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The 2013 Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge

By Mary Baum on May 6, 2013

By having this blog, it is pretty obvious that health and fitness is a HUGE part of my life. That’s a no brainer. It’s not only important to me, but also to Marcus. When we decided to get a dog, one thing that we knew was most important was getting her regular exercise, consisting of long walks, lots of running, and plenty of fetch. Lucky for Winnie, her friends over at Purina Pro Plan noticed her love for staying active, and invited her and a few guests to the Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge!

Purina Dog Challenge

The event was held over in St. Petersburg at Spa Beach, about 30 minutes from our house. Once we picked up our friend Meg, we headed over for a fun morning of spectating multiple competitions: agility, diving dog, Jack Russell Hurdle Racing, 30 Weave Up and Back , and the Freestyle Flying Disc. Purina was nice enough to give us media passes, so we had access to the competitor tent, which included catered food and drinks, along with less crowded spectating areas. We also got up close and personal with the competitors.

Purina Pro PlanThe first event we were able to see was the agility competition. This is the event that I most relate to dog events. The dogs jumped over hurdles, climbed up a-frame towers, weaved around poles, and went through tubes. Seeing the handlers guide the dogs along the course was pretty impressive. The dogs were so obedient and were waiting for the handler’s every command. Each dog was given 2 rounds to get the best score, which included doing a clean run in the shortest amount of time. I couldn’t help but smile the entire time. The dogs were so cute, and looked like they were having so much fun! Check out the short clip below – I have no idea what happened to the audio – but you get the picture ;)

The next event was the diving dog competition, which I was looking forward to the most. The dogs had a small runway to gain some speed, and then they jumped in a big pool, chasing after a toy their handler knew they loved.

Purina Pro Plan Dog

Purina Pro Plan

 Here is a quick video for the diving dog competition. My apologies for the somewhat bad quality. I was standing in the splash zone, and quickly had to move my phone before getting completely soaked my the pup’s big splash.

The next event was Jack Russell Hurdle racing. I wasn’t sure what the expect with this event, but I am sure glad we caught it! Groups of dogs were loaded into crates. Once the race started, the gate was lifted and the dogs just took off after a stuffed toy for them to chase. The goal was to get from one side to the other, jumping over hurdles in between. Once multiple rounds were held, the winners from each round went head to tail in the final race. Just look at the speed of these little guys (and girls!)

By this time, Winnie was a bit over the entire scene, so we decided to head out. We missed the last couple of events, but still had an absolutely awesome day!

Purina Pro Plan

Purina Pro Plan

If you ever get a chance to go to a dog challenge, I highly recommend it! It will put an instant smile on your face!

Purina Pro Plan

Purina Pro Plan

Purina Pro Plan Challenge

Have you ever been to a competition like this? Would you ever go if you had the chance?

Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this post, or for going to the event, but I was given a few passes. All thoughts and opinions on these adorable pups are my own. 

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Exploring Louisville

By Mary Baum on May 3, 2013

One of the best parts about running any sort of race out-of-town is exploring the city! I have a feeling that I will never run in a “boring” place, because the exploration is almost like a reward after pounding the pavement for hours on end. The Kentucky Derby Marathon is held in Louisville, Kentucky. It truly is an amazing city!

Now, I have been there more times than I can count – my dad’s entire family lives there, including 5 siblings and all of their kids. It is quite the crew when we all get together and most of our trips have always revolved around visiting family. While this is something we did on this trip as well, we also were able to get out a bit and explore parts of the city we hadn’t seen too much of in the past.

Louisville has a lot of history dating back centuries – from bourbon to baseball bats, the city is deep in southern culture. One of the best parts of running the Kentucky Derby Marathon is that is held during the Kentucky Derby Festival, which is a few week-long affair that leads up to the Running of the Roses – the Kentucky Derby.

Churchill Downs, where the derby is held every year, held its opening night the Saturday night of the race. While I have been to see a horse race, Marcus hasn’t, so we took the opportunity and headed to check out some night racing. The rain that was supposed to hit during the race held off until the night, which unfortunately, meant that we ended up standing in some rain while waiting for the horses. My aunt and uncle own part of a horse, so we were given the opportunity to head out onto the paddock, the location the horses and jockeys prepare for their races. It was pretty awesome to actually be able to go out and see what everything is all about – even if we were getting soaked!

Churchill Downs Marcus was given a quick lesson from my uncle on betting on horse races, and then we headed up to make our bet and catch the race we were there to see!

Churchill Downs

Churchill DownsUnfortunately, the horse we were there to see did not come in the top spot. However, I think Marcus is hooked! It is such a rush for the couple of minutes you are cheering on your pick, and is so much fun. I have a feeling we will be coming back in the future – if not for the horse racing, then for the mint juleps and lilies! ;)

Churchill Downs

My cousins also gave us a nice driving tour of the city on Sunday afternoon, so we could check out all of the different neighborhoods and fun spots. We went through some beautiful parks, saw the amazing renovation of the riverwalk, and even stopped on Market Street in NuLu for a yummy cocktail at Garage Bar! This place looked like the ultimate place to hang during the summer and nicer months of the year. The vibe was unmatched, the drinks were spectacular, and there were even homemade (incredibly cool) ping pong tables! It was a great way to unwind on a Sunday afternoon and enjoy some great company.

Garage Bar Louisville

Garage Bar LouisvilleI really haven’t even scratched the surface on all of the fun things there are to do in Louisville. The people are incredibly friendly and it really is an amazing, southern city. If you ever get the chance to go, I strongly recommend you do so! You wont be disappointed!  But shhhh…. let’s keep this between us. We don’t want everyone knowing what a great place Louisville is! ;)

Anyone else like to travel to races and explore the city? Have you ever visited Louisville?

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Thoughts on Finishing a Marathon

By Mary Baum on May 1, 2013

There is something that has been on my mind that I want to share with you all, and get your thoughts on as well. It has to do with race finishing times.

Ok, so here it goes. This past Saturday morning, I was running one heck of a marathon. I was hitting consistent splits, my legs were feeling strong, and I really thought I was going to go sub 3:35 for the Boston Qualifying time. I was completely on pace for it, and then the last set of hills came. They were just difficult enough that it slowed my pace down just a bit, and was enough to send me over the 3:35 mark. When I crossed the finish line, and saw the time on my watch, my first reaction was a bit different than I originally portrayed in my recap.

I was disappointed. I was upset.

I stood right at the finishing line, leaning over the barricade, trying to catch my breath, taking in the last 3.5 hours of running. I came into the race with pretty solid training, but very minimal speed training. I did approximately 6 temp runs throughout my training, but really didn’t do much more. I kept my runs around 8:30 pace, so I was used to being in that 8 minute range. I still felt like I needed to go a little bit faster though. But why?

Kentucky Derby Marathon

As runners, most of us have a dream, a goal, or even a hope, to make it to the big race in Boston. It is the elite event of all races. I made it back in 2011, when the qualifying times were different. I had to run a 3:40 back then. Now, I am required to run a 3:35:00 or faster. I feel as if I need to re-prove myself to get there again, as if there is an asterisk by my name that says, no, she didn’t make it based on today’s standards.

After I caught my breath and started the slow hobble to grab my medal, I realized how absolutely absurd I was being. I had just run my second fastest marathon ever. I fought through some killer hills that I had not even trained for. I kept a very consistent pace, and never backed down. My mind and body stayed strong the entire race, and not once did I even consider giving up. I had just killed that race, and found myself in a completely different spot than I was just a few minutes before.

I was proud. I was thrilled with my accomplishment.

So what that I didn’t BQ at the Kentucky Derby Marathon. I’ll do it again some day – that day just wasn’t April 27th, 2013. It doesn’t make me any more or less of a runner, or any less worthy of lining up at the start in Hopkinton. It makes me a runner, who is proud of the day she ran 26.2 miles in Louisville, Kentucky. It makes me a runner who is stronger than ever, knowing my mind overcame the aches in my body. It makes me a runner who will not back down – who may or may not make it to Boston again. And you know what, I am a-ok with that. There is no way I am going to let the qualifying time of one race overshadow the last 4 months of training – the early morning wake ups, the battle scars of a long run, and the pure joy of accomplishing something huge – finishing another marathon.

Kentucky Derby Marathon

Next time you finish a race, and aren’t thrilled at first with your finishing time, think of how far you have come, where you have been, and where you are going. Hopefully that will put your amazing accomplishment into a more joyous perspective.

 

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A Career Change

By Mary Baum on April 30, 2013

Now that I am back from Louisville after running the Kentucky Derby Marathon, I am ready to dive into some news! A couple of weeks ago, I was notified (along with the rest of the company I worked for) that I would be losing my job and the company would no longer be in operation. Of course, this is something that no one really ever wants to experience. Rather than looking at this from a negative standpoint, I chose to look at this turn of events as an opportunity. An opportunity to do what I really love.

I am turning my passion for running and personal training into a full-time job! I will be taking on more running coach clients, along with immersing myself in personal training here in Tampa, and virtually as well. I am still making the final tweaks on my new website, and will be unveiling that within the next week. I just need to get my logo perfect first! ;)

So why am I jumping the gun and telling you about my career change before everything is 100% ready to go? Starting this week, I am going to be leading a boot camp and running group at a local gym here in Tampa, and I want to let as many people I know so you can hopefully make it to a class! Here are the details:

Bayshore Fit Bootcamp

 

If you have any questions, please email me! I hope to see you out at a class or at running group in the near future!

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The Kentucky Derby Marathon 2013 Race Recap

By Mary Baum on April 29, 2013

My 8th marathon is done, and I couldn’t be happier with the result! I trained smart and ran a very consistent race. This was the second time I ran the Kentucky Derby Marathon, and I really enjoyed it so much more than the first! The weather was predicted to be cold and very rainy, however, we woke up the morning of the race and the storm system had headed south instead of hitting us in Louisville. Cool weather and cloud filled skies – I was unbelievably excited!

Kentucky Derby Marathon

I stayed with my cousin Dave who lives 10 minutes from the start line, so it was a very easy race-morning commute. His friend Jason met up with us, and the three of us headed over to the race! We parked about a half a mile or so from the start, and made it with just a couple of minutes to spare. It was absolutely jam-packed by the time I got there, so I ended up in Corral D, instead of the A Corral I was originally seeded in.

Kentucky Derby Marathon

Love the photo bomb in this one!

The crowd was already moving up to begin the race by the time that I hopped in, so there was zero wait for me. I was quickly off and running! If I have learned anything in the past few races that I have run, it is that I have to start off slowly. Coming out of the gates with completely tapered, fresh legs can be pretty deceiving. You feel like you can run like the wind, but it is not something you want to start off with. I hit the first 5k averaging around 8:10 miles, which is a bit faster than usual, but I felt ok about it. I didn’t want to hold back too much, since I knew I had some hills ahead of me and I knew I would be slowing down a bit later on.

Kentucky Derby Marathon

One of the cool unique parts about the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon is the runners get to run through Churchill Downs, where the actual Kentucky Derby is held each year. We came up on Churchill Downs right at mile 8. We headed on into the venue, and were directed onto the infield, through the tunnel. It was pretty fun to be able to look around the downs and check everything out.

Kentucky Derby Marathon

Kentucky Derby Marathon

Kentucky Derby Marathon

We did a quick lap on the infield, and then we headed out back to the streets. At this point, the half and full marathon split, so the crowd got significantly more spread out. It was pretty congested until the split, so I was pretty happy to get to this point in the race. It was also the first time I saw my family – always the best part!

Kentucky Derby Marathon

The next big hurdle of the race was the first set of hills in Iroquois Park. I had been mentally preparing myself for this mark throughout the beginning of the race, and I am so glad I did! The hills were pretty intense from about miles 11.5 to 15. Luckily, for every uphill, there was a pretty gracious downhill. I was quite surprised how well I did with the hills, considering I completed zero hills training throughout my workouts. My splits only slowed to about 8:25/mile, and I was very happy with that. It definitely didn’t hurt that the park was beautiful!

Kentucky Derby Marathon

Kentucky Derby Marathon

Kentucky Derby Marathon

I came out of the park flying! Miles 15-16 showed a 7:45 split on my awesome new Garmin – I am guessing because I hit a downhill at this point, so I pulled up on the reins a bit. There was no way I could sustain this pace for the whole race – no way, no how! I slowed to a more comfortable 8:10-8:15 pace, and just churned out the next 8 miles.

Kentucky Derby Marathon

The next set of hills were coming up at mile 22, so I started to mentally prep myself, again, for the challenge. I hit the first couple of hills pretty strong, but then they really got to me. Hello lack of hill training! Up until mile 23, I was on track to run a 3:34 and change. I slowly started to lose some of that speed, and really fought for the last 3 miles. I was hurting like mad, but I knew if I even had a shot at a pr, these last few miles were going to hurt, and hurt pretty bad. I rounded a few more corners, and headed for the finish. Once I saw the line, I gave it absolutely everything I had. Every last ounce of energy I had was dedicated to that stretch. I crossed the finish line, and immediately looked down at my watch.

3:35:44

Kentucky Derby Marathon

It was my second fastest marathon finishing time ever, and was, by far, my most physical and mentally challenge race I have ever run. During the last 3 miles, I held on so tight. I fought for every last second I ran. My legs were telling me one thing, and my mind, another. Luckily, I was literally talking to myself out loud, saying, “you are stronger than you think you are”. And guess what? I truly believed it.

Kentucky Derby Marathon

No, I didn’t reach that PR or a Boston Qualifying time, but I ran a damn good race. I crossed the finish line and was incredibly proud of what I just accomplished. I pushed myself through a much hillier course than I am used to, and honestly, I had a lot of fun. I wasn’t pressuring myself for a certain time or pace. I was in it to simply run it. And run it I did!

Kentucky Derby Marathon

A huge congrats to both Dave and Jason who ran a great race! It was Jason’s very first marathon, and he did awesome! Such a huge accomplishment!

Has anyone else ran the Kentucky Derby Marathon? Did you race this past weekend as well?  How did it go?

 

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