As I mentioned last week, I accomplished a big goal of mine by publishing a post on the lululemon blog. I interviewed Tom Cripps, lululemon ambassador, ultra-marathoner/trail runner/complete badass, as well as a good friend. I credit Tom with introducing me to trail running – something that I’d never done before last fall.

Beyond just being an awesome guy himself, his belief in me as a runner has changed the way I see myself. I told him I wanted to run a sub 2 half, he told me I had a 1:45 in me (I split the difference). On our most recent trail run, he told me I should shoot for a sub 4 hour marathon in November (Tom, I’m still wrapping my head around that one). He’s also convinced that I’m going to be an ultra marathoner myself – and for some reason, I’m thinking about it.

Tom is funny, inspiring, and most of all, just really cool. His interview for the lululemon blog was edited down for length and we had to cut out some of my favorite parts – so here’s a longer version of our interview.

How long have you been a runner? What got you started?

I have been a runner for about 12 years. But to be honest, I have always run. I had a brief stint in cross country when I was about 10 years old, and when I played Australian rules football growing up I was a midfielder which requires a lot of endurance running. When I stopped playing football I started purely running as a misguided attempt to not scare off potential mating partners with the abundance of my waistline. Then I just really started enjoying running

What keeps you going – why do you run?

I love this question, and it continually evolves for me. Sometimes I love the solitude. Sometimes I love the company. Sometimes I love the grit. Sometimes I love nothing about the run at all!

Trails have been an enormously positive influence in my running. Getting out of the city and tearing up a dirt path is awesome. Because of the terrain you are constantly in a world where only the three steps in front of you exist. I don’t meditate, but I guess you could liken it to that. All thoughts about work/life/the latest episode of Gossip Girl just disappear. So it’s a release, and adventure, and a killer workout too.

Describe your best run – either one that really happened, or just the perfect set-up. Place, time, company or solo, distance…

Wow, great question. Ummm, well my best run to date has been the Leadville SilverRush 50 miler. The entire race is above 10,000ft altitude, and the first 10 miles of it are purely uphill, so you’re sucking wind real fast. I hit a beast of a wall really early in this race, and basically had over 2 hours of attrition knowing that I still had to run well over the distance of my furthest run to date. When I got through that wall around mile 17, everything changed. That was a defining moment for me. So I guess that really describes why I run ultras.

As for the perfect set-up, I gotta take snow trails every time. They are just pure fun. You’re going to fall over, and it’s going to be funny. But you just get back up and keep going. It’s also a tough workout on the legs, but the enjoyment factor completely overrides it so you don’t feel it until you’re done. I was really looking forward to a cold winter this past season, but we never got it, so I only got a couple of snow trails in. Fingers crossed for a brutal 2012/2013 winter!

What is an ultra?

Depends who you ask. The actual definition is anything further than a marathon, so if you jog to the beer station after running a marathon, you could technically say you ran an ultra (and congratulations on that extra effort too!). However, some people say it’s got to be at least 50 miles. I think the best definition is 50km (about 32 miles) or more. There’s a lot that goes on between mile 26.2 and mile 32, and I think the mentality for most runner’s switches from speed to survival around here. It does for me at least…

What got you into ultras?

Like a lot of people, I did the ‘I want to run a marathon’ thing. Then I ran one. Then for two weeks after I promised myself I would never do it again. Then I realized I missed the commitment and the feeling of accomplishment. Then I read THE book (Born to Run – Christopher McDougall). I had no idea humans could even run much further than a marathon let alone 135 miles in the middle of Death Valley in the middle of summer. I could still remember the pain after my first marathon, so it didn’t add up to me at all. I was just so intrigued I had to try it myself. I am intrigued today as much as I have ever been.

What do you love about ultras – why do you keep coming back for more?

Ultras to me are pure accomplishment. They’re physical proof that I can do things that not long ago I didn’t think were possible for me. This mentality has spread to other areas of my life too. I set stretch goals for everything and I’m not bothered if I fall short. As a result, I’m way more productive with work. I think I’m a better husband and I think it will make me a better dad one day. Most importantly, my dog happens to love trail running too so I’m his favorite and not my wife!

What advice do you have for a new runner or someone training for their first distance race?

It’s all in the preparation. Whenever someone asks, I always tell people to reverse-engineer their training schedule. Your peak distance workout will be 2-4 weeks before the event. To avoid injury you should try to build up your weekly mileage by 10-15% a week. So what should you be doing now in order to hit that peak training run? There are a lot of other factors that go into it obviously. It’s not always easy with work schedules, social life, tiredness, muscle tweaks (when you’re punching out 50+ miles a week, there’s always something wrong). So you just have to listen to your body, and push it at the same time. It’s not easy, but I guess nothing really worthwhile in life is (I am NOT sitting in the lotus position as I write this). So you commit to it, and you do it. I am pretty sure that when you cross the finish line you will think it was worth it.

What is your motivation  – what gets you past your wall?

I was afraid you were going to ask this. Ok, motivation comes from a number of places. The chance of getting a runner’s high, just being out in the wilderness, traveling to new places and seeing them in a unique way, meeting people (the ultra community is great), getting called crazy by family, friends, and some doctors, etc. It’s just a part of my life exactly like going out with friends is to some people and playing tennis on Sunday’s is to others. I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t love it, so it’s all self-fulfilling now.

As for what get’s me past the wall. Ahem, well, ahhhhh… Twosies. There, I said it.

What does your training for an ultra look like?

Depends on injury status. I really am a newbie at this, so my body is getting used to it. With this come injuries, mainly in the form of shin splints. To conquer this, I run trails, trials and more trials. First of all, there is a very distinct difference between how my body pulls up after a training run on trails as compared to roads. I firmly believe that this all comes down to a magical trail pixie that flies along beside me and throws invisible pillows under my feet when I run. Either that, or we all just naturally run lighter on trails to avoid rolling our ankles. If you pick a trail with technical and steep terrain, you can spend a long time out there at a high work rate and not get far. This is fine. It’s not all about mileage. Time on legs is key too. So my training schedule is packed with long weekend trail runs, a bit of bike work during the week, and a LOT of strength stretching before workouts and on rest days.

Logistics –do you run the whole time? How do you eat? Hydrate? Go to the bathroom? Do you get bored?

I never get bored on a run. There’s always so much going on, and I don’t run on roads much anymore, so I’m constantly thinking about my footing. Sometime I listen to music, but not often. I have never actually run 50 miles non-stop either. I have run 32 non-stop, but that was around Manhattan so it was pretty flat. There are a couple of golden rules in ultras. One is if you can’t see the top of the hill, then walk it. The last thing you want is to go into oxygen debt. The byproduct of this is lactic acid, and lactic acid in an ultra is bad news bear. There’s not much coming back from it, so you will either DNF or the remainder of your ultra will really suck.

Eating can be a chore for me as after a certain amount of mileage not everything wants to stay down. I do a lot of ‘spew-burps’. A guy I run with likes to make fun of me for these, so as unexpected and annoying as they can be, they do have some humor value. Hydration is really important too, and getting the sodium levels right is pretty critical. I usually try to take a good sip of water every 10 minutes or so. There is another ultra golden rule that if you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. Keep this in mind and you probably won’t let yourself get thirsty.

As for bathroom, I guess men are like dogs. The world is our potential urinal. There are laws that tell us not to do our business in public areas, but I don’t think they apply when you’re on a trail in the middle of nowhere. At the very least I have not seen any on duty policemen out there as of yet, so I think the chances of me tarnishing the lululemon brand by getting caught taking a tinkle in the forest is pretty slim! As for women, there seems to be more logistics involved but the concept is exactly the same.

Tell us what you did last weekend.

Last weekend I ran 100km through Beijing to raise money for LearnToLive, a cause focused on providing sustainable health care and resources to areas in North Sulawesi (Indonesia) where there is absolutely zero history of any health care. Think tuberculosis and malaria-type issues – stuff that we just don’t even think about whilst bathing ourselves in alcohol hand sanitizer after taking the subway. LearnToLive sends health workers and engineers to North Sulawesi for one month on an annual basis to diagnose, treat and educate these communities. They set up sustainable drinkable water solutions, and regular visits from nearby physicians to ensure the healthcare solutions are maintained. The other thing that LearnToLive does is it exposes US health workers and students to healthcare in its rawest form. This is kind of an intangible benefit, but I believe this experience affords these workers a unique perspective that will simply make them better at what they do.

So what’s up next for Tom – share your goals!

1. I want to run UTMB in 2013. UTMB (Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc) is THE ultra marathon. 101 miles around Mont Blanc, running through parts of France, Italy and Switzerland with a brutal average gradient. To do this I need to run 100km and 100 miles this year. It’s a good thing my wife understands my passion for running. She will get a trip to Chamonix out of it though (that’s where the race starts and finishes)!

2. I want to run an ultra marathon on all seven continents. I love to travel as much as I love to run, so this should save me some time and give me plenty of ammunition to bore people with when I’m old.

3. I am currently working on kick starting a small venture fund with a buddy of mine. I’d love to get it to the point where we expand and bring on some employees. Start-up businesses are a passion of mine, and something I’m learning more and more about every day now. I love talking about this stuff as much as I love trying out new

Dear Mom,

You are awesome.

The things that you take on every day show me what I am capable of. Thanks for never questioning my life choices. Reassuring me that I can do anything. Telling me every chance you get how proud you are of me. Thanks for always showing up.

Thanks for answering the phone and listening. Sending me your copies of People Magazine, even if I’m always a few weeks behind on celebrity gossip. Fed-exing my neon spandex and LA Gear sneakers for an 80s party with two days notice. Agreeing that 10am is a perfectly acceptable time to order fruity drinks on the beach. Registering me for races from across the country when I’m at work and am afraid they will sell out.

Thanks for encouraging me to try it all and do what I love – and for teaching me not to waste my time on things that don’t make me happy (see: my short lived stints in gymnastics, dance, art classes and as a child actor). Thanks for cinnamon toast and popcorn and backyard baseball and helping me paint my room purple and not murdering me when I covered it with pictures of Kevin Richardson and f*ed up the paint.

Thank you for putting Cary and Kaleigh and me first every single day for the past 28 years.

I’m so proud of you.

xo,
Cait

1. Paleo – not as hard as I thought it would be. Meat, veggies, fruit and nuts.

Major unexpected difference -  I feel like I’m constantly eating smaller snacks/meals and I’m much fuller than I usually am. Grocery shopping last week was kind of ridiculous – it looked like we were trying to feed a family of 5 with mostly fruit.

2. My story was featured on Healthy Tipping Point last week! Huge honor for me, and Caitlin is the sweetest. Check it out.

3. I’m officially in love with Crossfit. So much so I’m working there a few times a week. I’m busier than ever but also loving my life more than ever.

4. I accomplished a huge goal this week – my first post has gone up on the lululemon blog! Go check it out, and stay tuned – the full interview with Tom will be published here later this week.

Share something from your week!

To eat all the grains, sugar, beans and dairy in my kitchen.

May 1st I’m starting a Paleo Challenge.

(source)

I’m not really sure how this is going to go. It could be not so bad. I already don’t eat much dairy, if any. My meals are dominated by fruits and vegetables. I love fish and I love nuts. (That’s what she said).

BUT… I don’t eat much meat. A few times a week, if that – and that’s been a pretty recent development. I eat almost no red meat. I eat lots of oats and black beans and hummus. I love sushi. AND I LOVE PEANUT BUTTER.

That being said, I’ve been feeling the need to mix up my diet in a big way. I’m getting bored. I eat more sugar than I need. I’m definitely feeling stronger than I’ve ever felt thanks to Crossfit, but I’d still like to drop a few pounds and lean out a bit.

I’m definitely nervous but I know it can be done. I’m learning a lot about different dietary theories in my nutrition classes and I like the idea of trying different things to see how they work for me and my body. I’ve gone vegan for 21 days. I can do anything for 30 days.

It might seem like I’m hopping on some kind of bandwagon. Maybe I am. I’m okay with it. In my mind, there’s nothing wrong with trying something out. If I hate it, at least I’ll know – I will be more educated and be able to speak from a place of experience.

So the next few days I’ll be eating the last of my oats and beans and grains and reading this book in preparation. I’m excited to be able to share my experience and come up with some new recipes. Any ideas send them my way, please!

I’ve been busy.

Coaching.

Trail running.

City running. And sweating.

Crossfit-ing. Soul-cycling. Yoga-ing.

Having fun visitors.

Hanging out with my two favorites.

And becoming a Fitfluential Ambassador!

I’m loving sharing the success stories of people who have done the hard work and made the choice to change their lives. This story is incredibly inspiring and meaningful to me because it comes from one of my best friends! She has always been gorgeous and has worked so hard to achieve her goals – I could not be more proud of her! She is my April inspiration. Love you Steph!

I can think back more than ten years and remember struggling with my weight. It all started in 6^th grade, when I switched schools and realized the beauty of chips. And doughnuts. And ice cream….all this fantastic, unhealthy, fatty food I had never really eaten before was right at my fingertips! I started to go crazy and the pounds began to pile on. I was a teenager and my body was changing as it was, but an unhealthy diet was the last thing I needed to add insult to injury. By the time I entered high school I was probably around 135lbs and continuing to gain. At 15 I weighed in at 150lbs and finally got a reality check. I joined Weight Watchers with a dear friend and for the first time began to see weight loss success! I was never a very active person, as I was quite un-athletically inclined. I danced and did theater, but I was never a runner or a jock. Changing my diet helped, and after a few months I had lost 25lbs. This was a huge success, but one that only lasted a very short while. As soon as I hit my goal I realized that I missed those danger foods that got me in trouble in the first place. Over the next 4 or 5 years I continued to gain and lose, having the classic yo-yo effect that so many of us have dealt with. Nothing ever seemed to click and my love of unhealthy food and lack of motivation were detrimental to achieving my goals.

August 2010: 189 lbs

I remember the day so clearly that I weighed in at 189lbs. It was August of 2010 and I stood on the scale and simply sobbed. Never in my life did I think I could let myself get so out of control -that I would be so unhealthy and so unhappy. It was then that I knew I needed a change. Thankfully with the help of two unbelievably supportive parents, I signed up for Fitness Ridge, a weight loss camp put on by the Biggest Loser. I was signed up for a month in January of 2011 and knew that this was it. This was the month that it would take for me to change my life.

Success I found, and quickly lost. I had shed 20lbs before getting to Fitness Ridge and another 17.5 while I was there. I came home feeling on top of the world, but after a promotion my work schedule was completely out of control and I found my weight creeping back up. I was eating poorly and not working out, and before I knew it, I had put on all 17lbs and then some. My clothes didn’t fit, my fitness level was back to zero and I was totally unhappy with where my life had taken me. It was time for yet another drastic change.

True to my impulsive nature, I decided I needed to modify everything in order for this to work. So I quit my job, moved out of my apartment and once again removed myself from my comfort zone completely. I was signed up for two months at a different fitness program called Premier Fitness Camp. I was scheduled to do a month in Park City, UT and another month in San Diego, CA. I was totally prepared and ready to rock it this time around. There was no going back, and no excuses. This was it, time to change for good. Having done this only a year ago, I was lucky enough to have gotten most of the mental and emotional aspect of this process down pat.

January 2012: 172 lbs

Now, I will say that 90% of a weight loss journey is completely mental, and I mean that. However, going into this, I was focused completely on getting fit and achieving new heights. I wanted to lose the pounds, but more importantly, I wanted to feel fit and lose inches. I was less concerned with a number on the scale. Those numbers will always fluctuate. The way my jeans fit and the distances I can run will be the true testaments of my success. After only a few short weeks in Utah, I knew I was in for a tough two months. I was up for the challenge, but it was obviously quite a shock for my unhealthy body! I realized, however, that I missed the endorphins and the workout high I once experienced a little over a year ago. I quickly got back into the groove of things and it became routine. Once I made it to California, I was down 12lbs and was feeling fantastic. The change of scenery, trainers and food was exactly what I needed to continue to fuel my success. I flourished in the SoCal sunshine and couldn’t wait to wake up and embrace the day’s exercises.

Now, to fill you in on what this program entails: it is 7 hours a day of exercising and a 1,200-calorie diet. This is not something one can obviously sustain after leaving Premier, but it is a program designed for drastic effects, and that is exactly what we see! It is a fantastic jump-start to a new lifestyle, and gives an individual a plethora of tools to take home with them. Along with a new waistline comes a new set of skills, and the confidence to step into a gym, sign up for a local race or begin a new fitness program without feeling inadequate or intimidated. I had never signed up for a large gym before, because I was sure that everyone there would be looking at me as the “fat girl” who didn’t know what she was doing and needed to be in there 24 hours a day. That has all changed. I had a 2-week hiatus before coming back to La Costa for 4 more weeks of camp. The first thing I did was sign up for a two week pass at LA Fitness where I jumped in on several classes, worked out with a personal trainer and went in and did my own workouts. Not once did I feel as though anyone was looking at me for any reason other than to be jealous of my newfound guns. :)

February 2012: 156lbs

What I will say is that it’s worth every bead of sweat every tear and every sore muscle to feel as fit and as healthy as I do now. Regardless of the weight, being able to move and train like an athlete is the best high I could imagine.

This program has not only changed my figure, it has changed my life. I have two weeks left and am petrified to leave, only because I am going to miss my new family here at Premier so much. But I know that I have every tool I could ever need for success. Mentally, physically and emotionally I am ready for this challenge and I am never, ever looking back. This journey is not for weight lost, it is for weight gone, never to be found again.

*If you are interested in being featured in a weight loss success story, shoot me an email! caitlingrams@gmail.com

This week I did this.

\

Never in my life have I had any experience with gymnastics rings. An 11 year old who was there literally flying from ring to ring asked if I had ever done this before. I’m not really sure how she could tell that it was my first time, other than me falling a lot. I told her the closest I’d come was diving into a foam pit in gymnastics class when I was 7. That’s the same, right?

This girl is a complete badass and invited me, coached and encouraged me, and didn’t laugh when I looked like a complete loser.

It was a good reminder that it isn’t always about being comfortable. Sometimes it’s about feeling a little fear and taking the plunge anyway and being okay when you are showed up by an 11 year old.

Surprise – I decided to pick two winners because you guys made me really happy this week – you all have so much great stuff going on in your lives!

Congrats to HANNAH and GREG for winning my little giveaway! And thank you all for entering and being so awesome. I’m always surprised when someone besides my mom tells me they read this. Thank you for reading my ramblings and sharing your good things with me – I loved reading them!

Hannah and Greg email me and we’ll chat bracelets! caitlingrams@gmail.com

And if anyone else is interested in the bracelets, email Amy at spellacy610@gmail.com.

Two years ago I started  this little project.

I wanted a place to write. That’s all. And it has given me that and then some.

I’ve found friends who love sweating and beer as much as I do.

I’ve found running buddies . I’ve tried new classes and recipes and worked out with celebrity trainers. I’ve played around and feel like I’m settling into writing something that feels really authentic to me, which is why I started in the first place.

To celebrate 2 years of fun, I’m giving away something that is super special to me. My gorgeous and talented friend Amy makes and sells these beautiful bracelets. She gave me one for my birthday, and I’ve gotten tons of compliments on it.

Each one is handmade and can be personalized, and the winner will get to make her own bracelet! If you’re a guy and/or don’t want a bracelet, I’ll send you something equally awesome. We’ll talk.

To enter:

1. Leave a comment telling me one thing super awesome about your life right now.

2. Tweet about this giveaway: @caitlingrams is giving away an @amyspellacy bracelet here!

Two entries if you do both! I’ll pick a winner Friday night.

*This giveaway is sponsored by me. Yup I’m buying you a bracelet. That’s how much I like you.

Usually after a race it only takes days (if that) for me to decide on my next goal. After my marathons I had pretty much decided my next goal as I crossed the finish line.

This one’s a little different. I’m still riding high off my PR, and to be honest, I’m not at all concerned with beating it anytime soon.

Here’s what I’m focusing on for the next 6-ish months:

*Crossfit.  I gave in to the trend and I’m definitely hooked. I love the quick, focused workouts that make me simultaneously want to throw up and also make me feel pretty badass, the emphasis on form and safety, the dedication of the coaches and the community. 212 Crossfit is where it’s at, or at least where I’ll be a few times a week.

*Ragnar Cape Cod. I could not be more excited and also feel more out of my element. I have no idea what to expect but I’m stoked to take on a relay and run for fun. Luckily I will have 11 of my buddies along for the ride!

(source)

*Seawheeze. I can’t, can’t wait to run a race in Vancouver with Nate, some of my best friends and lululemon!

(source)

What’s next on your race calendar or what are you looking forward to?

Man oh man friends.

This weekend was beyond epic. First, in case you haven’t seen it yet, I’m famous. I mean, I’m not, but my mom thinks so, so, that’s the same.

Second…Saturday I ran my 7th half marathon.

Over a year ago I decided that a sub 2 hour half marathon was within reach. My fastest half was a 2:04 in that hilly beast Central Park, so I knew I with the right training I had it in me. My last half was in Brooklyn last year with Nate. It was his first, neither of us had trained SUPER well, and he has one kidney, so bathroom stops were inevitable. We finished in 2:13, which was fine – I was really proud of him for running a half, but after that race I wanted a sub-2 even more.

Despite the fact that I ran multiple sub 2 halfs during marathon training runs, none of them were actual races, so they didn’t count. I need a chip and a timer, thank you very much. I was scheduled to run the Bronx half in August, and then we had a little hurricane.

Way back in the fall when Ashley, Theodora and Beth started chatting about the DC half, I decided I wanted to join them. I remember hearing/reading about the National Half last year, I had never been to DC and thought this would be a perfect excuse to spend the weekend with friends in a new city…and it was time for this PR.

In January, I enlisted my trusty run coaches and enrolled them in my goal. I took my training seriously, stepped up my cross-training game. I did speedwork. I ran Harlem Hill repeats. I did a lot of things right. I also missed a few speedwork sessions. I cut 2 long runs short in the last month.  I definitely didn’t slack, but I didn’t follow my training plan 100%. I’d say I followed it about 85%. But I still felt pretty good going into Saturday.

(thanks for the photo Ash!)

I knew from the beginning that it wouldn’t be about the physical battle. Yes it would be physically hard, but I’ve gotten used to pushing myself really hard. Racing has become so much more of a mental battle for me. I doubt my abilities, wonder if my training will be enough, doubt whether I have what it takes. Wonder if I’m fast enough, strong enough, la la la.

Thursday I met with Jessica (my run coach) and we decided my two goals were to have fun and to finish under 2 hours. We came up with a plan – 8:45-8:50 miles for miles 1-6ish, when the hills start. 9:10-9:15 miles for miles 6-9ish, the hilliest miles of the course. Miles 9-13.1 were going to be whatever I had left. I felt good, but nervous.

Saturday morning as I started running I decided two things. First, I was going to push myself to my limit. I didn’t want to finish this race feeling like I could have gone harder, could have given more. I wanted to feel completely spent. Second, I decided I was going to push all negativity out of my head.

So I headed out. Throughout the race I periodically checked my Garmin to make sure I was somewhere around an 8:50 pace, but mostly I tried to clear my mind. I imagined this was just going to be a long training run. I tried to relax and enjoy it.

The first 2-3 miles were mentally tough. I wasn’t used to going out at a sub 9 pace at the start of a long run. I immediately started to question whether I would be able to maintain this for 13 miles. But then I remembered my no negativity rule, so I told myself, “Caitlin, you got this. You are going to do this” and kept going.

Around mile 2.5 a song came on my playlist that reminded me of Nate. I thought about Chicago, when he jumped in and ran with me, and how unbelievably supportive he is of me. (*And that’s when this little story gets cheeseballs, so feel free to stop reading at any time. But this is when I pictured him running with me. And this is also when I decided to employ a tactic I’ve heard of many times but never actually tried – I decided to imagine a different person running with me every mile to help pass the time. I pictured Nate, I pictured my run coaches, I pictured my running buddies, my favorite spin instructors– all people  who motivate and inspire me, who see something in me when I can’t see it in myself, who make me believe that I can do anything. And you know what? It flipping worked. It not only helped the miles tick by, but I really felt like I had the support of these people the whole way. *end of cheeseball rant. You can keep reading now. )

As for the run? It was great. I got to run by lots of cool DC spots, although some of the hills SUCKED big time. I felt really well prepared. I ate lots of delicious carbs the night before. I drank tons of water and no alcohol. I drank an entire bottle of water Saturday morning. I stopped at every other water station, and took 3 Honey Stingers at miles 4,7 and then 2 more at mile 10.

By the time I got to mile 9-10, I realized that not only was I likely going to go sub 2, but I could hit 1:55. So I kept pushing. I kept making myself as uncomfortable as I thought I could sustain. Miles 11 and 12 were really uncomfortable. Weird things were going on with my right hip/hip flexor, and I started to get nervous that something was going to go really wrong. 13-13.1 was just mean. I knew I was so close but yet couldn’t see the finish, so I kept pushing as hard as I could and had no concept of how close I was to the finish. Finally it came into view and as I stopped my watch and caught my breath, I couldn’t believe it. Not only had I run a sub 2, I’d run a sub 1:55. I finished in 1:53:25.

And then we celebrated. Rooftop beers and green margaritas.

And while yes it feels amazing to have this amazing PR that I’ve been after for over a year and that 4-5 years ago I would never have imagined was possible, there’s something so much bigger for me in this race. This is what happens when you go for a goal with everything that you have. This is what happens when you put literally everything you have on the line for something that you really, truly want. Whatever your goal – running or fitness goals, weight loss, even career or personal goals -  if you go after it with everything you have and don’t let negativity anywhere near you, anything is possible.