The Unlikely Story Of Becoming A Marathoner

 I joke that “I have spent a lot of my life in a parking lot”.  I am almost always very early to everything. Late October 1983, that was when my parents expected me. But if you have met me, you know beyond a shadow of a doubt I AM A LEO. So on August 17th, I was born after a terrifying and long labor for my Mom. Feet first, face up, nearly taking my mom’s life in the process (don’t worry she is alive and healthy). I decided very very early on I liked to be early!  Doctors told my family I would not live long, and when I seemed to be doing ok, they told them a myriad of problems that would ensue.  My lungs were underdeveloped. My family would spend quite a bit of time in the hospital with my lung issues during the early years of my life. Doctors told my parents I would always be behind other children my age.

I was a lazy kid, always finding ways to be carried, and whining over my “tired legs”. When my family would go on bike rides, I would lock myself in the house hoping I would not have to join. So when I told my mom in 7th grade I wanted to run track, she was a little taken back.  But she says I was always a fighter.  I’m not sure that was meant as a good thing at the time. 

I fell in love with running and by High School I was a good runner for my conference and region, but far from a great athlete. I ran 2:16 for the 800m, 5:20 for the 1600m, 11:28 for the 3200m and 20:01 for 5k XC in High School.  Good enough for a college scholarship, but far from having many of the accolades as the incredible women on my College team at the University of Akron had achieved.  I worked hard in college, always believing I could be a better athlete than I was.  I have been called immature once or twice in my life, so I suppose it should be no surprise it took me so long to grow as an athlete as well. My college coach found frustration in my questioning of workouts and fluctuating weight. I pushed harder trying to impress him, and become the athlete I knew I could be. But like most stories of young children trying to hold on to the puppy as tight as possible, I got bit and never really found my groove until I let go a little.  I started to have fun, and not take running quite so seriously.  Yes, this means I started going to some parties, and having some fun. 100% yes that is what it means. Running became more enjoyable.  My body found a good weight for me, and I started to see glimmers of who I thought I could be. I finally broke 5 minutes in the mile, and every race I ran was faster than the last. Turns out a happy athlete is a fast athlete. I walked away from college underdeveloped and with more passion for running than I ever had. 

Following college,  I trained hard for my first marathon but missed my chance when 3 weeks out I had issues with my achilles and had to postpone the race.  My coach was furious I had pushed too hard and lost the opportunity to race the Columbus Marathon. I had done a 5k workout and pushed a lot harder than I was suppose to in order to run a PR in practice. So in the most immature way possible I said no problem, I will coach myself. And I did. I got healthy, just to get hurt again, and went back and forth between being able to run and using the elliptical to get healthy enough to get through my next workout.  I reached out to the Austin Marathon in a last ditch effort to run a marathon in the Olympic Trials qualifying window for 2008.  The race director, John Conley, explained that that course had changed from years past and was not a downhill course but instead a hilly course and not a great one to run fast on.  I said I didn’t care, all I needed was the chance. He added me to the invited athlete list, I vowed to myself I would not make him regret it. I told everyone who would listen, my goals, and to my surprise there was some push back.  A co-worker of mine informed me that I did not know what I was doing and my plan to try and run under the Olympic Trials standard of 2:46 was arrogant and probably unrealistic. She suggested that I instead go in with the goal of completing the distance. Thank you for the fuel on my fire.  So I plugged away at 100+ mile weeks supplementing when needed with long hours on the elliptical. 

Friday February 15th 2008, at 24 years old my parents and I went to Austin for my first marathon. My bags didn't make it, my Mom was frustrated for me, but I had all I needed in my carry on for the race. A great thing I learned in college, always have your race gear with you. Over the next 30ish hours I nervously stretched, did weird standing drills as if they would somehow make my legs remember to do what I needed them to do. I did a shakeout run the day prior to the race, and saw only one person…who I happened to know!  Bridgit, a runner from Bowling Green who was living in Austin.  She said she would come cheer the next morning. That night I enjoyed dinner and nervously went back to the hotel with my Mom and Step Dad (Sam). I got at text I will never forget, and all my nerves disappeared. It was from my boss and friend, Almond,  it simply read “God Speed”.  Those words still make me tear up to this day. He never doubted me, and in that moment I decided to not doubt myself either.  I didn't sleep well. Mom asked if I was "sure I wanted to do this" as I went to leave for the warm up area. I snapped back at her that she wasn’t helping. 

I don’t remember warming up. But I remember pushing my way to the front of the start line and realizing that maybe I didn’t belong there, next to Olympian Brian Sell, then I recall thinking, “who cares? It's one less step to the finish line if I start here, and I came to run as fast as I could, why not give myself that step”. The gun went off and I was amazed to see so many woman flying past me, “wow, they are going to run so fast” was all I could think. I settled in around 8-10th place. Around 2.5 miles in I asked the woman next to me if we had passed the mile yet.  She looked at me like I was crazy. Then I saw the 3 mile marker.  I was running along side a man who looked at my bib and said “oh fuck, your running the full!”  I had no idea what he meant. All I knew was 5:45 was too fast, so I chilled out.   I saw Sam around mile 5 and threw him a smile. At 10k I missed my water bottle and panicked for a second, then calmed down and grabbed a cup at the next water station. At mile 10 I wondered how so many people knew my name, and thought maybe the race had a handout that had our names and photos in them or something. I burst out laughing a mile or so later when I looked down and realized my name was on my bib! At mile 11 the ½ marathon went straight and we took a left turn. Again I laughed.  The women who had gone out so fast were running the half!  I didn't know there was a half!  Now I wondered what place I could be in! At mile 18 I saw Grandpa, just over my left shoulder, cheering as I passed him. 2-3 miles later I realized he was in Ohio.  But I knew I had heard him, and even saw him, standing there, loud and clear he said   “It’s your day Beck!” He was somehow there, and I can not be convinced otherwise. 

At mile 22 my feet really hurt, I was doing all I could to stay on the paint lines because they hurt less on them. I even asked two men running together to let me through on the paint. I was thankful when they did. At mile 23 I heard Bridgit screaming as she ran down a side street toward the race, telling me the woman in front of me was walking and I could catch her.

  

Back at the finish line Mom and Sam eagerly awaited my finish.  As the first woman ran past the Capital building and won, the announcer stated the second place woman would be rounding the corner soon with minutes over the 3rd place woman. Mom and Sam felt sadness. They knew I would miss my goal since I was not in second place, and the clock was ticking relentlessly as it always does. They were proud of me for trying, but knew I would be upset. Mom looked on toward the turn as they announced second place would be arriving.  She burst into tears when she saw I moved into second place, her daughter, who wasn't suppose to live, let alone thrive as an athlete, was running down Congress St.,  finishing second,  in her first MARATHON, nearly three minutes under the Olympic Trials Qualifying Standard. As I Rockettered my ass across that finish line my Mom and Sam cried tears of joy for me. I had never in all my life felt so much joy to have arrived where I was going early. That day I had become a Marathoner, as unlikely as the story was, I couldn't be more happy it happened.

Rockettering 

Just The Beginning Of My Running Story

Running, Momming, and Coronavirus

Becoming a Mom was a tough fit for me. I struggled with the loss of freedom, and the guilt that the feeling would be labeled as lack of love for my children.  I have always deeply loved my kids, but felt that no one would believe that because of the many views I heard, and pressures I felt. I was told by people I respected that I took running to seriously and should let it go now that I had kids. That it was selfish to keep training and racing.  That somehow, me having a life that wasn't 100% about my kids, made me a bad Mom. Less than other Mom's.  I carried that guilt, all the while believing in my dreams as an athlete, and knowing I wanted, and needed to chase them.

Becoming a Mom was a tough fit! 

I worked hard through many missteps, and failures along the way, but I can say nearly six years later, that I am a good Mom. I work hard for my kids on the days it comes easy, and on the days it does not. I work hard as an athlete, choosing to "not care" what the people said who believed I should give up on my dreams since I was now a Mom. But there is deep seeded hurt knowing that people view me as only a Mother to my children, and no longer my own person. It created anxiety, resentment, and sadness. The struggle with it has gotten easier over the years, as I have chosen to surround myself with many people who see me as a person, and a Mom.  Just like parenting somedays the guilt is light, and others it is heavy.  Many Mom's out there can probably identify with that very strongly.

Running, and pushing myself brings me great joy. 

I have been looking forward to late August 2020 for nearly six years.  This was to be the time I would regain some freedom. Be able to work, and train while my kids were in full day school. I long for the mental freedom to work, and train on a more regular schedule instead of having to squeeze it in the cracks of the day around Ryan's work, and taking care of our two incredible kids.  I long to not be viewed a a bad Mom who is taking away from her kids, from those who have viewed it as such. As we wade through week ten of school being done from our home, my responsibilities increasing, the weight of my kids education on my shoulders, I feel tired. I know that my "plight" is one of privilege, and comfort, much unlike many will, and have experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.  For me this is heavy and tough none the less, which lead me to share. The thought of home school, and the loss of long sought freedom, for quite possibly 67 more weeks feels unbearable somedays. I fear not having the skill set required to help my kids get through next year as well as full time school would.  I want safety for my family, and all of our communities, yet the heaviness of it weighs on me.  I share this with the hope that people out there in similar situations, loosing freedom and feeling guilt because of their sadness and see this and know it is ok to feel loss and sadness in the midst of much greater loss and sadness. You are not alone, you are NOT a bad Mom, you are a person, who longs for freedom, nothing more. So hang in there, cry, feel upset, and press on through the struggle.  Doing the best we can IS GOOD ENOUGH.

The incredible and incredibly loved kids.

Postpartum Training Cycle

I made some huge mistakes coming back from having my twins, and the purpose of this blog is to help you or someone you know NOT to do what I did at first, but to learn from my mistakes, and do what I did after a layoff to get to healthy and run some faster times again. 

People have asked to see what I did to come back so first I will show you what not to do. 

postpartum (PP) week 1- short walks

PP week 2- walks

PP week 3- weekly total-12 miles

PP week 4-  weekly total-19 miles

PP week 4- here is where I start to make big mistakes-weekly total 30 miles with 1 workout- 6x1 minute hard/1 min easy

PP week 5- 1 workout- 7 miles with 1 mile@6:15, and 6x400@6:00 pace, 34 miles total.

PP week 6- 1 workout-6x800@2:45-2:55, total 27 miles.

PP week 7- 1 workout 3x(800, 600, 400) between 5:24 and 5:45 pace, 39 miles total.

PP week 8- 2 workouts- 2400@ jog/stride, 2x1600, 1x800, and 10 with 4 miles@6:35 pace, total miles 50.5

PP week 9- 2 workouts-12x400 @76-88 (faster as I went), and 9 miles with 4@6:30, long run 12 (total-47)

PP week 10- 2 workouts- 2x(1200, 1000, 600), 1200@ 5:40 pace, and 10 miles with 5@6:45, total 37 miles. 

PP week 10-  1 workout-1 mile@5:55, 2x400@83, and 4x200@38, and a race 16 total-1/2 marathon 1:24:27, total 41.5 miles.

Akron 1/2 Marathon 10 weeks PP

PP week 11- 2 workouts- 2x(4x400m, 2x800m), and 10 miles with 6@6:15-6:45, long run-12 (total-49)

PP week 12- 2 workouts- 2x (1k, 2k, 1k), and, 11 with 8@6:38 pace. long run 14 with cutdown under 7 for last 4 (total-55)

PP week 13- 15- 55-60 miles a week with a track session and tempo- by week 16 I was in PAIN!

So I had to start over! Here is what I should have done in the first place.

6 weeks of walking and doing postpartum core routine given to me after a functional movement screening.-- see blog here

SO MUCH CORE- 45 mins 4-5 days a week.

week 7- walk/run 3 days, 3 mins run/2 mins walk- 4x pp core

week 8 walk/run 4 days, 4 mins run/1 min walk- 4x pp core

week 9 walk/run 5 days, 5 mins run/1 min walk- 4x pp core

week 10 - 5 days 2 miles easy- 4x pp core

week 11- 5 days  3-4 miles easy- 5x pp core

week 12- 5 days of 4 miles easy, 1 long run 6 miles 4x pp core

week 13- added in speed starting with 4x400 increase long run to 8 miles. 30 miles total 4x pp core

week 14- 6x400 and 10 miles long run 35 miles total 4x pp core

week 15- added in an additional mile of speed and a light tempo of 3 miles, long run 12,  40 miles total 4x pp core. 

week 16- resumed training similar to prior to injury.  Gave myself an 85% rule.  I would not go beyond what felt like 85% of my max.  So I head back.  I increased my mileage by 2-5 miles a week until I was back to 80 miles a week and in marathon training.  I increased my long run 2 miles for 2 weeks, then one week down, (example- long run 12, long run 14, long run 10, long run 14, long run 16, long run 10). 

Grandma's Marathon 2:47- 11 months PP

Coming off of Grandmas I had a lot of work to do to find the 5 minutes I would need to hit the 2:43 Olympic Trials Standard at Columbus  4 months later.  I continued with my 4x core work weekly. Added in drills before every run, and this is how the training cycle went. 

Last week of June was all easy runs between 4-8 miles.

July- 55-75 miles a week- long runs 15, 16, 17, 17.  Tempos- 4-8 miles.  Speed- 5 miles once a week of speed intervals. 

August- 75-85 miles a week- long runs 16, 18, 18, 20.  Tempos- 6-10 miles. Speed- 5-6 miles of speed once a week. 

September- 70-85 miles a week- long run 22, 20, 18, 18 with speed.  Tempos- 10-15 miles.  Speed- 5-6 miles of speed once a week. 

October- taper from 70 miles the last week of Sept to 60 and 55 for the last 2 weeks. Last long run was 15 miles, and a couple speed workouts one with 5 miles of work and another with 3 miles of work. 

Columbus Marathon 2:44:44- Olympic Trials Qualifier after the standard was adjusted to 2:45.

Eugene Marathon - Olympic Trials Qualifier Number Four!

"Sixteen down, four to go".  It was cold, windy, and grey. My first 20 miler of the marathon cycle, and my heart felt like it was missing something. I had pondered for quite sometime why I didn't quite feel the spark I once had.  I still loved running, I still had goals I wanted to achieve, but the unabashed passion was missing. I started to ascend a hill, when an ad from the late 90's popped in my head, my heart raced, my pace dropped, and a smile crossed my face. I had just found the missing piece.

An advertisement, I loved, ran in Runners World (I think) in the late 90's - early 2000's and stated "Money doesn't wait at the top of the hill. Glory doesn't wait at the top of the hill. All that waits at the top of the hill is the top of the hill".   I had decided in middle school that the top of the hill was what I wanted, that getting to the top of the hill was enough, that seeing where the top of my hill would be fulfilling. Here I was fretting about 2:45 pace and how I would be able to handle it in a few months. I decided in that moment to shift my thinking.  I stripped off the limitations I was putting on myself, I wanted to find how fit I could get between then and Eugene, not see if I could find a way to sub 2:45.  For me, seeing what I was capable of, pushing to the top of the hill, that was exciting.  With my new shift in mindset, I viewed training not a means to 2:45, but as a way to start pushing myself toward my limit. This yielded a new excitement to see what I was capable of.  My goal in running had always been to see what I could do, and leave the sport with no "what if's".  But somewhere I had forgotten that.

After races in Austin and D.C. (Link about those here), I returned home excited about the possibilities in Eugene.  Five weeks around 95 miles a week with tempos, long runs, and speed work each week, then two weeks of taper later, I was in Oregon! I was able to spend a few days with Jennie (college teammate and one of my best friends) and enjoyed being with her. She did everything for me, food, driving, you name it, she did it!  Thank you Jennie!

Prior to the race, I set my mind on running 26.2 miles to the best of my ability on the day, and believed that would be around 2:37.  The gun went off and I filed in with Colton and Kate.  Around 4 miles I knew I was working harder than I would be able to sustain so I backed off a bit.  My head started to go to a dark place, "You're not going to get the 'A' standard", "No! Run the best 26.2 miles you can TODAY" I reminded myself.  The first 10 miles flew by, Kate was long gone, and Colton remained close. He could sense my need to just deal with myself so he ran 20-30 meters ahead of me, and it was perfect. I had someone to chase after.  I took in "Long Haul" by Spring Nutrition at miles 7, 14, and 21. My stomach would not be an issue this day.

I knew Jennie would be at mile 16 so I set my sights on getting there.  The miles started to get a little longer around that time, and my smile was more of a grimace.  I still felt in control hitting around 6:10 pace, but each mile was getting harder.  Around mile 18 I had a cramp in my ribs that freaked me out a bit, but it subsided a few miles later. At mile 20 I knew I had about a 3 minute cushion which meant I could run 6:45ish pace and still hit the OTQ so my mind stayed focused. I reminded myself to run the best 26.2 miles I could many times over the next few miles.  Mile 22 Colton held up 4 fingers and I thought "just 24 more minutes of work".  Mile 25 Jennie was there and my ugly cry face made an appearance.  I pushed for the last mile, and both legs buckled on a small dip (or possibly not) in the pavement. "Where the fuck is Hayward Field?" I thought, the trees covered the view of campus and I desperately wanted to see the stadium.  Approximately one eternity later (like I said the miles were getting longer) I popped of the bike path to the screaming voices of Maureen and Paul Heintz.  Mo and Paul were my bosses nearly 10 years ago in a running shop and having them there was special.  A few hundred meters later I heard my Oiselle teammates screaming as I entered Hayward Field. I touched the sacred track and ran as hard as my legs would let me. I crossed the finish line in 2:41:49, I threw up, and Colton handed me my medal.  I had done what I set out to do. Run the best race I could on the day.  I made it to the top of my hill. I climbed until it was over, and felt proud to push myself as hard as I could. While I came up short of my "A" goal in numbers I knew I ran my "A" race on the day.  I am thrilled to have a fourth Olympic Trials Qualifier!  I am excited to see what I can do between now and Atlanta in 2020.

Trying to break 2:42 in the final 200 meters 

All smiles

Holding back the tears of joy. 

Thankful to have Colton!

Lyndy and I post race! 

Splits (manual using course markers)
1-5:54
2-6:02
3- 6:07-up
4-6:06-up
5- 6:00-down
6- 5:58-down
7-6:03
8-6:03
9-6:07
10-6:06 (1:00:31)
11-6:05
12-6:10
13-6:12 (1/2-1:19:52)
14-6:08
15-6:12
16-6:15
17-6:12
18-6:14
19-6:18
20-6:14 (2:02:34)
21-6:12
22-6:10
23-6:22
24-6:15
25-6:27
26-6:18
.2-1:27--2:41:49. (1:19:52/1:21:58)

Blog Revival- Training and Racing Update

I didn't mean to let my blog go to the wayside, but I did with 2017 being a very challenging year for me, I pretty much forgot about it!  I love being able to blog and share my journey a bit so let's try this again!

In 2015 we moved to Columbus and it was no secret I did not like this move.  I felt like I had to give up a lot to move. From a running perspective losing my training partners, a wonderful running community and the hills in the north east. Also from a personal perspective losing quick proximity to my family and closest friends. It felt like more than I could deal with. I was unhappy. Columbus feels very big and dense to me, and being so close to Ryans family left me feeling like a square peg in a round hole.  In December we found a piece of property a little further out from the city with a creek, woods, and some rolling hills, all in very close proximity to my favorite park here while still in the same school district for our kids.  A few days after Christmas we made the move!  As with all moves it was stressful, haha!  But I quickly felt more at peace here.  Low and behold, my training took a turn for the better. The saying that "a happy runner is a fast runner" might have some validity. 

While I am over winter.  This is not a bad view.

Our own personal ice bath! 

Late last year I made the decision to shoot for the Olympic Trials standard at the Eugene Marathon.  January was a good month of building with 341 miles,  some decent tempos and speed work and getting long runs up in the 18-20 mile range.  Working with Inside Tracker has been helping me to feel better trying to improve my fasting glucose, and raise my vitamin D levels.

February was another good month hitting 333 miles. It was exciting getting to race my first half since Grandmas in June, where a stomach bug got the best of me, and I finished in 1:33 maybe!?  The Lonestar Birds were incredible hosts once again and I loved every minute of my time in Austin for the Austin Half Marathon.  I had a great first 10k coming through in a smidge under 36 mins and feeling good, but then my stomach was done. I had to stop twice for the bathroom and struggled. 1:19:16.  NOT the time I was shooting for but a good indicator that on a tough day my fitness was around where I was believing it to be.  Austin is a wonderful race, VERY well organized, with great crowd support. It is hilly, and fun.  I would recommend it! I took away from this race that I was fit, I STILL LOVE AUSTIN, and I needed to figure out this stomach issue I thought was "fixed".

Incredible hosts!  Kaitlin raced solid too!

Group run with Lonestar Birds! 

Mid race suffering.

Before the struggle (I think)! 

Following the race I talked with a dietitian who is also the founder of Spring Energy (the gels I use and love) and he helped me to make a plan taking out much of the fiber from my diet in the couple days leading up to the race.  I had a DNA test to see if I had any common food intolerances and discovered Soy was one of them.  So going into my next race I would use this low fiber plan, and keep soy out of my diet.

March would continue to allow progress with some of the best tempo's I workouts I have run in 4 years and a few possibly ever. I would close the month out with 382 miles, and FINALLY a good race. In my opinion, this was the best race I have run in 4 years as well. 1:17:05 for DC Rock and Roll half on a hilly course on a windy day was a strong showing, and a good fitness check. This race really excited me for what I can do in Eugene.  I started to really believe my dreams for this spring can become a reality.  A tempo last week in 59:25 for 10 miles was spot on my A goal pace for Eugene.

DC with my Brother and soon to be Sis in law

The incredible volee of DC were amazing before during and after the race! 

My goal is to go for the Olympic Trials A standard in Eugene, I know I am on the cusp and hope April's training will lead me to my "A" goal of sub 2:37.  I do not want to be reckless, so if 5:56 pace feels like I am in over my head on race day I want to be smart and shoot for under 2:40 ("B"-goal).  Finally my "C" goal is to be under 2:45 the Olympic Trials B standard.

With less than a month to go to Eugene my training will be backing off in about 2 weeks in prep for race day.  I plan to update my blog more often with updates!  On to April and my first marathon since Akron 2016!  

I am thankful for all of your support and I can't wait for Eugene marathon weekend to be here!  Good luck with your spring goals!  

No BS!

As runners we all know the feeling of needing to use the bathroom at very inopportune times. It happens, we try to mitigate by getting up earlier, drinking and eating appropriate foods at appropriate times, planning bathroom stops into our runs, and making A LOT of shit jokes. Because, shit happens!  I have had issues with "taking a Spellman" as my Akron run family likes to call it, for quite some time in training runs.  Every once in awhile it would happen in a race, but it was usually a fault of my food choices prior. Then a few years ago it started happening more often in races, like in ALL races over 10k. I knew the catalyst was the type of calories I was consuming while running. But I went to a Dr. to make sure.  After many tests, the answer was, your shitting because of the gels. So I sought new gel options, with no success. I quit taking them in training, because every training run was stop, go, stop, go, stop, GO!  I eventually started to rely on Immodium to STOP the shitting. Because I needed fuel. The Immodium upset my stomach, but I wasn't leaving a mess all over the streets, so win...right?  Wrong. I would then feel terrible for 2 days post race with stomach pain and needing to clear out, all I had stopped up. Not shitting, was shitty too.

A rather "shitty" situation finishing 2015 Columbus Marathon

This summer I was super lucky and got to go spend some incredible weekends hanging out with my Oiselle Volee teammates at a few Bird Camps.  After speaking with the ladies in Wisconsin, our conversation turned to the "shitty" side of running, literally. We talked about our woeful GI moments for quite some time. The following morning, during our long run, I suffered from another bought of needing many bathroom breaks after taking my gels. I was in a lot of GI pain for 3-4 hours following the run. We didn't have great cell service, but I told myself I was going to find something different when I got home. I was sick of half of my weekend being spent worrying about shitting, and the other half being spent actually shitting.   So a few days of searching, reading about how XYZ brands were different, only to compare ingredients and feel let down that they were including darn near the same things. I came across Spring Energy.  I read the ingredients and felt excitement!  It was just plain and simple food!!

Here is an example of the ingredients found in Spring Energy Long Haul.

A few days later I had them laid out on my counter for the following mornings tempo.   I had 2 "Long Haul" gels and one "Power Rush" ready to slip into my Koala Clip (a wonderful phone carrier made by a Oiselle Volee, that happens to be awesome for gels too!) and tuck into my stride shorts in the morning.   I took one "Long Haul" during my warm up. It was different than other gels right away. It was a little chunky. But the taste was good. It had a subtle taste of peanut butter, and it wasn't overpowering and went down very easy for me.  40 mins later I had warm up and 4 miles tempo behind me and took another "Long Haul".  To my surprise and sheer excitement 2 miles later I still had not needed to shit!  With 2 miles left of tempo effort,  I took a "Power Rush" this was plum and also somewhat chunky.  The subtle taste was great and again went down easy with no weird after taste!  I arrived back at my house 15 miles later, and couldn't stop talking about how excited I was about this. I haven't used a gel and not shit myself in years, I wouldn't have dreamed of taking 3 gels on a run that was shorter than a marathon.  I could hardly contain my excitement.  I had a 28 mile day on tap later that week and I knew that would be the real test. Well you can guess what happened since I am writing this post. I took a total of 3 "Long Hauls", 2 "Power Rush", and 1 "Hill Aid", and 2 "McRaecovery"  during the duration of 28 miles and recovering between and after.   I never had an GI issues. That right there is no BS!  100% no bull shit, as a matter of fact, no out of place shit at all! I could hardly contain my excitement and after a few conversations, I was honored to announce I would be an ambassador for the Spring Energy Brand.

Spring Energy nutrition is different. The "flavors" (which are just the flavor of the food that is in each gel) each have a specific purpose. Unlike most gel brands where you choose any flavor option, and get the same gel with different flavoring and coloring added, Spring Energy gels are real food specifically designed for times and circumstances within race and training settings.  There are different needs for different demands and Spring Energy's gels are designed to meet them. Below you will find a diagram explaining!

I have been asked what I like, and what is my favorite flavor.  In all honesty I like the taste of all of the products. In particular, I love the taste of the Mango "Hill Aid", and I think the "Electroride" drink is addicting. I love it. But what I really love is the food itself. It is just food, plain and simple.  I believe this is what I had been searching for.  If you are looking for a brand that makes nutrition that is food, or won't mess up your GI tract I strongly suggest giving Spring Nutrition a shot. If you are struggling through trying to figure out what will work for your in your upcoming races, grab a variety pack, and I believe you won't regret it.  It has been awesome for me, and I am so thrilled to be a part of the #springtribe! You can use code "BeckiS" for 10% off your purchase!  If you have any questions Myspringenergy.com is full of videos and information, or you can email me at beckispellman@gmail.com

Follow along for race updates as I run the half at the Akron Marathon on September 23rd,  followed by the Columbus Marathon on October 15th! I am excited to race, and watch all my teammates and friends tackle their fall goals over the next few months! 

Summer Recap

Woah!  Where did summer go?  The past few months have been a whirlwind of miles, vacation, mom's surgery, more miles, Bird Camp, laughter, miles, Bird Camp, Bird Camp, all the miles, all the smiles, all the tears, Sam's liver surgery, and you guessed it...more miles! Running hit a speed bump mid August with some knee pain and a huge emotional let down. While there was a lull in my parents health issues.  I sighed, and couldn't wake back up! My mind felt like total mush and I fretted I wouldn't be able to pull things together in time for a fall marathon.  So I gave myself some mental health days.  I took two days off, ran for sanity, and then took another day off. I gave myself a month to see if things would turn around, and if they did I planned to continue to channel my fall goals toward the Columbus Marathon on October 15th.  It only took 2 weeks to feel confident again.  After a 22 miler with miles 7-18 averaging 6:07, I stopped worrying about my fitness, and began to build the mental focus I will need to achieve my goal of qualifying for a fourth Olympic Trials Marathon in Columbus.  I have 6 weeks of training until Columbus!  Here is a photo recap of summer!

Spellman Family vacation with photos early 2000's style. 

Volee Meet Ups! 

The Spelltwins turned 3! 

DMV Bird Camp was a blast!

Prediction run at DMV Bird Camp!

Corra raced 400m and said "Mommy, that made me so happy" in response to the Hilliard Davidson gals cheering for her. Cue all the happiness my heart could hold. 

Pre-race fun! Nolan doesn't like bib numbers! 

Michigan Bird Camp wins for most beautiful run of the summer! Yes I am talking about the scenery, not just all the incredible women! 

I met a Birthday Twin, and laugh-cried with joy! 

Treier wedding

Haley was a stunning bride! 

The 22 mile workout that returned some of my confidence for my fall goals! Thank you Kelsi, and Ben for all the miles, and Ry for all the water!

Great Lakes Bird Camp Wisconsin seeing old friends! 

And making new!  

It was a fun, challenging, and incredible summer! Meeting so many teammates and getting to follow along and cheer for them on their journey is always incredible, and very fulfilling to me.  I love the support they give me as well! Thank you ladies for your kindness, love and strength.  I look forward to seeing you all in 2018!  My mom's mass was benign and her recovery has gone very well.  My step Dad is currently  in the hospital recovering from a successful liver surgery, and we hope to see him healthy soon! For now it is time to gain a few more weeks of fitness prior to taking on the Akron 1/2 marathon on Sept. 23rd, and my goal race of Columbus on Oct. 15th.  Closing out the summer, and looking forward to a fast fall.