I bought the Nike Pegasus Trail 5 because they are advertised as a waterproof shoe. I was originally thinking these would be a good option for snowy winter running. I’ve worn them on a few trail races and am pleasantly surprised with the overall comfort and performance of this shoe.
Color: Sanddrift/Cyber/Life/Lime/Dark Pony
The Nike Pegasus Trail 5 is comprised of a Gore-Tex upper, with the Nike ReactX foam midsole, offering wet-weather protection, decent cushioning, and made with sustainable materials.
I found this Gore-Tex shoe to be both breathable and waterproof. They are sturdy for trail running and yet not overly heavy.
They are perfect for wet rainy weather and yet handle the trails well. This shoe is a great choice for days when the weather is unpredictable.
According to the Nike website, this product is made with at least 20% recycled content by weight. Nike is committed to move to zero which is Nike’s journey toward a zero carbon and zero waste future.
Although Nike recommends ordering a half size up, I purchased my normal running shoe size and it fits nicely.
The John Bryan Trail race is part of the Wolf Pack Trail series, which includes trail race distances ranging from 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, 20K Relay, and 6 Hours of Power. This edition of the race took place at John Bryan State Park on Saturday May 24th and Sunday May 25th. I ran the Saturday Half Marathon.
All races started at 10am. Same day check in and bib pick up was at the park starting at 9:15am. The race director, Chris Stout, made some race announcements prior to the start of the race, and then the national anthem was played.
This is a beautiful trail throughout the park, and course includes steps, uphill running, downhill running, and a bridge crossing. Many portions of the trail are single track. The course was well marked, with the 5K / 6Hours of Power following blue flags, and the 10K / Half Marathon following orange flags. The Half Marathon course was 2 Loops.
All event finishers received a Wolf Pack medal which was included in the bag handed out at packet pickup.
Finishers also received a Wolf Pack Sticker.
I finished 20th out of 24, with a time of 2:46:11.
Check out the Wolf Pack to get more information about upcoming races or to purchase a Pack Pass
A few of my friends are part of the 50 States Marathon Club, having completed Marathons in all 50 States.
I don’t have the time or money to travel to all 50 states, instead I am conquering one state. My goal is to complete every Half Marathon in Ohio.
A few of these races no longer exist, however, I’ve keep the ones I have already run on my list. There are probably other races that I am not aware of or that may be added in the future. It’s difficult to compile an accurate list of Ohio races since new races are constantly being added. Here is my progress so far, one emoji for each Half Marathon I have run, with discontinued races at the bottom of the list. Of course any of these events could be re-instated or renamed or replaced at any time. This list is simply races I am currently aware of.
I started running in seventh grade because two of my friends decided we should join the middle school cross country team together. Neither of my friends ended showing up for even a single practice, but I joined the team anyhow.
I didn’t have running gear so I wore jean shorts to practices. I had a pair of white high top sneakers that were not running shoes. My race times were slow and I didn’t fit in with the other girls on the team. Yet, despite my struggles I didn’t give up.
By high school I ran with the Varsity XC team. In cross country meets, only the top five finishers count towards the team score. I was consistently number six for my team. My times didn’t factor into the scoring, but I continued to get faster and by the end of the season I won the most improved runner award.
Through running I have learned how to set and achieve my goals. I have now run marathons and ultra-marathons. I am no longer the awkward jean-clad girl who was afraid she couldn’t finish a race. I have learned that hard work pays off. Hard work is NOT easy. Often progress is slow, and many goals take more than one attempt to achieve. I am faster now, as a masters runner, than I was in high school.
I do not define my success by my finishing times. I am proud not only of the races I have finished, but most of all the grit and determination I have shown.
As a coach, I now use my passion for running to encourage other runners. For the past twelve years, I have served as the head coach for the Centerville Striders XC team. I am honored to have the opportunity to run with these kids, and extremely grateful to be part of an amazing running community.
I run because running has transformed by life and allowed me to meet so many amazing people. Keep setting goals, crush those goals, and set more goals to crush! Hard work pays off!
The Dash 4 Cash is a 1 mile race hosted by the Ohio River Road Runners Club (ORRRC).
The race is a 1 mile run along the bike path at Eastwood Metropark. Participants must first walk or run a mile to get from the registration to the starting line. Runners then dash from the start back to the finish. The top three finisher in each age group received a cash prize.
I finished 10th in my age group with a mile time of 7:22.
This race is part of the Team Series.
My daughters each finished 5th in their age groups. We did not win any cash.
The Flying Pig Marathon celebrated it’s 25th anniversary with a very memorable race experience.
With thunderstorms predicted to occur during Sunday’s Flying Pig events, the 2023 marathon quickly became the “Floating Pig” as runners ran through rain, lightning, and a bizarre downpour.
Thank you for another great race, and an experience I am not going to forget any time soon.
Running challenges can be a great source of motivation throughout the year. Many runners will take the challenge to “run the year” by completing a total of 2023 miles in 2023. I prefer a much easier task and instead test myself by drawing the year during my run.
Here is my 2023 captured by my Garmin during my New Year’s Day run. I utilized a track for the zero, but otherwise “drew” this without any other guides or tools. However, I learned today that the Strava app has a feature that allows you to see a run in progress on your phone. I will keep this in mind next time I am creating an image during a run.
As the new year approaches, a lot of us are focusing on setting new goals, making New Years Resolutions, and creating dream boards. And yet over 75% of people are NOT actually accomplishing their goals.
How will you be the exception this year?
Let’s take a moments and break this down… with seven tips to help you succeed.
1. Goals need to be Specific and Measurable. A goal of running everyday may burn you out, but a goal of running at 5am, 3 times per week can be measured and completed. Saying I want to do this MORE or do that LESS is can not be quantified or measured. Goals need to include details to be specific.
2. Schedule time to accomplish your goals. Block off time in your calendar. Make appointments with yourself. Set the alarm clock for 5am and get to work on yourself. If it’s written on the calendar it’s more likely to happen. Read my previous post about the magic of 5am here. I believe that one simple change that can increase the success rate of any goal, whether you use that time to workout, read, journal, plan, or just meditate and prepare for your day.
3. Break down the goal in to daily, weekly, or monthly tasks. Often we start with a big dream, but fail to break it down to the appropriate size steps to take action. If your goal is to run a marathon, think through what each week will look like, and what each training day will include. What do you need to do to make it happen? Hire a coach, get a training plan, get a training buddy, start strength training, join a running group. Get rid of any distractions. Take those small steps, that include planning and action.
4. Celebrate your victories along the way. Think of rewards for yourself, or your family that will serve as motivation to keep going. Rewards for others may be more motivating than only rewards for yourself. Do not use food or shopping as rewards if those will cause setbacks to your goal. A chart to track progress provides added motivation and a feeling of accomplishment. Every time you color in a box on your chart or check off a workout or task as complete you are one step closer to your goal and can measure your progress.
5. Share your goals with others that will support and encourage you. Use friends, family, or social media for added accountability. Use online groups to connect with others who share your passion or have similar goals. Surround yourself with other motivated and likeminded people.
6. Write down your WHY. Ask yourself why this goal is important to you, and visualize how you will feel when you accomplish this goal. Post this where you will see it, perhaps on your desk or on your refrigerator. A post-it note on your bathroom mirror may be all you need as a visual reminder of your why. Hint: Keep asking WHY until your WHY makes you cry.
7. Start Small. Don’t get overwhelmed with big dreams. Start with one step that is realistically attainable, and use that success as momentum for the next step. Accomplishing even one thing is better than setting too many goals and then abandoning them all.
For further help or accountability please feel free to msg me. I would be honored to help you achieve your goals, create a training plan specifically for you, or provide insight and accountability for you this year. If you are planning to run your first marathon this year please let me know that as well.
As Zig Ziglar said, “What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.”
If this post was helpful, please leave a comment. Thanks!
Run Cari 