Busy week of running events

Posted on September 20, 2013 by jenilesley

It’s been a busy, busy week of running related events.  I have worked at a race, ran a 5k and volunteered at a race expo.  Plus 2 half marathons coming up this weekend.

Monday
Packet stuffing for the harvest moon 5k.  This race is put on by the Kenosha running club, such an awesome club, we at pizza, counted shirts, stuffed packets and as always had fun.
Wednesday
Harvest moon 5k, I got there early, chatted with everyone, checked out the course and figured out where I wanted to take pictures.  I have never done this race so it was a bit foreign to me, but I’ve run at the rec plex before so I sort of knew what to expect.  I took a bunch of picture of the start and a lot of the finishers. The race was at 6:30pm, which made photography tough for me, I’m pretty good with my DSLR, but as the light got low and the runners were fast, I was not so good, but it was a learning for me.

Some of the KRC at Harvest Moon 5k

Some of the KRC at Harvest Moon 5k

Start line of Harvest Moon 5k

Start line of Harvest Moon 5k

Thursday
Corporate challenge 5k in Milwaukee. I was on our SC Johnson team, there were about 50 of us and they offered a bus so I took it, beat having to drive and park for this since it was company sponsored. I ran was faster than I should have, but it was fun to see all the SCJ people out on the course. The race came with a small meal after and just as we finished eating and with awards it started pouring, our bus was parked a few blocks away so we ran in the pouring rain to the bus, I’m happy the rain waited until after the race but I was still soaked the whole ride home.

Part of the SC Johnson team for the corporate challenge.

Part of the SC Johnson team for the corporate challenge.

Few pics from the corporate challenge and my broken Garmin band, luckily I still had the original band so I'm set for the weekend.

Few pics from the corporate challenge and my broken Garmin band, luckily I still had the original band so I’m set for the weekend.

Friday
After a short ride on the metra and a mile or so walk, I was ready to work at the Women Rock Chicago expo. I got to greet the runners as they came in to get their packet and hand them a little packet pickup checklist. It was fun and really nice to see the team from Team Ortho again, I really enjoy working with them.

Women Rock Expo

Women Rock Expo

Me at the expo

Me at the expo

Up next tomorrow half marathon number 1 for the weekend.  Can’t believe I’m doing Women Rock Chicago and Biggest Loser Racine this weekend, lets hope I survive 2 half marathons!!!
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Volunteering but not at a race!

Posted on September 15, 2013 by jenilesley

This weekend was volunteering of a different sort. I started off my Saturday with a run by the lake with the KRC, It was a perfect morning for a run. I had taken almost 2 full weeks off so I was planning on 3, maybe 4 miles. I ended up running 6 miles with Tom and Jeremy. We talked the entire way so the miles flew by and my leg felt awesome, no pain at all. We kept the pace slow, I had to keep looking at my Garmin and holding the group back, but I was aiming for a slow run to ease back into it. I love running by the lakefront with friends, makes the miles go so much faster and it’s a great way to start a weekend. After running it was time for KRC gab session, everyone meets up at Common Grounds after, the support of the club is great, we have all different paces and distances so its nice to see everyone after and to hear about their run. I need to make more Saturdays, too bad I have races the next two!

Slow and steady 6 mile run, leg felt great!

Slow and steady 6 mile run, leg felt great!

After running it was time to get ready to volunteer at Brewfest. Being a former member of the Kilties It’s an event near and dear to me and a big fundraiser for the Kilties. Mindi and I headed there early and helped put together the goody bags for the VIP guests. After almost 4 hours of volunteering we wandered around to enjoy the fest. I didn’t drink, just didn’t feel like it, and it was a lot of fun. I ran into a few coworkers, friends and even some friends I haven’t seen in years! Such a fun event, I’ll miss it next year for a family wedding but I plan on going again in the future.  This was the 10 year anniversary of the fest and I have been 8 of the 10 years (I missed year 1 & 2)

Getting everything ready in the VIP area

Getting everything ready in the VIP area

Pink tacos from Danny's meats

Pink tacos from Danny’s meats

Mindi and I taking a break from stuffing bags

Mindi and I taking a break from stuffing bags

Beer flowing

Beer flowing

Didn't recognize Alex at first, his hair wasn't purple last time I saw him :)

Didn’t recognize Alex at first, his hair wasn’t purple last time I saw him 🙂

Thanks Mike for setting us up with the volunteer gig.

Thanks Mike for setting us up with the volunteer gig.

Fun musical group we saw

Fun musical group we saw

I was digging their packaging

I was digging their packaging

The real reason I go to Brewfest is to support the Kilties and they never disappoint.

What a nice looking horn line

What a nice looking horn line

Everyone watching the performance

Everyone watching the performance

Best part of the performance

Best part of the performance

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Run. Drive. Sleep? Repeat.

Posted on September 14, 2013 by jenilesley

Ok, now to try to write about Ragnar 2013, so much to say, but I feel like my photos tell most of it. This year I was on a team full of people I knew. I was runner #4 and I had a lot of miles on my plate. My first leg was 7.6 miles, my second leg was 4.8 miles and my last leg was 7.7 miles. My two longer legs were tough, they were long flat and pretty boring, my quad was also hurting and after my second leg I was limping a little bit. But I sucked it up and kept on moving for my team. I ran just over 20 miles in less than 2 days, it was a lot but it was also super fun.

Ragnar Madison to Chicago

Ragnar Madison to Chicago

This was my second Ragnar and this time I ran with lots of people I knew, Liz put our team together, her and I had met at Ragnar in 2012 and we are both part of the Kenosha Running Club. I recruited a few of my chi town friends to join the team, I have to say van 1 had a lot of fun. Some of us met at my house the night before to get set for the next day. I live around the halfway point, between the start and finish. I actually live right near the major exchange 24, so my van was able to stop at my house during the race to catch a couple hours of sleep and a shower before doing our third leg of the race.

Enjoy all the pictures!

Before the start, safety briefing and a bit of shopping at the Ragnar store.

Before the start, safety briefing and a bit of shopping at the Ragnar store.

Team BAMF ready to go.

Team BAMF ready to go.

The whole team together van 1 & van 2

The whole team together van 1 & van 2

I have awesome friends

I have awesome friends

My favorite sign, one more mile

My favorite sign, one mile to go

Kenosha running club Ragnar members... We had people on several teams, go KRC!

Kenosha running club Ragnar members… We had people on several teams, go KRC!

Rest and getting into our nite time gear

Rest and getting into our nite time gear

Safety first!

Safety first!

image

Early morning fun!

We did it!

We did it!

Awesome time at Ragnar 2013

Awesome time at Ragnar 2013

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Guess who’s a Ragnar Relay Ambassador!

Posted on September 11, 2013 by jenilesley

So about 2 weeks ago I was chosen to be an ambassador for Ragnar Relay Chicago, I was so excited and couldn’t wait to learn what all my responsibilities would be, tonight I was on a conference call with some of the other ambassadors. So excited!!!

Some of my favorites from Ragnar 2012

Some of my favorites from Ragnar 2012

It made me think of my first Ragnar that I did in 2012 and what a fun experience it was. I joined a Ragnar team knowing no one on my team, I randomly emailed someone who had posted in one of my running clubs and joined a team. A few months before the race the team folded, and I was once again on the hunt for a team since this was a race I really wanted to do, so another Kenosha running club member started looking for a team and I told her if she found a team that needed two people, I’d be game. She found a team out of Chicago and we both joined. I had emailed the team a bunch of times and felt good about the group, I couldn’t wait to meet them on race day.

Most of the 2012 team, I joined with people I had never met and loved it.

Most of the 2012 team, I joined with people I had never met and loved it.

On the Friday morning of race day at around 4am I met my team, we were an 11 person team, so I was about to meet 10 complete stranger, I was nervous and excited hoping I would live up to their expectations.

Our homes for 2 days!

Our homes for 2 days!

Start line

Start line

We got to Madison and by then we were mostly awake, then our awesome adventure began! I was in van 1, we all hit it off and I was super excited to have joined this group. I was runner #3 right in the middle of the group, I navigated most of the trip, I suck at driving a 15 passenger van, but I can read directions, most of the time plus I was from Wisconsin and knew most of the area.

Resting at exchange 12

Resting at exchange 12

Call me maybe girls at exchange 12

Call me maybe girls at exchange 12

After our van did our second legs, we had some late night down time before meeting van 2 again. Turns out where we had to meet van 2 was right near my house, so van 1 headed to my house for a couple hours of sleep, I was also able to drop off my stinky running clothes at home so I’d have less to bring back from Chicago.

Rocking the reflective gear.

Rocking the reflective gear.

We met back up with van 2 and ran our last set of legs, once van 1 was done we headed to Montrose Harbor to wait for van 2.

At one of the exchanges!

At one of the exchanges!

Ragnar is super fun and a long 2 days but so worth it, in 2013 I ran with people I knew, ill be posting about this years Ragnar soon.

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Running injuries

Posted on September 10, 2013 by jenilesley

Many runners I know, including myself have been injured from time to time.  It always happens when I have a lot of races and running planned never when I have lots and lots of time to heal.  My latest injury is a quad strain.  Back in May I felt like I pulled something in my quad, so I went to see my orthopedic to have him take a look at it and sure enough it was a strain, he said it could have been a tear that was getting better, but to him it looked to be a strain.  So I started physical therapy and I was running less, but I had races on my calendar, pretty much ever single weekend, so it would get some rest, but then I was back at it.  I came away from a few races limping.  After my second leg of the Ragnar Relay I was limping, but with the stick, foam roller and stretching it felt mostly ok, I would run walk and some days it would be fine and some days it would hurt like hell.  It’s bugged me on and off all summer, and so now I’m in the middle of a two-week running break.  Lots of stretching, walking and foam rolling/stick/other torture devices!

2 rollers, addaday and the stick. All are Charlie approved!

2 rollers, addaday and the stick. All are Charlie approved!

Almost 3 years ago I fractured my leg, my left leg… it took months to get back to running.  So I’m trying to be patient and taking time off but as most runners know its so so hard to take days off, I’ve done a bit of cross training, a little yoga but what I really want to do is lace up my running shoes, put on my running gear and head out to the lakefront for a 2-6 mile run.  I’m hoping for a pain-free fall, so I’ll take the time off now.  Before the end of the month I have 3 half marathons and 1-2 5ks all in the next few weeks.

I fractured my leg on Christmas Day 2010, walked on it for 3 weeks before seeing a doctor. I didn't run for around 6 months after the fracture.

I fractured my leg on Christmas Day 2010, walked on it for 3 weeks before seeing a doctor. I didn’t run for around 6 months after the fracture.

Resting is hard, but I’d rather get better than get worse!  Hopefully I’ll get a run in this weekend and be ready for all the races I have coming up.  I won’t have any PR’s this year, but my goal is to finish every single race with a smile (yup, I’m always smiling!) and feeling good.  I want to be a runner for a long time, no need to push through an injury, time to heal so I can be out there doing what I enjoy!

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