AF Canyon Race Recap (Andrew & Brooke writing their own experiences) and Could You Go W/O This?

I have two very special guests for you today!  Brooke and Andrew are taking over and sharing their experience from this last Saturday at the AF Canyon Run Against Cancer!  They both hit PERSONAL RECORDS (well, I think it was Brooke’s PR… it was her second time doing a 1k but she ran more this time compared to the last:)!

Hi everyone!!  I hope that you are all doing fantastic.  I’m currently eating lunch at the hospital on my last shift at the NICU.  I wanted to share my experience running the American Fork Half Marathon and share with you my race recap.  Before I get into the details, this has been one of the best organized races that I have run.  This is my second year doing this race and I totally will run this next year too, hopefully with Janae.  Janae sat this one out and took one for the team so I could run…..  Thank you Janae!!!

I’m a list writer so I need to organize this somehow so you all don’t get lost in my incoherent ramblings.   Seriously, I don’t know how I ever passed any English class… maybe they just didn’t want to deal with me anymore.  Anyways, tangent done.

Preparation:

So I have never really prepared well for any race.  I used to just run and hope for the best.  This time was different and Janae started coaching me and would give me weekly torture routines… I mean workouts.  Before Janae I would never do speed work. I would just lace up and run and that just sums up my running for the last 29 years.  So in preparation for this race I got a long run in of 12 miles and logged some good quality speed workouts.  I’m building back to the speed I had when I was younger.  We had a family vacation that kinda disrupted my training and nutrition plan but I got back to it pretty quickly.

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Race Morning:

While I was definitely missing Janae (My last 4 races were with her) I ran with one of my best friends.  We got up at 3:15 am and I ate some breakfast (I’ll hit what I ate in the next section).  For once in my life we showed up for the “early” bus to enter in the raffle and although we didn’t win anything it was so awesome to have NO STRESS and hurry.  If you missed it, this race and proceeds go towards the fight against cancer.  The pre-race announcer talked about those who had lost their battle with cancer and what different companies are doing to support the cause.  It was inspiring.  Then he turned over the microphone to someone who was leading a yoga session with the thousands of us waiting to race, that was a first I have seen before a race.  They also played a few games for prizes and gave away hotel stays, gps watch, a Nordictrack treadmill, movie tickets and much more.  I didn’t really get involved in that, I was trying to conserve energy and focus.

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Nutrition:

Now this is where I stumble a bit.  I am not a nutritionist and I definitely need to work on this as I progress in my running.  My breakfast included: two pieces of toast with peanut butter and jam and I had a banana 30 minutes before the race start and a couple water bottles.  I also had some huma gels that I was planning on taking.  Janae told me to take 3 (one before and two during), but I ended up only doing 2… Janae was right I should of done 3.  I took one about 15 minutes before the race and I took another at mile 7.  The original plan was going to be one before the race, one at mile 5 and another at mile 9.  I think I drank too much water, because like my last 3 races I had to make a bathroom stop at mile 7.  Any suggestions on this?   How do you all manage NOT taking bathroom breaks.  This is something that I’m trying to work out.  I did listen to Janae as she told me to force myself to drink at the aid stations and alternate gatorade and water (BTW I needed to go to the bathroom before the first aid station… so I don’t think I over drank during the race)

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This was my favorite part of the whole race…. having Brooke run at me and give me a high five.  She was so stoked to see me and it made me SO HAPPY!

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Race:

I don’t know what it was but this race was giving me the pre-race nerves.  I wanted to do well and I was nervous and I couldn’t shake the feeling.  It wasn’t excessive but it was in the back of my mind the day before the race and in the morning.  I decided to run “MY” race.  I wasn’t going to be swayed and I was going to do what I have been training for.  This helped a ton.  The race had a wave start and I started in the first wave, but near the back (everyone planning running an  8:30 pace or faster).  I decided that I wouldn’t put in music until after 3 miles.  I wanted to listen and feel my body for the first few miles, this was super helpful.

What I noticed 1.5 miles in was that EVERYONE was running past me and I was running a tad bit under 8 minute miles.  This was messing with me, but I just had to remember what I decided, I was going to run “MY” race and not get swayed by others, music or whatever was going on.  This helped me to be able to push to the end.  I also calmed those jitters by thinking about the workouts I have done leading up to the race.  This gave me some much needed confidence and I also thought about the specific workouts that I literally thought Janae was trying to kill me with.  Everything was going really well and I felt strong.  Janae, Brooke and Skye cheered me on at mile 9 and at the finish and that was awesome.  I hit a wall at mile 11… I had to stop for 30 seconds and then forced myself to go and I found someone that was running the pace I needed to go and I matched it for a mile and then pushed hard for my last mile.  I couldn’t remember my PR time and I knew it was close so I pushed hard and finished!  Later on I found out that I beat my PR (Janae here for a second… his last pr was over 2 years ago so I was very proud of him) by around 8 seconds.  I was stoked because I thought I missed it by a few seconds.  One thing I think I need to do next time is run more downhill, I didn’t ever do that and man my quads hurt today.

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Post Race:

Post race was awesome.  We ran into a bunch of different friends and family and it was so nice to catch up with them and their races!!  They had Kneaders french toast, popsicles and chocolate milk for us.  All my favorites… you can’t ask for a better post race.   Okay maybe chocolate milk and In N out, but maybe I’m the only one that would like that.

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Overall Race:

AF Canyon Race is one of the best races around.  From the organization, to the awesome swag, inspirational stories, countless volunteers I couldn’t have asked for a better atmosphere and race day.  After everything is said and done it’s awesome that the proceeds are donated to a cause and it gives you something even more to be proud about.

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Brooke’s 1k recap!  I typed what she told me to as she looked at each picture and thought about her race… we should write more posts this way!

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Mom woke me up really early.  I was tired.  Mama’s friends were there.  I saw hot air balloons.  I ate a peanut butter sandwich.  We cheered on Dada.  I have my running shoes.

I run FAST.  I made sure to stretch before the race like mama.

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They told me to go.  I was running.

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I liked wearing mama’s watch but forgot to push the start button.

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I was waving to mama.  My mouth needs water.  There were 400 kids (fact check from Janae—>  there really were 400 kids running and they kept saying that and Brookie remembered).

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I saw dada at the finish line.  It made me happy.

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Mama wasn’t with me.  I pushed really hard.

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I finished!  Water, gogurt and a medal!  I was hot and felt really good.

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I want to do the Halloween kid’s race.  It’s my favorite.

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Brooke is just like us, finishing a race and already looking for another one to do!

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The other day Josse and I were talking on our run about racing without a watch!  She has done it a bunch of times and some of her best races were done watchless… it made me wonder if I should try this someday soon.  Have any of you done this and did it help you or hinder you?  

-I am a little nervous to go completely watchless if I am racing but maybe I should try a stop watch since that feels like a good middle ground ha.

What is your dream post-race/post-workout meal?

What is your next race?

What was the best part of your weekend?

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53 comments

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I am really bad at judging my pace, so I like to have a watch… but I also understand how it can just be better to go by how you are feeling that day and not worry about it, so I dunno.
Interesting: One of our local running clubs puts on a “cheap” race series – $5/race, same day sign up, no shirts or medals, no water or snacks (bring your own). Just a marked and timed course (mostly 5Ks) and there are small prizes for a few of the races. Anyways, they put on a “Predicted time race” – No watches, phones, or music allowed; nothing to indicate time in any way. When you sign up, you put yourself down for a finish time. “Winners” are determined by the # seconds off of their prediction. I missed this race but a friend ran. He was 4.5 seconds off his prediction – and came in 4th! That is amazing to me!!

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$5 race… that is awesome! I really want to come do this, I want to try this prediction thing without a watch/phone/music. Such a cool idea. 4.5 seconds off… that is incredible! Thanks for sharing Nikki and I hope you have an awesome day!

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I loved Brooke’s recap! It was so sweet, especially the part about her forgetting to turn on your watch. :-)

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Oh thank you Jen! She sure felt pretty cool with that on! I hope you have a beautiful day!

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Two quick Qs for Andrew, then hoping to take the time to write some thoughts / insight about his race:
Do you train with gels? Do you train with taking stops (e.g. long run of 11mi– taking a break)?

One quick note: I’ve noticed going fast on long workouts that I won’t have to pee. This occurs not only workouts, but race day with the marathon; never could I have gone 3 hours without stopping to pee, but at Marathon race pace (6:30-6:20 for me), I never had to pee. For Boston I went slower like my LR pace– more like 8 min pace–and I had to pee, right where Shalane Flanagan had to pee. (And note also, she doesn’t usually stop to pee…they were going slow.)

Maybe a faster pace stops the sensation?? (Your body can only have so many resources!)
OR: Have you run a race without being conscious of the fluid stations, besides need? Like you had it in your mind to drink so often, maybe it was too much for that day or time??
Also gels affect thirst for me. Humas are THE BEST because for whatever reason true fruit doesn’t make me have to pee like the synthetic gels or even honey to be honest. (PowerGels are the WORST for me on this, btw.)

More thoughts sometime… SUPER CONGRATS on a PR and BREAKING THROUGH!! Most people hit a wall and crash, and you KILLED IT. Really shows your character, sir, and runners know that’s more challenging than anything else!!

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I will definitely have Andrew get back to you with those answers. I just wanted to say that I totally agree about when I am going a faster pace for me… I never have to pee! That is so interesting about it happening in Boston for you too… you were going slower! PS your marathon race pace is SO inspiring for me. Thanks for your sweet comment, I hope your day is a great one!

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Yeah!! I think there’s something to running your real race pace and not having to pee. I don’t think it’s a measure of success or something; I mean if you drank a lot you drank a lot! But I do think there’s something to it..

I think getting passed up might have affected his race pace. It’s better to start with a slower wave and work your way up; I always race that way– target people in front of you and slowly reel them in. I always tell myself, “You’ve got time; it’s a long race; just keep at it.” (I typically only do half or full marathon, or would do a 10k…longer races are just better psychologically in being able to get your groove you know?? Short distances are too quick !)

LOVED Brooke’s race recap. It was sad you weren’t there, but gosh I love her race comments hahaha (“My mouth needs water.” LOL) Love her confidence and pre-race care. That girl is going to fly. She’s so good about numbers too!! She’s got the two things you need to succeed in math: confidence and <3numbers :p :p :p! I can see a little Scientist or Engineer Brooke! (I'm biased obviously!)

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Congrats to Andrew and Brooke! You guys are so speedy! That french toast looks unbelievable. I love me some french toast, definately my favorite breakfast food!
I have a race Sept 29…..they moved it for the first time from June to Sept, and I am not happy about it. I loved having this race to kick off my summer running, but now it’s in the fall. People kept saying they would sign up for this race if it wasn’t in the summer, and I admit it has been 80 most years on race day, however these folks don’t realize they will now start training in July and will be doing 10-12 milers in August, instead of 10-12 milers in May, where there is a better chance for cooler/rainier weather. Oh well, heat doesn’t stop me, so I keep hoping it is 85 on Sept 29 (a strong possibility, it is the south, and we often have 80 degree days in October) and that all those “fair weather runners” have to suck it up. I don’t want to sound mean, but I loved this race in June, and we always had fresh peaches which won’t happen because peach season will be over. Don’t mess with a good thing. Sorry, *sigh* rant over.

Congrats again to your fabulous runners!

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Thank you Loribeth! That is so interesting that they moved the race date, I’ve never had that happen for me! I have noticed that about you too, the heat does NOT stop you and that is amazing! Enjoy some fresh peaches for me and thanks girl!

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Awesome job!! I have never gone to the bathroom during a race and this includes Marathons. When I coached team in training they talked about some studies that have been done on elite marathoners and all finish races slightly dehydrated. Since it has always worked for me I have stuck with it. If I am thirsty I drink, if not I don’t and I hydrate after the race. That said, I am training for a half and haven’t done one in 3 years due to a knee issue. I set out to do 9 miles and realized I had no water and it was very humid!! Out of practice but glad for my Y who welcome me for some water breaks.
Best part of our weekend was watching the Incredibles 2! My girls had a swim meet on Saturday but as usual it rained and I loved watching them swim but I would prefer to be dry!! We have a joke that if our area ever is in a drought we just have to schedule a swim meet. We have one Wednesday and now there is a chance of rain…

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I have never had to stop either during a race (except for during pregnancy)!

YOU ARE BACK TO RACING! This is so exciting Carrie, I am so glad your knee is better. What half is it? I’m so glad you guys saw Incredibles 2, we loved it too! Hahaha I hope that it isn’t canceled on Wednesday.

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I really need to look into running this race next year. I always think about it because I hear awesome stuff about it.

I haven’t ever run a race with a watch because I don’t have one. So I don’t know if it would make me do worse or better. I’m guessing that I would sike
myself out and do bad haha.

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You need to do it, you will love it Jenny! Keep doing what you are doing cause it is working. I hope your day is a great one Jenny!

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LOVE these!! And that picture of Brooke running toward Andrew to give him a high five during his race is THE BEST!! Truly warms my heart. Great job to both of y’all (and to you for being such a wonderful fan, Janae)!

I once ran a 5K without a watch, and it scared the heck out of me. I don’t know if I could do it for a longer distance. I was paranoid the whole time without knowing how fast I was going. It’s weird, though, because when I first started racing, I didn’t even have a Garmin and never seemed to worry about it.

This post makes me want to sign up for a race ASAP!

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I totally agree, it made me so happy to see how excited Brooke was to see him! Thanks Natalie. YES… I feel the same way. I started running without it so why does racing without one scare me? Crazy. Natalie, so excited for everything up ahead for you! I hope your Monday is amazing!

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Great race recapes, Brooke and Andrew!! Your were doing great!
Gratulation, super!

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Thank you Gabrielle! I hope you are having a wonderful day!

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I don’t think I could run without a watch. However, I’ve tried this and like it. I keep my watch on the TIME only setting instead of my screen that shows pace ect. This helps to keep track of the physical time so I’m not late getting home if it’s a work day and just in case I PR or something….it would be horrible not to record that !! haha It is quite liberating to run by feel but gives me the “watch” security I need!

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Oh I LOVE that idea. That seems perfect for me and I totally agree, that would really be lame to not have all of your splits on a PR race! This is a win-win idea. Thank you and I hope you have a wonderful week! Keep in touch!

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Congratulations to Andrew and Brooke on your PR! You two, along with Janae, are speedy! I loved both race recaps! Brooke has amazing form and I love that she ran out to give Andrew a high five during his half marathon. My husband and I did a downhill race in Georgia and our bodies were dying for days afterwards. We practiced some downhill (rolling hills) ahead of time but not that much downhill at once. If I do another downhill race like that, I will definitely train more down hills and much steeper ones. We have the Peachtree Road Race in about a week and I have been practicing the rolling hills and running (mostly walking) up super steep hills. I am not fast and haven’t found my mojo back after an injury (not running related) but I am glad to be running and out there no matter what my speed.

I am a little behind reading your blog (we had company last week) – I have a song recommendation – Mercy Me – Happy Dance – It makes me smile when I hear it while running. :) Mercy Me has another one I absolutely love – “Even If.” I haven’t seen the “I can only imagine” movie but hope to see it this week.

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Oh thank you so much for your sweet comment! Yes, these downhill races need some definite practice! AHHHH Peachtree Road Race is on my bucket list. I want to do that one so bad. Have an incredible time and please let me know how it goes. You are running again… I love the way you think. Just added Happy Dance to my playlist, THANK YOU. I can only imagine is incredible. Have a beautiful day!

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I’m not sure I can go watchless, but probably suck it up and give it a try!

I’m with Andrew, after longer races I want a cheeseburger. And for some reason after weekend track meets I also want pizza. No idea why, on a daily basis I crave salads after workouts.

Not sure about my next race, until a triathlon in September, but this weekend I had so much fun spectating at the Escape Philly Tri. It was a blast!

Happy Monday!!

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YES, I think it is the celebration factor plus we do push harder during races vs daily workouts so maybe that is why we want something more substantial! I am so glad you had so much fun spectating, it is the best and so inspiring. Have a beautiful day Amy!

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I just reread my comments and I meant that *I *should just suck it up and give it a try. Sorry, that came out totally wrong the first time!!

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Haha well, I totally read it that way until I saw this comment:) Thanks Amy!!!

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I’m too scared to run watchless ? (which is weird because my first few halfs I didn’t have one!)

always has to be a really good burger and fries!

Next race is the Nebo Half. I’m really excited for this one, it’s my second time doing it and I’m planning a PR so ??

Best part of the weekend- running the AF Half, eating after, and the looong nap I took yesterday

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Congrats Kristi on AF! Such an amazing course. Also, I’ve been thinking about Nebo… should I do it? I can’t wait to hear about your PR! So glad you got a good nap and I hope you got some burger and fries too!

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Way to go Andrew and Brooke! My husband says Andrew should have just peed during the water stops and thrown some water on himself because apparently that is what he does. A little too hardcore for me and he is not allowed to get in my car after races until he changes his shorts.

Not sure I could go watchless for a race but I guess you force yourself to listen to your body more rather than focusing on the pace. I would be willing to try it though.

French toast after the race sound pretty amazing to me but a lot of times I find myself craving a burger after a race or even a donut.

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Haha not a bad idea Corrinne’s husband… Andrew will have to try that and I’ll bring some extra shorts! Yep, a donut or burger always sound pretty amazing to me too after a race. Have a wonderful day and thank you!

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Congratulations to Andrew and Brooke!! This race does sound awesome!!
I once ran a race without my watch, because I completely forgot it, and I think it was better for me mentally. I just ran how I felt, and pushed hard at the end. I did have my hubby with me, so that always helps! I don’t think it was a PR, but it certainly was enjoyable!

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Thank you Wendy! Good to hear about how your race watchless went. I really need to do this and I’m so glad it was enjoyable for you. Have a great Monday!

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Love Brooke’s recap, so sweet! I don’t think I could go without my watch, I’d worry so much about pace and what mile I’m at, etc. It would just be too stressful! Ha. It’s kind of like not having a clock by the bed, if I wake up and don’t know what time it is, I can’t fall back to sleep! After a really bad ankle sprain in March, I just got the ok to start training again for a half in September – the Race for the Future in WI Dells, WI. I’m super excited as this will be my 2nd half marathon since I turned 40 last fall. I’ve been using the training plan in Runkeeper, but it’s not very detailed – like speedwork, hills, etc. Any suggestions for a good coaching app? Though I’d love to, I don’t think I could afford a real coach :)

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i am using Training Peaks and i like it

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Love the recaps, especially Brooke’s!

Burger fries with a pickle and beer. Best part of the weekend, finishing a long training run yesterday and running with great company! We got stunning views because we had to climb! 2000m or 7000 feet. There was a spot called Eagle Bluffs on our run (it is a local favourite) and you have fantastic views on a clear day – so yesterday was perfect for it..

I used to run watchless, but have gotten into a habit of wearing my gps watch for most of my runs so it is hard for me to run watch less these days.

Have a great day!

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Great job, Brooke and Andrew!

I always want something salty post race, French toast would have been great a few hours later.

To Andrew ~ As far as when to take the gels – I go by time not distance. I take them approximately 45-60 minutes apart. So 15 minutes before the race, then if you’re running 8 minute miles 5 miles would have been the perfect time. (You know you should trust Janae! ha) The biggest problem with race nutrition (or on long runs/long rides) is when you fall behind it’s almost impossible to catch up without taking a break.

I ran my second marathon with a dying Garmin! It would just shut off with no warning. That completely messed with my head!

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Oh my gosh, I almost cried reading Brooke’s recap….so adorable! She has awesome running form too!

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I accidentally left my watch at home before a 10k – I was so upset because I wanted to run it in a certain time. My goal was 50 mins and I did it in 54…it was an evening race in July so it was hot and I honestly had no idea how to fuel for that time of day. The first half was down hill but the second half was up. (I know, excuse, hahaha) I believe I did as good as I could BUT if I had my watch I’m wondering if I would have met my goal. The race is coming up this year and I’d love to aim for my goal (I was 9 months preggers last year so I couldn’t PR) but I’m 10 months post-partum and I don’t want to put the pressure on yet..so maybe next year!

I think if you have a goal in mind you need your watch – else keep it at home to see what its like!

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love to read about Andrew’s race and about Brooke’s!!!

the bathroom stuff during a race – i am also new to racing – my first race i didn’t have a decent breakfast and i didn’t know i had to fuel during the race (this did not end well!). this is what i have done since that first race: i think i just make myself go often before it starts – i do lots of dynamic stretching and warm ups. and i go visit the bathroom often like way more than i think i need to go. did i read that you also stop eating 30 min before racing? maybe try to play with this timing, like an hour or 1.5 hours or even 2h before the race starts to see if that works better for you. while racing, i’ll just take a sip here and there, and maybe not stop at every station. for food, i do something similar, and i wash my honey stinger waffle down with an orange slice so i don’t stop for both food and water. next stop is usually water/gatorade anyway. maybe you can also play with your fueling during the race as well to figure things out. best of luck!

watchless during a race? before i had a watch i went watchless and used the clocks that the race put up at each mile to determine how i’m doing. i don’t look at the watch too much during a race so i can learn to run by feel but i am not good at ‘running by feel’ – the watch helps to determine if i’m sticking to the plan or not! but it mainly gives me feedback that i sometimes can’t do anything with anyway b/c i’m running by effort. so i see a good argument to leave the watch behind!

dream post-race meal? i suppose it will have to be a burger and fries! or BBQ. there are so many food things i could fill in here. but usually after a long race i can’t each much, it’s usually the dinner/evening where i can eat a bit more :)

next race is the cycling leg of the nyc tri this Sunday! woot. several of us are doing relays to raise funds for a school. after that i have a few 5K’s lined up in July –

best part of weekend was spending time with family, and the weather was pretty nice too!

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The high five is the best!! WooHoo – two new PRs!!!

For nutrition, I was hoping to search and find more on protein here, but not yet. I’m revisiting 30g of protein within the first 30 min. of the day because it is awesome. Andrew, do you think this could apply and work with your pre-race plan? If it makes us feel good on a regular day, why not race day? A simple protein like eggs – although you mentioned In-n-Out (but you were talking post-race). See? Bring on the protein! I know, you had chocolate milk. I don’t recall if you can eat eggs, it’s an example. Doing it for a period of time (training) before the race is probably best so there are no/ fewer surprises. Another thought: since you carb-loaded the night before, were you primed for 30g of protein in the morning?

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Congrats to Andrew and Brooke on their PRs! I loved reading about their races :) I ran watchless during a 10K one time and it was actually an amazing experience! I love my data, so it was hard to make myself do it, but I feel like we sometimes place artificial limitations on ourselves using our watches based on what paces we *think* we *should* be able to run instead of listening to what our body is telling us it can do. I ran an entire minute faster in that 10K than I expected to and was actually fairly close to my PR. Maybe test it with a short race and see how it goes! My next race is a four mile race on the Fourth of July. I still haven’t decided on a marathon yet, but I really need to. Have a great week!

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Andrew: Congratulations! Good job on your PR and thanks for the great race recap! Very cool to see your guest posts.

Janae: I LOVE Brooke’s race recap! So adorable. Can you share what her Garmin results looked like? I think that’s so cute seeing her with your Garmin.

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Oh man, doing a race watch-less gives me anxiety just thinking about it. I’m always terrified that they’re going to close the course (It would never happen but it’s a fear of mine) and I would get stranded out there. That’s mostly why I run races with my watch lol. Maybe a digital watch with the stopwatch option would get me through it.

Congrats to Andrew and Brooke on their races! They both looked like they had fun!

My next race is Chicago Marathon in October. Currently in training and it’s going well!

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Congratulations to Andrew and Brooke!! They had such awesome races!!! I do not race a ton-I would say I average two half marathons and a few 5ks a year, with sometimes a marathon thrown in ;) , but I will say the last two halves I did, I ran with my watch on, but did not look at it and ran totally by effort. Both times I finished and was shocked by the clock, in a good way! These races were still a couple of minutes off of my half PR, but were significantly faster than my halves over the past three years. I will say my watch totally motivates me during my day to day running, but as far as racing goes, running by effort has totally helped my times!

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Great job Brooke!!! You did so amazing. And I LOVE your pink running shoes!

And Andrew – you did incredible too! It’s ok that you didn’t put that chatting with me for a minute in those three first miles was the highlight of your race. ;-)

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I was given some advice that has worked well for me about running and drinking: drink up to two hours before the start time (so I often chug down a glass of water and a mug of tea), but then stop – only small sips in the 30 minutes before the start. I also find I need to eat about 2 hours before the start if I’m going to have a “solid” breakfast, so it works out fine to drink then as well. A small snack (maybe a small banana or something) closer to the start time before a long run, but eating too much too close to running does NOT sit well in my stomach. Something to practise on long training run days and see what works for you!

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Such a sweet race recap both of them! Way to go Andrew even with the potty break! And yay Brooke! Love how she said she wasn’t with her Mama:) so independent and proud.

Right now I’m just running for fun so no races ahead. I totally think you should go watchless for one of your halfs! I don’t think you should for the full only because you have certain goals and it’s so much more training.

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Well done, Brooke and Dada!! Awesome races!! And Brooke, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve forgotten to start my watch! Or, remembering to start it, but forgetting to stop it until halfway home in the car so that my pace becomes spectacularly under 4 min/mile. And your running form in the photos looks great!

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Way to go Brooke and Andrew!!!

I’m on a bit of a hiatus from running but there’s a local race by the water that I’m always tempted by…maybe one of these years…

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How did you like the NICU? I have been in NICU for 12 years, that’s why I ask.

I definitely think Brooke should caption more of her pictures. “My mouth needs water.”

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At the start of the 2013 Chicago Marathon my watch would not turn on. I nearly had an anxiety attack… this was my 3rd marathon and my first time I was going to try to qualify for Boston. I was so afraid I was going to go out too fast and blow the whole thing but I decided to “trust my training” (the announcer kept saying that) and just go for it. Nothing else I could do. I ran each mile and calculated in my head at each clock where I was… doing math by mile 20 was not the easiest. I got my BQ and that race is still my PR marathon with 10 marathons under my belt now. DO IT! :-)

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Oh my goodness her racecap was the cutest thing ever :).

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Congrats Andrew and Brooke on your PR’s! Next year you and Janae should do the race and I will watch your kids for you. Kgood.

For reals. I know people who think the downhill races are easier and shouldn’t count, but they are HARD – it’s just a different kind of hard – and your body definitely takes a beating. I also crave burgers after races. But maybe a few hours after, not at the finish line ;)

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Omg cutest thing ever. She’s a good blogger !! Looks like you’ve got a family business here ? how sweet that she enjoys running, I always thought I hated running my whole childhood and thought of it as a punishment

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