First Day 5K 2019

Posted on January 1, 2019 by Liz

sandwich 5kThis was clearly the BEST way to start the new year!!! Despite being out celebrating last night, staying up till 1AM and not having run in a week, I had a great race. It helped that the weather was near perfect (57 degrees with light wind) and the course was mostly flat.

It was a typical small town 5K. These races typically do not have chip timing which means your time is modified. I tried to use my MapMyRun app (since my running watch died a year ago) but there was no service halfway through the race so it cut out mid-race. None of this changed the fact that I still ran at a pace I had not run since the summer!

I learned a lot about not pushing myself in 2018. I did all the wrong things early in the year and I paid for it the second half of 2018. I finally had to stop running and rest my knee. Fortunately it paid off! I have a great respect for proper training both physically and mentally. I don’t beat myself up if I have to take a break for a day or two or modify my training. Now I embrace those things knowing that I will ultimately be a stronger runner. With this new found knowledge I know I will realize my goal of doing this crazy stuff well into old age!

I have made the decision to try my Run The Cape Challenge again this year. Beginning it in January means I have a lot more time to get the 15 races in. I will add in a few half marathons and a triathlon or two just to keep it interesting.

Hope you enjoy my 2019 journey!

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Ocean to Bay 5 Miler – Truro

Posted on June 11, 2018 by Liz

o2b1Race 5 – June 10, 2018 @ 9:00am

Truro – Ocean to Bay 5 Miler

It had been two weeks since my last race and, boy, what a difference two weeks makes! While all week the weather looked like it was going to be cold and rainy by the time Saturday came the reports were for sun and we could not have asked for a more perfect day! The sun was out and the cool breezes off the Atlantic Ocean made for the perfect conditions.

This race I had fans! My son and his girlfriend, who live in Boston, came down to The Cape for the weekend. They even woke up at the crack of dawn to drive me to Truro! It is not lost on me that waiting for a runner is like watching paint dry. I was just glad that they could hang out in the sun and have have breakfast on the grounds of the lighthouse. (The snack bar at the venue was open!)

My fans - Nick & Nora

My fans – Nick & Nora

The Truro Ocean to Bay 5 Miler benefits the upkeep and restoration of Highland Lighthouse; a majestic and classic lighthouse on the dunes of Truro. It sits atop a dune overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Surrounding the lighthouse is Highland Links a beautiful golf course that many compare to the golf courses in Scotland.

The race started at the top of the hill that the lighthouse sits on. We ran to the bay-side of Truro which was about 1.5 mile away. We ran back toward the ocean after a turn at Pamet Harbor on the bay. The return toward the lighthouse took us back across Truro then toward another ocean parking lot about a mile away from the lighthouse. Returning to the lighthouse meant running back up the long hill. This was a bit of a killer for me.

I am a fairly strong hill runner but this one was tough. I wanted to finish strong and found the strength to keep up my pace till the end. Part of my motivation was to make my son and his girlfriendo2b3 proud and that worked! I pushed and when I saw my time (I am still without a race watch). I was thrilled. I had kept my pace around a 10 minute mile. This is GREAT for me 🙂

Our post race treat was a (short) trip to Provincetown to stroll along Commercial Street. We poked in and out of the shops and got a snack before heading to Wellfleet for lunch at Russ & Marie’s BBQ. I love that running lets me explore our Cape towns and eat at some of the yummiest restaurant!

I am excited that I have now completed 5 out of the 15 races in my Run the Cape Challenge. It feels like a real milestone!

To learn more about the beautiful town of Truro click here

To learn more about Highland Light click here

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YPD Run For A Reason – Yarmouth

Posted on June 11, 2018 by Liz

2018-05-20 10.30.25Race 4 – May 20, 2018 @ 11am

Yarmouth – YPD Run For A Reason 5K

This race held a lot of meaning for our community. For a number of years this race was organized by the Yarmouth Police Department to honor police officer heros. This year the race to held in honor and to remember Sargeant Sean Gannon, a Yarmouth Police K9 officer who was shot and killed in the line of duty on April 12, 2018. Sgt Gannon’s K9, Nero, was also shot but survived after intense care at a local vet. The Run For A Reason Race was held a month after Sgt Gannon’s passing. The crowd learned at the beginning of the race that Sgt Gannon had been on the planning committee for this year’s race and had designed the race shirts. All of this gave this event a very different feel than most races I have participated in.

I had, in fact, run in this race a couple years ago and it was not my favorite race that year. I had not intended to run this race this year except that this year it was different. I wanted to do something that would honor Sgt Gannon and Nero and had been looking for the right thing. This race gave me the perfect opportunity to honor and support a community hero while doing something I love. I am glad I ran. The sense of community and 2018-05-20 11.37.27support of Sgt Gannon’s family and his legacy was palatable. I was proud to be part of the community who came out on a foggy, rainy morning to honor his memory. During the race you never forgot why you were running since the road was lined with K9 officers; their canines and police vehicles flashing their lights. This all added to the solemness of the day.

The run itself was quick. It was the first time I had run a 5k where I blinked and it was over. The course was flat and the weather cooperated in so far as it didn’t rain and by the end the sun was peaking out. I pushed to keep my pace but knew I would not beat my previous day’s PR. That was okay. That was not why I was in this race. I raced to honor something bigger than a PR.

This race was the 4th in my Run the Cape Challenge in Yarmouth, a very popular tourist town on Cape Cod. Check out all about Yarmouth, MA here

To learn more about the YPD Run For A Reason and Sgt Gannon click here

2018-05-20 11.41.33(I rarely hanging out after a race for the post party particularly if I am alone that day; which I was. But this day I chose to stay and enjoy the sense of community and partake of the post-race snack. So glad I did; nothing like yummy NE Clam Chowder and sausages on a cool morning!)

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LM5K – Sandwich

Posted on May 29, 2018 by Liz

lm5k3Race 3 – May 19, 2018 @ 9:30am

Sandwich – LM5K Run/Walk for Women & Children

Weather:  Cloudy, cold, damp; trying to rain. Course had a few moderate hill through neighborhoods by the Sandwich beach.

Time: 28:09

Well we are just going to start off by saying…I PR’ed!!!! I haven’t run this fast since my first season of running (5 years ago)! I also came in 2nd in my age group!!! So exciting!

Now saying that; and not taking anything away from my accomplishment the honest truth is that the field of runner was super small and it was made smaller by the fact that it was in the 40’s and threatening to rain. I think there were a lot of people who woke up and said, “yeah, I’m out”. To add to the low turn out one of THE races of the spring was happening the next morning (yes I ran that one as well but that is in the next blog post).

Per my usual now I try to show up with as little time to spare as possible. I find it unmotivating to stand around waiting for the gun to go off. Since it was a pretty awful morning most people arrived later as well. We lined up and if there were announcements I never heard them. The next thing I know we are off running!LM5k

I did my best to get toward the front and kept my pace. I don’t run with a watch so I couldn’t see what my time was which was probably best since I was running faster than I normally do. As I ran I warmed up and had to shed my jacket and at that point I remember thinking I was running really slow.

Sandwich has a big electric plant with two smoke stacks. I knew once I saw them I was near the end and tried to pour on the speed. When I rounded the last corner and could see the timer I knew I had a chance of PR’ing! And I did!

This was a fun, small, family oriented, neighborhood race. I like these types of races. No one is jostling you and pushing you to the curb. I can get into a groove with little or no interruptions. I happily look for small races where I can win big! 🙂

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Feet, Fins & Flippers 5k – Bourne

Posted on May 13, 2018 by Liz
2018-05-12 09.53.54

Post race picture with race shirt (not what I raced in)

Race 2 – May 12, 2018 @ 9am

Bourne – Feet, Fins & Flippers 5k

Weather:  Cloudy, cool, damp; trying to rain. Course was a nice & flat but narrow.

Time: 28:30

I found myself, once again, obsessing about the weather all week. The longer I am in the running game (and the older I get) the less I like running in rainy, cold weather. The forecast for Saturday morning was pretty dismal all week. Weather can change, I do know that but this forecast seemed to be holding. My husband (who is a baseball umpire) had his game cancelled due to the rainy forecast so I figured that was it: It would be a rainy run. To top it off this 5k was taking place on the Cape Cod Canal; a notoriously windy location.

I had no choice but to stick to my plan. My Run the Cape Challenge plan is focused on completing a race in every town on Cape Cod before the end of the year. Fifteen towns in seven months seems like it should be pretty easy. It is not. The scheduling of this challenge was harder than I ever imagined and when I finally figured it all out it was clear that not sticking to my schedule would make meeting my goal impossible.

It was with that thought that got me out of bed Saturday morning early enough for coffee and to figure out what to wear. Coffee was easy; what to wear; not so much. I went with my gut. Capri’s and a long sleeve, light fleece, tech 1/4 zip. It turned out to be the perfect choice.2018-05-12 09.31.34

I arrived about 30 minutes before the start; picked up my bib, visited the restroom and sat in my car till 5 minutes before the start. I figured there was no sense in getting cold just standing and waiting. Fortunately it was not raining and there was no wind (yes, a miracle happened that morning on the canal!).

Since I had been obsessing about the weather I really hadn’t thought about the actual race; nor had I set any goal. In the back of my head I thought it would be great to do better that the last 5k and run this one under 30 minutes but honestly, that was a fleeting thought.

I tried to get relatively close to the start as there seemed to be a number of walkers and folks with their dogs. (This race was dog friendly). The path along the canal is narrow as well and it was an out and back so when the gun went off it was a cluster. I thought; no way is this going to be a fast race with all these people on the narrow pathway. Fortunately the cluster thinned pretty quickly and I settled into a pace.

One cool thing about having been running for 5+ years is that I have gotten pretty good about knowing my pace without a watch. It is not always exact but I am pretty freakishly accurate most of the time. As I ran I could tell I was pushing myself and I knew my pace was faster than my normal training runs. I was excited but cautious. I have been duped before.

As I made the turn at the halfway mark I jockeyed for position with a few people who were in my zone. One runner had a dog on a leash and honestly the only reason I kept passing them is the dog kept stopping to pee. (Spoiler alert; the dog did beat me.) The second half of the race I continued to push and while my legs and head were in the race my lungs and heart were hurting. I motivated myself purely by being annoyed that my aerobic conditioning was clearly lagging. I could feel myself slow up a little but fought hard to not give in. As I approached the finish-line I could see the race clock ticking at 27:something. I started to get excited. I put my head down and pushed over the finish-line. I did see the clock when I finished and I don’t have a working run watch but I had a feeling I made it across somewhere in the 28’s.

2018-05-12 10.24.38I had to wait to find out my official time so I hung out by the canal. I grabbed a bottle of water and sat by the water to enjoy the view and the fact that it was not raining. After about 10 minutes my official time was texted to me. 28:30!!!! Wow! I haven’t run a 5k race in under 29 minutes in years!

I could not text my success fast enough to my remote fans and support group! Once I got my time and had my moment of celebration it started to rain so I left and took myself out to breakfast.

It was an awesome second race of the Run The Cape Challenge!

For more info on the beautiful town of Bourne, MA; home to the Sagamore and Bourne Bridges (our link to the mainland) visit: Bourne

Next two back-to-back races: LM5K Run/Walk for Women and Children in Sandwich, Sat. 19, 2018 and YPD Run for a Cause in Yarmouth, Sun 20, 2018

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Launching a New Challenge

Posted on May 6, 2018 by Liz

fitness halfAfter six running the first 6 miles of the Fitness Half Marathon in Central Park, NYC it hit me. I was bored. Mind numbingly bored. I had seven point one miles left and I was ready to give up. Not because my body couldn’t do it but simply because my mind was flat-lining. I dug deep and found the will to finish the race but vowed that this would be my last half marathon for a while. I was determined to find new challenges for the 2018 season.

This was the birth of my self-created Run the Cape Challenge. I love Cape Cod and have been blessed to have lived here for 19 years. It was while living here that I decided to change my lifestyle and become a runner and triathlete. Over the past five years I have  run or biked all around the Cape. Each town offers different scenery and different challenges. I decided that a great way to really honor the Cape was to commit to running a race in every town before the end of 2018; hence the Run the Cape Challenge.

After mapping and scheduling races in all 15 towns (which was a challenge in its own right) I have created an ambitious but doable schedule. I still had to include a few off Cape races including one precious half marathon (Hartford) and three triathlons. I have included this schedule in my calendar so you can check out my ambitions and maybe be inspired yourself. I invite you to follow me on this journey through this website or my Instagram page @lizrabs

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lovn life 5kRace 1 – May 6, 2018 @ 9am

Mashpee – Lovn’ LIFE 5k

Weather:  A cloudy morning with a light breeze and 50 degrees. Ideal conditions and a nice flat course.

Time: 30:02

The race was a fundraiser for a local organization that cares for persons with disabilities (www.lifecapecod.org) There were many participants from the LIFE program which gave the race a real family feel. There were about 270 participants in this race that included many runners with disabilities. The Cape is a small place so I usually know someone else running but today I ran amongst strangers. But the smiles and waves from my fellow runners and fans made me feel very welcome. The course was flat and we ran around a small industrial park and then out into a neighborhood. I started as close to the front as possible as the timing chip only registered the end time. I pushed myself because this year I have vowed to get faster! When I crossed the finish line I was thrilled with what I saw! A 5k time I had not achieved in almost 4 years! Today I was certainly Lovn’ LIFE!

To learn more about the town of Mashpee click here

Up next is the Feet, Fins, and Flippers 5k in Bourne on May 12

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Creating Real-Time Goals

Posted on October 21, 2017 by Liz

2017-07-17 20.08.51At the beginning of the 2017 season I had just one goal; to complete the season happy. I succeeded at that goal and gained new confidence in my ability to rebound from a couple of challenging years.

I started the year slowly since my work was unbelievably difficult and I found myself so drained at the end of my days I had no energy to train. I did a bit here and there but nothing that could be called training. I didn’t really get going until May; which only left me a month to get ready for my first sprint triathlon of the year, The Hyannis Sprint I. I made the choice to do the triathlon despite my lack of training and set a goal to do The Hyannis Sprint II in September with a better time. (I knew I’d only get through the first sprint if I took it slow).

Lucky for me the swim was cancelled on the first triathlon. We did a short beach run instead. I had not done any swimming so this was good news for me, but not for most of the field. I got through the sprint and felt good and ready to take on more. I made another goal; to train enough to do well in my second event of the season; the New York City Triathlon. whaling city tri

I trained hard for the next six weeks and completed the New York City Triathlon on July 16. I finished with nearly the same time from 2014; the year I was in top condition and well-trained. The couple minutes I lost (and would have allowed me to beat my best time) was my intentional doing. During the swim I came up on a woman who was having a panic attack. There was no time to call over help. I just stopped and helped her till she got her bearings and was ready to swim again. Losing a couple of minutes was not tragic. I made another goal; always help a fellow triathlete when needed. NO. MATTER. WHAT.

Recovery from the NYC Tri was easy and, in fact, I felt compelled to do another triathlon right away so two weeks later I entered and completed the Whaling City (New Bedford, MA) Sprint Triathlon. It was a windy and sunny day. I was slower than I wanted but chalked that up to fatigue and the headwinds! I did this triathlon without any watch or thought of my time and I was happy the whole time. I made the goal to do at least one triathlon a year just for fun; no time, no pressure to push.

The last triathlon of my season was The Hyannis Sprint II. The day was ideal and the water, which can be very temperamental, was as smooth as glass. I had not done any swimming for two weeks prior as my work schedule had once again become untenable. But through some miracle my muscle memory kicked in and I killed the swim! It was the best feeling ever. I made another goal; always believe in the entire process of the training not just the most recent training sessions.

The best part of my season was that I enjoyed every event I did. Two years ago I didn’t know if I would continue with triathlon. Every event taught me another lesson and from those lessons I have made some great new goals!

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Instant Results

Posted on June 2, 2017 by Liz

2017-06-01 21.07.09

June 2, 2017

It’s not a lie. And I am betting I am not the only one who feels it: The frustration and disappointment of the time it takes to lose weight and get back into shape. The beginning is always hard so the desire for instant results are understandable but the reality that these things take time must be dealt with.

Of course it didn’t take a day to get out of shape or put on a few pounds but still thinking in the reverse is nearly impossible. 

When I started on this journey five years ago what got me through was the constant mantra: “the program works if you just stick with it. Trust the process no matter how slow.” I wish it was as easy to find comfort in those words now.

Perhaps it’s the fact that I had been successful in my goals and then saw it slip away as I made choices that accommodated my work goals as opposed to my fitness goals. I have to own those decisions and that is my challenge and goal today.

Yesterday I set the goals at running 3.1 mile in the morning which I did as well as to ride my bike for 12 miles in the evening, which I also did; tacking on an additional three miles to complete a favorite riding route.

I made good, conscious food choices and recorded them honestly in my WW app.

My body hurt by 9pm; I slept fitfully and this morning I am sore and hungry but I feel accomplished in reaching my goals.

Today’s goals:

Run 3.1 miles

Take the time for longer, gentle stretching

Stick to another day of counting (honestly) my WW points despite the temptation tonight will bring at a graduation party.

Quote of the Day:

Focused, hard work is the real key to success. Keep your eyes on the goal, and just keep taking the next step towards completing it. ~John Carmack

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Day 1 – 2017 Challenge

Posted on June 1, 2017 by Liz
Where all fitness journey's start

Where all fitness journey’s start

June 1st 2017

I have been overcome with work stress as a result all self-care including my fitness routine has taken a complete backseat. It is the reason; it is not an excuse; it is just the reality of life. There is only so much time in a day and only so much emotional capital to spare. I had made my decision to focus on work consciously knowing my fitness would have to wait and wait patiently it has.

Today is the day I take my life back. I am set my fitness goals squarely in front and not let anything get in the way. June 1st is a new day.

The challenge (and it is crazy, I know) is to complete the Hyannis I Sprint Triathlon on June 18. For those who have never done a triathlon I would not recommend trying this. I have to clarify that “backseat to fitness” means that I have not been intentional in any training. I have, however, continued to workout.

Today starts with intention. I have developed a training and nutrition plan that should get me to this first goal. I will use this triathlon as a reminder as well as a benchmark as I continue to train for other races.

Today’s plan includes:

Workout:

Run 3.1 miles AM

Bike 15 miles PM

Strength Train: core and arms

Weight:  unknown (honestly too afraid to step on the scale)

Measurements: Let’s just say my clothes are tight

Nutrition plan:  Return to the discipline of Weight Watchers-counting points; here I come!

Quote of the day:

It is not intentions that matter. Its actions. We are what we do and say, not what we intend to. ~anonymous

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Your Defining Moment

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Liz

Shape Half Marathonirongirl finish

 

 

 

“I am an athlete!”

That was my response to a question posed by an old friend who I hadn’t seen or spoken to in years. When the words tumbled out I surprised myself and realized that in that one declaration I had finally embraced my new identity.

Now, you might think that I would have found it easy to define myself as an athlete months or even a year prior to that. By the time that question was posed to me on a sunny, summer evening I had completed dozens of 5k’s, several half marathons and 3 triathlons. At any point, after crossing the finish-line it would have been logical to shout out and embrace my new identity.

But it doesn’t work like that. While I had always incorporated exercise in my life I had never been discipline in my workouts to meet a goal; nor had I entered any competitions. My first foray into a race situation was in my forties and my first experience entering a race prepared and feeling competitive was when I was in my 50’s. But even then, I felt like a poser.

For me it was hard to stand at the starting line and not feel like an impostor. Everyone around looked super athletic, checking their race watches, stretching and appeared super relaxed. I felt like a deer in the headlights. Even after the gun went off I wondered what the hell I thought I was doing in this foreign situation. So, it is no wonder I couldn’t embrace the “I’m an athlete” identity. Even after multiple race finishes I still felt like a visitor in a foreign land.

Until that summer night. My friend didn’t just ask me who I was he gave me a list to choose from; career professional, mom, bohemian (?bohemian…anyone looking at me knows THAT doesn’t fit!), wife, artist…then, athlete. I actually paused. I reviewed the list. Many of those titles had or could logically define me and, in truth many of them could still but at that moment I knew. I just knew. All my work towards my goals; my new mid-life was athlete. I wasn’t a poser any longer. I was an athlete!

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