6 Reasons to Run Local & Achilles Pittsburgh Race

I am a huge fan of traveling to races. I love to see new sights and experience different places. But sometimes, it's really nice to run a race at HOME. Home sweet wonderful home.

I haven't had much time to run in Pittsburgh lately because I'm either working weekends or traveling to an out-of-state race. I was so excited when this race popped up and I decided to register for the Achilles Hope and Possibility Race on April 9, 2016. 

Below I've listed 6 reasons to run local races, specifically this one:

1. Close to Home. Who doesn't love to sleep in their own bed and wake up to a normal routine? The Achilles Pittsburgh Race is located in North Park. Bonus: You don't have to fight traffic to get downtown or park. You might even live close enough that you could sleep in...winning!

2. Hometown Swag. I love race swag. T-shirts, medals, coupons! But honestly, a lot of races provide local coupons and if I'm from out of town I don't typically have time to use them when visiting. If your local race hands out a swag bag, you are more likely to use the items specific to your city because you live there. The Achilles Pittsburgh Race provides a t-shirt (guaranteed if you registered by March 13, 2016) and a cool medal if you sign up for the 5k/10k challenge! 

3. People you know. You're more likely to run into someone you know at a local race. Or you can more easily convince friends/family to join you...maybe even volunteer! The Achilles Pittsburgh Race provides volunteer opportunities and different race distances for every level, even beginners. They have a virtual race, 1 mile fun walk, 5k, 10k, and 5k/10k challenge. 

4. Familiar course. Sometimes you're lucky and a local race provides a course along your regular running route. The familiarity can help calm nerves and enjoy the course without any crazy surprises. The Achilles Pittsburgh Race is at the North Park Boathouse in Allison Park. Many people I know run the 5 mile loop around the park and may find comfort in having an idea about what the course will be like on race day. 

(5k and 10k course maps from www.achillespghrace.com)

5. Benefits local organizations. Hometown races may support local charities or organizations that are familiar to your city. The Achilles Pittsburgh Race benefits the Pittsburgh Chapter of Achilles International in support of athletes with disabilities and to increase awareness for adaptive sports.

6. Awards. Local races are typically much smaller so the chances to place higher in an age group or even WIN are greater than a well-known 5k or huge marathon. The Achilles Pittsburgh Race provides awards to the top 3 overall male and female finishers of both races and medals to the top three finishers of each age group. Participants who complete the 5k/10k challenge earn a finishers medal! 

(www.achillespghrace.com)

So many great reasons to run a race in your town! If you'd like to run local, consider registering for The Achilles Pittsburgh Hope and Possibility Race on Saturday, April 9, 2016 at 9am. Bring your family and friends and get outside! 

You can use the code 'JennRuns' for 10% off your registration on the website:

http://www.achillespghrace.com

I will be out there running the challenge and I really hope to see some familiar faces on race day! 

Happy running!

Jenn :)

State #16 Arkansas: Little Rock Marathon

I honestly can't believe I'm writing about my 20th marathon. 11 years of running marathons and I made it to #20 in Arkansas!

I was beyond excited to have Brad and our dogs along for this trip. We made the 14 hour drive from Pittsburgh to Little Rock on Friday.  I think we lucked out with the best travel dogs ever. They slept most of the trip (we did not, haha). 

We left at 2:30am and got down to Little Rock in time for the expo and to get my race packet. If I wasn't so exhausted I would've stayed longer because they had sooo many great vendors to check out, but it just wasn't happening this trip. I loved how they decorated with this years slogan of "Game On". 

We checked into our hotel, grabbed showers & food and it was lights out! 

The next morning I made it to the starting line with a very energetic crowd. The starting line tossed these balloon dice into the crowd before the start and got everyone pumped!

I ended up running the 5k 12 seconds faster than the one in Alabama. Progress is progress! 

After the race Brad and I had Waffle House fir breakfast. If you've never had them and you're down south, GO! I've been eating there ever since I was little. 

My cousin goes to school about 45 minutes away from Little Rock so I picked her up so she could spend the rest of the weekend with us. We all took the dogs walking along the riverfront area which is so clean and beautiful. 

With my cousin Mckenna. 

We walked all over this neat bridge that has two levels. 

My little family.

We lucked out and found a dog friendly restaurant downtown so we had dinner on the patio of Dizzy's. 

After dinner we headed back to the room so I could go to bed early. People who travel with runners are pretty awesome. They put up with our crazy schedules of running to expos, early bedtimes, and talking nonstop running.

Now the marathon...lets just say we will keep this part pretty short. It was a scenic course, but it was so HARD. I'm sure I took over the legal limit of ibuprofen and if I never run a hill again in my life I will be happy. I now understand the reasoning behind the 8 hour time limit! I felt as though a toe in my right foot was going to crack in half and My right hip was inflamed the whole second half.

I met a reat nice runner, Melanie, and we finished the last 7-8 miles together. Thank goodness for her! When I crossed the finish line I found Brad and cried into his shoulder due to pain and relief. I got my finishers medal and another medal for running the 5k/marathon combo.

We met up with Mckenna. 

And took more pics.

Now this medal business. Little Rock does not disappoint with their race bling. This medal is HEAVY and the size of my head. When I got back to Pittsburgh I weighed it on my aunt's food scale. Over 2 pounds!

Even though I ran a terrible time (like my worst ever) I did enjoy my time in Little Rock. I had a bad race but most definitely would run this one again. I probably won't run a marathon 3 weeks before it again though :) Hooray for state 16! And congrats to all the runners that weekend! 

My First Marathon (2005)

My first marathon was kind of an accident. I didn't contemplate running one for months and then register with excitement. I didn't train for 20 weeks learning how to run long or fuel properly. 

I was in my final year of undergrad in the Spring of 2004 when I decided I wanted to try something new. I heard about Team in Training through a pamphlet in the mail and after attending an informational meeting I was signed up to raise money to fight blood cancers and participate in an olympic distance triathlon in 5 months.

I purchased a bike and with the help of my brother (a very talented cyclist) I learned how to ride and trained with my team on transitions, swimming in open water, and everything else that goes with triathlons. 

A few days before the race my team and I flew to Orlando to get situated and prepare for the race. I remember checking into my room at the hotel and literally as I turned around to walk to the room I saw 3 of my teammates with devastated looks on their faces. The triathlon was cancelled. Hurricane Jeanne was about to hit Florida and there was no way the officials would allow us to compete in the event. If you google that hurricane, the first sentence that appears is: Hurricane Jeanne was the deadliest hurricane in the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season.

As quickly as we landed, we were put back on a plane and evacuated from the state back to Pennsylvania. We were all so crushed. I worked HARD to raise money for an organization, and that was before the convenience of social media. I worked hard at training too. 

Back at school I was pretty grumpy. So many people knew about the race and I was afraid they thought I scammed them out of money with their donations because I promised an update after the event. Well TNT decided that we would get a chance to compete in an event and sent us a list of different races that year to choose from. The next triathlon was almost a year away and I couldn't wait that long. I had no desire to ride my bike 100 miles. So a marathon it was. The New Orleans Mardi Gras Marathon in February 2005.

I registered through TNT and that was that. I had 5 months until the race and kind of pushed it to the back of my mind. I graduated in December and decided to take a semester off before grad school. When February rolled around I kind of remember running 5 miles a few mornings a week on my parent's treadmill in the basement. I never even met my new team until the day I boarded a plane to go to New Orleans. 

The 2 days leading up to the marathon I remember walking ALLLL over the city in some cute boots that were pretty uncomfortable. I tried shrimp, gumbo, jumbalaya. I remember the day of the race wearing a new pair of cotton shorts I had never worn running. I had some cute pink Nike shox to run in. And I had a single Powerbar for the entire race. Obviously I had never done this before.

The morning of the race my teammates handed out garbage bags claiming they would keep us warm at the starting line. I went along with it.

When the race started I got really excited. The streets were lined with spectators and the energy from the crowd got me pumped to run. I ended up running with one of the mentors for the first half of the race adopting his plan: run to the water stations, then walk through them for 2-3 minutes. The plan was working and I survived 13.1 miles. 

At the halfway point my knees started to ache and I ate my entire PowerBar at a water station. I told the guy I was running with to go ahead because I was slowing down. I kept up with the race plan but I was beginning to hurt. I was also hungry but sick to my stomach at the same time. I know I took handfuls of snacks from spectators along the course for temporary energy. 

Our team coach, Chris, found me somewhere around mile 20 and decided to run with me til the end. We stopped numerous times to stretch on the sidewalk and he basically saved me on that course. He talked me through every mile and told me I would be a marathoner that day.

The finish line was inside the Superdome (a few months later Hurricane Katrina came through). I can absolutely still picture what it looked like as we entered the Superdome. Crowds of people lined the stretch of pavement leading up to the finish line. Complete strangers cheering, music blasting and an announcer said my name right before crossing the finish line. And someone captured that exact moment, when I realized I just ran 26.2 miles! 

I didn't know I would get a medal when I finished and you better believe I wore it out on Bourbon Street that night! 

That race. The race that changed my entire existence on this earth and I didn't even know it at the time. In 11 years I have finished 19 marathons (soon to be 20!), 16 half marathons, and have run in 15 different states.

I have run on 2 Ragnar Relay teams...

And eventually trained with Team in Training again to complete a triathlon in D.C.

Through running I've raised $6,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and $600 for Team Red White and Blue. 

I had one DNF (did not finish) at a marathon in 2013...

And I started a blog and was selected as a Nuun Ambassador for 2015. I've met awesome people. Traveled to places in the USA that I would never have considered visiting before running. 

Running has changed my life. I feel good about myself when I run and when I accomplish things related to the sport. I enjoy reflecting every year on my running story. And I love adding to it.

My 50+ medals hang between 3 racks in our bedroom. I wake up and see them every morning. Each one a reminder of a race, a special story, and amazing people that I hold very dear to my heart. Pick out any medal and I can recall vivid details of that race. All because a hurricane canceled a triathlon back in 2004. 

Purple Chicken Recipe

Dinner. It's a struggle for me because after a long day of work I don't feel like standing in the kitchen creating a yummy, healthy meal. Luckily Brad enjoys good food and does a lot of the cooking (winning!). I wanted to share this inexpensive, easy, and delicious recipe that we have so fancily (new word?) named "Purple Chicken". 

You will need 5-6 ingredients from the grocery store:

- chicken breasts (3-4)

- zucchini

- squash

- vegetable oil

- grated parmesan cheese

- Ken's Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette

What I love about this is you can prep the food the night before. First butterfly the chicken (optional, but it absorbs the dressing better), place it in a container and poor the Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette dressing over the chicken to marinate overnight.

Cut the zucchini and squash into chunks and store in a container in the fridge. 

The next day when its time to cook preheat the oven to 375, place the chicken in a glass pan and cook for approximately 45 minutes. 

About 20 minutes before the chicken is done cooking, put vegetable oil (we use a little less than a tablespoon) in a pan on the stove over medium heat, sprinkle pepper over the vegetables and cook until golden brown. 

Once the vegetables are cooked, sprinkle parmesan cheese over them until the cheese melts. 

That's it! Once the chicken is done you are ready to eat. It is delicious and your house will smell amaaaazing.

And if you're lucky, someone will do the dishes too :) 

Hope you enjoy this meal, it is one of our favorites. Let me know what you think! 

State #15 Alabama: Mercedes-Benz Marathon Weekend

I came to Alabama to run my 19th marathon and 15th state in my quest to run a full marathon in all 50 states! I took travel plans to a whole new level of crazy. I woke up at 3am Friday and drove 12 hours solo to Birmingham! I will fly, but I don't jump at the opportunity so if I feel I can make the drive you better believe I will. And I did.

First on the agenda was straight to the expo at Boutwell Audotorium. It was a nice size and I felt like I could breathe and walk around freely. Maybe the crowd came later but it wasn't busy when I was there. They provided lots of great vendors and I said I wouldn't buy anything but that was a lie. 3 shirts later...

Probably some of my favorite race swag to date because I've never had a cape and M&M's are my favorite candy. Plus you didn't have a million papers of coupons flying all over the room because they did a virtual race bag for those items.

After the expo I checked into my hotel. I literally unpacked all my things and laid out running stuff for the next 2 days. And then I slept for 9.5 hours. In a big giant bed that never felt so relaxing! :)

Next morning I arrived at the starting line of a VERY cold 5k! I didn't pack well so I wore shorts and Procompression socks to save my pair of pants for the marathon. I looooved this 5k! The majority of the course was flat and it wasn't too crowded. Lots of little kiddos running which was great. 

Lots of capes flying around!

We got a cute super hero medal at the finish too. I didn't stick around because I was freezing and needed a hot shower ASAP.

For the rest of the day I watched some of the Olympic Marathon Trials and hung out with another 50 states runner, Rebecca. We had dinner and talked running for hours! So fun and glad I met a new friend to hang out with during the trip.

The next morning I met up with Rebecca before the race. It was soooo cold again! I almost didn't bring my cold gear but was really glad I did! 

I also wasn't feeling well and literally could barely stomach water. I sipped some Nuun and became really nervous that I would crash at some point during the race. Any other marathoners look at this sign during a race and wonder why you didn't sign up for the half? Haha, I do every time but then am so happy I ran the full! 

I really liked the course and it was 2 loops. I always get nervous about courses like that because I'm afraid I will get bored, but I really liked this one. The only thing I would change is more spectators. I feel like a lot disappeared for the second loop!  

I did end up crashing soon after mile 20. I made it to that point pretty strong and ended up slowing wayyyyy down. I just had nothing left in me so at that point I was just surviving. Taking all gu and sports drinks offered to me. I crossed the finish line freezing, with swollen hands, and burning quads in 5:30:30. But also a big smile on my face because I finished my 19TH marathon!! 

After crossing the finish line I couldn't eat anything. I went back to Rebecca's hotel that was near the finish line to chat about the race and snap a pic with our medals. She ran a super speedy PR that day!! How awesome! 

 I drove home super early the next morning and arrived home to a wonderful surprise from Brad! He really is the sweetest :)

Overall it was a great weekend. I love meeting new running friends and traveling to new states. I would definitely recommend the Mercedes Marathon for anyone looking to run in Alabama! 

Next marathon is Little Rock in Arkansas in less than 3 weeks and hoping to get a short run in tomorrow.

Happy running! :)