable.

As if the physical pain was not enough, the course began uphill sections between miles 23 and 24. Thank God my Garmin wasn't working at this point…I don't even want to know what pace I was slow grinding! At mile 25 with 3:38 on the clock, I remember thinking, "if I run this last mile in 2 minutes, I will still qualify for Boston." I know, right?! Seriously, my fastest HALF mile ever was 2 and a half minutes…I was in high school…talk about holding on, even when there is NO hope.

When I turned the corner with about a quarter mile to go, I could see the finish line but I already knew I was not fast enough to qualify for Boston. I didn't even have a PR. It was the longest quarter mile I have ever done. Through tears, anger, and frustration, I reached the finish line in 3:49:49.

"Mother nature has an interesting sense of humor"

From the race directors on Monday, Oct 8:
"Yesterday was by far the hottest Steamtown on record. To give you an idea of the impact heat can have, our median finish time yesterday was a full 10 minutes slower than the average for our first 11 years. We also treated more runners in our medical area than ever before."
Enough said.

"Excuses are for losers"
I used to love to tell my interns, "Don't make excuses. Excuses are for losers, challenges are for winners." Now I know how annoying that must have been...

I don't think I am a complete failure, Sunday simply was not my day. I won't blame it on the water stop fall, the course, my Garmin, or the weather. Sunday just wasn't my day. The Steamtown marathon marked state number 10 in my quest for all 50 states + DC. As we were walking from the finish line, Trey told me "You have 40 more races to go. I'm sure one of them will be Boston." He's right.

Kentucky Derby Marathon

April 28, 2007

There are definite advantages to being an experienced marathoner. You know what type of pain and fatigue to anticipate as well as how to pace yourself. I cut 35 minutes off of my time from my 1st to my 2nd marathon largely for this reason. For the novice, it's easy to let your ego get the best of you early on and run beyond your means....which is exactly what I did at the Kentucky Derby marathon, despite it being my 9th race.

I met up early with Natalie, who was doing her 4th half, to ride out to the start. Iroquois Park, home of gorgeous views, would host our first 6 miles. Having been told by one of the pacers that there were "only 2 hills on the course, one at 3 and one at 17", I was shocked to discover the entire park was a series of winding hills. I had not trained for them, but I like hills and perhaps ran faster because of them. 10K 49:28 (3:25 marathon pace)

Running through Churchill Downs during mile 8 was the coolest part of the race: twin spires, grandstands, manicured lawn, and horses warming up beside us. The terrain had evened out at this point and although my legs didn't feel any punishment from the earlier hills, I still hadn't found my "groove" to set into a comfortable pace. And who decided on blue powerade? Blue??! Was the race director absent when that decision was made? 15K 1:14:09

Still running WAY faster than I knew I should be, I could feel a blister forming on the arch of my foot. Knowing I would see Trey at mile 20, I called to request vaseline and blister cushions. As it turned out, he was not able to get a cab back from the start and had to come into the city on foot! Armed with nothing but a course map, he would end up walking close to 10 miles (portions on the interstate) before it was all over...now that is a loyal spectator! 25K 2:06:12

Somewhere around 17, I started vomiting blood. I'd love to blame it on the blue powerade, but I think my system was just in shock from running so hard. When I finally saw Trey at 21 and told him, a medic overheard and asked if I needed a ride back (DNF? I don't think so!). I'm pretty sure he walkie talkied his entire staff and said, "the girl in the blue is about to go down!" because they paid close attention to me for the next few miles. I probably needed it, too...I was really slowing at this point. 30K 2:35:03

Mile 22 took us on a bridge over the Ohio river and into Indiana (no, this does not count as my IN in 50 states) for a lap in the Hoosier state and back into KY. At mile 24 I made a deal with myself: if I could finish the last two miles 1. without stopping to walk/cry/vomit and 2. alive, I would not run another marathon until the fall. No "pick up one" here or there this summer. I would take a real break. This was it for awhile. 26.2 miles 3:46:09

Am I mad at myself for crashing and burning? Missing Boston qualify by only 6 minutes? Ruining my negative split streak? No, no, no! Kentucky was a gut check, yes, but overall a great race! I'm glad I went out too fast. Now I know what it feels like! I am no longer a stranger to the pain and fatigue that a 8 minute pace offers. Now if I can just hold that pace during the second half...I'll have to wait until October, though!

B& A Trail Marathon

March 17, 2007
You know that feeling when you're all, "I know I forgot something!"?! Well I had it the entire drive to Severna Park, Maryland for the B&A trail marathon. Clif blocks? Check. Hammer gels? Check. MP3 player? Check. Lipgloss? Check. Propel? Check. Tylenol? Check. I went through this list a bajillion times before I finally realized why I couldn't shake the feeling...I forgot my watch. And the race was in 20 minutes.

According to the locals, the closest Target/CVS/similar was more than 15 miles away. The only thing they weren't selling at the expo was, you guessed it, watches. Now I know I said I was "running not racing" this one, but COME ON- a girl needs her split times!

After getting some looks to kill when I asked my fellow runners for the time (one woman even asked me "why?"...uh, I don't know. Maybe because I'm in a race!) I decided to just focus on running. Many of you know how competitive I am as well as how intense I can be during a race...so needless to say, a focus on only running was a "first" for me!

The miles flew by. I got lost in my music (read: sang out loud with hand motions and everything). I took in the the scenery. I gave thumbs up to spectators and high fived all of the kids. I pondered Gu versus Hammer, course changes, UNC/Duke rivalry, and the freezing point for lipgloss with other runners. Before I knew it, we were at mile 20!

The only split I do know is the half (13.1): I was at 1:56. So a 3:45:09 finish definitely solidified my streak of negative split (second half faster than the first) races. 3:45 is also my new PR and, to be honest, I didn't think it was going to get any better than the 3:54 in Chicago! Turns out I didn't even need a watch to run a great race...!

To celebrate the finish, I signed up for a massage and took advantage of the post race feast the Annapolis Striders provided all 300 marathoners. Imagine my surprise when, face down on a massage table, I heard my name called for overall finishers during the awards ceremony...I was the 4th female overall and 2nd in the 25-29 age group! No lie, they called it and I looked up and screamed, "shut up! I'm Suzy Holt!"

Why have I been avoiding small races all of this time? Packet pick up is seamless, registration is half the cost of big races, start is not at all chaotic, crowds thin out within the first few miles, and a 4 hour finish can get you an age division award!

Las Vegas- the windy city?!?!

December 10, 2006
So I had a love/hate relationship with the Las Vegas Marathon this weekend!

The start was amazing: Blue Man Group performed the national anthem, we got a HUGE firework display, 16K runners. The first few miles we went down the strip, by the Bellagio fountains "dancing" at full force, and through a festive Fremont Street! We even had a tailwind for the the first 6 miles...so if the crowds of spectators, showgirls, runners dressed as Elvis, and live bands weren't enough to keep you going, the wind literally pushed you!! There was even a "run through" wedding chapel where several couples got married during the race. Of course, nothing topped the shirts our spectators Natalie, Balyint, and Ali wore, which read: "Pace yourself in Vegas...for the RUN and the FUN!"
The wind picked up after the first hill around mile 10 and didn't stop until 14! Hats were flying off people's heads, water cups were spilling at the stations, mile marker signs blew off completely…kind of crazy, just really heavy wind against the direction we were running. You'd be pushing really hard almost as if battling a hill, but different because it was just a constant strain against your whole body…you had to "zone out" to fight it. Thank God for my playlist...Kanye, Gwen, and the Boss helped me do exactly that!

We got more harsh wind from miles 21-25, but that was the least of our worries at that point. Remember the missing mile markers? Well, people were asking the volunteers at water stations how far along we were (since we had no clue) and somehow it got mixed up. At mile 23, they told us 24. At 24, of course, they told us we were at 25. Then we saw the "real" 25 (an actual mile marker and official time clock) a full mile later...needless to say, everyone was really pissed off. This one dude in my pack was trying to be Mr. Positive and was all, "come on guys, we can do it!" He got a few grumbles, lots of eye rolls, and one "f*ck off".

For those of you who know Jen Cox, I've gotta throw some props her way. The conditions on the course had to be especially overwhelming for someone doing their first 26.2 and she was awesome! She even smiled and blew kisses down her finshing stretch...FOXY!!
Anywhoo, I ended up with a 4:00:55, which was straight up disappointing. Marathon running can be a very unforgiving sport. You commit to a pretty intense training for 18 weeks and have one shot to make it happen. Bad race? Unless you want to be victim to an overuse injury, you have to wait several months to compete again. Not like high school when you can just redeem yourself in next week's meet...!

Pity party aside, Vegas was the "smartest" race I've ever run in terms of my own mental toughness and strategy. I ran negative splits, which can be risky but felt awesome...Runners World said "empowering" and although I laughed at that word in the article, I now agree!

So marathon number 7 down, 3 more races until I can "officially" be in the 50 in 50 club…

Country Music Marathon

Dear Mizunos,
I haven't been with you for several weeks since I started running with those new Nike Shox. Okay, so they were better looking. Can you blame me for looking in the direction of pretty pastel pink when YOU had not even bothered to change your colors for 2 consecutive models?! And I have to admit I enjoyed the attention of simply having new shoes. After being with the same brand/model through 14 repeated pairs and 3 years of marathon running, the exciting and fresh feeling the Shox gave me was something I haven't felt in a long time. And yes, we've both known for some time that I had planned on taking them to that big fancy race in Nashville...to do the thing that we used to do for 26.2 miles.
Leaving you was the worst decision I have ever made. The comfort and support that you give me is special. I realize now that the inside is much more important than what is on the outside. The shin splints turned acute compartment syndrome benched me 10 weeks into my Country Music Marathon training. Stubborn as always, I decided to take up biking and pool running in an effort to maintain cardiovascular fitness. Against my physical therapist's wishes, I ran the full 26.2, clocking a miserable 4:18:18. Yes, my Dad and boyfriend were there to share the experience- but you were not.

I never even want to think about sharing my miles with anyone else. It was just a silly fling, honest. I know I don't deserve you, but please forgive me and take me back. I love you, Mizuno Wave Riders and I cannot imagine life without you.
Yours Forever,
Suzy