Dicks Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon!

Hey everyone! I am excited to announce that I will be back in the Steel City for the Dick's Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon on May 3rd! I am thrilled to be working with the awesome race organizers that also put on the Pittsburgh 10 Miler, which I did this past November. Ryan Hogan, Patrice Matamoros, and everyone in charge of this amazing event are even more amazing themselves.

And not only do I get to race as an elite in pursuit of my A-standard Olympic Trials Qualifier mark, but I was also selected to be an official blogger for the race! Stay tuned for weekly updates of different aspects of my training cycle. I plan to cover training, recovering, nutrition, and other fun things along the way. Follow the hashtag #GameOnPGH on instagram, twitter, and Facebook, too! I will be posting updates all over the place, as will all of the other official (and talented) bloggers.

The race (http://www.pittsburghmarathon.com/Files/Admin/Maps/Marathon%5Ffull%5F2015%5F02%5F12%2Epdf)  is a brutal one, crossing 3 rivers on 5 bridges, and touring 13 neighborhoods as it tours around the hilly Pittsburgh area. The first 10 miles of the race are the reverse of the PGH 10 Miler and are relatively flat. At mile 12 though, there is this thing called "THE HILL" which appears to be a 200-250 foot climb follow by rolling hills all the way to the finish. I don't know what I am in for. This course will definitely keep me honest, as will the training runs I see in my near future. Thankfully Minneapolis has some Lock and Dam hills that will function as great race simulations.

After an up and down year in terms of races and injuries, I am very thankful to be healthy and strong going into this cycle, ready to push for my 3rd marathon to be my A-qualifier time (2:37.00 or faster). More than anything, I want to go into the race confidently. May 3rd I will be on that starting line ready for what beautiful Pittsburgh throws my way. #GameOnPGH