Surf N Santa 5 Miler AKA Last race of 2015

Surf N Santa 5 Miler

December 19, 2015

Virginia Beach, Virginia

                Surf N Santa 5 Miler was my last race I was registered for the year. It is organized by J&A racing. I have become a fan of this company since completing in Shamrock race back in March. They know how to do races and how to properly treat race finishers.Somehow I signed up for 3 back to back races in December. How did that happen?? This was #3.

                I had heard about the race on Facebook through past participants. I truly enjoy themed races. I kept the race on my radar and kept an eye on the deadline for when the race entry would increase. I signed up for the race a few months ago. Then I reached out to my TIFL sister in Charlotte who is solely responsible for me becoming a fan of J&A racing, Angel Chappell Jonas. I checked to see if she was doing the race and she was. I went ahead and signed up. Now that I think about I may have signed up for this race back in the summer. I remember going to Huntersville packet pick up in Charlotte and running into Angel and we were discussing hotel arrangements. Yowzer I really did sign up early. That’s the real way to save $ on race registration.

                I booked the hotel through Hilton Honors because I am on a SERIOUS mission to earn enough points to stay at the Hilton Oceanfront resort in Virginia Beach during the summer. Hotel is booked. I was in Charlotte last weekend for Reindeer Romp. Angel and I were making final logistics for our trip. We decided since she was driving up from Charlotte. I would drive from Raleigh to Virginia Beach. It really made the most sense. We drove up to VA beach on Friday evening. Our first stop was packet pickup. We arrived at the convention center about an hour before race expo closed. We picked up our packets, hit the J&A store which I truly went into a conniption back in March buying everything that said 13.1 on it lol. This time I had much better control. I only purchased 1 shirt and 1 pint glass. Go me! We leave the expo and head over to our hotel. Siri is leading the way but everything looks completely different at night. Siri is a tad bit slow in telling us when to make the turns. We see the Hampton inn entrance AFTER we pass it. Thanks Siri. I end up turning into the exit instead of the entrance. No cop sees us so no ticket. We check into the hotel. Then go find some dinner.

                The race is on Saturday at 4:30pm. This is my first evening race. I’m so used to having to get up at ZERO dark thirty for races. This is a nice change of pace. Get to sleep in on race day. Where they do that at?? We leisurely get up and thanks to Yelp we find a local breakfast spot. Carb loading at its best with the egg scramble. This decadent breakfast menu item is slowly putting me in a food coma. We make a stop at Walgreen’s on the way back to the room. Then we are relaxing in the room to get mentally ready for the race. Did I mention the weather forecast at race time is 45 DEGREES? Baby it’s cold outside. I’m a southern lady who LOVES the cold. I know go figure. I have brought lots of layering options. We decide to head over to the convention center, the START/FINISH of the race around 3. As we head over to the convention center, we see fellow races walking from their hotel to the convention center. Angel and I are both thinking “once they finish the race, they will have to WALK back to their room” No thank you. We make a pit stop at 7-11 so I can get a water for my camel bak. I’m starting to learn my way around. We park in the lot. Then we make our way over to the convention center. I’m going to say ALL race participants are waiting inside before the race starts because it is a gaggle of folks in here. I make my way to the restroom and based on the line I am not the only one who had this idea. We wait around and do some people watching. People really go all out in terms of costumes. I even see a few Star Wars costumes, yeah!! Some folks are really creative. The one that stands out to me is a guy dressed as Santa in a homemade sleigh with I’m assuming his girlfriend or wife dressed as a reindeer pulling his sleigh.

                The announcer comes on over the PA system. “If you can hear my voice, you are in the wrong place. Head to the start line for the race” We leave the warmth of the convention center and head into the cold that is the start line. We are in corral 5. We line up with our corral. There is a wind whipping through which makes it feel about 10 degrees colder. I’m starting to rethink my life choices at this point. I’m here and there is 5 miles to get it in before I can call it quits. Race starts at 4:30pm. They move us out by corral. Our coral makes it to the start line about 4:41 minutes into the race. When you start a race with the crowd, you can easily get caught up with the hype of the crowd and start off to fast. I have had this happen to me a few times. About 5 minutes down the road, my body tells me to slow it up because this is not our pace. Angel and I are walking together. We are checking out the costumes while we people watch. We get passed by another Santa and reindeer. His sleigh has a sign that reads “Santa and his Ho Ho Ho’s”. Cute. We head down from the convention center and I’m not sure what the distance is but we are almost at the first turn onto Atlantic Avenue. I see the lead cars and cyclists turning to the convention center. We all scream out to the lead guy. Dude is flying towards the finish line. There is 1 other guy not too far behind him. We think wow he’s already finishing and we are just starting. I think of the words Melva Peed told me “your race your pace”. We head onto Atlantic Avenue. We hit mile 1. Right pass mile 1 is the first water stop and wouldn’t you know it, it’s right by our hotel. A part of me wants to make a beeline for the room. The way my bling obsession is set up I have to cross the finish line. Also the Max is parked at the convention center. We turn onto the boardwalk right behind Hampton Inn. As we turn onto the boardwalk, we are starting to lose daylight. They have holiday lights set up on the boardwalk. It is GORGEOUS. I’ve read on the race site that all runners have to be off the boardwalk by 5:45pm. In my head I’m thinking I can’t really enjoy the lights because we have to “fly like the wind bulls-eye” so we don’t get pulled off the course. We pass mile 2 on the boardwalk. I keep an eye out for The Oceanfront Inn because that’s where we are staying for Shamrock. When I see it, I tell Angel “there it is”. We booked it last night. Multi-tasking at its best. It’s right at the finish line for shamrock. You have no idea how HUGE that is. This years’ hotel was like a mile away. You may think that’s not a lot. After you have just finished a half marathon another mile feels like 200 miles. We are coming up on another stop. I see all these folks dressed like gingerbread men. I don’t see any cookies. Turns out they ran out of cookies. Story of my life for being the back of the pack. At this point, I am so ready to get off this … boardwalk. It feels like it’s going on forever. I see the light show is ending. The last light display shows “Living the beach life” I figure I have time to snap a picture. Picture comes out pretty good. We turn off the boardwalk and back onto Atlantic. We pass mile 3. We only have 2 more miles left to go. We head towards the last water stop right by the Hilton resort that I am obsessed with. The water stop is manned by what I am going to assume is college students because they are so HYPE angel and I are wondering what the heck did they have to drink and can we get some of it. We see a cop car head towards us and he tells us to get on the sidewalk. We get on the sidewalk. Literally 5 minutes later, one of the J&A race vehicles pulls up to us and tells us to get on the street because the course is still open. I tell Angel there must be a breakdown in communication because we have been told 2 different things. We get back on the road. We turn on 19^th street to head back to the convention center. Angel can tell my breathing is getting really ragged. She gets my chews out my camel back. I was slipping and not taking my nutrition. I take a few stinger chews and guzzle some water and I get a 2^nd life to make the last mileage to the finish. Angel tells me we are getting close because we can see the convention center. I tell her so close but yet so far. The course has going around the back of the convention center. This reminds of Reindeer Romp last weekend in Charlotte. As we make the last turn, 1 of the race volunteers walks up to us. She tells us she is going to walk us in. She tells us “I’m so glad you all didn’t quit” I tell her of course not this is where the car is parked. She asks Angel if I have been joking like this through the entire race lol. We are coming to the final stretch, the finish line shoot is near and then we walk into the convention center and I see the finish line. I’m so excited that this adventure is coming to an end. It is so cool the finish line is inside the convention center. I hear the race announcer calling our names. There are a few folks hanging around cheering us on. Official finish time is 01:52. My last race for 2015 is COMPLETE.

Reindeer Romp

I had heard about the Reindeer Romp on Facebook through the TIFL Alumni group page. I saw pictures of last year’s race. I noticed the race participants received hooded sweatshirts. I love a hoodie. As fall drew near, I started to google the race and kept it on my calendar. I reached out to a friend who is from Charlotte to see if she was interested in doing the race as well. Then we could stay at her mom’s house. Win-Win. Forward to a week before the race, my reindeer romp weekend partner informs me that she has another commitment and cannot make the race but she has made arrangements with her mom for me to still stay with her for the race. SCORE.

The race was held on December 12, 2015 at the Harris YMCA in Charlotte. I drive down Friday afternoon. I make it to packet pickup at the Y just in time. As I turn into the parking lot, I spy with my little eye a car in front of me with a TIFL sticker. I think to myself well I bet that we are probably going to the same place. I indirectly follow them. I park and then I see the driver of the car is TIFL Charlotte past president Hilary Crabtree. I yell out her name and we head over to the Y. I pick up my packet and Melva’s packet. Once I told Melva we were getting hooded sweatshirts she changed her mind in trying to sell her race bib. Good call.

I checked the weather before I left Raleigh and the forecast at 8am was 55 degrees. In my mind that’s COLD. I opt to pack long sleeve running clothes. Since it’s a Christmas theme race I pack my Star Wars ugly t-shirt. I’m up and at it Saturday morning. I have about a 30-minute drive from Mary Peed’s house AKA Melva Peed’s mom AKA my hostess with the for the weekend. I arrive at the Y about 7:26am. We are meeting at 7:30am for group picture. As I get all my gear out, I see a few TIFL sisters. I have now been designated the Raleigh exchange student. Isn’t’ that special? I will travel for a race. I’m starting to feel warm from the two layers I have on. I didn’t bring anything else to put on. We head over to the race start. Our group is way too big for a groupie pic. We recruit someone to take a real group pic. Geri Hampton Jackson who has been designated the best Southeast groupie photographer gets one with her phone. After the picture, I go “pay the water bill”. I see the crowd has dispersed. I just follow folks and end up at the start line. I’m walking this race as I have done all my races this year. I will return to running soon. I’m lining up with Angel and Tiffany and Alexia in the baby stroller. She has it the easiest and doesn’t even know it.

At 8am, the race starts, we start on a slight incline. We make our way through neighborhood behind the Y. I’m moving along pretty good with Angel and Tiffany. This course has some HILLS. The weather is started to warm up. It’s foggy and humid. I’m sweating like a sinner in church in my too many layers of clothing. We pass mile 1 and we all are like it’s just mile 1. I’m sipping on the water in my CamelBak like it’s the best thing since sliced bread. It really is because I am losing water from sweating like it’s going out of style. The neighborhood is actually nice. We are admiring the Christmas decorations and the panthers decorations because this is Charlotte, home of the undefeated Carolina Panthers. We have just passed mile 2. I see another hill. I’m like come on. There’s a cop out on the course who tells us “This is the last hill”. Angel ask “are you sure” He replies I have 2 weeks left on this job so I would not lie. Strangely enough he was right, that was the last hill. We make a few more turns after the hill. Angel tells me that we are making our way back to the Y because there is a traffic up and head. I’m so happy to see we are headed back to Sharon Road. The right lane is still blocked off for traffic. Our lovely personal stalkers, the race course pickup crew and the sweeper car tell us to get on the sidewalk because they are opening the road up. We get on the sidewalk and cross the intersection. We are about a block and some change from where I parked. We head to the finish; I tell Angel it’s a shame my car is parked right there. She tells me nope we have to make it to the finish line first. We run into Geri and Donella who are leaving. We run into another course monitor who directs on where to go to make it to the finish line. We meander through the parking lot and turn onto the sand and head to the finish line. The very helpful course monitor volunteers try to get us to run it in to the finish line. I’m seriously looking at her like it’s so not happening. I tell her I’m just happy that I made it. We all cross the finish line. My official time is 1:10:23. They hand us what looks like a medal but I am told it is a Christmas ornament. How cool is that? I wasn’t even expecting any bling. I was SOLD on the hoodie. Another 5K is in the books. Back to back 5K’s are done. 1 race left to complete for the year on December 19 in Virginia Beach, Surf-n-Santa 5 miler.

Wing and a prayer

American Family Fitness Half Marathon AKA Richmond half marathon 

On November 14, 2015 I participated in half marathon #7 in Richmond, Virginia. I went into this race un properly trained. I have no real excuse for not training except I just didn't train. This was my first time doing this race. Since the beginning of 2015 I've been traveling with a few of my TRI sisters for race weekends. We started off with Charleston in January and finished off the year with Richmond. We drove up Friday afternoon and immediately hit the expo. I LOVE race expos. It's like Christmas morning as a kid except you are your own Santa Claus. I didn't get too caught up. I only bought 4 pairs of Balega socks (they were buy 3 get 1 free) and a pair of 13.1 earrings. I did score a free race shirt from the All-American marathon which is held down in Fayetteville. I remember some of my Fit-Tastic peeps ran it last year.

I'm often told that I know a lot of people. People fail to realize I've been around this running community since 2008. I'm an alumni of a few running groups, i.e. NCRC Women's beginner running group, Fit-Tastic, Raleigh Galloway, a one time appearance at lifetime run and of course last but certainly not least Tri It For Life.

We check into the hotel. We decide to find some food at the hotel. The reality of race day is starting to hit me emotionally. I have a slight breakdown at dinner. What can I say I'm an emotional chick. Our hotel is 5 blocks from the start. We decide to sleep in until 6am and head over to the start around 7am.

Saturday morning shows up in like 5 minutes. Seriously it was just that fast. It's about 39 degrees outside. I'm from Alabama and that's cold to this southern gal. I'm pretty glad I packed my jacket and almost thought about rolling with my hoodie but my clothing is not disposable so I left the hoodie in the suitcase. 

We pick up a quick bite from the hotel. We make our way to the rave start. Lord have mercy nobody mentioned the HILLS we had to climb from the hotel to the rave start. By the time we made it to the rave start I'm already sweating. Mary asked me "jo you sweating already" I'm like I was born sweating. That was the pre race workout. We see the start line. There are people everywhere. Race day excitement is in the air. All 4 of us are in corral K but we pull a "sharon" and line up with corral H. I don't know why because all the corrals are going to pass me by anyway. I'm a team player, sometimes. I see a few familiar faces from Raleigh. Carolyn Quarterman is in our coral. She tells me she has done the full before but not the half. Larry Stroud from Galloway finds me and we take a pre race picture. I met Larry at a Galloway training run at Capital RunWalk in 2014. He came up to me after the run and told me you kept going out there and that's all that matters. I'm going to tell you how small Raleigh is and how I have a theory that all the brown people know the brown people. People tell me it's just me that knows everybody. Larry's daughter signed me up for a personal trainer at my old gym. She's a runner as well. I've run into her at Diva myrtle and city of oaks in 2012.

They are making the race announcements. Then the race starts and we move up as the various corrals head out. Once our corral hits the timing mat I start my Garmin. We are off. Since I have not been running, I opt to walk. Garmin is running, I hit the play button on my playlist. I'm off and moving. Folks are passing me by as they are running down the street. I spy with my little eye the marathon has started on my left. As I head towards mile 1 I see my friend Natasha who is doing her first marathon and I yell her name. She waves back. I'm so excited for her, first full. I'm only 1/2 half crazy.

The pack is thinning out and it's just me and my personal stalker, Richmond police cruiser. The first 3 miles are the hardest and they ain't never lied. As I hit mile 3, I see a stadium and I realize this is where the expo was held the night before. I'm like holy moley we are all the way over here. As we head to mile 4, I see folks coming up the road from where I'm headed and I see Sharon and Claudia. They ask me if I'm ok, I'm like yeah I'm good. As I head out of the neighborhood I see a few cops on motorcycles and I realize the lead marathoners are headed my way. There they are 2 Kenyans flying down the street like its nothing. I'm headed to mile 5, my personal escort has pulled closer and is in the left lane. A race volunteer heads towards me and tells me she needs me to get over in the left lane and head into the Park. Once I come out there is an aid station available with whatever I need to help me get to the finish.

I head into Bryant park. I see other half racers coming out. I get a few high fives from folks telling me to keep it up, you go this. In my mind, I'm thinking why am I out here and not back at the hotel chilling watching HBO. I'm in the park and I'm like good gracious where are we going, Maryland. This feels like the longest part of the course. I pass mile 6. Then I pass the 10K spot. The volunteer walks up to me and tells me to walk over near the timing mat so my time is recorded. I hear it beep and I think I've made it to 6.2 miles. Only 6.9 more to go. The sun is out and kicking my tail. I'm guzzling down water and I still have my Powerade in my jacket which I sip on. I stop for a minute to get it together. My escort pulls up and ask me if I'm ok or if I need medic. I tell him I'm ok. I knew it was going to be a struggle and that's exactly what it was. I keep on walking and pass mile 7. I come to a turn and there is nothing to indicate what direction to go in. I turn around and ask the cop. He has no idea either. He drives up on the right and comes back and tells me he doesn't know where the course goes. He tells me to hop in with him. You think I didn't. We ride left and we see nothing with course directions. We come out the park out of a totally differ the entrance than we started. We turn onto a major road that is open so it's not part of the course and BAM we hit the course. He asks me what I want to do. I told him Im finishing. I get out and head towards the course. The race volunteer from early heads to me. She tells me "I've been waiting for you" I tell her we lost the course. She apologizes and tells me they must have pulled up the course. I'm thinking to myself "no shit Sherlock". She directs me to the aid station and packs of runners are out now on the marathon course. I'm back on the course and I pass mile 8. At this point, we are going through neighborhoods, folks are partying all up and down the street. I see a house that is grilling. There's a beer station. Lady offers me a cup. I politely decline as i am that non beer runner. I keep looking out for the infamous junk food station that's supposed to be at mile 9. I assumed I've found it as a volunteer comes over and tells me what they have and I tell her I'll take the gummy bears. I know the chewing will help me to keep moving, that's a tip I remember from Jeff Galloway training manual. My body is really starting to run down as I have just passed mile 10 and I stop in front of the medic aid station. One of the volunteers ask me if I'm ok. I tell her I need to sit for a minute. She offers me water and Powerade, which I take. I'm feeling slightly better, I head back out. She tells me you only have 3 miles left. Only 3 miles, hmm. I tell myself I have a 5K left and that DNF is not an option. I keep thin,ing about the fleece blanket that finishers receive. That is my true motivation. One foot in front of the other. I hit mile 11, I decide to use my lifeline and call a really good friend of mine who I call tall drink but his government name is Greg. I tell him to talk to me because I'm dead on energy. He is motivating me and all of a sudden I hear someone call my name and I turn around and its Kat from Charlotte. We hug. She tells me she's so glad to see me. Kat says jo I'll see you at the finish I have to knock out these 2 miles to get my medal. A little over 2 miles to go, I think I can I think I can. I see Virginian Union university. I'm thinking didn't

my cousin Reggie go here and isn't this a HBCU and aren't they in CIAA. Tall drink is still on the life line and he says yeah jo they are. The course is FINALLY headed into downtown. I pass mile 11. I'm like 2.1 miles left to go. So close but it feels so far. I'm walking through downtown. I pass through buildings that have VCU. I see 2 ladies pass me. I yell out "Priscilla is that you" she yells back hey Johanna. The other lady says yes it's Priscilla and she's headed to a PR. how cool is that. I pass mile 12. Guess who passes me as she heads to becoming a marathoner, Koren. She's looking great. Seeing Raleigh peeps heading to the finish line gives me extra energy. I'm getting real close. Folks are telling me you have 3 turns left and then it's a downhill finish. This totally random lady walks up to me. She asks me how I'm doing. I'm ok just ready to be done. She's a local race coach. I mention how I didn't properly train. She chastises me. I tell her but I've made it this far. She asks me if this is my first half. I tell her no it's my 5th. She replies really with the FACE. I'm pretty use to getting the face so smart ass Johanna comes out. I tell her that I did shamrock back in March, 8K on Saturday and half on Sunday. Her face hit the floor. Don't judge a book by it's cover. I may be 3 dollars and 6 dimes but these hips do get it in on the pavement. I didn't tell her that but I was thinking it. We get to the downhill finish. She tells me she came go any further. At this point I'm filled with every emotion known to man because I know I'm almost done. As I head down the hill, folks are cheering me on. I hear someone yell my name and its Angela griffin from Raleigh. I see the finish line. I hear the announcer call my name. All I can think is thank god this thing is over with. As I cross the finish line I see a familiar face waiting for me, my TRI sister Intisar is there. She gives me a hug and I hold on for dear life. I am a half marathon finisher again. I don't care that it took me over 6 hours. No I do not.

Special shout outs go to my TIFL sister, Mary Hicks, Sharon Johnson, Claudia Gunter,  Kat Collier and Intistar Hamidullah, my NCRC buddy Carolyn Quarterman  and my tall drink Gregory Clanton. They all played a part in this journey. For that I say thank you.