Two Girls in Two Half Marathons

I was pretty disappointed by my time at Yellowstone Half in June and desperately needed something to regain my passion and confidence for running. Run like a Girl in Columbus is a small girl theme race which is close enough and relatively easy.  And a bottle of wine at the finishing line was quite tempting for a heavy drinker like me. 2 years ago I ran Queen Bee 4 mile and was really impressed by how well it was organized. It is another girl only race and Cincinnati course means hilly and much more challenging. Driven by some unreasonable impulse, Carine and I signed up both races which were only 4 weeks apart. In order to improve our time, we reached out to team captain Marc for his help. Marc has always encouraged us to do a full marathon, but somehow I feel I am not ready for next step before reaching certain goal on half.

Of course Marc the Best immediately agreed to coach us. We were only 8 weeks away for the first race Run like a Girl and 12 weeks away from Queen Bee.  I wanted to run a half in 2 hour despite my PR at that time was 2h17m. To achieve that in such a short time, Marc had to draft an intense and efficient training plan; the training included 2 hard intervals, 2 long runs and 2 technical sessions per week. Carine and I decided to do our running sessions before sunrise to avoid summer heat, which means we had to get up before 5am, run for over an hour, get ourselves ready and be at work on time.  That was a hard yet very driven time for me. I felt exhausted but extremely satisfied every day.  Crossing out a task after another, I actually saw my improvement and that was one of the best feelings in the world. Marc is the best coach one can possibly ask for. He encouraged us, challenged us and took care of us when we had problems and doubts. I often joked that he was trying to kill us but inside our hearts, we truly and deeply appreciated what he had done for us.

Carine and I are good students. We tried our best to follow every requirement but I was still doubtful before the first race. I told myself it would be a good self-examination to see how far I have gone. Yet it was still quite stressful because I was so scared to let Marc down and more important, to fail myself after all these tough trainings.

We stayed a night in Columbus before the race and fed ourselves in nice Columbus restaurants. Right before going to bed, we got messages from our lovely coach, team mates and friends with their best wishes. The warm feeling eased my anxiety and recharged me again. Often I got people asking “Why you’re doing this?” “You’re crazy!”, but friends and families who know me know: this is the way I live. Not only I love challenges, I need them to feel fulfilled and completed. 

The weather on the race day was perfect for a run. It was a relatively flat course and I felt really great for the first 8 miles. I could easily achieve my 2 hour goal if I had kept that pace. Starting from mile 9, I found myself hitting the wall. My legs were so tired and my pace dropped almost 40 seconds per mile. After race I was told that was caused by lacking of energy intake, which Marc had been telling us all the time. Because I felt so great in the beginning, I didn’t want to waste any second. Therefore, I learnt the lesson in a hard way. That was a battle with your will and body and I was chasing the time for the last whole 4 miles. Then I crossed the finishing line. 1:59:04! So close but I made it!! Carine was there waiting for me, I asked her time and knew she made it too: 4 minutes faster than her original goal!! Incredible!! We hugged each other tight and couldn’t help but tear a little bit. It was the thoughts of those hard trainings and the time we spent made us so moved and emotional. We made it and we deserved it!! I texted Marc and expressed our eternal gratitude and love to him. He was super happy for us too, as well as all other friends!!

The second race was still waiting for us but we were much relaxed this time. We finished the rest of the training schedule and stood on the starting line of QueenBee. The first part of the course was quite hilly but I was prepared for that. Without pressure and with well-prepared energy intake, I finished the race in 1:55:46! Three and half minute less than last time another new PR achieved!! Oh I do love running and the payment you get after sweats and tears! This is not always true in real life or work in our field, sadly!

I want to thank every member of Jovent79 US for all their suggestions and supports. My BFF Carine, I couldn’t do this without her company.  All the moments that we shared together during the training will remain one of my best memories. And our magnificent coach Marc, thank him for letting me join this warm family and making my dream come true before my 25?! Birthday!

Yellowstone Half Marathon

Yellowstone half-marathon, a challenging trail run!
On June 11th 2016, Grace, my brother and I were at the West Yellowstone, for the half marathon, organized by Vacation Races. We felt so excited and nervous at the same time. Our first trail run for Grace and myself and for my brother, his first half-marathon (hope not the last one :p).

We discovered what a trail run was! ...and we were certainly not prepared for that! Running in sand, dirt road, grass and rocks not so easy when you add to this, a couple of big hills to climb at an altitude of 2000 meter. Difficult to move, breathe, you can feel your heart beating fast and your lungs try to catch some oxygen!
My parents and my brother's girlfriend also came and cheered us up. My dad was really excited about our race. He was a great coach! He took pictures, checked our pace/time and ran with us during the last kilometer, encouraging us: "almost there! you're doing good!".
It was quite an adventure for us! We glad we did it but not sure if we will do another trail run.
Thanks to Marc for giving the bib to my brother and giving him the chance to run is first half marathon with his sister! :-)

Carine

  

Running changed my life! I try not to sound too dramatic or corny but it’s the most significant thing happened to me for the passing year. A weekend doesn’t really start before a morning run followed by a nice cup of coffee. Every time I travel, I want to explore the new place with my running shoes. Rainy days become unbearable and active wear starts to take over my wardrobe. I can go on and on but none of these would happen without joining the team Jovent79 US.  The awesomeness of being part of team would require another big chapter so let’s focus on Yellowstone half marathon for now.

Yellowstone half marathon sounded like a fantastic idea-doing a race while visiting the most iconic national park. We planned a trip of visiting both Grand Teton and Yellowstone and ending up with surreal Las Vegas. The dreamy views we had during the whole trip were beyond description. I wish the team could have come with us. However, the anxiety haunted us in the first few days of the journey because of the upcoming race. Carine, Pascal and I went to the expo a day before the race thinking “We are so NOT ready for a trail run! The shoes are wrong. We’re going to fall on those rocks!” And having a bear spray vendor at the expo certainly didn’t help! The force of stabilization and encouragement is Bouffi papa Jean-Claude, a former elite runner who had been qualified for New York Marathon years ago. He helped us to get ready physically and mentally by checking the course and temperature, providing tips and running with us side by side for the final mile. Bouffi mama Sylvi acted as a perfect backing by making us carbo-loading meals and cheering us up with her loving nature. Pascal’s girlfriend Virginie is such a sweetheart who successfully took the crossing line pictures with our ferocious faces.

My 3 month-training plan for this race included 1 spinning class, 1 circuit training and 2-3 long or short distance runs per week. I was aiming to break my personal record which shouldn’t really be hard to achieve. I thought the trail was the biggest challenge and I was so wrong; it turned out the high altitude was the real killer! I couldn’t even maintain a relatively slow pace for 200 meters and right after the gun shot I knew no record was going to be made that day.  The idea of compromising the original goal frustrated me but on the other hand, the slow pace did spare me extra energy to deal with the rocky trail. Over 2500 anticipants on a dusty trail made breathing even more challenging but I tried to keep a stable pace and focused on every step I took. I witnessed 4 people fell during the race and I tried to help one girl to her feet. You could tell she was too upset to express her pain or even say a word. At that moment I realized everyone was struggling just like myself.  It wasn’t an easy race but we don’t run a half marathon because it’s easy. I do this because I love challenges, inspirations, self-searching moments and most important-a sense of achievement at finishing lines. I encountered Pascal around mile 7 and he was doing really well considering it was his very first race. Running gene does run in Bouffi family for sure! Then I saw Jean-Claude, it was so heartwarming to have this kind of parental supports in foreign land; plus it was such a relief to know there was only one mile left to go. Crossing finish line is still one of the best things in life even though I was quite disappointed by my time. Later chip time showed 2:23:42, which barely beat my first race Flying Pig a year ago. However, the warm greetings from my French family dispelled all negative thoughts and I felt simply happy that I made it.

You probably don’t know how much I like to make a thank list just like receiving an Oscar on stage so please indulge me. First of all, thank Jeff for all his insightful information of the national parks and being so attentive. Thank Matt, Vivian and my friends for picking us up at airport. Thank Max for coming up with this brilliant idea and then abandoned us ;)! Thank David for enduring my whining. A big thank to Marc for training and encouraging me. Last but not the least, the magnificent and “sensational” Bouffi family!! I enjoyed every moment with them and truly appreciated their supports and love. So, what’s next? I am ready for another “breathtaking” race and a new journey.

Grace

Dayton River Corridor Classic 2015 - Half Marathon

Before running the Cincinnati Flying Pig Half-marathon, I told myself it would probably be my last half marathon. …But after the race, I was already thinking about the next one … it’s like a drug! OMG I’m addicted now!

My friend Grace and I decided to run the Dayton Corridor River half-marathon, on October 11^th. After the tough and hilly half-marathon in Cincinnati, let’s do the one in Dayton, known to be a mostly flat course and so, easier to break our own record! I finished the flying Pig in 2h07m so, for this one my goal was to finish in 2 hours (or less!).

I trained all summer, 4 to 5 times/ week, switching between running, spinning/cycling class and circuit/high intensity training. I’ve found the inspiration and motivation through my “Super Ironmen” friends, Marc and Matt who train every day!! I didn’t want to disappoint them.
After 3 months of training, the race day was finally here! The weather was perfect! Sunny skies and the temperature was around 10/12*C.  I wore my Jovent running tank, got my camel back, a small apple sauce pouch in case I needed sugar (the race didn’t provide any food during the run) and my running playlist on my phone. I am so ready to run!

It was a small race, less than 400 runners. I chose my pace group, between 1h50 and 2h, that way, I could start a bit faster and if I couldn’t keep up, I could join the following group and be able to finish the race in 2h.  Few minutes after the national anthem, the gunshot went off and the race started! I was so excited and nervous. My objective was to do better than my previous half-marathon but I also wanted to enjoy the run.

I started the first 3miles a bit faster than I planned to. I wasn’t sure if I could keep that pace for 10 more miles! I tried to keep the rhythm and stay as close as possible from the 1h50 pacer guy. The course was in a park near the river, surrounded by trees with green, yellow and red leaves, it was gorgeous! Making the run more enjoyable. Around mile 7 or 8, I couldn’t stay close to the pacer and I started to worry to be passed by the 2 hour pacer. I was half way through, I couldn’t slow down now! No way! I kept the motivation and pushed myself to keep a good pace.

The last 2 miles were the most challenging! I started to feel hungry and needed sugar. L  I was so close to the finish line. As I said before, the race didn’t provide any food during the run. Luckily, I had a small apple sauce pouch in my camelback. J Haha!

Finally, the finish line was close! Only few feet away! Once I crossed it, I felt so happy and couldn’t believe in my finish time. 1h50m51s! It was better than I expected!  ….and realized that the 1h50 pacer was running way faster! So thank to him, he pushed me to run faster!

Then, doing my stretching and waiting for Grace (hoping that she would be fine), the organizers called me on the stage…my first thoughts were  “Did they call me? …Was it my name?” …”May be something happened to Grace?” (I was her emergency contact). None of that, they called me because I got the 2^nd place in my age group! I was so surprised! Unbelievable! (…No, we were not only 2 girls in my age group :-p) 

Overall, it was a great day, I had fun running this half marathon. I really enjoyed it and I am proud to belong to the team Jovent!

Obviously, as expected, now, I am thinking about my next half-marathon! J Yellowstone in June? This one is a tough one!
May be a full marathon in 1 or 2 years?

-Carine-

Doing a half marathon was always in my bucket list which I never found a motivation to fulfill. After hearing all the amazing training and race stories Carine had with her Jovent79 teammates, I signed up my first half marathon-flying pig (Well, persuasive Max and Matt helped too) this spring. And it turned out to be one of the most inspiring journeys in my life! I couldn’t forget every emotional and inner self -searching moment during the whole race; so when Carine talked about Dayton River Corridor Classic race, I was immediately on board.

Due to the hilly course and lack of core training, I developed IT band syndrome after flying pig. It had been manageable during the whole 2 month training but somehow got worse 2 days before the Dayton race. The intense knee pain brought me into the self-blaming and Hamlet loop:” I should have blah blah”and”To be or not to be”.  But like most racers, you know you are doing it by the end of the day no matter what.  With an IT band wrap, painkiller and enormous supports from Carine, I stood at the start line thinking it would be another incredible memory if I could conquer my own fear.

It was a scenic course, without cheering crowd, most of time I was running on a nice path by myself.  The knee pain started bothering me after 4 miles so I slowed down a little bit and failed to keep up with the 2 hour pacer.  However, it was a good surprise that I stopped to pay attention to the pain after 7 miles and only focused on finishing each mile. It was about that time I saw Carine turning back with great pace; there weren’t many runners before her so I was extremely proud of her. We exchanged a high five and I was fully charged again. There was a big hill 2 miles before the finish line that made me almost give up. Through thinking of those training sections and friends’ encouragement, I refused to take defeat lying down at that moment. Then I saw the finish line; that was it, the emotional moment that I was looking for, a sense of accomplishment!

My time record was 02:17:48, which was kind of disappointed cause I was aiming for less than 10:00 pace considering I did 11:00 pace at flying pig.  Yet one of many reasons I love about running is that it’s a competition with yourself. All these disappointments and unsatisfying regrets will eventually turn to motivations and fuel for next challenge! 

Through running I realize I was born to love challenges. All the pain and suffering merely help to build up the fulfilling and satisfying power gained in the journey. I am a lucky girl who gets the chance to experience this kind of infinite joy. I like to thank Marc and Matt’s inspiring stories, Max’s persuasion and most important, Carine’s company. It’s really comforting to know there are friends on the road with you! Yellow stone half marathon I am coming and hopefully full marathon in near future. This is the start of my running life and I have no intention of slowing down!

-Grace-