Zion Half Marathon | Race Recap

April 1st was my first half marathon of the year, the Zion Half Marathon! I would love to say it started off amazingly, but when your first mile is 18+ minutes, you kinda know it’s gonna be a doozy!

My friend and I took off from Las Vegas early Friday afternoon and the drive took us about 4 hrs. Yay for the S-Town Podcastfor the in-car entertainment! Packet pickup was at Zion Ponderosa Ranch which was north of Zion National Park from the direction we came in. So, we had to pay the $35 admission to the park to drive across. Seriously wish there would have been some mention of this on the website. Anyhow, we made it just in time for packet pickup and our spaghetti dinner. The weather was very cold and it was super muddy. The race directors had communicated this to us via emails, updates on facebook, and even text messages, so we knew what to expect when we arrived. As a matter of fact, their communication throughout the evening and race morning was very good.

We stayed in Kanab, UT which was another 30 minutes north of the start line at the same Zion Ponderosa Ranch. Traffic was expected for race morning and we were told to plan at least an additional 30 minutes to our drive. However, the night before the race, we were given notice that the parking area was being moved to their Plan B location due to the muddy conditions at the original parking lot. This created even more traffic and congestion as there was only one entrance to Zion Mountain Ranch and cars were simply parking alongside of the road. We then had to walk back towards the main road to where the buses were picking up runners. This ended up being about a mile away from our car. We finally arrived to the buses, waited in line, and boarded the lovely warmth of the bus! Kudos to the volunteers for being out there in the dark and cold morning in such good spirits! They rocked!

Once we arrived to the start line area we found out the race was being delayed due to the traffic congestion caused by the parking lot change. Once the race finally started it was pretty confusing and rushed so we ended up way in the back of the pack. I thought we’d be ok once we started running and we found our groove but that never happened for me. Unfortunately, all the melted snow created some pretty muddy trails that were nearly impossible to run through. Runners ended up just walking along the edges of the trail or completely around the trail so we just all walked in a row behind each other. Yup, more congestion. By the time we were out of the 1st muddy mile, it’d been 18 minutes and I was feeling pretty defeated. The downhill course that was promised was not really downhill. It was way more hilly and more of an up and down course. Add to that the super muddy trails where we were forced to walk most of them and we had ourselves a PR for slowest half marathon! It was definitely not the race I was expecting. Having to run past our cars around mile 7 was especially cruel!

This was right before the finish line! Hardly a downhill run....Ugghhh Thanks @penguincity for capturing this shot! — This was right before the finish line! Hardly a downhill run….Ugghhh Thanks @penguincity for capturing this shot!

Clearly, I was not the only one who was a bit disappointed. @gimmeapaw was spot on with her post!

It hurts me to write this recap because I’ve seriously loved all the half marathons I’ve ran. I understand no one can predict the weather and the havoc it can cause on race day and the race directors did a good job handling it. I think they did the best they could with the weather conditions. They also gave all this year’s runners a discount for next year’s race and sent a very well written email afterwards. However, it wasn’t just the weather that did it for me. I wish I could say it was just the wet, cold, muddy conditions that made it difficult for me to enjoy the race, but it wasn’t just that for me. I was also expecting a much more scenic race and the locations we ran through just didn’t have spectacular views. For this year only, the race was east of Zion National Park, so maybe the regular location is much more scenic, but I’m not sure. Ultimately, I know a race is what you make of it and I am glad I experienced this race. It taught me that I need be prepared for everything and sometimes races just don’t go as expected. I need to learn to go with the flow. This race was definitely a mental game for me and I gave up quickly. I did not give it my all and I let unrealized expectations, bad weather, and muddy conditions defeat me. Lesson learned.

I gotta say, I do love that big wooden medal and now I can mark off running while it snows from the bucket list! Ok, it was just flurries but still…

Did you run the Zion Half Marathon? I’d love to know what are your thoughts of the race.

Trails of Fury 10K | Race Recap

On May 21, 2016 I ran the Trails of Fury 10K. My daughter also ran the kids 2K race that day. Trails of Fury is a trail race organized by Desert Dash and they always pull off a great race. I’d volunteered a few times on other Desert Dash races, so I had race credits for this race, bonus!

We had to wake up even earlier than usual for a race, since we had to take a bus to get to the race location. The BLM (Bureau of Land Management) didn’t want a lot of cars out on the trail parking lot, as to not to disturb the environment. The weather was unseasonably cold for end of May and pretty windy. They provided plenty of snacks and hot cocoa and coffee to help keep us warm, as well as space heaters. We had to wait for the half marathon and 5K runners to go before the 10K got started. Thank goodness there were seats for Elysse and hot cocoa and space heaters to help keep her warm and whining was down to a minimum 😉

I hadn’t really trained much for this race. After the L.A. Marathon, my running has really been sporadic. I decided to sign up for this race to help me get my running mojo back. During the entire run I felt sluggish and slow. I took way too many walking breaks and the gradual uphill really got me! The downhill, as usual, was fun and I was grateful that the downhill was at the middle and then again at the end. I started the race wearing my jacket but after the first mile I got hot and took it off. Since the 10K consisted of 2 loops, I passed the start line and saw my husband and daughter. I handed them my jacket and just kept on going. After the 1st loop, I really was trying to give it my all, but sadly, my all was not much to give. My lack of running and especially my lack of trail running, was evident. I was glad to be done after the race, but I actually did enjoy the run. It made me remember how much I did enjoy trail running and I really hope to get back to it.

Now, about 30-45 minutes after my race it was time for the 2K kids race. Elysse was ready to run and was super excited to get started. Desert Dash just recently introduced the kids races to their lineup, so there were only a total of 3 kids for this race. I sure hope they keep it for future races and that more kids show up for them. Running is such a great sport and it can really help teach kids the importance of training, endurance, and rewards for hard work. Elysse started the race strong and she finished strong. She led the whole time and came in first place. That really made her feel so proud of herself and in turn, we were also so proud of her. She gave it her all and it paid off! I can’t wait for her to run another race again and that she can find a true love for running!

Wild Land Fire Awareness Trail Half Marathon | Red Rock Canyon

I ran the Wild Land Fire Awareness Trail 5K last year and although it was not a great race for me, I kinda left wanting to do the half marathon. So, when registration opened up for this year’s race, I signed up right away! I have done 5K, 10K, and 12K trail races before but this would be my first trail half marathon. I was both nervous and scared. My training was pretty sporadic and I didn’t really stick to my running schedule like I should have. Also, I really wanted to do more specific hill training, but yea, that didn’t happen either. I did get some good runs in and had quite a few long trail runs beforehand, so I knew I would finish, just wasn’t too sure of my time. I ended up giving myself the goal of 3 hours.

Of course, I hardly slept the night before the race. This happens to me all the time and I wish I had better sleeping techniques I could use. Any suggestions? Fortunately, I didn’t feel terribly tired in the morning and we were able to get everyone ready and gather our stuff (that we’d set up the day before) and head out the door with little drama.

Just like last year, everything seemed to go smoothly at the start line. I chatted with a few running friends, took photos with my family, and then it was time to go! The first half of the course was pretty brutal. The inclines were no joke and there were some pretty technical parts with huge rocks we had to get up. I walked up most of the inclines and was wishing I hadn’t skipped that hill training! About halfway through the race, my family found me right before an aid station. It was so nice to see the kiddos running towards me and having Jason help me refill my hydration pack with ice and water. It definitely gave me a nice boost, plus I knew I was getting close to some downhill trails after seeing them 🙂 The rest of the race went well. I picked up speed on the downhill and walked a bit more of the uphill. I started to feel my calf cramping and I was happy I had put some mustard packets in my pack. I took them and it helped to not get a full-on cramp. I’m not sure why I started cramping, but I’m thinking it was a few factors. Primarily all the uphill climbing, but I also didn’t wear my compression socks and I always wear them for long runs, especially half marathons. Plus, it was really hot out there that morning!

Again, it was so awesome seeing my kiddos cheering me on as I approached the finish line. My son came up and ran alongside me for a bit, which really helped me push the pain aside and finish strong! I didn’t meet my goal of 3 hours, but I was still happy with my time of 3 hours 12 minutes. Just gives me something to aim towards for the next one 😉

This was my last race until the fall. I’m kinda sad not to have something coming up soon, but I’ll use these summer months to continue training and focusing on my goals. How about you? Any races scheduled for the summer? What’s your next event?

Half Marathon Training | Wild Land Fire Awareness Trail Half

Here I go again! Last week I registered for my 3rd half marathon and 1st trail half marathon, the Wild Land Fire Awareness Trail Half Marathon. I love that 100% proceeds go to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation. I really enjoy trail running, but have not ran more than a 12K trail race before, so I’m a little nervous about this one. I’ll be training hard for this half marathon and the Spartan Super simultaneously, since the Spartan race is April 18th. What’s made me even more nervous is my friend who runs ultra trail races said it was a tough one! Yikes!! What did I get myself into?!? Well, there is no turning back now. It’s time to train. The race is on May 30th, so I have just about 12 weeks to prepare to run 13.1 miles of trails through beautiful Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area.

I ran the Wild Land Fire Awareness 5K trail race last year and it wasn’t my best run. But I love running around Red Rock and I ran some of the half marathon trails last year they seemed way more fun than the 5K course, so I’m looking forward to running the entire course this year.

I plan on sharing updates on my training, as well as tips for keeping motivated while training for a half marathon, and some of my must-have training essentials.

Are you training for an upcoming race? Are you nervous? Excited? I’d love to hear about it!

Trails of Glory 12K | Race 13 of 14

This past Saturday Jason and I ran the Trails of Glory race put on by Desert Dash. We also ran their Blood, Sweat, and Beers 10K trail race earlier this year and loved it. Trails of Glory was also a great time! We ran the 12K distance, but there were also 8K, half marathon, 30K, and full marathon distances. Vegas is a small town and it was a local race, so we saw lots of familiar friendly faces and even saw one of our neighbors there! For being a local race, there were lots of folks that came from all over the country and even Canada to run this race.

The race started at 8:30am and it was sunny and warm! We could not have asked for better weather mid-November! The trail was just as advertised, not too technical, no steep inclines, and lots of fun. The trail started with a bit of a decline, which was super nice and got me off to a fast start. Jason took off ahead of me soon after the start. He was never too far ahead, though. At the first mile we ran by the famous “Duck Tree”. Apparently it got it’s name because bikers would have to duck under it and yell “duck” to warn anyone coming behind them. Eventually, people started putting ducks on the joshua tree for decoration and voila, Duck Tree was born. I was having issues with my headphones and had to slow down or stop a few times to fix my music. I seriously need a new phone!!! Anyhow, at some point around mile 3 or so I passed Jason. At that point I started to get a little tired and the trail’s elevation started to go up nice and steadily. I slowed down some till I got to the aide station and then it was fast-going again and I had a strong finish. I looked down at my Garmin I noticed it read 6.90 miles, not quite the 7.45 miles a 12K should be*(more on that later!). I was sort of bummed, but didn’t make a big deal about it. I felt great and was able to take a few pictures of Jason coming through the finish line. He came in about 10 minutes behind me. He wasn’t too happy with his time, but he hadn’t been training for this race and was just happy to get out there and run a good trail. We hung around a bit, took a quick pic with our pal, Lisa (she’s awesome!) grabbed a banana and called it a day!

We live about 12 minutes from that trail, so we stopped by our house to shower and change before picking up the kiddos at my sister’s house. When we got there we were greeted with mimosas! I know, I say it all the time, but my sister really is the best! Of course, we were starving after the race so after picking up the kiddos and enjoying our celebratory mimosas, we went to our usual breakfast spot, Egg Works!!

*So, turns out some jerk (not anyone running the race) was seen removing some of the race flags and signs and most of us running the 12K missed a marker and turned too soon, cutting our race distance by half a mile or so. Why someone would do this, is beyond me!! Grrrrrr…..

I’ve got one more race to run before 2015 to reach my goal! Woohoo!! How are you doing with your fitness goals this year?

Wild Land Fire Awareness 5K Trail Run | Race 8 of 14

This race was organized by a local racing company here in Las Vegas, Desert Sky Adventures and hosted by Bureau of Land Management out in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. They offered both a 5K and a Half Marathon distance through some awesome trails! I absolutely love Red Rock Canyon. It’s a quick drive from my house and we love to go there for hikes with the kiddos and I’ve recently enjoyed running some of the trails, so running a race there was really a treat! It was put together nicely and it had that small race atmosphere I like.

For a FREE race, I cannot complain one bit. They sent out 2 emails before the race with all the race details on parking, water aid stations, etc. so communication was clear. I didn’t make it to Packet Pickup the day before but my friend who picked up our packets had no issues. We got a free tech tshirt, race bib, and some Smokey the Bear goodies in a drawstring bag 🙂 The morning of the race, everything went along smoothly. They were taking donations for families of firefighters who lost their lives while fighting wildland fires and had some pretty buff firefighters doing pushups when they received donations 😉 After the race, they had a table with bananas, oranges, muffins, water and gatorade. We also got a nice dog tag style metal at the finish. Yup, definitely a great local race!

Another great thing about this race was the sense of community. There were lots of runner friends from the running groups I’m a part of and it felt nice to have that camaraderie among the other runners. I’m not much of a social butterfly and well, I can be a bit awkward in social situations, so it’s nice to have a group of friendly like-minded people who don’t make me feel like an outsider! Thanks so much for that 🙂

I didn’t get much sleep the night before, I was on my feet all day photographing a wedding, I had a headache, and just felt BLAH!! Needless to say, it wasn’t my best race. I felt sluggish and tired. My legs felt like lead and I just couldn’t focus or find my groove. I was just happy I finished strong. When I signed up, I was sure I’d PR from my last 5K trail run, the Xterra Trail Race. I didn’t. I should’ve. I was disappointed. I ran with my husband and he did amazing! He PRed by over 7 minutes! He’d been working hard and it really paid off! I was so happy for him, but I just couldn’t shake the horrible feeling of failure I had. Then of course, I felt guilty for being selfish and not being more excited for him. But, I am so lucky to have such a wonderful man as my husband because he never gloated about his success and did everything he could to make me feel better. And I did eventually feel better. He gave me the space I needed to make peace with it and even made me a yummy post-race breakfast! Thanks babe! I love you!! Oh and I’m sure the TOMS shoe warehouse shopping & happy hour with girlfriends helped too 🙂

Xterra 5K Trail Run | Race 5 of 14 for 2014

So, how was your weekend? I hope it was fabulous! Mine started off really great celebrating my sister and brother-in-law’s 23rd wedding anniversary with a Japanese hibachi dinner on Friday night. Isn’t that wonderful, 23 years of marital bliss! Saturday we were up bright and early for the Xterra 5K Trail Run at Lake Las Vegas. I’m not a huge fan of 5Ks but since I’m trying to get 14 races in this year, I’m totally doing a few! I didn’t really train for this race. It was just a week after the Spartan Super and 2 weeks before Tough Mudder, so of course, post-race was all about Spartan Training, then I took 2 days off to recover. I only ran once the week before the race and it was just a fun 2 mile run/walk with my friend & my kiddos. I guess what I’m trying to say is that it wasn’t my best run! I really feel like I’m going to have to redeem myself on my next 5K trail run coming up next month! I placed 4th in my age group with a finish time of 38:25. I wish I would have pushed myself a little more, but it is what it is!

Before the race with our friends, Jessica & Geron. This was their first official race ever! So excited for them :) — Before the race with our friends, Jessica & Geron. This was their first official race ever! So excited for them 🙂

As far as the race itself, it was good. It wasn’t a huge race and everything went smoothly from on-site packet pickup to the course markers & volunteers. I had been told it wasn’t a true trail run and after doing the run, I can see why. We started off in a parking lot at the resort then ran the first mile through a golf course. The second mile was mostly uphill through the undeveloped area of Lake Las Vegas then back down to finish the last mile and a half through the resort and golf course. I’m assuming the longer distances of 10k and 21K were mostly trails. The post-race area was great. They had the usual post-race goodies of bananas, muffins, bagels, grapes, and orange slices, along with water and gatorade. I also really liked that they printed out our results on-site!

Post-race with my hubby! I love that he'll be running a few races with me this year!! It makes running that much more fun :) — Post-race with my hubby! I love that he’ll be running a few races with me this year!! It makes running that much more fun 🙂

Did you have a race this weekend? I’d love to hear how it went for you!

Race 1 of 14: Blood, Sweat, and Beers 10K Trail Run

I’ve been a little MIA from my blog and life in general! I have been consumed by WPPI, the Wedding & Portrait Photography Conference & Expo since Sunday! It’s been a whirl wind of non-stop activity for me and although the conference ends on Thursday, life will still be hectic for awhile. As a wedding photographer in Vegas, March-April, is our super busy wedding season. On top of that, I’ve got a ton of races coming up these next 2 months. I see a lot of coffee in my future. Don’t worry, though, I won’t be neglecting my blog just because life is gonna get a little messy (See what I did there?) I plan on blogging the whole messy journey 😉

Ok, so back to my blog post! I am so excited I finally ran my first race of 2014, Blood, Sweat, and Beers 10K. It was really nice to run with my husband too. It was his first official race, if you don’t count Tough Mudder, and I think he’s hooked too!

This race was organized by Desert Dash and they put on a great event! From packet pickup to the morning of the event, it was well organized and offered a sense of community. Everyone from the race directors to the volunteers were so friendly and informative. I noticed they also seem to focus on other local and small businesses, which as a small business owner myself, I think is awesome! Since this was my first trail run, I was a little nervous about what to expect at the event. But, once we got there, we noticed a real laid back, friendly environment and felt like we fit right in. They had a good variety of food and drinks before and after the event too. One of their sponsors is Island Boost, which I love! YAY!! Oh and of course there was beer and root beer from a local brewery, Joseph James Brewing Company.

They offer 5K, 10K. half marathon, 30K, and full marathon distances. Being our first trail run, the 10K was a perfect distance for us! We’d done some trail running to train for it, so we were prepared for it and we had a great time. The trail course was pretty brutal and challenging (that’s a good thing!). We ran 6.2 miles with a 750 ft of vertical climb. Those switchbacks are no joke! The markings along the course were clearly color coded and easy to follow.

I really enjoyed the experience and would totally recommend it to anyone who wants a challenging, but fun race! Just because this is a smaller local race, they do not skimp out on the goodies. You get a nice re-usable drawstring bag with some swag, along with a nice tech tee. The medal is super sweet too. Plus, if it’s your first race, you get to ring a bell and you get some additional bling! And who doesn’t love race bling!?!?

I was definitely sweaty, I drank my beer, but luckily, I have no blood to show at the end of the race :) — I was definitely sweaty, I drank my beer, but luckily, I have no blood to show at the end of the race 🙂