Dayton Fraternal Order of Police 5k

Last Sunday, June 16, 2019 was Fathers Day. It was also the 4th annul Fraternal Order of Police Memorial 5k.

The 5K race started at 9 am at the UD Welcome Stadium Track.

This race honors all Dayton Police Department Officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, as well as those who work the frontline every day. This race is open to everyone, not just those working in law enforcement.

All week my Garmin Status has claimed I was “Overreaching”. I am three weeks post Marathon and have been feeling a bit burnt out. My goal for this race was to run strong and do my best. I was not expecting a PR given I am still recovering from my last Marathon.

At the first mile mark, I realized I forgot to start my watch. From that point on I had no idea how fast I was running, which may have helped me to run my own race without focusing on a PR.

This race utilizes the same course as many other races, and finishes with a lap around the track. When I entered the stadium for the final lap, I saw my fellow 5 Rivers Teammate, Jason, cheering for me. Another of our teammates, Katie, was right behind me. I finished strong and when I saw the clock at the finish line, I realized that despite what felt like a slow run, I was actually very close to another 5K PR.

I finished in 23:37 which is a Race PR of 9 seconds! I also won my age Group and was the Overall Female Masters Winner.

This means in 2019 I ran 5K race PRs on both Mothers Day and Fathers Day, and was the Masters Winner at both races.

Cleveland Marathon

May 19, 2019

Packet Pick Up and Expo was at the Cleveland Convention Center.

After the bib pick up I attended the pasta dinner at the Hyatt Regency which also happened to be the hotel I stayed at that night.

There was a wedding in the Arcade at the Hyatt.

I was in Coral D.

Sometimes it reaches 80 degrees while you are running a Marathon. On such a day, when the PR you have trained for suddenly feels unobtainable, you can still finish strong with a smile, and then go watch one of your teammates finish her first full Marathon.

It wasn’t a PR, but I still had fun. Thank you Cleveland! I will be back!

Cleveland Rocks!

Bandit Relay

The Second Annual Five Rivers Bandit Relay – How to Drain Your Flagon was held on June 9, 2019.

Eight teams, comprised of 4 members each, competed in a 43 mile Bandit Relay from Twin Creek MetroPark along the bike path to downtown Fairborn. Each runner ran 3 legs of various distances to complete the relay.

The team of Kate Schuster, Pat McClean, Jimmy Fritchman, and Cari Masek finished in third place with a time of 6 hours and 1 minute.

Run Like A Mother 1 mile & 5K

May 12, 2019

Run Like a Mother is part of a national race event held on Mother’s Day in seven cities across the country. This was the second year this race has been hosted in Dayton.

The Dayton RLAM race was held on Sunday May 12th at Island Metro Park.

The morning started at 8:45 with the Kids 1 mile fun run, which I ran with my six year old daughter. We finished approximately 1 mile (0.94 according to Garmin) in 10:51. I cannot think of a better way to Celebrate Mother’s Day than running together.

Four minutes later I lined up for the 5K. I finished the race 3rd overall, and Masters Winner, in 23:46.

Finishers received a rose and Run Like a Mother medal.

Arriving at the finish line in third place and with a new 5K race PR and seeing my two daughters cheering me in was the best gift ever.

Finishing right behind me was my fellow 5Rivers teammate Lindsey, who has been a huge inspiration to me. She kept me motivated to finish strong as I could hear her right behind me. The 5 Rivers team takes 3rd and 4th Place overall.

There were awards for the top 3 finishers. I received a pair of Goodr Sungrasses for finishing in 3rd place Goodr Lance’s Afternoon Uppers

Girls on the Run 5K

May 11, 2019

I am honored to support the Girls on the Run 5K again this year as a Running Buddy.

I ran today with my 5th grade Buddy, Nariah who completed her third 5K, as a member of her schools heart and soul team.

This year’s race was run on new course which started downtown outside the Dragons Fifth Third Field, and ran along the River bike path.

Girls on the run is so much fun.

Flying Pig 10K

May 4, 2019

Pigs are flying in Cincinnati this weekend, as the city celebrates the 21st running of the Flying Pig Marathon.Flying Pig Marathon Weekend is a huge running party with multiple events throughout the weekend. The 10k is Saturday morning, followed by the 5k. Both the Half and Full Marathon are on Sunday.

The Flying Pig events are some of my all time favorite races ever!

The weekend started out with packet pick-up and the P&G Expo at the Duke Energy Convention Center.

The expo featured tons of great booths, vendors, and pig themed gear and goodies.

I especially enjoy viewing all the pig memorabilia and race history. Each of the past Marathon shirts, medals, and posters from each race is displayed, along with numerous Pig photo opportunities.

The past two years I have run and PR’d the Flying Pig Marathon. This year I was aiming to PR in the 10k.

I started in Pig Pen A, which was the first corral. Pen assignment was based off projected finishing time submitted at registration. Pen A was reserved for those planning to finish the 10k in under 50 minutes. I had not previously run a 10k that fast, but that was my goal for this race.The Flying Pig course did not disappoint. The race runs through downtown Cincinnati and over a bridge into Kentucky. Other than a few slight hills to going up each of the four bridges the course was relatively flat and fast, and lined with the amazing Cincinnati spectators that make all of the Pig events so special. It is truly an atmosphere make this a race one you won’t want to miss.

I absolutely love the pig theme of this race, and all the pigs throughout. I don’t think I have ever seen a race do it better. Even the finish is pig themed.I made it to the Finish Swine in 49:41, with a new PR, proving that I belonged in Pig Pen A today. In a huge field of over 5000 runners in today’s 10k event, I placed 10th in my age group out of 584 woman, finishing in the top 2% overall.

To celebrate another Pig PR I made this Pig inspired Omelet. Don’t tell anyone, but I actually used turkey bacon.

ORRRC Xenia Marathon

April 7, 2019

I simply cannot resist a $35 Marathon, so I ran this race as a training run, while training for another spring marathon.

I finished the Xenia Marathon 4:15:15, with a new PR and 3rd in my age group.

Thank you ORRRC for another great and cheap race.

I even won an award for 3rd place in my age group.

Brokeman’s Undiscovered

March 10, 2019

What matters isn’t that you fell flat on your face, but that fact that you got back up.

On a rainy wet day while running what was supposed to be a Half Marathon at the Brokeman’s Undiscovered, I tripped on my own pant leg and landed on my face.

Technically this would be my first DNF (did not finish) in a race, but since there was an 8 mile race option, I was able to switch to the 8 mile distance and be done.

I did not wish to continue until I could be sure I was ok.

I finished 8 miles in 1:18:53, 23rd place.

ORRRC St Patrick’s Day 5K

March 9, 2019

The race started at Wayne High School in Huber Heights, and started and finished on the track.

I finished 2nd in my age group with a time of 24:20.

ORRRC Frostbite 5 mile.

The ORRRC Frostbite 5 Mile race was held on February 3, 2019. On a sunny day with temperatures in the 60’s, this year’s race could have been more aptly called the Sunburn 5 mile.

The race started at Centerville High School, and ran though local neighborhood streets.

According to the posted race results I finished 3rd in my age group, but the awards were handed out at the finish and I received the wrong one.

First PR of 2019, 5 miles in 40:52, and I finished in 161st place out of 443 runners.