New Year, New Goals

2011 was an amazing year. My rookie marathon year included the following races:

Disney Princess Half Marathon (February)
RnR San Diego Marathon (June)
ET Full Moon 51k (August)
The Marathon Show Marathon (August)
Disneyland Half Marathon (September)
Patriot's Day Marathon (September)
Long Beach Marathon (October)
RnR Los Angeles Half (October)
Silver Strand Half Marathon (November)
Running off the Turkey Marathon (November)
Feeling Stuffed Marathon (November)
Holiday Half Marathon (December)
Boone Winter Half Marathon (December)

It seems safe to say that I increased my insanity tenfold. I can't use words to accurately describe the feeling that I have about myself after these races. If you read my old posts you see that I used to be scared of long distances and unsure of my ability to run them. The butterflies I feel now are from excitement and anticipation, not fear.

I have made so many positive running friends that have truly impacted my life for the better. Our family now includes our running partners and our weekends are full of expos and carb load dinners.

For 2012 I look forward to more than in 2011. I will run my first Ragnar Relay and my first 24 hour race. This Maniac is always looking for the next better challenge.

I will also blog more. As I read back on last year I am sad that I didn't write more. There are unforgettable moments in these races and I want to be sure to better document them.

For those who read this that think I am crazy... you really should give it a try before you judge. You cannot beat feeling like a rock star, a super hero, and a champion. No drug can do what running does for me. I love the opportunity to share the love :)

The following is a log of what I did in my first year as a marathoner:

My 2011 Running Year in Review

January 1, 2011 was the first day I was able to run again after 6 weeks off from abdominal surgery. I had until the end of February to get back in shape to run the Disney Princess Half Marathon with my good friend Marlene. I was determined to run it with her and not let her down. This was her first half, my second. We met when both our husbands were serving (and our families were living) in Uganda. I had not seen her in 5 years.

On January 13, I signed up for the Rock n Roll San Diego full marathon. I was petrified and unprepared, but I knew 6 months was enough time to get it figured out.

I pushed myself pretty hard and by the middle of February I knew something was wrong with my leg. I refused to acknowledge it and kept running. I went to Orlando and had the time of my life with Marlene. I even got a PR at the half! (2:21) A few days later I could not run without excruciating pain. I was diagnosed with a stress fracture. 4 weeks later, I was allowed to slowly build back up in mileage. The problem was that I was 8 weeks out from my first 26.2. My friend invited me to do an 18 mile run with her running club. We rode a train from Solana Beach, CA., to Oceanside and ran back. On the train I met a most wonderful woman, Christian Pratt.

Christian has a way about her. She has this confidence and supportive nature that makes you want to be around her. I felt an instant bond to her and was so thankful to have met her. I finished that 18 miler and ran with the club for the rest of the season. The season that included toenail removal surgery 11 days before race day!

It was not easy, but I ran and finished my first marathon on June 5, 2011. Along the way I saw some amazing things. I saw Ed Ettinghausen holding a sign that said “Only 26 more to go” right past the start line. I saw Christian on the course (a highlight!) and ran the last half with my husband by my side. I learned that running with friends gets you through the hardest parts of any distance. At mile 18 I ran into this guy holding an “on air” sign and a microphone. It was Joe Taricani from The Marathon Show! When my kids heard him interview me over the radio, they were pretty sure Mom was a rock star. It was an experience I will never forget. (5:15)

Soon after San Diego Christian was talking about this crazy ultra marathon in the middle of the night, in the middle of the desert in Nevada. Before I knew it, I agreed. Oh boy, was I crazy? I had confidence in her confidence in me. 8 weeks after San Diego we drove to Vegas and embarked upon a crazy adventure through the night. It wasn’t all perfect, but I did it! I ran a 51k (7:18)! I think this race is where the true love of long distance running was born in me. I was so damn proud of myself for running that far, uphill, at night, mostly by myself. I will always be thankful for Christian for seeing in me what I was not yet sure of.

My next marathon was the Marathon Show Marathon just 2 short weeks after ET. I was pretty excited to see the great Mad Hatter Fancy Pants come down the street of Newport Beach. I had so much fun running a lot of the race with him. It was so fun to see the reaction of the people that saw us. What in the world is that super tall guy doing running down the street in that get-up? We talked all things running and I appreciate his willingness to put up with my newbie questions. Ed is a true hero of our sport and I am proud to call him my friend. This race is special to me as well because I qualified for Marathon Maniacs here. When I first told my son about the club a few months earlier, he said, “Mommy, you NEED to be a Maniac.” I really didn’t think that I even wanted to. Oh boy... did that change!

Prior to August of 2011, my amazing husband saw “no personal benefit” in running as much as I did. I tried to talk him into doing races with me, always with an answer of no. He did run half of the San Diego Marathon with me, but more for my support rather for his own enjoyment (in fact, I am sure it was painful for him to run my slow pace, especially after I got tired). When I announced that I had ran 100 miles in the month of July, Brady decided that he was going to do that in August and finish the month off by running the Marathon Show Marathon. I was worried he would hurt himself, but in contrast, the love of running was born in him that month. He did exactly what he said he would. He was a marathoner too! His infamous words at this race, “One and done. Never again.”

So I celebrated my 36th birthday with a 13.1 mile party at Disneyland and another marathon (are you keeping track? that’s 4 in 3 months!) on 9/11/11 (PR! 5:10).

October was an amazing month as well. I signed up for the Long Beach 1/2 Marathon in April or May. I twisted Brady’s arm into doing it as well. About 2 weeks before the race we decided to upgrade to the full 26.2. (One and done, Brady? What happened?) This race was so fun. I met a couple dozen Maniacs pre-race. By now, I feel that some of them are family. It was really cool to be a part of their journey too. The race was the first marathon that I was able to get really into a groove and just run. I PRd by 28 minutes (4:42)! When Rudy Novotny said, “Another one of our Maniacs is finishing... that is Shawna Wentlandt!!” It brought me to tears. When I saw Brady waiting for me at the finish, that was one of the best experiences of my life. I wanted a sub-5 marathon and I got it.

I wasn’t finished in October. I PRd by 12 minutes for the half at RnR LA (2:07). The course wasn’t great, but how often can an average athlete share the road with the likes of Deena Castor? I saw her twice on the out and back course. I love our sport.


November was another crazy month. I volunteered for the Chimera 100 mile race. Being a volunteer at mile 82 of a 100 mile race is an amazing experience. I will be back every year. These runners are truly a testament to the human spirit. I ran another half marathon in November (2:10) and finished off Thanksgiving weekend with a double. A DOUBLE marathon? Who would’ve thought? That’s right, me, the girl that had not ran even a marathon until 6 months ago, ran two in two days. We were far from fast, but Brady and I mostly stayed together and had a great date (Maniac style!) weekend. What a way to round out my marathon experience for 2011.

I wasn’t sure in January I even wanted to really run a full marathon. Now I have completed 6 plus an ultra (and 5 half marathons) this year. I am so proud of myself. My friends were there for me and many shared some of the same miles. I love them and will never forget the influence their confidence has. I am a marathoner. I am a Marathon Maniac! Watch out 2012, I am going to run all over you!