2012 Beeds Lake Restoration Run

I found this race in Hampton, Iowa because I was looking for a half marathon. I figured I could run 5 miles before the race then do the half to complete my 18 miler for the day. This race offered other races that day as well which was nice so that some of the children could come along too. Jason did the 10K, Brenden and Alyssa did the 5K and Scott did the 1K kids run. The weather ended up being really nice in the 60's and that was refreshing since it was predicting rain up until the night before. My allergies are at an all time high and because I felt so sick I only completed the race and not the extra mileage.  I was bummed out about that, but knew I needed to listen to my body and not run worn out and sick. 

Here are some details of the race: Their packet pickup was organized, they had our names registered and had our right size shirts, however the information on the web said we'd get a goody bag and none of us did. I got a pair of socks, but not a bag of other stuff.  The shirts for the children were different than the shirts for the other races.  I liked both.  As much as I loved the shirts, I wished they said half marathon on them.


The day of the race was good, we all loaded a bus to be taken 8.5 miles out of town and that bus showed up early and all the half marathoners took off on time, as the volunteers said would happen. The race started within a few minutes of when it said it would.

The first part of the race was done on a chip seal type of stuff on a trail, that was easier to run on than cement.  I liked this, but didn't like how I had to stop twice to get small rocks out of my shoe.  There weren't enough water stops so I was grateful that I had carried water on my hip.

After the 7 mile trail we were on the road that lead to the lake, we ran in 1.5 miles to the lake, by this time the weather was getting nice and hot and we needed more water stops.  Then we turned right to run around the lake and then through a trail by the lake then through the middle of the lake on a pathway, it was a pretty and a scenic run. However one part of the run was on this road that was slanted badly, so badly that you were running crooked for about 1 mile, that I think hurt my knee and as a result that knee hurt for all day and got worse through the run. I think it tightened my IT band on that side of my body. It was bad news. I still hurt today. I've been icing a lot.

The finishing medal was very plain. At first I was disappointed when I saw it. I asked at packet pickup if they happened to have the finishing medals there and they pulled them out. It was a plain blue cheapish ribbon with this cheapish plain silverish metal at the bottom of the ribbon, carved in the medal was something that looked like a box with other lines. I would have not liked it at all UNTIL the lady who was showing me the medal got all excited and said, "We had this specially carved to show the Spillway and falls" She was overjoyed about the carving that it made the medal special at that point. Just hearing her joy about how she liked the medal so much and how much it meant to those that designed it, made it special. The back of the medal just has a sticker with the date, the name of the race and it says half marathon. I would say it's my plainest medal that I have ever received, but it does mean something since it is special to those who designed it.

There was a pasta dinner the night before and that was delicious (free to registered runners) so we all ate for free. The children all seemed to enjoy the food, even Brenden who can't stand pasta really liked the pasta dinner.  I was glad to have a night that I didn't have to make dinner.  During the race I ran next to a man named Bob from North Carolina.  He is the same age as my Dad and served in Vietnam the same time as my father did.  We talked a lot and that helped the miles go by quickly.

After the race there was a pancake breakfast that was really good and it was free to runners.

I forgot to get a granola bar or banana after, just completely skipped that table. I was so focused on finding ice for my knee that was hurting so bad and getting it wrapped up that I forgot to get post race food.

Jason got a new personal record by 4 minutes on the 10k and was happy, but then placed 4th in his age group, so he was bummed that getting a 56 minute 10k didn't earn him 3rd place, but oh well he did finish better than he ever had before.

Alyssa and Brenden did well on their 5K, but Alyssa wore the wrong socks and blistered pretty bad, she wore some thin socks that she shouldn’t have worn at all. Brenden's age group was huge and he didn't do as well as he had hoped.   I'm hoping to see official results soon so I can post them here.  Below are pictures to enjoy:

Hampton is a very rural town and a long drive from Iowa
City.  We were traveling at a great speed until 20 minutes
before we arrived and got behind this massive truck.  Finally
it turned and I snapped the picture for rememberance of our
30 m.p.h. drive for what seemed like forever.

Scott posing with the bear at the hotel.

A funny name for a diner.  If you need to see the picture
bigger then click on it.

My race number.  Take out the zero and you have my 13!

A picture taken early in the morning before the half marathon
started.  Alyssa was super grumpy and would not be in our
picture.

Alyssa running in for her 5K finish.

Scott getting ready to run his 1k race.  He is thrilled, can you tell?

Scott in his race.

Me running in for the finish.  I felt pretty good except for some
IT band tightness in the right knee.  The man in the green
shirt behind me is Bob from North Carolina.  We ran together
for almost the entire race.

My favorite part about this picture is that they are leaning on
each other while sleeping.  They had just been saying, "don't touch me,
don't lean on me"  then they fall asleep.  AWESOME

Warrior Dash Wisconsin 2012

A few months ago Jared said, "Mom, I'll do a race if it has mud." So I found Warrior Dash Wisconsin. Jason and Brenden also wanted to do this race. I was going to, however figured that with a marathon only weeks away that I shouldn't risk getting injured. My friends Rhoni Jo and Stephany also rode along so they could do the race too. Everyone had a great time that raced. I took all the pictures.

In the van on the way to Warrior Dash Wisconsin.

Walking towards the start line.

Stephany and Rhoni Jo

Jared, Rhoni Jo, Stephany, Brenden and Jason

Silly guys dressed up

The Village People

Even the Pope was there.

Two men in plastic suits.  not sure how
they did the race in those, but cool.

Brenden going though the mud pit

Close up of Brenden.

Brenden after completing the race.

Jason after completing the race.

Jared in the mud pit

Jared and Jason

Jared, Jason and Brenden.

Rhoni Jo and Stephany in the mud pit

After completing the race.

Posing with the sign.

2012 Flying Pig Duathlon--Washington, IA

Two years ago we found a race down in Washington, IA called the Flying Pigs Duathlon at the end of September.  A Duathlon is a run, bike, run.  We decided to do the race as a team with Brenden running the first leg, a 5K, Jason riding the 20 mile second leg, and Michelle running the final 1.5 miles.  It was 50 degrees and raining.  As miserable as it was, we had a great race and finished 2nd.  Last year, they moved the race up to the first weekend in August which conflicted with the Crossroads Triathlon.  So we didn't participate in the Flying Pigs race in 2011.  This year, Jason had planned once again to do the Crossroads Triathlon but a bike wreck during the Lake Geode Challenge prevented him from swimming because he has injured his shoulder so we thought that doing this race again would be fun.  I don't have pictures of Brenden during his 5K race because I was running next to him to encourage him to finish.  It was super hot and he was struggling at the end.  But he finished strong.  Jason did his 20 mile bike ride in about 57 minutes and then I took off for the 1.5 mile run.  I sprinted and ran as hard as I ever had in my life, it was hard, but it was cool to see my Garmin watch (GPS watch) telling me that I was running a 7.40 minute mile.  Now if only I could have kept that pace up for the entire 1.5 miles.  Either way I did the distance in a little over 12 minutes and that was good.  I felt we finished strong and was hoping to place in the top three of the team category.

Our team name was "Swine Flew" and it turns out we really flew because we achieved 1st place!  We Rock!  The medals were awesome and it was fun to be first.  Here are some pictures to enjoy.  If you want to see any of the pictures bigger you just click on them.

Jason getting ready to ride his 20 miles.



Jason riding in for a great bike finish.



Me taking off for the 1.5 mile run.  Scott was cheering me on.



Almost done.  It was cool to have Jason, Brenden and Scott
yelling for me to finish strong!



At the finish!



Brenden and Scott being silly after the race.



It was just announced that we won 1st place.  Here we are inspecting
our medals.  What an awesome feeling.



Scott our photographer captured this picture of us with our medals on.



After we were home and showered we put on our race shirts
for one last picture!

2012 Pickle Days 5K--Walker, IA

This is a GREAT race in a very small town.  I was first attracted to the race because I heard on the radio a couple years back that this race had the cutest shirts around, so back in 2010 I tried out the race and loved my shirt and just the atmosphere of Walker.  Such a fun race.  Since this year the race fell on Jason's and my 20th anniversary I took more pictures than usual and Jason and I had shirts designed special to run in.  Note to self though, never run in a thick cotton T-shirt ever again, it's just too hot and I should have known better and my 5K time greatly suffered because of it.

Here is a link to the photos the community of Walker took: Photos from Pickle Days  Pictures 20 of 57 is of Jason and I.  The results are posted HERE for both the 5K and 1 mile race.

We brought Alyssa and Scott with us. Alyssa also did the 5K race and Scott did the 1 mile kids race.  After the race we went to the Walker Fire department Fireman's breakfast.  A fun morning had by all!

The design for this shirt was designed by my
friend Rhoni Jo and her husband.  I asked
her if she could draw up something super
cute so that I could make shirts for Jason and
I for the race.  She e-mailed me the design, we
printed it off and made it into shirts.  Too cute!

Jason and I before the race in our cute shirts.

Alyssa, Jason, Me and Scott before the race began.

Running in for a good finish.  The lady in green I was determined
to  pass at the end.  I did end up passing her, but it was a struggle.
I was WAY too hot in this race.

Alyssa running in for a strong
finish.

Scott running in for his 1 mile race.

Scott and Jason at the fireman's breakfast

Somehow without me knowing, Jason had
purchased a dozen roses, hid them from me, hid
them in the car, took them to the race director
of the race to give to him to present to me.
Then the race director holds up the flower while
he was doing door prizes and said, "This
next prize goes to Michelle Clark, it's her
20th wedding anniversary and her husband
brought these for her."  Too cool!