Victories are sweet….Defeats are agony

Yesterday morning I thought I had nothing to worry about.  I woke up, grabbed my gear and got into the car ready to run my final marathon for Zachary and everyone who has supported 10 Races for 10 Years.

I arrived at the Start juuuuuust before the race began.  The rain and wind made travel a little slow.

I put on a long sleeve shirt over my tank top and went to the start.  The gun fired and we were off.  I felt great.  The first 6.5 miles there was a tail wind at my back and I was averaging just what I wanted, about a 7:40 min/mile…maybe a little faster.  I felt so good I took off my long sleeve shirt and ran in just my tank and shorts.

We turned around at that point and headed back in the direction we came from and the headwind hit me like a ton of bricks.  I was the first female runner and wanted to keep my lead…just as I did the last marathon I ran in November.  So, I pushed through the headwind, and the pouring rain, but started to get cold.  After 10 miles, my hands started to numb and I began to tense.  Getting to the half-point, a woman shouted to me "you're my first female marathon runner!".  That was a fun support.  I thought, I can push through the cold!  I am on pace to finish the same time I finished my last race, I got this!

After 13 miles though, I lost feeling in my hands and by the time I reached 14 I found it hard to take in a breath.  I also felt a sharp pain under my knee that I've never felt before.  So at 14 1/2, I ran off the course and stopped.  Not wanting to scare anyone (and to be alone in my defeat) I ran a back road back to the school where we started.  The 1 1/2 miles distance I could normally run in my sleep was agony.  I was freezing and I wasn't going fast enough to keep my heart rate up and keep myself warm.  Not to mention the feeling I had of letting everyone down who have supported me, of letting Zachary and his family down.  I was stronger than this.

I got in the car and felt defeated.  I've run 14 marathons and have finished all 14.  I looked in the mirror and my lips were totally purple.  Looked down at my purple hands and couldn't believe that it ended like it did.

Once I got home, though, I changed into dry clothes, and thought, this is not over.  I have to finish what I started.  Fortunately Carter had a birthday party at the Lifetime Gym, I had to pick him up at the end.  I drove to the gym and jumped on the treadmill.  After running a mile, the pain below my knee was unbearable.  I was so upset.  I stretched it and rolled it for half an hour, went back on, and started again at a slow pace.  I ran for an hour…still falling short, but running about 6 miles, but it was all the pain and fatigue from that morning would allow me, given that I still had a full day of events ahead of me.

So, in total, I ran 23 miles for Zachary yesterday.  Each one of those miles brought something new to it.  My Dad, who's birthday was yesterday, told me that the reason we are here is to learn.  I've learned so many times when to keep pushing, to not give up.  I learned today, when it's time to stop.  The next lesson I will learn is how to go from all the wonderful things that have happened to me and my running this year, to what happened yesterday, and then getting back to the feeling of VICTORY.  I started my first of these five marathons in June and I will have another race, a half Ironman, in June this year.  I want this to be my final race for Zachary, to end MY part of this adventure on a high note.

We will hold a family/friends/community 5K this Sunday at 4 and I look forward to seeing you all there.  I consider this event to ALSO be a victory.  Everyone coming together in honor of Zachary and his family, in support of Child Abuse Awareness Month, and to raise money for Marley's Mission.

Thank you for everyone who has been a part of this year.  You have made all of this worthwhile and I wouldn't change it for the world.  Stay tuned!

It's Unanimous....The Best 5K We've Ever Run

Color Runs are great, sure.  A trail race is a blast, absolutely.  But how cool was it to run this 4th of 5 5Ks for our Remembering Zachary Project??!!.  10 Races for 10 Years has been SUCH an experience.

Last night, we ran the Snowman Stampede, a 5K race through the Bull Run Park's Festival of Lights.  The race began at 5:10, obviously just at dark, and this is a little of what we were able to see the entire course - it's blurry but taken while running, so I hope you understand.  :)

Rewind, before the start, we met up with two Herklotz Clans.  Aidan and Carter's Grandparents, Lynn and Bob and the boys' Aunts and Uncles and cousins, Chad, Jennie, Addison and Collin.  They all walked/ran the Mile Reindeer Run while the boys and I ran the 5K.  I hope they enjoyed themselves, they did look pretty goofy...er, merry.

Carter felt running for Zachary that night.  He was able to run a Personal Best himself with a 29:59 finish time.  He crossed the finish line feeling so proud of himself, a feeling he will hopefully be able to carry with him through other pieces of his life.  Aidan ran the entire race as well without stopping, a strong accomplishment considering the two hard hours at the gym he had spent just that morning.  After the race we spent time at the Holiday Village at Bull Run, played some fair games, had some hot cocoa, and ran into some pretty amazing running friends we've met along the way.  

I wouldn't change these experiences for the WORLD.  Our last 5K race for Zachary will be in March.  We would LOVE to be able to share this experience with even more friends and family and community.  Look out for a TON of updates, prizes and more, we want everyone involved!!!

Oh, and, yes, we had a picture taken of the three of us....by Santa...well, a racer dressed up as Santa.

Running for Zachary Continues! Virginia Run Turkey Trot with My Little Turkeys

This Holiday Season I'm truly thankful for many things.  The same things for which I'm thankful are the same things that keep me too busy to blog in a timely fashion....I'm faulted, I'll admit it.

But I'm catching up now and that's what matters.  :)

Aidan, Carter and I have run not one, but TWO 5k races since I last blogged.  Both unique, fantastic experiences we were lucky enough to share with family and friends.  This blog is about our 3rd of 5 5K Races we are Running for Zachary's 10th Birthday Celebration.  Our 4th was run last night...more on that to come.

Thanksgiving Day - Aidan and I arrived at the Virginia Run Turkey Trot site where we volunteered to help with the race set-up at 6:00 a.m.  It was a balmy 25 degrees that morning.  Aidan woke up at 5:30, much earlier than most kids his age would wake up on a day off from school.  We volunteered until very close to the race start and then then kid went out and ran a 3 mile race.  He is the best.

After volunteering, we met up with Zachary's Mom, Chrissy, and her daughter Kenzy...Aidan and Kenz have been friends since before birth and still are.

I ran the race with her and the boys followed behind.   It was a cold day, but Kenz was on FIRE.  She was determined to push herself, a quality that is so important for a young person to know and understand and EXPERIENCE.  This is one of the major focuses of what I want to accomplish with our Remembering Zachary adventure, for kids to be healthy and strong and to understand they can always do MORE than what they think they can.  I told her Zachary would have been so proud of what she was able to accomplish.  We crossed the finish line together in 30:50.  A personal best for her.  Her Mom texted me this beautiful letter she wrote when they got home.  What an amazing Mom.  I would be proud to share many more races with Kenz in the future.

Never In My Wildest Running Dreams....

Last Sunday was the 3rd Marathon I ran in honor of Zachary's 10th Birthday.  It's amazing what happens when you take the energy from the people you love and shove it into the passion you've always had for something.

Over the last five months, since deciding to run 10 races for Zachary's 10th Birthday (5 Marathons and 5 5K's with my sons and family/friends) my running went from being something I did for myself and by myself, to something I've been able to share with so many people in my life.  I went from running with just me and my dogs, to running with my boys, my boys' friends, my Scouts, my own friends, and then sharing it all with you, people who take the time to read this, and most importantly, running with Zachary.  And, much to my surprise, my running is better than it has ever been.  

This one is from a couple weeks ago.  I took my boys, scouts and my Dad on a sunny fall two mile run.  A very memorable morning.   These boys now have developed a saying that I hope they remember for years to come:  Walking is for Woosies.  Yep, not the most PC, but hopefully something that keeps them running when they could just walk.  

This is from Sunday's race.  There's something to be said about spending a few hours on the trail, by yourself, pushing your legs and heart to move faster than what is comfortable so that you can make yourself and the ones you care about proud.  Because just going out and running a marathon for Zachary and those that have shared running experiences with me isn't enough.  I feel an obligation to do better than what I thought was my best, and that still doesn't feel like enough.  I beat my personal best Marathon time by 44 seconds on Sunday, 3:32:50.  I was the 2nd fastest woman in this race and although I was proud of myself and what I accomplished, I want to do more.  I'm excited about what the next two marathons will bring.  What limits I can push, what self-developed boundaries I can cross.  The sky is the limit when the love from other people is on your side.  

This week the boys, dogs and I will be training for the Virginia Run Turkey Trot.  Our 3rd of 5 5K's we are running for Zachary's 10th Birthday.  We hope you will join us.  If not, there are two other 5K races, schedule and information here: http://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise?fcid=261373

Run or Dye Trying! 3 1/2 Races out of our 10 are now in the books!

The 1/2 is because Carter was unable to run this VERY awesome 5K with Aidan and me this morning, his mean soccer coach (Todd) made him play his last game of the season.  So, we have a color 5k set for Baltimore on 11/17 and will get to 4 RACES COMPLETED at that point.  That means 6 races left to run after that for Zachary's 10th BIRTHDAY!

Until then, Aidan and I had an amazing time at the Run or Dye 5k at RFK Stadium.  A site where I had  run many a marathon was now turning into a location where I'd run a 5k with my son.  The love of running continues!

Two Races in ONE DAY on 11/17!  I'll be running the Potomac River Marathon and drive over to Baltimore to run THE COLOR RUN with Carter right after.

For those who would like to support our cause, here's an explanation of what we are doing and why we are doing it and how you can get involved!!!!  http://10runningfeet.blogspot.com/2013/09/10-races-for-10-years-remembering.html

IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN ALREADY, OUR NEXT RACE AFTER NOVEMBER 17TH IS THE VIRGINIA RUN TURKEY TROT!  COME JOIN US FELLOW NORTHERN VIRGINIANS!

10 Races for 10 Years - Our First 5K TOMORROW!

Tomorrow is our FIRST 5k for the Remembering Zachary Project! 

The boys and I have run on the trail with the dogs, 10 running feet together, about once to twice a week, when other sports activities and homework don't interfere.  I love these times.  Having the five of us together, sharing the hobby I love most in this world.

Doing this for Zachary is what excites me most about this project though.  Raising money for Marley's Mission is a plus too.  It all ties in together.  :) 

 

 

 

Unfortunately I haven't had the time to spread the word like I initially planned, but that's ok, we still have 5 months of running left!  Here are the details of 10 Races for 10 Years!


10 Races for 10 Years
5 Marathons
5 5ks
By March, 2014 to celebrate Zachary's 10th Birthday

• Zachary was tragically killed when he was 14 months old. He would have been 10 this March.  We want to honor his life and celebrate his 10th Birthday by running 10 Races for 10 Years.
• Our goal is to come together as a family and invite other neighbors/friends/family in the community to celebrate with us.
• This Project is about celebrating Zach's life through physical fitness, community, and family togetherness. Coming together to raise money and awareness for amazing people and such a worthy cause.

Run with us and/or Sponsor us! $.10 or $10 per mile or per race, whatever you want to give.
http://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise?fcid=261373


All donations go to Marley's Mission: http://www.marleysmission.com/
Marley's Mission is a non profit organization that provides equine-based therapy to children who have experienced trauma.

Here's our race schedule!

Five Marathon Races to finish by March 2014

1) ½ Sauer ½ Kraut in Philly – June 15, 2013 –FINISHED
2) International Peace Marathon – September 14, 2013
http://www.oarevents.com/events/2013/Trail_Running_Rampage_2013.shtml
3) Potomac Marathon – November 17, 2013
http://www.safetyandhealthfoundation.org/marathon/
4) Seneca Creek Greenway – March, 8, 2014
http://www.senecacreektrailrace.com/Default.aspx
5) Rock N Roll Marathon – March 15, 2014
http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/usa?gclid=COf7uNCC1bgCFcqf4AodL0sAOg


Five 5K Races to finish by March 2014

1) Glory Days 5K – October 12, 2013
http://www.prraces.com/glorydays/register/
2) Virginia Run Turkey Trot – November 28, 2013
https://runsignup.com/Race/VA/Centreville/2013VirginiaRunThanksgivingDayTurkeyTrot
3) Commitment Day 5k – January 1, 2014
http://www.commitmentday.com/washington-dc/
4) Run for Haiti – March 30, 2014
http://www.prraces.com/runforhaiti/
5) To Be Announced

Angel Wings Took Me To The Finish Line

    10 Running Feet....and a couple pairs of hind paws.



I ran my 2nd of 5 Marathons for Zachary on Saturday.  A nice 26.2 mile race on C&O Path.  Also happened to be a Boston Marathon Qualifying Course.

I couldn't believe my eyes when it was all said and done either.  Was I really capable of that time?, I thought as I looked down at my Garmin.  Running through the finish line I was in awe.  Amazed that I not only was able to acheive my goal, but I far exceeded my own expectations.

3 months ago, June 15, I ran the 1st of 5 marathons in Philadelphia.  I finished that race in 3:46, which I considered to be a huge victory.  How did I improve my time by 13 minutes? I wondered after the race finished on Saturday.  Something even stranger, which I'm just realizing as I type, I improved my time by 13 minutes from my last race.  I was the 13th Marathoner to cross the finish line and it was my 13th Marathon.  Who ever said 13 was unlucky clearly didn't plan this situation.  (One EXTRA SPECIAL number coincidence.  Zachary's Birthday was March 4...3/4...take a look at the picture next to you....I think there were Angel wings flying me to the finish line). 

The truth is, I know exactly how I finished this race with my best time ever.  A few things.

1)  I trained my butt off.  Running faster, longer runs throughout the week.  Running 55 to 60 miles per week for 5 months.  Running sometimes 3 times a day.

2)  My diet, although sometimes there were failed meals/days, was ridiculously restricted to a ton of robust green vegetables (kale, brussel sprouts, zucchini, mushrooms), chia and flax seeds, soy and fish.  Throw in some wine and dark chocolate for good measure and balance and that was my food life.  Exciting huh?

3)  Having a purpose that went beyond myself.  Running for Zachary's memory and doing this for him and his family has been a powerful inspiration.  More than I expected it to be.  I'm very grateful for this experience and happy that it's just the beginning of 8 months of being able to celebrate his life.  From now until March (well, if I get into Boston Marathon - fingers crossed - then we'll continue into April) I am beyond thrilled to give and receive such positive support and encouragement in so many different ways from so many different people.  This is what makes our world a better place to live and what makes the impossible turn into reality.

NEXT UP?  The Glory Days 5k at Bull Run Park with the 2 sets of smaller running feet, Aidan and Carter.  They will be running their 4th and 2nd 5K races (and the furry feet if they let them in).  There's still space to register.  It's never too late to make a difference in your life, your kids' lives, your community's...you name it.  Come join us! 
http://www.prraces.com/glorydays/

Don't forget, you can donate to support our project too!  Click on the link below to go to our Donation Page. 
http://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise?fcid=261373

Colleen