DreamBig 2014 - #24 Arkansas

STATE #24 - Fayetteville, Arkansas
Hogeye Half Marathon
Finishers: 596

March 29, 2014
Cooper had flown in the night before to Atlanta because I had a companion pass to for a free flight so we figured if he could get to Atlanta, he could fly for free to the race for free with me. Our apartment was just all in boxes because we were moving the next weekend (okay, Gregg was moving...all of my stuff - cus he's the best)

We got up early on Saturday morning and drove down to the Atlanta to catch our flight to Springfield, Missouri. It was cheaper than flying into Arkansas and not that far of a drive. As always, we made friends with the rental car guy at the Springfield airport because we tend to attract attention with our out of state IDs and limited luggage. It was about a 2.5 hour drive to Fayetteville so we hopped in the car and headed on our way. I had found a random place for us to stop and get brunch called the Red Barn Cafe and Hen House Bakery. They are famous for their ginormous cinnamon buns but since I was with Mr. Fit I opted our of cardiac arrest from sugar.

We had our brunch and headed on our way. We hopped on I-49 going south and just started cruising. We stopped at the Arkansas/Missouri border so I could hop out and take a picture under the sign.

Welcome to Arkansas!

We had been going for an hour when we caught the red and blue police lights in our rearview mirror. My anxiety went a-wall like there was a warrant our for my arrest or something and of course Cooper played it as cool as a cucumber. The officer asked Cooper to step of the car and they went back in the cop car and I was still just shaking in my boots. Cooper came back after what felt like years with and explained that he had been going like 92 in a 70 which is a serious penalty. After explaining to the police officer that he drove an old pick up that barely went over 65mph and that he wasn't used to a speedy car, the officer lowered the penalty to say that Cooper had been cruising in the right lane too long which is against the law in some states. As always, Cooper works the southern charm and boom - we are on our way.

As we got closer to Fayetteville, we spotted a sign for Springdale, Arkansas which Cooper immediately recognized as the high school Coach Gus Malzahn had coached at for several state titles. We couldn't just drive by, so we detoured to take some photos outside the stadium. We continued on our way and stopped by the hotel to check in and pick up our race packets. It was super windy and we kept our fingers crossed the weather would cooperate for the race.

War Eagle, Gus!

After to dropped our stuff, we went out and wandered the University of Arkansas campus and went to visit the stadium. We also decided to drive the course which was great for the mile or so that you were on campus, but got a little boring in the neighborhoods and along the highway. Around Mile 8.75 there was a turnaround loop and then the last 4 miles was on a bike path so we couldn't drive that part so it would just be a surprise the next day.

Here Piggy Piggy!

Just another SEC school....

After driving the course, we went and found some postcard and then grabbed some Italian food and just chilled out the rest of the night. Gotta get that rest!

PIG SOUIEEEEEE

March 30, 2014

Wakey wakey, time to racey! Since my last race had been a crazy morning that ended up awesome, I wasn't sure what to expect but it always helps to have Cooper around for moral support (and to tell me to chill out). Based on the crowds in the lobby, it looked like it was probably pretty chilly out. I was glad I had opted for long sleeves because some of the grass was frosty when we stepped outside. Cooper - not so lucky to have the variety in apparel. We walked down to the start and tried to wiggle our way into the middle of the crowd to feed off everyone else's body heat. 

READY!

The race started and I was just ready to run to get warm. Cooper and I had decided before we ran, that if we could stay together - great - if not, we are both headed to the same finish line. The first part of the course went into campus down Maple Street and up a ginormous few hills. I had been training on hills so I took them by storm but lost Cooper by a few paces. I guess hills are a bit easier with 70 less pounds to carry. The course then started to head back into some neighborhoods on the west side of town. We passed a little table with Mimosas on it and retrospectively I wish I would have stopped - but I didn't (party pooper). Cooper caught up with me again around Mile 4 when we made a turn onto an outer road of the highway. There was a nice group who was handing out Jolly Ranchers so I grabbed one to entertain myself for the next few miles. 

I wasn't wearing a watch but could tell we were making good time. Around Mile 7 (my favorite mile) we turned on to Gregg Avenue (spelled correctly!) and I got excited even though my Jolly Rancher was running low. I still found a little burst of energy to keep the pace. Near Mile 8 I started cramping up (probably from eating Jolly Ranchers while running) and needed to stop for a bathroom break but we were about to head onto the bike path so I knew my chances of finding a port-o-potty were low. We had to slow down a little so I could get my mind right but kept at it. 

Magically, once we got on the Scull Creek bike path I spotted a pit-stop on the trail at Mile 10 and told Cooper to go ahead. Cooper had yet to run a sub 2 hour race and was on pace to hit the mark so I didn't want him to wait for me. After a quick stop, I got back out on the trail ready to run. Digging deep, I found that 5K high school energy and took off. Since the leaves hadn't yet come back out, and the trail was windy, I could see Cooper up ahead about 200-400m but was struggling to get to him but made that my goal. I finally caught him around Mile 12 as he was having knee issues (ACL surgery and recovery is no fun). I knew he was competitive enough to stay up with me long enough to make it in under 2 hours but finally he told me to go as we were getting to the last half mile. I raced like a little kid with far too much energy up the last few bunny hills and crossed the line in 1:57:51 with Cooper coming in close behind at 1:58:40 for a personal best!

PIGGY PIGGY

PIGGY PIGGY

Ginormous Medal

Sub 2 - AND the best my hair has ever looked after a race.

We were awarded with ginormous pig nose medals and plush pig noses as well.We had a long walk back to the hotel but found another fun spot to take pictures on the way.

Official Race Pic - 24 states down, 26 more to go! #DREAMBIG

After a quick clean up, we awarded ourselves with our own hog and then raced back to the Springfield airport to make our flight back home! Always a race within a race! But Arkansas was great and glad I had Cooper to tag along!

Oink Oink Oink + Cheese

24 states down, 26 more to go!

#DREAMBIG

DreamBig 2014 - #23 North Carolina

STATE #23 - Charlotte, North Carolina
NC Half Marathon Charlotte Motor Speedway
Finishers: 1,167

March 8, 2014
People always ask me what I eat and how I prepare for races. Once you read this you will understand I always tell people to google it themselves because I think my stomach may be part sow. Ever since high school when I would go from school, to Taco Bell and get a 7 layer burrito and cinnamon twists before lacrosse practice I have had a rare ability to be able to eat whatever and then go run. I really do think chances are I am part pig.

The Westminster Crew - Banks, Gregg, Alex and Cam (and Bloody  Mary's)

SO - Gregg had three of his Saint Louis high school friends in town from all over the place for a boys weekend in Atlanta. I went out with them on Friday night for a little and then wanted to join them for brunch at The Nook before heading out of town for the race. The Nook is famous for their 32 ounce Bloody Mary's and their Tachos which are tater tot nachos. We ordered a round of Bloody Mary's for the table even though two of the boys didn't even like them but figured they'd get it for the experience. Therefore, I ended up basically drinking two ginormous Bloody Mary's filled with toast, beef straws, eggs, bacon - you name it, it was probably skewered and placed in this drink. I also got the Breakfast Tachos which are the tator tots covered in sausage gravy and a fried egg. Healthy, right? Finally, bless his heart, Andrew Smith came to pick me up and drive me to Charlotte for the race. Saying I was a bit out of it may be an understatement. I fell asleep almost immediately in the car after explaining to Andrew why I was mildly intoxicated...at 3PM on a Saturday the day before a race. What seemed like soon after we started driving, we stopped and got Chicken Biscuits at Bojangles. Andrew wasn't racing the next day so food was no issue and I am just a hungry hippo so I got one anyways.

It was dark by the time we arrived in Charlotte and we met Jack over at the Speedway in Conroe, NC where the packet pickup was being held. I was okay by this point. The pickup was awesome! They had the 5K the night before so it was cool being able to get into the race mood seeing all of the runners. We picked up our things, snapped a few pictures on the track of our crew and then went to check in to the hotel before meeting a friend of Jack and Andrew's downtown for some Italian food. After the day I had, I actually wasn't hungry at all. I don't know if my nerves were already starting or if the day was just all catching up to me but I ordered ravioli at dinner and did my best to finish it. Not a good omen for the day before a race when you are already feeling sick. We didn't stay out too late and head back to the hotel where Jack and I put all of our gear together and then said night night to Andrew and head to sleep.

Sitting on the track at Packet Pickup

March 9, 2014
Woke up still feeling horrible. I wasn't sure what was wrong but it was bad. The boys didn't seem to be too concerned as they had raced with me before and knew I was a bit dramatic in the morning. Jack was chomping away at his banana and Cliff bar and I could barely stand the idea of eating anything. We wanted to beat traffic so Andrew drove us over to the track fairly early. It was a cool morning and we didn't want to wait around outside, so I sat curled up in a ball in pain in the front seat of Andrew's car and just tried to calm down and prayed my stomach and body would pull itself together.

Start Line!

I look deceivingly not sick - but Jack and I were ready to go!

Jack and I finally said 1, 2, 3 Go and got out of the car to start walking to the track with Andrew carrying all of our stuff -- such a good dad. I started feeling a little better walking down under the tunnel into the track and just hoped things would continue to improve. When we got to the start line, I wasn't at my best but figured I was here and may as well make the most of it. Jack is way faster than me so we weren't going to stay together so we took a quick pic, got a quick hug and the gun went off! The first part of the race went around the ginormous track - I think it's a mile and a half around. The turns of the track basically slant straight up and I didn't know if I'd have the energy to do it later so I joined the view braves runners and took a sprinting dash up the wall to see how far we could get up the wall. It was scary! But coming down I felt like a pinball cruising through a machine and surprisingly kept that pace once I made it down the wall.

It was incredible. After the horrible morning I had, I all of a sudden had this wild renewed energy and I was crushing it. I could see Jack up ahead for quite some time but realized I needed to run my own race and tried not to focus too much on his position. Andrew was on the infield of the track and we saw him a few times during our first loop and a half before heading out. I was still feeling awesome and continued my tour of all of the speedway complex. We looped around the outside of the motor speedway, across a bridge over the main road and then headed towards the dirt track. Mile after mile kept ticking by and I felt like it was easy-peasy. Once we got away from the dirt track, we head towards the mile speedway which was I want to say Mile 7 and 8 of the course. Running on a drag race track was wild! The empty stands on either side of us and seeing the really fast runners coming back by on the left was really motivating. I saw Jack on his way back going opposite directions and we high-fived and then I was surprised to see how quickly I reached the turn around after seeing him.
Something else I noticed on my second mile back on the drag strip was that I was a significant distance in front of the 2 hour pace team. This is when I realized that breaking that two hour mark again may actually be possible!

We got off the drag track and I was still passing people - like it was nothing. After the drag track we started our venture back to the main track which meant climbing some of the hills we had previously run down. To this point, I hadn't necessarily been super challenged so I put a little more effort into powering up the hills than usual. Mile 10 was approaching and I was getting antsy and a little tired but kept looking ahead and seeing who I could catch up to. I remember this really tall skinny kid who look like he could be one of the Schlotz boy and I made sure to pass him - just because. The lap around the outside of the main track was rough and mostly a slow uphill but finally I made the turn into back into the track around Mile 11. With two more miles to go, it felt like we were in a maze just running back and forth on the infield trying to weave our way to 13.1. While bobbing and weaving the in track trail, I saw the 2 hour pacer come onto the track but I knew I still had good ground on him. FINALLY, they let us back on to the main track and all I had was a lap to go.

Something about running on tracks - and I'm not saying your neighborhood high school 400m track - I'm talking NASCAR. I've never been to a race but I've seen these places packed out on TV and I can only imagine in my head the energy when the place is full. I obviously knew where I was going and how much farther I had to go so I dug deep and pulled out one more burst of energy to get me around the final turn and down pit row? finishers alley?...or whatever they call it. I saw Andrew but he wasn't really looking for me so I basically screamed at him as I ran by. As always, I didn't wear a watch but I knew I came in under 2. I was pumped. Once I found Andrew, he was confused about my time and how he didn't expect me for at least another ten minutes. We soon discovered that not only had I broken the two hour mark but I had knocked more than FIVE MINUTES off my personal record. Crossed the finish line in 1:53:54. I was literally in shock and could not believe the race I had just run. Maybe it was my American Flag headband or my Dale Jr. t-shirt that gave me that extra power I needed - but lets me real - we all know it was the Bloody Mary and the Breakfast Tachos.

Team Jack and Ash - doing halfs up the coast!

And Pack Mule Andrew - Carrying all of our gear

Half Marathon #3 for this guy! 

How fake does that grand stand look in the back?

The winners circle!

Andrew took a bunch of pictures of Jack and I on the track and on the Finishers Podium. It was Jack's third half so it worked out perfect that he could just cover the 2 on my 23 sign and have a 3! After all of the excitement we head back to the hotel to shower up and head out to a rooftop brunch at the Peculiar Rabbit with their friend. I, of course, wore my medal the entire time. After brunch we said our goodbyes and then Andrew drove us back to Atlanta where I shared the whole saga with Gregg and his friends before they all head out of town.

Official Race Pic - 23 states down, 27 more to go! PERSONAL RECORD: 1:53:54 #DREAMBIG

This too was an awesome race, with awesome company and an AWESOME PERSONAL RECORD!
Setting the bar high, Miss Ahner....maybe a bit too high.

23 states down, 27 more to go!
#DREAMBIG