There are a LOT of runners in DC.

So. Work took me to DC this week for the National Council of Nonprofits annual conference. Pretty cool. Awesome to see all of my other nonprofit association buddies from around the country and to learn from them.

We also did a little lobbying up on the hill - and by little, I mean, our team of four had meetings with 11 of NC's 15 senators and congressmen (or their staff) and dropped off materials for the other 4. We are overachievers. This is a part of my job that I do once a year, but it is a rush. Not many 28-year-old women get to do that kind of stuff. (looooots of white men on the hill still - in office, working for them, lobbying them. Hellllloooo glass ceiling.)

Anywhoo, that's not why I wanted to write. I had a GREAT run in DC! Ok, it was mostly great because it was mostly a sight-seeing adventure (see excellent iphone pics shown here), not because I had any stellar run time or anything. (And actually, my pants were falling down because I brought the ones that I've shrunk out of. I mean, hooray for shrinking out of pants, but boo for having those with you on a trip. So, there was a lot more walking than running as to avoid a free show for the whitehouse security cameras.)

Anywhoo, I got to see a pretty nice chunk of the city. And there are a TON of runners on the mall at 6 am. Probably hundreds. And sometimes they travel in packs. It was a pretty great place to run, and it helped me get some of my nervous energy out before our meetings on Capitol Hill. Also, made me free from the guilt of the pasta/wine dinner I had 2 nights in a row...

Today, I have the day off due to travel/comp time from my trip. The gym will happen. Farmers market, too. Then, it's off to the River for some R&R while Preston and my dad head to the Coca-Cola 600. (They know NOTHING about nascar, so for them, this is strictly a cultural experience.)

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Sarah

They're coming...

Rumor has it, zombies may be on the way.

The CDC is prepared.

I'm ready.

As long as the zombies run slowly and don't mind occasional walk breaks.

Sarah

The week after...

I've been asked about 13 times if I have run this week.

No. I haven't. My feet hurt. I don't feel like running.

However, I have been ROCKING the stairmill thingy and all over the weights. Changing things up = GOOD TIMES. I'm feeling great. Loving my pink 13.1 magnet, and refocusing in on healthy eating and general working out.

It is actually sorta freeing not to have a race lined up right now. It's a little new - well, new since this whole "I'm an athletic person!" thang. I don't feel guilty when I don't get a run in, as long as I'm moving, eating well, and bonus! lifting some weights. As my friend Jade says, "Strong is the new skinny."

Have a great weekend all!
Sarah

Yup. I DID IT!

13.1. Done.

Boo. Ya.

Time: slow. But not last. (one person came after us)

Course: Miles 1-8 were lovely. Then it sucked until mile 12. Last one was exciting.

Other competitors: Mostly Marines. There were only about 300 people registered for the half-marathon, so it was a pretty tiny race.

The finish line: "Don't Stop Believin" came on as we entered the stadium. I mean, what are the odds of that? A 4 hour playlist, and it comes up then. Wild.

Pain: My poor feet were in sad shape. I hurt something on the side of my foot the week before the race, but my stubborn ass ran anyways. It hurt. A lot. But in all seriousness, I didn't care. I hobbled around for a day or 2, but now I'm feeling pretty dern good. Sunday when I woke up, my legs felt like lead, but after about 20 minutes of good, active yoga, things improved greatly.

I've gotta say it was a pretty amazing feeling. To go from "I only run when I'm being chased by zombies," to, "I run 13.1 miles in 85 degree heat just for the hell of it and because I get a medal," is kind of insane. But I'm wicked-proud of myself and my friends.

That does not mean, however, that I'm ready to jump out there and do another one. I think I want to concentrate on getting my 5k and 10k times up for the fall. And, let's face it, when you're as slow as I am, running 10 miles on a saturday is a major time suck. I'm sure I'll go for the 13.1 again, but it'll probably be a while.

I want to concentrate on my weight loss and general fitness. Since I'll spend less time running, I can concentrate on weight lifting, toning my core, and cross training. I still want to do a sprint tri this fall, so I've got to get in the pool and on the bike.

Thanks for all the support, dear readers. It was nice to know people were rooting for us! Thanks to Brandy, Mom and Becca for the signs, Rosa for making our awesome Penguin logo on our shirts, Preston, Shriya, and the Brown-Reynolds family for cheering us on, and the cops of Jacksonville, NC (one even ran with us for a while!) who stayed out there long after the other racers had finished to make sure we were safe.

Sarah Mann Willcox, HMF (Half-Marathon Finisher)

I'ma say it again... BOO. YA.

TOOGOODOO!

This weekend, U-S Hubby and I headed down to South Carolina with - I kid you not - 10 of our closest friends. I mean, seriously. Beat that. The whole gang came from as far away as Knoxville (hey Carrie!) and gathered for a perfect weekend in a restored southern farm house (complete with slave and overseer's quarters... for reals. We rented 3 houses.) My sister found this place for my bachelorette party last year. She scored big time.

This is the big house - be jealous. When we got there, we immediately separated in boys and girls - as is usually the case. The boys fished and drank. The girls talked and watched the royal wedding and drank. And we got bug bites. A lot of them.

Highlights: A family of otters lived right outside on the dock. AMAZING. I am a SUCKER for otters. If I could come back as an animal, it would totally be an otter. You get to live in the water and be cute. I mean seriously. Awesome.

Taco Boy for dinner - and their pineapple infused margaritas (points be damned, I was all over taco boy.)

Running with Shruthi and Alisha for the first half of their 10-miler. I ran in toogoodoo on Friday to see if they could do a long run there - no way. No shoulder (what little there was was full of fire ants - i'm deathly allergic! Bad news.) Snakes. Dogs. Cars didn't yield. And, aforementioned bugs. So, I took them into Mt. Pleasant for a run on the bridge and into the town. We ran to the crest, then into town for a bit. They did an amazing job! We are SO ready!

Hanging out with so many amazing friends. Well, that really doesn't need explanation. I laughed so hard I cried.

Duck race. This does need explanation, but I'm not sure I could do it justice.

Napping on the screen porch of the overseer's cabin. This was my view.

Life is so good. Weekends like this make me feel so thankful for the amazing people in my life. So much awful stuff in the world, and we were in a secluded SC compound surrounded by people we truly love.

And ignoring weight watchers points. #winning.

(I didn't gain - God wanted me to have a good time and eat Carrie's PB/Chocolate chip cookies. And drink sangria and mimosas.)

Here's to Toogoodoo Bluff - may each of you have a place that gives you this much peace, and may each of you find yourselves surrounded by wonderful friends as frequently as possible.

Oh yeah.

less than 2 weeks 'til the half.

WOOT.

Sarah

10 miles!

Well. We've hit the threshold of 10 miles. Double digits. The number where they say, "If you can run 10, you can run 13.1"

Well. If 13.1 sucks the way 10 did, we're in trouble!

86 degrees. Humid. Not properly fueled. Lordy, it was rough. I was SOOO whiny. Poor Regan.

I would like to thank the good lord for the rainstorm at mile 7 - it was greatly appreciated. I probably would have had to be picked up by the side of the greenway in a melted heap had we not had that little break.

But, as Preston said, we did it. And if we can do 1o in those conditions, a race that is earlier, with all of us, and proper hydration and fueling, should be no big deal - even if it's longer.

Today I'm heading down to SC for a relaxing weekend with 11 dear friends. Life is so very good.

Sarah

9 miles, a plateau, and a plane crash.

I ran 9 miles on Saturday! By myself! At the River! (read: Loooong, straight, flat, BORING roads with nothing but fields to look at. Thank goodness for U-S husband who rode the tandem bike out with my dad to check in around mile 3, and then rode along side for the last 3 miles... he is the best!

First I'll address the plane crash... about 30 minutes into my run, emergency trucks starting whizzing past me. It's rural NC, so it was the volunteer fire department rather than actual ambulances, but I knew something was up. When I rounded the corner and started heading past a huge wheat field, I saw a pile of metal and a lot of people rushing towards it. I thought someone was stuck in some farm equipment because I couldn't tell what it was. Turns out, it was a plane crash. It had happened just seconds before I got to the scene and apparently did "cartwheels" through the field. Glad I missed that. Here's the article.

Now I'll address the plateau. Not as exciting, not nearly as scary, but it sure does make me angry.

I've been stuck at or around 160 for 8 weeks. That is ridiculous people. I'm doing everything right. I don't even use all of my weekly points. Activity points, yes. Weekly, no. I'm tracking everything. I've added weight training to my plan - about 30 minutes 2-3 times/week. I'm running 15-20 miles.

Someone explain this. The math is not adding up.

Grr.

Sarah