my running journey
The Mud Girl 5K was May 30, 2026.
Mud girl run is 3 miles of fun, crazy energy, mud and obstacles to support the Pink Army Foundation.
This was the race I was most looking forward to this year because I ran it with my daughter as she finished her first 5K.
Today I finished my 3rd obstacle race at Mud Girl Run. We ended up running 3.8 miles, and finishing all 16 obstacles, in 1 hour 32 minutes. We ran our super chill easy pace.
The Caesar’s Creek Race is part of the Wolf Pack Ohio Trail Running Series. The race on May 23, 2026 included multiple distance options from 5K, 10K, 15K, half marathon, and 6 Hours of Power.
Due to heavy rainfall the trails were extremely muddy and included two, nearly waist deep water crossings.
I had originally registered for the half marathon, but due to rough trail conditions I switched to the 10K, so I could get home by 2pm as I had promised my family.
Runners in the 5K, 10K, 15K and 6 Hours of Power events followed the blue signs to complete a loop that was approximately 5K.
I completed two loops, running 7 miles, to finish a muddy, puddle fun 10K.
Thanks Wolf Pack for another fun adventure. As a Wolf Pack Pass Pack member, I will be back to run with the Pack.
The Tie Dye 50K is a trail ultra marathon that took place at John Bryan State Park on May 16, 2026 at 7:30am. The course consisted of three loops of just over 10.5 miles each.
This was my third time finishing a 50K, and my second time doing so at the ORRRC Tie Dye race.
My last ultra marathon was in 2017 when I finished this race just under the 9 hour time limit. I was slightly concerned that the 9 hour cut off might pose a challenge for me this year going into this race slightly undertrained, and with a sprained wrist. However, I ran at an easy effort pace and managed to take 4 minutes off my previous time.
Overall this was a fun race and I was glad to push myself to finish. I should have worn shorts. It was too hot for long pants, but otherwise I had a great time.
The Cherry Blossom 10 miler is a premier road race in Washington D.C. known for having a flat fast course and passing many of nation’s iconic landmarks including the Arlington Memorial Bridge, the Kennedy Center, and the Washington Monument where the race starts and finishes. The race was held April 12, 2026.
I ran this race with Shannon and Jim, fellow board members of the Ohio River Road Runners Club.
As a quality engineer, I am Koala-ty too
Packet pickup on Friday Night was quite a fun experience as it was my first time riding the Metro in D.C.
The Time to Paddy Lucky 13.1 Half Marathon is a St. Patrick’s Day themed race that was held March 1st 2026.
Sandi and I were the 2:20 Half Marathon pacer buddies at this race.
Finishers earned the Paddy Like A Pro medal.
Post race snacks included green items to match the race theme.
Happy New Year!
I forgot to wear my watch this morning because I accidentally left it at home charging. However, Strava came to the rescue and I completed my 1 mile run, spelling out the year across the parking lot, utilizing the track for the zero, and finishing on the field.
My run the year tradition may have also inspired the New Year’s Day group run. We ran 5 miles on a sheet of ice this morning and created a vertical 2026.
The Winter Solstice Trail Half was December 20, 2025 at John Bryan State Park. This race is hosted by the Ohio River Road Runners Club and is considered one of the of their small club events that ORRRC club members can run for free.
Today I got to help three middle school girls finish their very first Half Marathon. They were right behind be after the first mile and I decided to stay with them to help encourage them. Two of these girls were former members of the youth XC team I coach. The third girl is their friend.
Finishers of this race received a cool winter solstice magnet. Participants that also ran the summer solstice race earlier in the year would have received the complementary summer solstice magnet at that race to complete the set.
Thanks ORRRC for another great event. Today’s race was lifetime Half Marathon #105.
The tenth annual Hilly Half in Brown County Indiana was November 15, 2025.
This was my third year pacing this super fun, beautiful, hilly race. The course starts out with an uphill climb for the first two miles, but the weather was perfect and the views from the top of the hills were spectacular. I ended up running the majority of the race a group of cross country girls as they finished their very first half marathon.
The after party included soup, breadsticks, drinks, and live music.
Medal Madness is a US Road Running event that takes place on the Beavercreek Bike path. The race includes multiple distance options including a 5K, 10K, or Half Marathon.
At the fall edition of this race on September 13, 2025, I completed my 100th lifetime Half Marathon. This race was special because all three of my daughters were there to cheer me on.
Run like a CHEETAH is the poster my daughter made me for inspiration. It is referring to the XC running group that I coach, as well as the super fast animal which inspired the group’s name .
I ran my fastest Half Marathon in the past three years, and finished as the first over all female at a very small race, which only included two women.
The 2nd place woman finishing 25 seconds after me was half my age and running her very first half marathon. We both set a goal to run sub 2-Hours, which we both achieved.
I selected the Ninja themed medal as my award for finishing my 100th half. Thanks US Road Running for another great race.
Welcome to Tough Mudder, a hard core obstacle race designed to test your all around strength, stamina, and mental grit. It isn’t just an event, it’s a calling. The Tough Mudder 15k in Columbus, Indiana was August 2, 2025.
I ran this race with a group of my coworkers. We woke up super early to make the 2 hour drive from Dayton, Ohio to Columbus, Indiana.
Of all the races I have done, this is the race I was the most nervous about because the obstacles looked intimidating. However, I decided to push myself outside of my comfort zone and I had an absolute blast.
My favorite obstacle was the cage crawl. Pulling yourself across a pit of water underneath the cage with only inches to breathe might make you panic, especially when the cage suddenly dips under water. But I was proud of myself for facing my fear and completing this event. Something that originally made me nervous ended up being a lot of fun.
I also enjoyed the Mud Crawl, because you are never too old to play in the mud.
I finished 20 out of 23 obstacles in 2:40. Finishers received a Mudder Nation T-shirt, the Tough Mudder Headband, and a Medal. First time finishers earned the orange headband, but can earn other colors upon completing additional events.
I can’t wait to finish my next Tough Mudder and earn the green head band.
Run Cari 