Bedford Half Marathon - Race Report

I have run lots of half marathons. Prior to October 2014, I had run nine organized road half marathons and countless training runs of 13.1 miles or more. In those nine races, I've run alone, with friends, for fun, for time, with good results, and with rough results. However, no race was quite like my tenth organized road half marathon, the Bedford Half Marathon.

Hometown Race
In November 2013, my hometown, the city of Bedford, Indiana, received some exciting news: we would be hosting a half marathon on October 4, 2014. Local runners rejoiced. We embraced the opportunity to share our sport and our town all in one event.

Bedford-born Chris Galloway was at the helm of the planning. As the months progressed, so did plans for the race. The challenging, hilly course map was released. Folks started registering. Volunteers joined the effort. Bedford was abuzz with running talk. However, one question was on the mind of every Lawrence County dweller: can Bedford pull off this event?

Race Weekend

Welcome to the Fitness Expo!

Wendy and I signed up to volunteer at the Fitness Expo, held the night before the race, where we were charged with the task of greeting folks who entered the expo. I've been to a myriad of race expos in big cities. Though this expo was small, it did not lack big-city energy.  Participants and volunteers were all smiles, jittery with excited energy, and looking forward to the race. The final count reported about 750 people registered for the three races (half marathon, 5K, and 1-mile walk).

Still... could Bedford pull off this event?

Pre-race support from my favorites

Race Day
Race morning dawned cool and breezy. I was able to walk with Wendy to a start line that was only a half mile from my home. Once in the "race village" (Bedford's downtown square), I was immediately impressed with the area. The finish line and chute were organized and professional. Boxes of post-race necessities were prepared for finishers. A stage promised a band and an impressive awards ceremony. Volunteers were ready to assist runners and spectators. As time passed, the downtown area became a hub of activity. It was later reported that Bedford's downtown had not seen that volume of people since the 1920s.

So far, so good, Bedford.

Times-Mail photo of the start by Garet Cobb

The Race
The start was a rush of energy as we headed west on 16th Street. Bedford citizens lined the streets to cheer on the runners. Instantly, I knew that this race was something special to the city of Bedford. As we continued on the course, I became even more aware that the Bedford Half Marathon was more than just a race. Droves of people came to support the event, whether they were participants, volunteers, or roadside cheerleaders. People were coming together.

Nearly every cheer I heard was accompanied by my name. "Go, Jo!" "Get it, Mrs. Cobb!" "C'mon, JoAnna, run!" People here knew me.  I usually thank policemen and volunteers when I run an organized race. This day, they answered, "No problem, Jo!" When I finished, the announcer didn't need to look up my number before he announced, "Look folks, it's JoAnna Cobb!" In the chute, familiar faces offered a medal and hydration.

Everyone was happy. Every. One. Was. HAPPY. It was a beautiful day. Runners inspired the volunteers and the crowds on the streets.  The crowds and volunteers inspired the runners. My facebook was full of photos my friends took of the race. My phone pinged all day with messages from friends, all of them excited about the Bedford Half Marathon.

Bedford, it seems, pulled it off.

Mile 11 with Jon, Mary, & Zach

The Race, Again
Oh, you wanted some of the usual info? :-)  Here it is...

I paired with Zach, a former student of mine who was running his third half marathon and looking to PR. My plan was to run comfortably hard, but not race. I didn't want to jeopardize my performance in the upcoming Monumental Marathon. I figured I would hang with Zach around a 9:00 pace and see where it took me. We were joined off and on by Mary, a friend of mine who was trying to break two hours.

Near the finish

This race story is better told holistically. We managed to nail very consistent miles in the 8:50 range, faster than I had planned, but oh well. The hills were challenging, but very nearly fun. The long trip up Mitchell Road wasn't as hard as I thought, but the rolling hills in the last 5K made up for it. Zach and I talked the whole time. He asked the age old question, "Why does the blacktop on John Williams Blvd. stay black when all the other pavement goes gray?" We saw a guy lose his lunch (breakfast?) early in the race. We talked about school. We talked about how we liked the cold (39°), but not the wind. I gave advice when I thought he needed it. Ed, Mom, and Wendy kept tabs on us, Ed and Wendy on bikes and Mom via car. Wendy kept us informed about our racing friends. We sped up at the end, and Zach and I separated with about a half mile to go. He finished in 1:55:33, and I was six seconds behind him. Mary joined us less than a minute later.

Let me just say that again: I finished a half marathon, without racing, with challenging hills, talking the whole time, in just two minutes above my PR. I could not be more thrilled with my fitness.

Here are the results and the stats 'n' such. Hooray to my friends Becky and Kyle for being the first Lawrence Countians, and to all my friends and neighbors for their great races.

Afterglow
...and what an afterglow it is. Bedford did it. We did it. We ALL did it. It took everyone coming together to make the Bedford Half Marathon what it was. What was it? It was an event that made every single person in attendance appreciate something about someone else. It built and strengthened relationships and community pride. It was everything I love about Bedford, Indiana, and running.

Some More Pics

A finish line with Bedford on it!

Starting with Yancy and Zach

With Mary and Zach on Mitchell Road

Finishing

Did it!

In the chute with Zach

Got it done!

PS - September
Here are my September running stats:

Miles Run: 135.52

Runs: 13

Hours Run: 21:54:26.2

Average Run Distance: 10.42 mi.

Average Run Pace: 9:42.0

Average Run Duration: 1:41:06.6

Average Temperature: 54.25°F

Longest Run: 7.00 mi., September 1

Shortest Run: 20.10 mi., September 20

Favorite Run: September 13, 15.01 mi.
Trips To Gym: 6
Total 2014 Mileage: 908.62
Total Lifetime Mileage: 3,861.36

(Current 2014 total is 929.27 mi., and current lifetime total is 3,882.01.)

A Monumental Blog Entry - JoAnna Kai Cobb

Note: This blog was written to be featured in the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon's launch of the Monumental Blog.

"I am a runner."

That simple sentence, only four words, conveys a great deal of significance. It reveals to others a hobby I enjoy. It reminds me of who I am. It explains my often ravenous hunger. However, its impact in my life moves much more deeply and has been extremely varied.

From Compulsory To Curative

Jo in a 2011 race

Prior to 2006, running was an unenjoyable activity forced upon me in PE classes. That long-held opinion changed when I discovered that the act of running could temporarily erase some of my symptoms of Crohn's disease, a chronic and painful autoimmune disease that affects my digestive system. Running freed me from the constant abdominal discomfort I had experienced for years.

Suddenly, I couldn't get enough of this new and effective method of pain-control. Even after experiencing a series of running-related injuries due to Crohn's-weakened bones, I continued to return to running, often starting back at "square one," in order to regain my moments of liberation from hurting.

Building for better running

...And Competitive
A few frustrating injurious years gave me an impetus both to focus on nutrition and to gain core strength that would allow my body to withstand longer, faster running. I began working with a trainer and eating foods that acted as good fuel for my body. Able to withstand more training miles, I had a strong base that allowed me to finally break two hours in the half marathon, a longstanding goal.

Though becoming a more robust runner was a dream come true, I recognized that something was still missing in my running life. Setting and reaching goals was thrilling, and sharing the fun with my family at the finish line was icing on the cake. However, all the training and racing miles were awfully lonely.

...And Social

IMM 2013 - Wendy & Jo

I had always been too timid to run with others for fear of being "too slow." However, teaming with ultrarunner Wendy Miller proved to be a perfect match. The slower training pace required in preparation for her 50-mile races paired perfectly with my half marathon training, and we began enjoying many miles together. Her suggestion to run the 2013 Monumental Marathon together was met with my accord.

Running with Wendy brought new excitement to the sport for me, and I found myself eagerly anticipating every long run. After a wonderful training cycle, health issues limited my performance at the 2013 IMM, but Wendy and I still had a wonderful time on a beautiful fall day in Indy. We left with good memories and a score to settle with the racecourse.

Motivational pull-tab chart

...And Now
The 2014 IMM looms on the horizon. I've spent the spring and summer working with my trainer Sam to become physically strong enough to withstand training miles. My dear friend and training partner Wendy is now also my coach through Limestone Distance Training. Though she will be unable to join me on the IMM course due to injury, she still keeps a close eye on my training as she bikes beside me on long runs. I keep track of my progress toward my marathon goal with a silly pull-tab chart that isn't so silly when I feel the satisfaction of pulling off a tab after a run. Every day, I feel more excited, more tenacious, and hungrier for that IMM course and the wonderful weekend that accompanies it.

Running has given my life new perspective. It has allowed me the chance to appreciate everything—even the support of my wonderful husband, Mom, and Dad—with new perception.  My running is curative. My running is competitive. My running is social. My running is now.

I am a runner.

Mile 18 of an early morning 20-miler

Completed!

JoAnna Kai Cobb
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Awesome August, Awful August

August. August gets a bad rep in the running world because of its weather. Hot. Humid. Muggy. Pop up thunderstorms. However, running a fall marathon demands August training, so it is a necessary evil. August had its share of awful moments for me, but I had some really great August moments, as well. Here's a summary.

The Stats
My August stats boast the highest monthly mileage and training hours I've ever accrued. Check it out:

Miles Run: 140.33

Runs: 15

Hours Run: 22:01:11.2

Average Run Distance: 9.36 mi.

Average Run Pace: 9:24.9

Average Run Duration: 1:28:04.7

Average Temperature: 68.7°F

Longest Run: 18.03 mi., August 23

Shortest Run: 3.00 mi., August 6

Favorite Run: August 2, 16.13 mi.
Trips To Gym: 4
Total 2014 Mileage: 773.10

Total Lifetime Mileage: 3,725.84

I ran over 140 miles, much of it before sunrise and in super muggy conditions, without getting injured in any way. Do you know me? Have we met? One hundred forty miles, UNINJURED. It's amazing. Awesome August.

The Injury
I didn't get injured, but dear Wendy did. On August 7, our orthopedist (yes, we share a doctor), put her on crutches due to a broken femur. Awful August. Three weeks later, tests revealed that Wendy's leg was not broken after all. Her "fracture" was a substantial nutrient vessel (haha), and she was cleared to run. Awesome August. However, the three weeks of rest did nothing to heal her or curb her pain, and doctors surmised and later confirmed that she has obturator nerve entrapment. She will need surgery and will not be able to run the entire Monumental Marathon course with me. Awful August.

The Long Lone Ranger

Post-Run Coffee with "Whitney"

When Wendy's injury took her out of the training game, I lost a running partner. Many of our friends have run with me; however, with the exception of Wendy's brother Wes, no one wants to run at o'dark thirty, and not even Wes likes to run that early on the weekend. That meant I would have to do two and three hour runs alone. It's not terrible to run long by oneself, but it's certainly more fun with a friend.

However, I've found that I enjoy listening to lectures and books on tape while running long. I've also had great success with my long runs, especially  a 16-miler on August 2 where I felt like I could run forever. Also, Wendy has made it a habit to be involved in my long runs, whether she takes me to a destination starting point or drives beside me while I run. We also get lunch/coffee afterward. Awesome August.

Back To School
School started. Awesome August. It's been hard on my voice. Awful August. My students are great, and I couldn't be more thrilled to be paired with them for a school year. Awesome August.

Cobbs +2

The Claude
Every year, Dad, Ed, Sam, Mac, Mike, and I play as a team in Otis Park's famous Claude Akins Classic Labor Day Scramble. (Mom is cheerleader.) It absolutely poured rain on us ALL DAY, and we didn't win. Awesome August. Hey-o, orange you glad I didn't say, "Awful August"? I truly had a good time losing in that monsoon. I love playing with my guys in The Claude every year. I recorded the stats from The Claude, too, and they're pretty funny to see.

Summary
August had lots of highs and lows, but I feel like it was mostly a positive month. I'm so happy with my running right now. Wendy is coaching me through a great training cycle, and Sam continues to keep my body in shape to endure the pavement (or trail) pounding. I look forward to every run, and tear off each run on my pull-tab chart with a good feeling of accomplishment. School is great, family is great, and all the other "Awful August" stuff will eventually resolve and become a memory. I can hardly wait for Super September and the fall days that will follow.

The Summer That Was 2014

Summer is an interesting time for me, because I suddenly find myself without a job. Many people would consider that situation awesome, but it's not for me. I became a teacher because I like to interact with middle school students. I dearly miss my students when I have to "give them up" in May. I spend the summer counting the days until school starts.

However, not one to wish away a period of time, I always try to make the most of the 10 or so weeks that I am "unemployed." This year, my corporation's summer break lasted 67 days for teachers.  Here are some of the cool bits that went down during Summer Break 2014.

Boot Camp
I joined an 18-session boot camp with my trainer, Sam, at Anytime Fitness. Though I got a total body workout, Sam and I focused on my core, hamstrings, and glutes—the muscles that needed the most attention in order to make me a better runner. I can actually feel the strength Sam has given me.

Bridge
Every summer, I try to learn something completely new. This summer, Ed, Mom, Dad, and I took bridge lessons.  I know that a card game doesn't sound like momentous learning, but this bridge stuff is super involved. We have had four two-hour sessions, and we still aren't done learning. The game is growing on me with each class.

Headlamp Trail Run - Wendy's Bday

Milwaukee Trail
I've run this topic into the ground, but really, what a great thing that trail is. The temps are cool, the scenery is great, the folks are friendly. I spent a lot of time on that trail with Wendy and other friends this summer.

Surgery/Vocal Therapy
I had surgery to repair a damaged vocal cord and completed the subsequent therapy at the IU School of Music. Believe it or not, the therapy was a lot of work. I had to strengthen all the laryngeal muscles and retrain my cords to speak and sing properly. What a great feeling it was to get back the voice that I didn't appreciate until I lost it.

No Speaking
This item is similar to the note above, but really, not making a sound (except for that Chicken Fat incident), was a pretty significant thing for me. It's the longest I've gone in my life without vocalizing.

No Grooming
I've also broken a personal "no makeup" record (as an adult). All 67 days of summer were makeup and flatiron free. I loved it.

Using the Ginger Threads Longarm

Jelly Roll Quilt
I made a jelly roll quilt in less than a week using the longarm and techniques learned from Jessica at Ginger Threads. I gave the quilt to Mamaw, and she loves it. That was fun.

Fun Events
There were a lot of other little events that are worth mentioning, like our fireworks, the Monumental Mile, golf tournaments, trips to French Lick/West Baden, sitting on the porch with Ed, running the Red Eye Relay with the Zoooomin' Cabbits, taking walks with Ed, working in my classroom at a leisurely pace, etc.

Running
The accomplishment about which I'm most proud this summer is my running mileage. 300. Did you hear that? THREE HUNDRED MILES. I ran three hundred miles this summer. That wasn't a goal when summer began; it just happened. To have run that many miles and still have pain-free legs is a first for me. I know I owe a lot of those miles to the Milwaukee Trail's soft surface. I'm very proud of that statistic because it shows that my training, including my work with Sam, is producing positive results. Here are my summer stats, which include 67 days: June 1-August 6:

Miles Run: 300.35

Runs: 40

Hours Run: 48:27:56

Average Run Distance: 7.51 mi.

Average Run Pace: 9:40.91

Average Run Duration: 1:15:41.9

Average Temperature: 66.0°F

Trips To Gym: 18
2014 Mileage: 670.06

Total Lifetime Mileage: 3,622.80

What a great summer it has been! As wonderful as it was, I'm thrilled to be headed back to school tomorrow, and to meet my new students who will come on Friday. Here's to a great 2014-2015!

Go, Cutters!

PS
I don't think I ever posted July stats. Here they are:

Miles Run: 137.60

Runs: 17

Hours Run: 21:51:18.5

Average Run Distance: 8.09 mi.

Average Run Pace: 9:31.79

Average Run Duration: 1:17:08.15

Average Temperature: 63.6°F

Longest Run: 16.11 mi., one, two, three legs at Red Eye Relay on July 19-20

Shortest Run: 2.50, July 29

Favorite Run: July 19-20, one, two, three Red Eye Runs
Trips To Gym: 12

Red Eye Relay 2014 - Race Report

(There is a prologue to this blog here. Is a blog prologue, a problog?)

After I run Red Eye, people always say two things:

1. That sounds awful!
2. What's it like?

My replies are always the same:

1. No, it's actually a lot of fun, but it isn't for everyone.
2. I wish I could explain it well, but I can't.

The Red Eye Relay has an almost magical quality that cannot be explained; it can only be experienced. The best way that I can try to describe it is to say the whole thing is like a dream. The odd combinations of unusual locations and foreign situations is difficult for my brain to handle. So difficult, that after the event, I find myself wondering if the Red Eye Relay really even happened. My brain recalls the incongruous details, and files them under "must've been a dream."

Who, What, When, & Where

The Zoooomin' Cabbits

The Red Eye Relay is an event where teams of seven runners relay through the night to run 110 miles through the hilly country roads of Monroe County. The course, two 55-mile loops, is broken into 21 legs of varying distance and elevation, and each team member runs three legs totaling about 16 miles. My team, The Zoooomin' Cabbits, included Wendy, Tim, Becky, Doug, Elise, and Quigley, all experienced runners and great people.

On Saturday, we all met at Upland West to pack our two vehicles with food, dry clothes, and night running gear. We reviewed the legs our fearless leader Wendy had assigned to us, and we posed for a picture. I was our team's kick-off runner, so at 5:00 P.M., I donned the slap bracelet (Red Eye's form of the relay baton), and toed the line.

First exchange

Leg 1
Am I an experienced runner? Of course. However, that doesn't stop me from making the same mistake over and over. I started my first leg—an easy 5.2-mile, mostly downhill jaunt along the bypass—with a 7:42 mile. Luckily, it didn't adversely affect the rest of my run. With the exception of a long climb in the middle of the leg, the miles clicked off quickly. Entering a wooded area near completion brought some nice coolness, and I was thrilled to post my fastest ever 5-mile split (41:40). Shortly after that, I slapped the RER bracelet on Doug's wrist for Leg 2.

Here's my Leg 1 data.

"Down Time"
There really is no down time in the Red Eye Relay, especially if you are a driver. The next five hours went quickly as I shuttled runners to the next exchange point while our other vehicle followed the current runner. Once I noted exchanges for our team data, I helped the just finished runner recover with food, drink, and "senseless Wet Ones." (I kept mixing up "scentless" and "senseless.") There is still a lot to do, even if you aren't running.

Becky on Leg 6

These crewing moments are just as fun as the running portions of the relay. As we would drive by runners on our way to the next exchange, we lowered our windows and cheered for them... loudest for the Cabbits, though, of course. We chatted with teams at checkpoints. We listened to the stories our runners told as they finished a leg. We rocked out to the Pop Love 2013 remix. We even saw some fireworks on Lake Lemon.

Around 10:30 P.M., it was time for my next, and most challenging, leg. I suited up in my night gear and took off after getting the bracelet from Elise.

Leg 9
Because Tim wanted more mileage than Wendy assigned him, he joined me for this 6.5-mi. leg, and I was thankful for his company. On our third mile, a course directional sign was turned incorrectly, and we made a wrong turn. We lost four minutes as a result of that mistake (that amount of time is important later), but we were allowed to get in our crew vehicle and return to the course. Surprisingly, I was not enraged by the tampered-with sign. I was actually happy to have gotten some extra mileage.

Boltinghouse, a monstrous hill with an 18% grade, loomed ahead, and I hiked most of it. The decision to hike was a good one, because my heart rate stayed at a steady running rate throughout the hike portion. Following Boltinghouse, there were many rolling hills that were steep, but short. On each one, I could feel my strong core (made by Sam), engage to carry me up and over the hill. The last half mile of the leg dropped steeply into Lake Griffy, and we bombed the hill to pass the bracelet to Doug.

My strongest memories of this leg include seeing, "Shut up, legs!" spray painted on the pavement on Boltinghouse, watching my running shadow in the bright headlights of the crew vehicle behind me, and making shadow shapes and puppets with Tim while we ran. Tim's company made this leg pass quickly, both mentally and physically. I wouldn't have run as fast as I did without him.

Here is the Leg 9 data.

Choo-Choo
The funniest moment of the night happened close to 1:00 A.M. We had been waiting for Doug at the end of the first loop, and he was taking a lot longer than we thought he would. (He was racing well, but we thought his leg was 5.2 mi. It was actually 6.4 mi.) Due to some information from another team's runner, we had reason to believe that Doug had been caught by a train.

When Doug finally got to the checkpoint just ahead of a group of several runners, we had a funny exchange:

Jo: It's OK! We know what happened!
Doug: What do you mean?
Jo: We know about the train!
Doug: What train?
Jo: There was no train?
Doug: No!
Jo: Then what happened?
Doug: What do you mean what happened?! I ran hard! (pointing) I PASSED ALL THOSE PEOPLE!

Indeed he had! Of course, we quickly learned he ran 1.2 mi. farther than we thought he did.

Late night RER selfie

Bizarre RER
After 1:00 A.M. is when things start to get interesting. Your body is fatigued. Your appetite is strange. The locations you saw in the daytime look eerily different in the night. Your brain starts to take sensory information and distort it into information that isn't quite real. Luckily, Wendy and Quigley helped me do the driving on the second loop so I could rest my brain for a bit, though not sleep. With all of the exhaustion and almost supernatural strangeness, one can't forget that a run awaits. I took off again at about 3:30 A.M. after getting the bracelet from Quigley.

Leg 15
Leg 15—advertised as 3.8 mi, but really more like 4 mi.—is a fun one to run because it's a downhill bomb. However, that doesn't mean easy. There are plenty of uphills, too, and the road is potholed and mostly graveled. Plus, the downhills can be almost as difficult as uphills if you don't manage them well. I focused on staying in a steady rhythm with my cadence. Within a mile, I was passed by a member of Team 105, a team with whom we'd been jockeying for position all night. I made it my goal to catch him by the time I finished my leg.

Little by little, I reeled him in. When we were side by side, he surged to match my pace. Reasoning that the experience would be a lot more pleasant if I weren't running alone, I said, "Want to work together?" He replied breathlessly, "YES!" We ran the last two miles together, chatting about the RER experience and our families. Where else can you run the backroads of Monroe County at 3:30 A.M. with a total stranger you'll never see again and finish with a big high five? Red Eye Relay. It's the stuff of dreams.

Here's the Leg 15 data. I ran the third mile sub-8 while having conversation. That statistic and my whole performance at RER make me very encouraged about my current fitness.

Finish
I was thrilled to have only support and encouragement as my focus for the remainder of the race. It felt great to put on some dry clothes, too. Luckily, I brought flip-flops, because those downhills created a terrible toe problem. (Only click the link if you're OK with yuck-pics.) I spent the rest of the night shuttling my friends to their exchanges and cheering like a fool for all the runners. We all watched the sunrise together. We celebrated and lamented about the impending finish. Then we watched as Elise crossed the finish line for The Zoooomin' Cabbits in 15:39.

We learned later that we earned second place, something difficult to know during the running of RER, because teams can choose start times. We were second by three minutes and nine seconds. Remember the four minutes I lost when I made a wrong turn on Leg 9? Yeah. Bummer.

However—and this might be the magic of the Red Eye Relay—I didn't care. We could've finished last, and I wouldn't have cared. Running is often a solitary sport, even when you run with friends. Your goals and training are individual. Running for a team fulfills me in a way that individual running doesn't. Everything is more: the motivation, the encouragement, the fun.

Writing this blog was necessary because it convinces my brain that the fantastic experience I had was real. It was a privilege to be a Zoooomin' Cabbit for one crazy night in the middle of a southern Indiana summer.

Red-ribboned Cabbits (minus Doug and Quigley)

A Pre-Red Eye Conversation With My Body

(Note: I will write a Red Eye race report soon. However, this exchange can serve as a little prologue.)

Saturday, July 19, 2014.  9:00 A.M.  Bedford, Indiana.

Jo's Body: Jo! Jo! Wake up!

Jo: What? Why?

Body: It's Saturday.

Jo: I'm sleeping in.

Body: We run long on Saturdays! You've overslept!

Jo: Oh. Yeah. No. I forgot to tell you about that.

Body: We aren't running?

Jo: No, we are. We're doing things a little differently this weekend, though.

Body: Oh. OK. What's up?

Jo: Instead of one long run, we're going to start a little later and break it up into three smaller runs over a 12-hour period.

Body: That's easy. 

Jo: (pause) Yeah... 

Body: (pause) What aren't you telling me?

Jo: Well, the 12 hours are going to be overnight.

Body: Overnight? When do we sleep?

Jo: We don't.

Body: Surely you can sleep in between runs.

Jo: No. We have to drive our teammates to their exchange points on dark, winding, potholed, backwoods roads, and encourage and support them.

Body: Teammates? We're relaying?

Jo: Yes.

Body: Sleep deprived relaying?

Jo: Yes. It's called the Red Eye Relay.

Body: Cute. Can we take a nap today?

Jo: We can try, but we will be unsuccessful.

Body: OK. So if you're sleep depriving me, surely you're going to give me some excellent fuel.

Jo: About that...

Body: Oh, no.

Jo: We're going to subsist on Saltines, animal crackers, jelly beans, and one small piece of pepperoni pizza.

Body: Jo. We have Crohn's disease.

Jo: I am aware. It's just for one night. 

Body: Can't I have a banana or some apples?

Jo: No. I'll give you fruit-flavored Gatorade and plenty of water, though, since you insist on sweating so much.

Body: Gee, thanks. I'm helping to cool you, you dork. I'm going to remind you in the early morning hours that the pizza was a bad idea.

Jo: Fair enough. Also, we're going to have to be the team statistician.

Body: Being a mathematician is your department, not mine. How far are we going?

Jo: I'm going to tell you 15.5 mi., but it's going to be more than 16 because I'm going to make a wrong turn, and one course is measured incorrectly.

Body: That's doable, even though you are denying me sleep and basic nutrition. (pause) There's something else you aren't telling me.

Jo: Well, we're going to go a little faster than usual.

Body: How much faster?

Jo: About 1.5-min. per mile faster.

Body: That's half marathon pace!

Jo: Look who's the mathematician, now.

Body: Hey-o! Elevation?

Jo: It's going to be hilly.

Body: Define hilly.

Jo: Over 3,000 feet of elevation change.

Body: What?! Nothing too steep, I hope?

Jo: Well...

Body: Oh, no.

Jo: There's one hill that's pretty steep.

Body: Like, higher than a 6% grade?

Jo: Yes.

Body: How much higher?

Jo: 12%.

Body: 12% grade?!

Jo: No, 12% higher. 18% grade. 

Body: WHAT?! JO!

Jo: It's only a quarter-mile long, though.

Body: "Only." I won't let you run it. I'll make you hike it.

Jo: Fine. 

Body: You are such a champ at hills. They never kill races for you. This is a really good idea, especially deprived of basic needs.

Jo: Stop being sassy.

Body: "Hi, pot. I'm the kettle..."

Jo: Really original.

Body: May I ask what the reward is for completing this endeavor?

Jo: It's going make us stronger and prepare us to handle unusual stressors, like November's Monumental Marathon.

Body: Good heavens. That again?

Jo: Yes. Why do you think we've been running 30-mi. weeks in July? Plus, you did so well at Monumental last year...

Body: Sarcasm becomes you. I got you to the finish, didn't I?

Jo: Walking. After passing out on Mile 23.

Body: Our pelvis was fractured.

Jo: I didn't know it.

Body: I tried to tell you.

Jo: You're a horrible communicator.

Body: No, you don't listen. Kind of like you're doing right now with that toe that I'm clearly telling you is BROKEN.

Jo: Whatever. Anyway, another reward is that we're going to have lots of fun memories with good friends. One about a train. One about fireworks on Lake Lemon. Another where Wendy takes a funny video of us, and yet another where we'll sing with Wendy at 5:30 in the morning.

Body: Wendy. I knew Wendy was involved in this.

Jo: So are Tim, Becky, Doug, Elise, and Quigley.

Body: Who are Elise and Quigley?

Jo: New friends. See? Already beneficial.

Body: Yeah, I can't refute that. Teamwork is fun. I like to work hard when we're on a team.

Jo: I know. You're good at responding to my requests when we work with others. The bottom line is this, Body: can we do it?

Body: (pause) I don't want to.

Jo: I didn't ask if you wanted to.

Body: I'm going to shred your feet.

Jo: I said, can we do it?

Body: YES, we can do it. You're giving me no sleep, bad food, you're going to forget to take your night medicines until it's almost too late...

Jo: You know me well.

Body: ...you want half marathon race pace over three segments totaling 16 mi. of hilly terrain... but I can do it.

Jo: You're really amazing, Body.

Body: Everybody's Body is.

Jo: I know, but you're special to me.

Body: Gee, thanks. Let's get a race plan going. I don't want to start out too hard and get our heart rate too high right off the bat.

Jo: About that...

Body: Oh, good heavens...

Starting too hard at the
2014 Red Eye Relay

Karma of the Cord

The last time I posted a blog, I was on the cusp of my first speech in a week. After a couple days of a strangely-pitched, weak voice, I started sounding more like my old self—my pre-hemorrhage/mass self, that is. Since that time, I have been working with vocal therapists at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in order to train my vocal cords back to their old singin' and teachin' ways. I'm making great progress, and even sang a little with Ed's guitar playing.

Now that I'm on the other side of the vocal cord hemorrhage mountain, I've been able to reflect on the situation with a new perspective. My thoughts can be summarized easily with one sentence.

I deserved it.

Singer Jo

July 2010

There was a time when most people who knew me in my hometown, knew me because I could sing. That has changed, of course, with the evolution of my teaching career, which has a side benefit of knowing most families in Bedford. However, it's still common knowledge that JoAnna (Hackney) Cobb sings.

Additionally, there are several places outside of Bedford where I'm known solely for my vocal performances. From 2007 to 2011, three to four weekends a month, I visited country music venues to perform as a guest artist with house bands at jamborees in southern Indiana and Kentucky. In 2010, I released a cover album that I sold at those venues. I had lots of great times with lots of great friends.

...until 2012, when I decided I was over it.

Ungrateful Jo
I didn't want to sing anymore. I was tired of it. Tired of the driving, tired of the hair and makeup, tired of rehearsing, tired of performing, and most of all, tired of singing being a job. (Understand that I was in no way tired of time spent with Mom or with dear friends at those venues. I missed and miss those people dearly.) I quit cold turkey. I stopped scheduling regional gigs and performed only with Ed on our porch or at local events, but never with my old fervor.

However, I didn't stop there. I began to publicly renounce my singing talent. At first, I was discreet about it; I just dropped it from my list of hobbies on every "about me" bio I could edit. Then, I started comparing running and singing, claiming I would forever "choose" running over singing. I even told people I was no longer a singer. "I run instead now." Privately, I wished that I had never been given a vocal talent.

Uncertain Jo
In the fall of 2013, I was offered an opportunity that was hard to refuse: play the vocally-demanding role of The Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Little Theatre of Bedford. I decided to go for it, mostly because Joseph is a favorite show and many involved were close friends. Throughout rehearsals, I became acquainted with my voice again. In fact, we were almost friendly. Then, as the show was closing in March 2014, I got my wish.

I physically couldn't sing anymore.

Appreciative Jo
Of course, the rest of the story can be read in my previous blogs (starting here). From my current perspective, I view the whole situation as similar to George Bailey's plight in It's A Wonderful Life, on a much smaller scale, of course. However, the story line is the same: guy/gal makes a rash wish, lives out said wish, learns he/she was wildly wrong.

Even though it was an awful situation, I am thankful for it. I will never again take for granted my singing talent. Honestly, the loss of my ability to sing from March through June was worse than my one week of forced post-surgical silence. I love that I can sing on the porch with Ed, or perform the Anthem at a sporting event, or join a band as a guest. I won't perform with my old frequency, but certainly, I will not renounce a talent that, until recently, I didn't know I loved so much.

I am a runner. I am a singer. And I can be both.

------------------

June
Because I haven't yet reported on June, now is a great time to do so. I'm pleased with my progress, especially since I had surgery in the middle of the month (June 11). Here are the stats:

Miles Run: 125.46

Runs: 18

Hours Run: 20.40

Average Run Distance: 6.97 mi.

Average Run Pace: 9:53.15

Average Run Duration: 1:08:54.25

Average Temperature: 67.4°F

Longest Run: 15.04 mi., June 21

Shortest Run: 2.07, June 5 (1, 2, 3)

Favorite Run: June 14, 6.36 mi.

Total Lifetime Mileage: 3,447.91

(As of today, total lifetime mileage is 3,480.25, and total annual mileage is 527.51.)