Chasing a DNF

Another weekend, another race, and finally, a day with some warmer weather. The Commander and I are signed up for the Zion Park Half Marathon in a couple weeks. Weather stalking suggests it will be in the 70s while we are out there so we are hoping to get some training runs in some warm weather. Alas, we live in western PA.  But this weekend was a exception to the rule. A while back, while searching for trail races to run this year, the Commander stumbled across the Black Squirrel 5K race held each year on the campus of Kent State University. Why do they call it the black squirrel race Randy? Their mascot is a weird looking Golden Eagle named Flash. Don't you worry interested blog reader, I got the answers you seek. The 8th Annual Black Squirrel 5K I would like to start by suggesting, that a) they change the name from the Flashes for what should be really obvious reasons (and you're welcome for me not posting a picture to splain myself) or b) they change their mascot ...

Whoever invented snickerdoodles should be Czar of the world. There are few things in life I find better than perfectly baked snickerdoodles, especially after a particularly successful half marathon. I don’t know who invented them, but it’s possible the name has German origins, or just a meaningless made up name from New England. Anyway, before this becomes a post about the sweetness of cookies, I’ll move on, just know that if you bring snickerdoodles to a race, I’d like to be your friend. This St. Patrick’s Day, Harmony, PA played host to a holiday road running event: The Shamrock Shuffle. Three races; a half marathon, 5k, and 1 miler, for a total of 17 miles if you wanted to elect to do all three. You see what they did there? Clever, and fun if you don’t mind brutalizing your legs on a 19 degree morning in March.   I like brutalizing my legs on 19 degree days in March so I signed up for all three and got to it.   The 10th annual Harmony, PA Shamrock Shuffle 7:30...

After pacing in my snow-covered driveway for a few minutes waiting on the Garmin to connect to GPS satellites, I was finally ready to knock out this run. I pressed the button, the timer started and I launched in the snow and slush in the aftermath of Winter Storm Liam. That first step is when I heard the “pop” in my ankle. “Oh that can’t be good” I thought to myself. In typical idiot fashion I kept on running. I had miles behind me and miles more to run after all. I started the week feeling pretty darn good. I had put a 6 mile training run to foot with The Commander and some good friends over the weekend. One girl, we will call her Silver because her initials are AG, and I run together because we run at the same pace and she pushes me. It was a good run with good friends and everything I thought I needed to be ready for the Moraine State Park Frosty Feet 5k trail run the following weekend. My plan was to maybe run once during the week, but maybe not.  It has been referred...