Tag Archives: oklahoma

Route 66 Half Marathon Race Report, Part 1

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It’s gotten quite chilly outside the past few days, so let’s travel back in time to another cold couple of days…the weekend B, K, and I drove to Tulsa so that I could run the Route 66 Half Marathon.

We made the quick 2 hour trek from Norman to Tulsa and drove straight to the race expo. It was much smaller than the OKC expo, but it got the job done with much less waiting-in-line time. We perused the things for sale (and I promised K a 0.0 sticker for her Kia- still want one, bby?), made some inspirational race signs, then skedaddled to our hotel.

That night I crammed in a nervous Mexican dinner with B, K, and our friend Beth who lives in Tulsa. Seems like I always eat Mexican food before races?! Maybe they help me run faster. Who knows? We got home and I laid out all of my clothes for the next morning, pinned my bib to my pants, and strapped on my timing chip. I was as ready as I could be…but super nervous. I tried to go to bed at 10 pm, but I was so nervous that it took me forever to fall asleep and I woke up many times throughout the evening. At one point, I remember just praying that the morning would go ahead and come so I could stop pretending to get any semblance of rest.

Race day was COOOOOLD. Something like 12 degrees. We all layered up, B ran and got a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts (more on that later), we posed for cute pictures, and then, all too soon, it was time to hit the road.

Parking was a hairy situation, but we managed to park about 4 blocks from the start. And that little walk was INTENSE. The cold was mind-numbing. I sincerely started to doubt if I could run 13.1 miles in that weather. We waited (probably illegally) in the lobby of the Mayo Hotel until about half an hour before the race started— that’s when B and K ditched me to go post up with their signs near the 2.5/5 mile marker at Woodward Park.

Waiting in that corral alone yet surrounded by thousands of people was incredibly difficult. I couldn’t feel my fingers or my toes. My scarf wouldn’t hang right on my neck. This race was starting to seem like a dumb idea. Then the gun went off, and I started running.

And 5 minutes into the race, I was actively thinking “Where can I meet B and K in order for me to drop out of this race?”

I’m evil, so that’s where I leave you until the next chapter!

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Photo of the Day: a cuppycake from Sara Sara Cupcakes in OKC. Apricot ricotta cupcakes are my love language.

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Photo of the Day: me, all bundled up yesterday for the Route 66 Half marathon. It was a little chilly.

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Photo of the Day: it’s a little chilly and wet here in Oklahoma City.

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Photo of the Day: my Friday night was spent here. Awesome venue with two of my favorite bands—Motion City Soundtrack and Relient K.

Fun Training Montage!

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There’s less than a month until the Route 66 Half Marathon, and I have not blogged as much about training as I did last time (obviously). Turns out that training during the fall is extremely hard for a college student who enjoys football games, sleep, and going to Whataburger at 11pm.

Midweek runs: They suck. They make my calves hurt toooooo much. I had a breakthrough a few weeks ago where I loosened my laces a bunch and my calves felt better, but now they feel worse. I don’t have this problem on long runs, which is confusing. I’m beginning a regimen of calf exercises to help combat the pain before the race. So, progress!

Long runs: Sporadic, but great! I’ve had a really odd schedule this semester (see: football on long run days), and combine that with all of the free 5ks floating around, and my long runs have been all over the place.  A couple of times I’ve done two-a-days or 3 miles at night (5k) and 5 miles in the morning to meet my total if I’m especially busy (or, you know, registered for a 5k). This weekend, I’m running 9 miles for the first time in a loooong while, but I’m excited. I’ve felt pretty good during most of my long runs, which is extremely calming when I look at the calendar and think “LESS THAN A MONTH!!”.

Overall: This training cycle has made me nervous. I keep thinking I am way farther behind than I was for the OKC half, but when I look back on my training posts, I’m definitely not. I keep forgetting that I also had a busted long run during that cycle, and that I got sick and missed a week of training during that cycle (last week I didn’t train at all due to B family fun). I’m going to be just fine. (I think.) Trying to adapt my attitude from “MUST PR” to “I’m going to do the best I can on this course”. It wouldn’t be fair to my hard work if I beat myself up over a non-PR on a course that I’ve literally never even seen before. Hills? Who knows!

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What I Wore: This is one of my new favorite outfits! I wore it with B and his family to Pops, a store/restaurant where you can get all kinds of pop (imagine that). Really comfy but kind of fancy looking too.

Chambray: J. Crew Factory
Sweatshirt: J. Crew Factory
Jeans: Vigoss from Saks Fifth Avenue
Boots: Frye

Bust, part 2

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Tips and what I learned from my horrible, truly epic busted run today:

  • You should probably eat before you run.
  • Also, drinking water is important. Do that occasionally.
  • Don’t try and cry while you’re still running. You won’t have enough breath.
  • When you’ve cooled down a bit, then call your mom and cry. Moms are good at listening to people sob incoherently on the phone.
  • I’m really, really thankful and lucky that the worst thing that will happen to me today is that I can’t finish a run. Holy perspective, Batman!
  • Friends are really good at cheering you up when you’re in the deep dark cave of failure, be that running failure or just general all-around epic failure.
  • Go read some running blogs when you’re sad. While you might think it would make you feel worse, I promise that someone is there struggling like you are. It felt good to see that I wasn’t the only one who got all torn up about not completing a training run.
  • Always attempt a long run with more free time ahead of you so that you have time to try, try again. Hopefully in cooler weather with more hydration.

Remember when I busted last time?

http://thecuppycakes.tumblr.com/post/41847006588/bust

Maybe I’m just jinxed. I messed up my 7 miler last training cycle, too….

5 Things You Need to Know About Football Time in Oklahoma

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1. On gameday, we wear crimson and cream.

2. Avoid traffic and paying for parking by parking at a friend’s house or apartment complex and walking up to the stadium. It’s not that far. You’ll survive.

3. You will walk into every game saying, “I’m not going to buy any food, I’m just going to wait, we’re getting Cane’s after the game” and then you will find yourself with cheese fries and a lemon chill in your hand. Plan your bank account accordingly.

4. If you’re sitting in the student section, you will be standing for all 4 quarters. Don’t wear your brand new cowboy boots unless you want to be openly weeping while walking home. (I wouldn’t know anyone who has made that mistake…cough cough).

5. Yell, scream, mug for the cameras, boo the other team, catcall the cute players, sing all the songs (including the requisite playing of Sweet Caroline in the 4th quarter), and resist the urge to leave early. Because you won’t be a student forever, and even though someday you’ll be a rich alum with box seats, there’s nothing like being sandwiched between a drunk sweaty frat guy and the next OU head coach who loves critiquing every play.

The Day After

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Everything’s clearer in the morning light. Hindsight is 20/20. Time heals all wounds.

Cliches are silly, but sometimes they’re based in truth.

When we look back on what happened yesterday in Moore, Oklahoma, we’ll always remember the wind, the destruction, the children.

The mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, and babies we couldn’t save with our human hands.

But hopefully we’ll also remember clearly and vividly the response.

The tireless, wall-to-wall efforts of meteorologists and journalists to serve the public interest and get the news to the people.

The first responders who saw the tragedy that was not shown to the masses.

The volunteers who flooded Red Cross offices, churches, and university campuses.

The resources and money that flowed in from points known and unknown.

The prayers.

I want to remember the people who walked toward the destruction, and the people who walked out from it.

The people with broken possessions but unbroken spirits.

I want to remember everything. So that’s why I’m writing it down.