Heading East

It seems like it wasn’t all that long ago that I was writing about big changes…saying goodbye to the life I’d built in San Francisco, packing up my car and moving across the country to Ohio! Now, a little over a year later, just as I feel like I’m hitting my stride here in Cleveland, change is on the horizon again. Avi and I recently found out that we'll be moving to Providence, Rhode Island this summer, where he’ll begin his medical residency at Brown.

In the wake of these recent events, a friend said to me, “Man plans, God laughs.” How true! Always a planner and wanting to know what’s next, I find venturing into the unknown to be less exciting, more stressful. I do well with routine and consistency and thrive off a syllabus or a training plan. So as Avi and I embark on our upcoming East Coast adventure, it’s with a bit of trepidation on my part.

However, if working at a startup has taught me anything, it’s that hardly anything ever goes as planned – your thoughtfully-scheduled day often goes off the rails at 10 am. To succeed in the fast-paced startup world, you must be flexible, nimble, and approach challenges (there will be many!) with a smile. So now that I’ve had some time to let this big change sink in, my tearful, trembling frown has turned upside down, and I’m excited for this next chapter. 

What exactly does this next chapter entail? We pack up our house in Cleveland and find a place to live in Providence. A 2-bedroom place is a must since I’ll need an office – I’m very thankful that I’ll be continuing in my role as Program Manager at MOVABLE, just working remotely. We’ll drive to Rhode Island (cross your fingers that my trusty 1999 Subaru Impreza can survive another long road trip!) and settle into our first home as a married couple (oh yeah, in the middle of all this craziness we’re getting married!). It’s sure to be a busy next few months!

Throughout all this I’ll be trying to run fast. The goal of this season is to qualify for USA Outdoor Nationals in Sacramento in June and race well in front of the hometown crowd. With all that I’ve got going on right now, this at times feels like a lofty goal, but then I remind myself that busy people run fast all the time! Heck, my teammate Annie Bersagel just ran the 11th fastest half-marathon by an American woman EVER (1:10:10), all while working as a full-time lawyer! It CAN be done!

So here’s to Annie – a true inspiration! – and to a busy but exciting next 3 months!

Race Recap: Gate River Run 2014

I left you last with an optimistic post as I eagerly anticipated the USA 15k Road Champs/Gate River Run. I felt prepared and ready, and more importantly excited for the opportunity to compete. I approached the race with that attitude, but the day didn't come together exactly as I'd envisioned. In running as in life, things don't always work out as you planned.

Man plans, God laughs, as the saying goes...

NEO (Northeast Ohio) represent! Post-race smiles for 23rd and 24th in the country!

Knowing that this was the most competitive women's field in recent years (if not in race history!), I went in with a goal of finishing in the top 20-25; cracking the top 20 would have been excellent. I ended up 24th in a personal best of 53:32, just behind my Cleveland training partner Nicole Camp.

Usually a PR is something to celebrate, but both Nicole and I felt that our races left something to be desired. Despite finishing together, we only ran together for the first mile. I went out with the lead pack while Nicole went out more conservatively, but after 2 miles we were both in no mans land -- we settled into similar paces, but about 150 meters apart.

1.5 miles into the race, trying to hang on to Michelle Lilienthal

I ran comfortably strong for the first half of the race, but when I hit the bridge (aka huge hill!) at mile 8, everything fell apart.

I struggled miserably up the hill, losing all momentum and any hope of breaking 53:00. Nicole made up massive ground on me and passed me on the downhill. The race photos of me in the final mile tell the story of my suffering. I crossed the line feeling defeated and oh-so-relieved to be done!

S*** about to get real at the start of the bridge

In the spirit of Lauren Fleshman's campaign to Keep It Real, here's a shot of my real (aka atrocious) form in the last 200 meters

Dissecting the race and looking back, I think part of my struggles stemmed from a breakdown in form. My aerobic engine and my muscular-skeletal strength don't match up, so when my heart and lungs tried to keep pushing in the final miles, my legs said no. My form fell apart, limbs flailing far from gracefully. I know that if I want to be a marathoner, I've got to identify my weaknesses and work on my functional strength to keep it together in the later miles of a race. I've got my work cut out for me!

But before I got back to work, I enjoyed some Florida sun and time with friends post-race. Race reunions are my favorite kind and it was wonderful to catch up with teammate Steph Dinius and hang out with running friends from far and wide.

Nailing the post-race recovery -- cookies and beer -- with Nicole and Steph

Fun with friends at the Elite Athlete Coordinator Richard Fannin's famed race after-party

While I'm not satisfied with my performance at Gate River, it isn't entirely a bad thing. I'm hungry and motivated. I know what it takes to get to the next level, and I'm close. I've got work to do, but I'm ready for it... there's no better mental state to kick off the track season than hungry and inspired! It's GO time!