Molly On the Run

Tag: training

  • Marine Corps Marathon #6

    Marine Corps Marathon 50th Anniversary. My slowest marathon to date. I remember hearing on a training run in Fleet Feet about the Marine Corps Marathon for the first time. It was described to me in actual words “You run up a hill the last .20 miles with a bunch of marines yelling at you.” That was my initial inclination to sign up eventually.

    Being the 50th anniversary of the race, there was no better year to sign up. Also, running through your nation’s capital is such an experience that I could not pass up.

    Before my race date approached, I was filled with anxiety over the logistics of the race which almost caused me to back out. The race this year was maxed out at almost 40,000 people as opposed to the normal 16-18,000. It starts and ends in Arlington VA and this year the finish line was closed off to spectators. I knew I was going to have to take the metro in at some point to reach the start. Being a country girl, city public transportation by myself was incredibly overwhelming. I had done it in Chicago, but I was with my husband. The thought of also trying to find my family after the race in a crowd of 40,000+ was haunting me as well. Finally, I pulled up my big girl pants and told myself that if 40,000 other runners were all navigating the city and finish area, there was no reason why I could not do it as well. After finally convincing myself I was capable of public transport, there was also the threat of the event being cancelled due to the government shutdown. However, the organization finally gave us the official go two weeks before.

    With two marathons back-to-back in the same month, I wanted to make this trip as inexpensive as possible. With that in mind, I made the decision to drive and stay with my aunt in Virginia. I invited my mother, my sister and 2- and 4-year-old nieces along, making this a girl’s weekend!

    We packed up the car Friday morning and hit the road at 5:30 AM. Our plan was to head straight to the expo, grab my bib and head out to my aunt’s.

    Expo: The expo was located in the National Harbor at Gaylord Convention in Maryland. There was little traffic getting there, we pulled in and self-parked in the parking lot and headed towards the convention center. If you did not drive, there was also the option of taking a free shuttle. Walking towards the convention center and throughout the building, I have to say there was little direction and few signs as to where runners were supposed to go. When we finally figured out where we were supposed to be, I headed in by myself.

    Bib pick up was super quick and efficient. I grabbed my bib, grabbed my shirt (which were so nice, I love mine!) and headed through security to check out the merchandise. This is where the expo became extremely chaotic. There was no rhyme or reason to lines, and all the merchandise was picked over and bare. I overheard someone saying that the line to check out was an hour wait. It sure looked like it. I texted my mom and sister to let them know I was ready to go and did not want anything. That was when we realized we had to walk through the entire expo to exit. We quickly got out and hit the road.

    After weeks of stressing out over navigating the metro and finally gaining my confidence, my mother and aunt insisted that they drive me into Arlington and drop me off at the Kiss and Run. I agreed and started to plan my navigation to Runner’s Village in the North Pentagon Lot. That was when Jeanne, a Fleet Feet coach and friend texted me telling me to get dropped off at her hotel and we would take the 10-minute metro ride together and walk to Runner’s Village.

    Race Day: Sunday morning came with a 3:30 AM wake up call. I woke up with instant stomach cramping. I tried to brush it off to being just nerves but as the morning went on, I knew what kind of race this was going to be.

    We headed off at 5AM as my aunt navigated the roads to Arlington. After some slight confusion as to which hotel I was going to, I found my way and met Jeanne and her husband Kim, another Fleet Feet coach. It was a short walk and a short metro ride to Pentagon station. We followed the crowd to Runner’s Village in the dark, and I said to Jeanne, “I’m glad someone knows which way we are going because I sure don’t.”

    We got to Runner’s Village around 6:30 and waited in line for the porta johns. Rookie me, threw a roll of toilet paper in my gear check but never put any in my pockets for the race. A lesson I soon learned I will never make again. We dropped off our bags and headed towards the start line with only minutes to spare.

    The race started at 7:20 AM and I quickly found myself crossing the start line at 7:30. I said goodbye to Jeanne and Kim as they took off and I hung back. After running Cape Cod 2 weeks prior, I was not out for any time in this race. I knew I wanted to take it slow and enjoy the experience. I was also dealing with a slight pain in my left leg from the hip flexor down to the knee. I did not want to risk hurting it even more by pushing myself.

    The first 2 miles of hills flew by. The crowds were an absolute vibe and so easy to get caught up into. I saw someone with their 2 golden retrievers with a sign asking for pets. Of course, I did not hesitate to stop and sneak in pet! I soon realized that the roads on the course were very narrow and spent a lot of my time bobbing and weaving other runners to find a good pace for myself.

    Around mile 8.5 I could feel my stomach starting to turn on me. I stopped at the first bathroom I saw, to be safe. After waiting about 5 minutes for my turn, I saw there was already no toilet paper. No way was I going this early in the race not wiping. I kept going. Mile 12 I stopped again. I texted my mom and sister to let them know I felt fine, but my body was slow, and I was going to finish later than I thought. I told them I was having stomach issues and waiting in line. When I opened the door and saw the mess inside, I said absolutely not and kept going. I finally stopped for the final time and found a porta-potty that looked clean and had TP in stock. I parked myself in that line and waited 15 minutes. My stomach was finally feeling better.

    Mile 13 is called the blue mile. This is where they have photos of fallen soldiers lined up along the entire mile with their ranking, date of death and age. There is no crowd, and the entire mile is silent. It is hard not to get emotional when you see how young the majority of the soldiers were. MCMO will match you up with a hero match so you can wear a fallen soldier’s name on your back to honor them through this race. My hero was Marine Lance Cpl. Carlos A. Aragon. He was 19 years old; he died from injuries sustained during combat action in Afghanistan.

    Mile 14 is what we will call ‘The Sticky Mile’. The aid stations were handing out maple syrup gels that everyone had thrown onto the ground. The only sound you could hear was everyone’s running sneakers sticking to the pavement as they ran.

    Mile 18 was when my playlist worked in my favor. This is usually when runner’s start hitting what they call “the wall”. As I started coming up around The Capitol building, The Rocky theme song came on. What a better time and a better sight. I felt so strong. This is also when I heard someone calling my name. I looked back and saw Kim waving to me. I ran back so I could talk to him quick. This was his redemption race, after having to DNF the previous year due to an injury. I was so happy to see he had made it past the gauntlets and was going to finish. I saw in my photos, there was a shot of us walking together and we both had smiles on our faces. We chatted for a minute and then both took back off.

    After reading all the Facebook posts for weeks about this race, I knew there was no water stations from miles 18-22. There were however refill stations for people with handheld hydration. I hung onto my cup until mile 20. I don’t know if the set-up of these hydration stations are a joke from the marines or just the logistics of the course, but you literally have to climb over a concrete barrier to get to the water. Talk about hip cramping.

    Mile 23, people were handing out shots of some alcohol. I grabbed one and threw it back. It was sweet and went down easy. As mile 24 approached, I knew I was feeling good still (maybe it was the shot!) and knew I was going to finish this. Again, my playlist came in handy and ‘Break My Stride’ by Matthew Wilder came on. I bopped along with a smile on my face.

    I reached mile 26 and the famous hill appeared at the last .20 miles. There were marines on either side encouraging all the runners right to the finish line. You make your way to the famous Marine Corps War Memorial, and a marine is there telling you “Thank you” and putting a medal around your neck. In that moment, nothing could top that experience.

    After getting my picture taken in front of Iwo Jima, I made my way to Runner’s Village to find Jeanne at the baggage trucks. We hugged and this woman who has run 100+ marathons back-to-back told me I was her hero. Are you kidding me Jeanne? You are literal wonder woman. We watched Kim finish his race on the tracking app and I left to go find my family in the crowd.

    After a frantic 45 minute search in Rosslyn, we finally reunited and we made our 1.5 mile climb to the metro to head home. I ended this race with an official time of 4:40. My slowest time, but I will always be grateful that I get to do this. This sport is a privilege and I will never forget that.

    This was the Marine Corps Marathon first year hosting this many runners. My overall opinion is that the city and infrastructure is not equipped to handle that many spectators and runners. I found the course to be narrow to allow so many runners. Hopefully going forward if they choose to host that many people again, they can work with the city to allow a smoother process. However, at the initial risk of not even being able to host this event, this race was a success. I will absolutely run this event again. Thank you to all the marines and all the volunteers and spectators who made this possible. Next up, Big Sur 2026.

    Some of my favorite signs from spectators included:

    “I don’t do marathons, I do a marathon runner.”

    “Only 26,7 more miles.”

    “Run if you’re in Epstein’s files.”

    “Is that a gel in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?”

    Pre-race dinner: Creamy chicken alfredo & pasta made by my aunt!

    Pre-race breakfast: Whole bagel with cream cheese & coffee.

    Course nutrition: Huma gel every 4 miles alternating caffeine and non-caffeine. SaltStick tablets every hour.

    Official time: 4:40 flat.

    The hydration station and barrier at Mile 20! (I found this picture from someone that had posted it in the Marine Corps Marathon 2025 Facebook group.)

  • Marathon Checklist

    Packing for a marathon can feel extremely overwhelming. Whether it is your first marathon or your 10th, there is always that looming feeling that you will forget something. In my experience, every race is also a lesson for me. There is always something I walk away with, remembering to bring with me for the next time.

    I compiled a list of essentials and ‘optionals’ that include everything you will need for pre race, during your race and post race! Remember, not all these items are necessary. Hopefully you will find something on this list that you makes race day a little less overwhelming for you.

    Race Day:

    • Race outfit. Lay this out the night before so you are ready to go in the morning. This includes, shorts, top, sports bra, socks, underwear, hat.
    • Race shoes. Remember, nothing new on race day. If you have trained in the same shoes all season you can wear the new ones right out of the box. However, if its a new type of shoe I generally recommend a few miles to break them in and get your feet used to them.
    • Race bib. Lay this out with your outfit the night before.
    • Safety pins. You will probably get safety pins at bib pick up but it never hurts to have extra.
    • Watch. Make sure your watch is charged the night before.
    • Headphones. If your race permits headphones, make sure they are charged the night before. Some people prefer not to use headphones during their race. Personally I like to go through phases of my race listening to music and listening to the crowds.
    • Chargers for watch & headphones. If you are traveling, do not forget these.
    • Pre race nutrition. Whatever you ate during your training before your long runs, stick to this on race morning. Nothing new on race day. I usually prefer half a bagel and coffee before I start my routine and give myself plenty of time to use the bathroom.
    • Nutrition for course. Again, nothing new on race day. Whatever you trained with, use for your race. Remember to also bring extra even if you do not think you will need it. There is always the chance of losing or dropping a gel. I also enjoy having extra just in case some one else on the course needs some.
    • Electrolytes. This is purely optional. If you carried electroyles in a water flask during your training then feel free to carry it if your race permits. There is usually always a choice of water and some sort of electrolyte drink on course.
    • Salt tablets.
    • Hydration vest/handheld bottle. This is also purely optional. I train with a handheld water bottle but I prefer to utilize the water stations on course. Make sure to check if your race permits hydration vests on course.
    • Running belt/phone carrier.
    • Knee brace or KT tape.
    • Sunscreen.
    • Glide.
    • Nipple covers/band aids for men.
    • Gear check bag. Usually your race will provide you with one but if not, make sure to have a clear plastic bag with your bib number clearly labeled if you plan to utilize gear check.
    • Toilet paper. The porta-potties always run out and you can never be too safe.

    Optional items for Pre/Post race:

    • Garbage bag. I bring one to sit on if the ground is wet and also to throw any wet clothes in afterwards.
    • Poncho. Obviously, weather permitting but I always keep one in my gear check bag just in case.
    • Rain Jacket.
    • Emergency blanket. I cannot tell you how many times a thermal blanket has come in handy when I am waiting in my corral. You can order a multi pack cheap on amazon and throw one in your bag on race day. Better to have and not need than to need and not have.
    • Plastic shower caps. If it is raining and you are trying to keep your sneakers dry before start time, these are the perfect thing to protect your shoes.
    • Chap stick.
    • Recovery shoes.
    • Throwaway warm clothes. To keep warm before race start, you can pick up some clothes for cheap at Goodwill to keep you warm. Usually all races have donation bins that you can throw them into before you start. Remember to be courteous and use the donation bins instead of leaving discarded clothes on the ground for others to pick up.
    • Throwaway gloves and/or arm sleeves. Instead of purchasing the expensive arm sleeves and having to ditch them on the course, you can take long socks and cut the ends off to keep your arms warm.
    • Hand warmers.
    • Portable charger. Not a necessity but I like to have in case my phone dies from cold or over use. No one wants to try to find their friends and family in a crowded finish festival with a dead cellphone. You can find a cheap portable charger on Amazon for around $25.
    • Extra hair ties. Just in case yours breaks before race start, keep one on you.
    • Imodium.
    • Ibuprofen.
    • Wet Wipes.
    • Deodorant.
    • Sunglasses.
    • Warm clothes for post race.

    As stated earlier, this is essentially a guide and checklist for you to look through and decide what you might want to add to your race bag. Not all items are necessary. Hopefully you found one or two items on my list that will come in handy for your next race! We will see you out there!

  • Cape Cod Marathon #5

    Marathon #5. I chose Cape Cod for a number of reasons. My number one being my love for the Cape. The Cape has always been a magical place for me. I grew up vacationing on the beaches, a tradition that carried into my adulthood. There are so many memories that my husband and I have created and shared together. Another reason for choosing this race was its proximity to home. It was within a four-hour driving range and something I could keep relatively affordable.

    The race is located in Falmouth Mass. and is approximately about 1200 runners. It is a very small-town race with a homey feeling. It has beautiful views of the shoreline including Woods Hole and Nobska Lighthouse. The course is about 500 feet of elevation gain with rolling hills throughout the course. It very much reminded me of the HMF half marathon course in Mystic.

    My training block started out in end of June. I made the decision to train at home this year to cut back on miles on my car and allow myself to sleep in a little bit, thinking I’d relieve myself from some mental stress. I quickly became very lonely though. Training for a marathon by yourself is not for the weak. I struggled with a lot of burn out and found myself not excited for any of my upcoming races. I made the decision to run with the Fleet Feet training group on their last long run and quickly found myself getting excited again.

    The week leading up to race weekend, I should have known better to take it easy. Instead, I overbooked myself at work. I worked multiple 11-hour days on my feet in a row, working until 9pm at night. It also forced me to push my workouts and runs closer to the end of the week and skip meals throughout the day. Naturally, I found myself run down and feeling the start of cold coming on Thursday night. All day Friday I tried to hydrate, eat and change my vibe to shake this bug off.

    Saturday morning we headed out early to the Cape to hit the expo and bib pick up first thing. The entire drive I was experiencing body aches (the kind that makes your hair hurt) and could not get warm. Pete had his window open the whole drive because I was sweating him out so bad with the heat cranked. At this point I was super nervous I wasn’t going to be able to run.

    The expo: The expo was located in the middle school gym at the Mullen-Hall School which is also where the start and finish lines are (super cute, small town ish!). There is no parking at the middle school, so we parked a little under a half mile away and made the easy walk over. The expo was very small and bib pick up was quick. We were out of there in about 10 minutes. I hesitated to buy any apparel because I didn’t want to jinx finishing the race. I got my bib, and we headed out for a drive.

    Falmouth is so small that we basically drove the entire course just from sightseeing! For dinner, we grabbed a pizza from a local pizza place. We brought it back to our room and I was super excited to carb load without guilt only to find our pizza tasted like someone dumped an entire saltshaker on it. I ate a few slices just to make sure I had some carbohydrate stores and went to bed at 7pm.

    The best part about this race? It starts at 8am and is such a small town, you can sleep in and literally get there 30 min prior and make the porta potty and bag check with time to spare.

    Race Day: I set my alarm for 5am, laid in bed until 5:30 and finally got up and got ready. We left our hotel at 6:40, grabbed some Starbucks and headed to drop off. The entire weekend was calling for a coastal storm of a N’oreaster. The Weather Channel predicted 35mph winds and heavy rain. Luckily I packed plenty of clothes (a whole suitcase) for all weather conditions.

    Race morning, I checked my weather app and luckily saw that the rain was going to hold off till about 10:30. Great, I would be more than halfway done at that point and I could deal with the wind.

    As we approached the drop off area, I sat in the car with Pete and we just watched the wind blowing everything around. Pete turned and said “I really don’t like that you’re gonna be out running in this.” Oh well, I paid for it. I looked around and saw everyone else enduring it. Around 7:20, after keeping warm in the car I said goodbye and headed out to the porta potty line. Luckily, it moved super quick and I was waiting to enter the corral by 7:40. Thank god I threw an emergency blanket in my bag check because I wrapped myself up until about 5 min before start and kept warm.

    There were no pace leaders in this race and amateur me, I forgot to print a pace band (they had none at the expo) I was left to pace this with just my watch. Ok I can do that. Cue the race start, the first mile was spent trying to get around other runners until it spaced out to reach my pace.

    Now after all my years visiting the Cape and running through it, contrary to belief – the Cape is not flat like many people think. It’s filled with many rolling hills. I was very shocked by the amount of hills this course actually had. I initially started out too fast. I wanted to keep a pace of 8:50 but found myself at an 8:30 pace. I knew I was moving too fast but my body wasn’t allowing myself to slow down. Around mile 3, both of my hip flexors started hurting. A pain I had not experienced my entire training. I started lining up the 26 miles with the 26 letters of the alphabet and thinking of words for each letter and mile to keep my mind occupied. After that got old (about letter E) I turned my headphones on and zoned out.

    Mile 13 was when it really hit me how this race was not going how I wanted it to. So many times I honestly thought I was going to DNF, especially with the head winds and not feeling well. I even said to Pete before he dropped me off I wasn’t sure I would make it. He told me, “Don’t worry, just call me and I’ll find you.” Then I started thinking of him getting frustrated trying to find my location 13 miles out.

    By mile 17, I was really just hoping I could quit and I gave up all hopes of reaching my PR of 3:55. I started walking the first minute of every mile at that point just to ease the pain on my hip flexors. My watch was 1/10 of a mile off each mile marker and my mind was so confused on my splits. I started tearing up at one point because I felt so failed by my training and my body. I was expecting a 4:30 finish.

    Finally at mile marker 23 I looked at my watch and saw that I was at 3:25. The rain was starting at this point but I knew if I just pushed myself I could still make my PR. I ended up finding a group of runners at a pace I could push till the end and ran with them until about mile 25.5 and then dropped them. At that point my ego was so much stronger than my willingness to quit and I hit the gas. Usually, I like to come across the finish with a big smile but I was so over this race I didn’t even care at that point. Last minute, I threw the horns up 🤘🏼

    I got my PR with 29 seconds to spare! The finish area was super easy to navigate and I found Pete within 5 minutes. At this point the rain was heavy and I was so over it, I grabbed my gear check and we headed back to the hotel. None of the restaurants in Falmouth were doing it for me so we headed an hour to the outer Cape to have lunch at my favorite place in Orleans. We ate at the Lost Dog Pub and hit up the Ice Cream Cafe and I got to enjoy my favorite part of the Cape for a brief moment.

    All said and done, unless they create a marathon going from Orleans to Ptown, I think I’ll stick to running the Cape on vacation! I’m happy with my PR and so grateful that my body allows me to do this sport. I’m so grateful to be able to consistently chase goals and do hard things! Next up, Marine Corps Marathon.

    Pre-race dinner: The saltiest pizza ever from Timber Axe Bar & Bowl.

    Pre-race breakfast: Half a bagel with cream cheese & Starbucks latte.

    Course nutrition: One Huma gel every 4 miles, alternating with a caffeinated. SaltStick tablets every hour.

    Official time: 3:55:36 *PR*

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