Me + Jeff Gordon = Twins!

Fraternal, obviously.

This is really just a recap of a 5k. The title makes it sound much more exciting, though, doesn't it?! C'mon...would you have been just as excited to read a post called "I Ran a 5k. Read All About It"?

Didn't think so.

This was my first year racing in the Daytona 5k. My brother-in-law's wife picked it out for us, and I'm a pretty easy sell, when it comes to races.

in case you were picturing a scary Race Boss-Lady. She's actually very lovely, all around

 

The race starts on the Daytona International Speedway. It loops around the inside track and finishes on the track. So, the runners are pretty much. somewhat similar to? exactly like the drivers who race on the same Speedway!

 

Also, the race coincides with the Rolex 24, an actual Nascar race, so there were even die-hard fans camped out on the infield to complain about us waking them cheer us on! The concept was pretty cool, but it made for a stressful (for me) parking situation. The Husband drove me, my dad and the boys to the race and handled the poorly-marked signage like a champ.

 

Once parked, my dad and I managed to find a set of port-a-potties with NO LINE and we all hopped on the well-manned Tram to get to the packet pick-up area.

 

It was just under 50 degrees F, which made me ridiculously happy. It's so rare that we Floridians get to race in conditions like that. My high hopes for a PR inched up a notch higher.

 

Our goody bags contained a ticket to the Rolex 24, a couple of race flyers, a shirt and the standard biofreeze sample. I managed to end up with a tee shirt, instead of a tech shirt. This has happened to me before. Not a big deal, but I hadn't complained about anything since the Parking Problem, so I thought it was about time. The race wasn't terribly well-advertised, so I wasn't expecting much in the way of "swag". Despite this fact, over 800 people still showed to up run. Those kinds of numbers are pretty high for our area!

t-shirt proof

 

(I'm still pretty sure some of the participants were Nascar fans who may have wandered away from their campsites and ended up on the track.)

some other cuties who wandered onto the track

 

We found my brother-in-law (Alan) and his wife (Kristi-Anne) (pictured above, for reference) and pinned on our bibs without much time to spare. She'd drawn the short straw and would be pushing their toddler in the race. Alan would get to show off and beat us all, as per usual. This would be my dad's first race in over a year, due to persistent (and REALLY annoying) injuries so we were all pretty ready to start running. There was no time for a warm-up and no water to be found. (too soon for another complaint?), so we hurried over to where we thought the start would be.

 

There was an enormous mass of people that prevented us from even seeing where the start line was located. We saw one guy point in a vague direction and crossed our fingers that we'd see a timing mat, at some point. My dad, Alan and I saw people moving and assumed the race had started. Unsure if it was chip-timed at the finish AND start, I began weaving like a crazylady. The menfolk followed my lead and we eventually made our way out of the throng of racers.

 

While I don't love that sort of cluster at a start, I do have to admit it was pretty fun to pass that many people, once we got moving.

 

About 1/2 mile in, my BIL passed me and I focused on keeping his back in sight. I figured my dad was probably using me as a visual pacing reference, as well. I was feeling very strong, very much in control of my breathing and very confident with him about 30 feet in front of me.

 

And then I heard it. The annoyingly familiar snap-flop sound of my shoelaces, all willy-nilly and free, slapping the pavement.

 

"Aaaaahhh! Are you kidding me?!" 

 

Dear Mr. or Mrs. Brooks : I will give you ten, crisp dollars to fix the laces on these shoes.

Sincerely, Aggravated Consumer

 

In answer to your question : Yes. I always double-knot my shoes. These laces are notorious for coming undone and it was my own fault for not remembering that.

 

I made the agonizing to decision to step out of everyone's way and re-tie the shoe, as I felt it actually slipping off. While I had no qualms about finishing shoe-less, I would've felt awful about someone tripping over it. I didn't stop my watch and saw, later, that I lost over 25 seconds double-knotting (again!) the stupid shoe.

 

I re-focused and re-passed a lot of the racers who'd sped by me while I was crouched in annoyance. Alan, however, was merely a speck in the distance. Undeterred, and knowing I still had a decent chance of placing in my age group, I pressed on. 

 

Then, just after the 2nd mile marker, you'll never guess what happened! (those of you who already know the story, don't spoil it for the others, please)

 

The same, double-knotted, stupid, stinking, good-for-nothing laces came undone. Again. I'm still not at the point where I can think about it and laugh. It was really, really, really annoying and frustrating.

 

In a longer race, I could've made up the time. Not so much in a 5k.

 

This time, however, there was no way I was tying those things again. My gait was wonky, as I fought to curl my speedy foot inside the rapidly loosening shoe, but by golly I was not stopping. As if to taunt me, the laces themselves flew up and smacked me in the calf, repeatedly.

 

"Yoo hoo. We're untied and flopping about wildly!" the jerks teased.

 



Ironic Spoiler: I didn't fall. That happened the next day, with my laces firmly intact.

 

My watch showed 21:55 when I crossed the finish line. Being on the Official Racetrack, and all, I figured that was probably as accurate as a 5k was going to get. There weren't too many women in front of me, so I was pretty happy.

 

Not a PR, thanks to the unruly laces, but good enough to garner me:

 

6th Female, overall

1st Female, 35-39

44th, overall

shiny!

 

My brother-in-law also finished 1st in his division and my dad, 5th. My sister-in-law, in an effort to end the protests of my stroller-bound nephew, flew through the race with a sub-28 minute finish!

me and my fastie daddy. Kinda posing...kinda trying not to roll down the steep bank

 

Alan & I, awkwardly proclaiming our results...and trying not to roll down the steep bank

 

 

The kids race started right on time, which is always awesome. The folks in charge forgot to bring ribbbons to hand out, though. Not quite so awesome.

 

The Littlest, powering through the Finish

The Middlest, leading a cutthroat pack

 

We found some other runner-friends and caught up during the awards ceremony. After I fought my way through the paparazzi, though, to head to the car, I was very sad to discover all the post-race goodies had been packed up and taken away. Missing out on bagels and bananas may have been more upsetting than the lack of a PR, for me.

 

In Summary:

 

• I'd recommend this race. It's a fun and unique experience with a good-sized turnout and smooth organization.
• Don't try to park where you see the giant, well-light "Competitor Parking" sign. It's not meant for you. Drive down the road until you see a small arrow and confusing rows of vehicles.
• I can't guarantee you'll get a tech shirt. If you do, can I trade you?
• If you see me, on the racetrack, steer clear. It's very likely that my shoelaces are untied and I don't want you to trip me us.
• If you see a dark-haired girl, with a adorable-yet-vocal toddler in a jogging stroller, steer clear of her, too. She may run you down in an effort to finish and free him from his restraints.
• When you finish the race, make a beeline for the food tables and just start grabbing. That stuff will be gone before you know it.
• If you get tired, these guys know the perfect place to relax and reflect on the race

Somewere out there, a jealous Nascar fan is dying to have that white paint all over their backside

 

Ever been to a Nascar race?

 

Do you have any tricks for keeping laces tied?

 



 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 





Pride Cometh After A Fall

I was going to recap yesterday's 5k. I'll still do that this week. Today's initially innocuous run just took precedence in my tiny brain, though. Fair warning: there are some gross photos and fairly raw emotion included. Drama? Yes. Long-Winded? Mmm. Hm. Tempted to keep reading? Probably not.

If you prefer to spend your time reading something funnier, lighter and more intelligent, please visit my sissy's new blog and enjoy this post.

Having not run more than 17 miles since my mess of a marathon in December, I planned to knock out a solid 20-miler before this much-anticipated event. Training has been solid. Other than some overall fatigue, I've been feeling great. So, when preparing for this morning's long run, I set a goal.

Keep it easy, but finish with an average pace you'll be happy and confident about. That actual number's not important to the story, but I had a small range in mind.

Unfortunately, even after a relaxing night, good sleep and plenty of hydration, I woke up feeling pretty groggy and un-motivated. Coffee helped and I was out the door with little trepidation. It was (Florida) cool, very damp and foggy. The morning was still dark, quiet and almost silent. Everything was shrouded in creepy, heavy mist and it was too early for even die-hard dogwalkers to be out.

not quite as dark as this run ,but you get the idea

A lot of my runs begin this way. Normally I enjoy the peace. It's a chance to clear my thoughts, plan my week, set small goals and focus on happy moments my family and I have spent together, recently. Today, though, the dark miles passed very slowly, both physically and mentally. Yesterday's race was taking it's toll on my legs and I ran out of happy-go-lucky way too quickly.

Sunrise happened and helped my mood, immensely. And then it didn't. Oddly, for me, I felt very lonely. While most of my runs are solo, I was suddenly craving company. There were overwhelmingly ugly feelings of jealousy towards my running buddies I knew would be enjoying their miles with friends, today.

where were all these guys when I needed them?!

 

Then my phone rang. Sometimes, while "in the groove", the distraction can be a slight annoyance. Today's call was perfectly timed, though. My dear, sweet husband wanted to know where I'd be so he and the boys could come offer "on-course" support. We picked a place and I hung up with a smile to replace my former, sour frown.

 

Miles 8-14 were mostly a blissful blur. I threw in a challengingly faster mile, turned on my audiobook and looked forward to seeing my guys in a short while. The weather prevented me from even working up a real sweat. My legs were getting achy and fatigued, but in a good and normal way. The city was wide awake, finally, and the bevvy of new activity around me was a welcome distraction.

 

When I came up to The Husband and Middlest, sans vehicle, I realized they'd be hoofing it with me, for a bit. That brilliant idea was such an awesome surprise! Middlest rode his scooter (not so fast!) in front of us, and The Husband and I caught up on fun stories while he tried to slow his (much fresher) legs. After a couple sips of water, I left him with my half-full handheld as it was getting annoying to carry. With less than five miles to go, and the temperature being so lovely, I'd be fine without any more fuel.

 

They honked, waved, cheered and drove back home. I returned the wave and rallied my heavy legs to finish this run strong.

Quick disclaimer : "strong" and "fast" are not interchangeable, in this particular context. I'm a firm believer in the benefits of running my long days at an easy pace.



 

I'd gotten about a quarter-mile away before I tripped on a minuscule crack in the sidewalk.

 

My body went flying and skidding. As was the case with my last fall I simply didn't have any spare energy to try to stop the crash. I slid on my palms, scraped my arm, hip, knee and hand.

 

Two things registered, immediately.

1. OW!

2. There was a line of cars waiting to pull into the church entrance where I was hideously sprawled and a dozen or so congregation members, in the parking lot, staring at me in horror.

 

Fact Number 2 got me to my feet faster than I could've ever imagined. I surveyed the important damage (Garmin ok? Ipod still as intact as ever?) ,while I ran away from the humiliating scene. My body, while bruised and stinging, was still moving as it should be. That fact, along with the realization that my phone was in the handheld water bottle I'd sent with my husband, forced me to continue this run I so desperately wanted to abruptly end.

 

When I reached the 16th mile, and remembered that the next few stretches would be full of tall (Florida) hills, I finally paused my watch and fully stopped to survey the damage. I guess I was hoping that it was much less benign than I thought it was? I stopped the exploratory searches when I saw this:

spoiler: I survived and took pics after the run

 

While I now, rationally, realize it's simply a scraped knee, at that moment it was enough to drive me to actual tears. Frustration (why does this keep happening to me?!), Embarrassment (which isn't an emotion I generally succumb to), Exhaustion and Defeat overwhelmed me. Glancing up the steep hill, I saw people coming, so I slowly and sadly stumbled on. The thought crossed my mind to ask them if they had a phone so I could call my husband for a ride. By the time I reached them, though, my stupid crying fit was over and I'd decided to keep running. My pace was abysmal, my spirit was dead and my freaking bruised hands hurt like a b*#)%!

 

With everything now aching, inside and out, I shakily managed to switch my ipod back on to drown everything out with some music. When it started filling my ears, brain and heart, it was like a switch was flipped within me, as well.

 

I picked up my head, focused on the wisdom of Van Halen ("Right Now? It's Everything!") and my form, and destroyed the next hill.

 

Now, well into the seventeenth mile, I stopped looking at my watch but remembered my earlier goals for this training run. My legs started churning out beautiful-feeling movements but my breathing stayed soft and easy.

 

When Dave Grohl started singing about his "Hero", there wasn't a doubt in my mind he was referring to me.

 

Thinking back to my very first 20-miler, and the overwhelming sense of emotion and pride I felt when I knew I was going to finish it strongly, I started to get choked up, once again. That run had been prior to my injury, . While I'd managed to heal and get my fitness to a place where I could giddily complete my very first marathon, I'd very rarely felt "back", during my subsequent runs.

 

Here's the thing about running. It can, without warning or provocation, turn into an absolutely spiritual experience. It's not something you can plan or force. Some miles, some races, some impromptu jaunts with friends, just totally morph into something that cannot be explained without sounding like a complete dork. This, obviously, doesn't stop me from trying...

 



When I finished today's 20 miles, and realized they were, overall, even faster than my pre-injury ones(complete with fall and blubbering like a baby!), I couldn't decide whether I wanted to holler, cry (again) or just let my proud smile overtake my tired face.

 

So I did all three.

bruised & bloodied hip

 

curious about how I managed to scrape the palm AND back of the same hand

 

 

 

 

 



Answers for Un-Asked Questions

Alternate Title : You never asked, I'll answer anyway!

Also, thanks for weighing in on the last post's questions. If you didn't, yet, there's still time! You'll totally win a prize for providing the best answer, too! (Not!)

A lot of bloggers get asked enough questions, that said bloggers can create entire posts dedicated to quenching their readers' thirst for knowledge about them and the life they lead. I don't really get asked any questions, specifically.

This fact will never lead me to believe my life is un-interesting, though. My readers are simply left reeling from the burst of excitement I inect, into their (your) days, with each and every pointless post!

Imaginary Question #1: Haven't seen you around the interwebs, lately. Have you still been running? Yes. I've run in 81 degree afternoons and 40 degree mornings, all in the same week. (Florida weather's pretty interesting, huh?). I expertly avoided a PR in a 15k relay, this past weekend.

not a jump of excitement. The timing mat didn't register me the 1st (or 2nd) time across

 

I counted the 5k as my speedwork and threw in a couple, double-digit runs, too. Everything's been going well and I'm excited for my last few races of the season. I have another 5k, this weekend, that I get to run with some family members. Very awesome.

 

Next weekend, (wow. Is it really coming up that soon?!) I'm going to try to beat last year's time at this half marathon. I love the course, after party and family events there. The two bridge crossings are not real high on my "love" list, but they probably won't kill me.

 

I'll let you digest those two races for a couple days before we dive into the rest of my schedule.

 

Imaginary Question #2: Did you just stop typing up this post to peek through your blinds to watch your neighbors scream at each other? Yes. Yes I did. Lesson : Scream at your spouse inside your house. It's very likely your nosy neighbors are watching when you do it outside.

 

Imaginary Question #3: Do you often, silently curse your dad for giving you chronic Achilles tendinitis? If you're reading this and you ARE my dad, then the answer is no. Of course not. If, however, you happen to be anyone other than my dad, then yes. Yes I do. Out of all of his amazing attributes, he decided to pass on bad teeth and hopelessly weak tendons.



thanks a bunch, dad

 

There are countless other questions no one has asked me, that I feel the need to answer. For now, though, I have to continue to clean up Birthday Weekend 2013. The Oldest and Middlest's birthdays are one day apart, so the partying aftermath tends to look a little something like this:

They had fun and that's all that matters

 







Pretend I asked YOU a meaningful question and go ahead and answer it :

Only Nineteen Left

As would be the case in a marathon, that phrase is far from encouraging. These posts aren't nearly as painful or sweaty, though. Ooh! Maybe I'll give myself a medal upon completion, too?!

 

a small part of my collection. Definitely needs a Blogging Streak addition.

 

Today's Topic : My Six Worst Running Experiences (in no particular order)

 

•  The final run before my Stress Fracture diagnosis. Read all about it in this post. The worst part? Up until the point where I was fighting back embarassing tears of pain, it was one of the most successful Tempo Runs I'd had in months.

 

soooo not worth it

 

• The attempted Tempo Run just prior to the aforementioned Disaster Jaunt. I have no post to bore you with, as it was prior to my blogging. In retrospect, the looming Stress Fracture might have had almost everything the teensiest bit to do with the failed workout. I warmed up for a mile and could not. complete. a single tempo mile. I was a physical and mental mess. We have all had failed workouts. This one was bad enough to stick in my mind as one of the most demoralizing training runs I've ever had. It was particularly bad because it followed...

• The OTHER attempted Tempo Run just prior to the aforementioned Disaster Jaunt. Yes, it was Summer. Yes, it was disgustingly hot and humid. Yes, I had nagging pain which eventually turned into a full-blown injury. At that time, in my training, though, none of those factors were able to erase the defeat I felt when I was unable to complete this speedwork. They were workouts I'd done before. The pace was slower than my 5k pace, for goodness' sake! Those runs lead me to question everything about my running, for the first time, ever. I know how dramatic that sounds, but I had never before had to wonder "why am I even putting myself through this?" Up 'til that point, running had been fun. Even when it was competetive, it was still fun, for me. Now, with a goal of "Marathon", everything began to unravel. It was a very dark time, indeed.

"ooh, how artistic! See how she uses the photo to simulate the shadow falling on otherwise happy times!"

 

• This 10k was so awful for so many reasons.

ugh

I was so excited about this race. It was the first in a set of races appropriately named Tour De Pain Extreme. The 10k was held in the morning, followed by a 5k the same evening and a half-marathon the following morning.

 

I realize that concept doesn't seem tempting to any most people.

 

I love 10ks, though, I love the idea of running fast after a morning race (the 5k) and would have a perfect excuse for why I sucked it up in the 1/2 the next morning. (uh...I just ran 2 races, yesterday...). In my usual form, I failed to peek at that above course map, prior to the race. Apparently, the "Extreme" portion of the title wasn't a fluke. There were four bridge crossings. In 6.2 miles. It was hot, hideous and such a disappointing start to the fun weekend I'd built up, in my mind. For the first time, ever, I didn't even look at the posted results, after the race. It was that bad.

 

•  This 5k. Other than the quickie Genuine Mile race I'd done, it was my first post-injury race. I was so happy to be in racing shape, again, and had set my expectations way too high. I was simply not as ready as I'd hoped I was. It was so discouraging and, for the first time, made me question if I ever wanted to race a 5k, again. After some time, I was able to shake off the race, but it still haunts me, a bit, when I look at my upcoming race calendar.

somehow, the bands on the course had the oppostite effect of "motivating me"

• And, finally, my first 18-miler. Again, pre-blogging days, so there's no link to an overly-dramatic and blurry photo-filled post. It was supposed to be a "long, slow day". My furthest distance, to date, had been 16 miles, so I thought it would be totally do-able. Five miles in, I had the first inklings of panic, about the heat and the way my body was feeling. When, at seven miles, I realized that I would have to finish out fourteen miles, just to get back to my car, the full-blown nausea and defeat set in. (it was an out & back, paved trail). I remember hating the lucky people on bikes. I shot desperate looks at anyone who passed, hoping they'd offer me some sort of solution to this situation I'd gotten myself into. 

  I stumbled to my car, at mile 14 and ripped off my sweat socked socks & shoes. I literally had to wring them out. A frustrated, whiny phone call to The Husband somehow provided the kick in the butt I needed. I shoved my blistered, wrinkled feet back into my shoes, and set back out to finish out those four miles.

Luckily, the experience provided me with a comprehensive list of "What Not to do on Long Run Days".

Bottom line :

To acheive runs that leave you feeling like this:

 

 

 

...sometimes you have to go through ones that make you look like this:

 

 

In lieu of Today's link sharing, you get the above picture.

 

You're welcome! 



 

 





 

 



Keeping the Streak Alive on Day Five

Rain, rain...go away.
Come again another day
'Cause faced with a tempo run on a treadmill?
I'd probably rather lay down in an anthill

Adventrageous!!

 

Today's story:  yes I realize sometimes it's a "topic" and sometimes it's a "story". Other times it may be something even more random. My blog. My rules. (or lack thereof)

 

Yesterday was my first time hosting a Group Run, with the Running Club I joined over a year ago. Had someone told me, two years ago, that I'd someday be not only an active member of an RRCA Running Club, but also an officer/co-organizer, I really would not have believed them. I also would've wondered why they came back, from the future, to give me such mundane news.

 

When I started running I was all alone. It was completely random. I didn't do it to train for a race or event, nor was I joining a group of girlfriends for a new exercise routine. I put on my (then) crappy shoes, walked out my front door, and ran. I didn't know any other way. It wasn't until I showed up for my first race that I really saw that there were actually hundreds of people, in my community, that shared a similar interest.

 

Even after that, though, other than a handful of runs with my newly back-to-running dad and/or new-to-running sister, I generally set out alone. I wasn't (and am not) a running snob. It just made more sense, scheduling-wise, and was very much in my comfort zone.

 

Now, while I still end up setting out, alone, for most of my runs, I make it a point to schedule in one or two group runs each week. The benefits are ones I never could have imagined. Running with friends, both in and outside of the West Volusia Runners, has improved my overall training and given me a deeper love for the sport I was already totally infatuated with.

 

not pictured : me. They always seem to wait 'til I leave before taking a group photo

 

When asked to accept the newly vacated spot of Secretary, and take on the responsibilites associated with it, I immediately balked. And deleted the email.

 

Then, I took a couple days to try to, once again, wiggle a little more out of my cozy comfort zone. I love running. I love runners. I love my running group. Why would I not give a little extra bit of my time and energy to this "thing" that I love?

 

Fast-forward past an extremely awkward acceptance speech at our annual meeting to yesterday's run.

 

I brought my $4, styrofoam cooler full of cold waters and (bonus!) Capri Suns and ran with the group, that had rsvp'd, on a familiar paved trail. I didn't lose anyone, nor did I get myself lost. (double-win!)

 

There was only one Wild Boar sighting, but it didn't end with any trauma. All-around success that left everyone exercised, refreshed and in enjoyment of one another's company.

 

Step outside your comfort zone every once in a while. You'll be glad you did.

 

Today's Share: Find a local running group. Get a friend or family member to join you, if you're terrified of such things. You can even find groups to join, while you're on vacation and need a good, safe place to run. We've had out-of-towners do the same with our group. They're welcomed and treated like celebrities.

 

I actually went to far as to look up a running group in the area we travelled to, this past Summer. I saw they had a group track workout one of the days we'd be in town!

 

So, I ran, from our hotel, to the track...about 10 hours before they'd be showing up. Not quite ready for that sort of interactive craziness, yet... 

 

No need to venture TOO far out of the comfort zone, people

 

Have you survived any recent, new experiences?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

Adventrageous!!

new word
new plan
new post every day from now 'til Dec 25th
All from me...just for you

our actual advent calendar

I'm not nearly creative enough to come up with interesting stories twenty-five days straight. I can likely scrounge up a few, but my main purpose was to give and share. Each day I will share a blog or site I frequent, in the hopes that I can give you all something better other than my nonsense, to read.

Sometimes.

You should totally still read my blog!

Feel free to show your appreciation to me, in the form of lavish gifts and/or money.

Today's Advice : Don't be lazy with your schoolwork and produce a horrific Progress Report. Instead of sleeping in and enjoying a relaxing Saturday, you will be dragged, pre-dawn, to volunteer at a local race.

our family's version of Community Service

 

Don't pity him too terribly much. He got a free, Krispy Kreme doughnut out of the deal. Plus, he got to spend quality time helping and hanging out with his dearest mommy.

 

"If I take your picture can I get another doughnut?"

 

The first blog I'd like to introduce you to is Tia's. She's a mom of four and a strong, fast runner. I chose her, for today, because she just ran her second marathon in four weeks, this morning!

 

I don't want to give too much away, so I'll just give you a hint. She accomplished a PR (personal record) in both.

 

Ridiculous, right?

 

What was the worst punishment you ever had to endure?



 



Friday Fastie

bite-sized goodness

 

heaven in a giant bowl

 

1. Where have these things been, all my life?

 

2. Will someone please take them out of my life? Now.

 

Luckily, I can race off some of those (delicious) calories tomorrow morning.

River City 5k/10k

 

This is a very small, local, race I've participated in the past 2 years. Small, as in, I was 1st Overall Female, last year with a underwhelming time of 46:02.

I've never done the 5k route. Both distances include some (Florida) hills, but "luckily" they're mostly at the end. 10ks are hard to come by, in this area, so we have to take what we can get. The way I figure, though, is I can still race against my own time. If that means I only win or lose to 4 other runners, so be it.

 

Some of my very best lady friends are running their first 10ks (!!) there, too. These are the same ones who just killed their old 5k PRs (personal records), so I expect this to be a fine morning for all. I'll be there to represent our running group, too. Just a bit more pressure to perform well.

 

January was the last time I raced (a 5k) and came away with a new PR. Every race after that, although fun and rewarding, did not produce record-breaking results.

 

It's time. For real.

 

What are your goals for your Saturday?



Pink Feet 10k/5k Recap

Aka : Weekend, Part Two. In case you've just joined us, the previous weekend wasn't that exciting. I just got tired of typing it all out, yesterday.

Mysterious Miles :  Ideally, I would like to have used a local half-marathon as a tune-up race for my Full. Unfortunately, those are few and far between, this time of year, in Florida. Having no desire to tack on travel expenses to races fees, for a glorified training run, I set my sights on using a 10k, instead. (Obviously, the distance is less than 13.1 miles, but the overall concept remains.) It just so happened that an inaugural 5k/10k event was being planned for the Sunday right before my marathon.

Bonus :  Some of the Pink Feet 10k/5k/s proceeds would also be donated to the local hospital group (Florida Hospital) for Breast Cancer research. Our family participates in some sort of event, every October, specifically for this purpose. This way I could kill two birds with two pink feet!

It's easiest to say that I wasn't going into this race with PR (personal record) expectations. However, that's not necessarily the most truthful statement. In reality, all of the miles I've put in for marathon training, (minus that whole injury hiatus) should enable me to run shorter races, faster. When I raced my fastest 10k, last November, the conditions were near-perfect, all around. That aside, I felt very strong and confident this past Sunday morning, too. I was shooting for a sub 46 finish and would not have been surprised to see a 45:xx on the clock at the end.

spoiler







I'm still trying to come to terms with what went wrong.

My first mile was an easy-feeling 7:22. The second and third were slightly slower, on purpose. I was suddenly starving (a new and unpleasant feeling, for me, mid-race) and didn't want to burn out too early. The whole experience, though, was nothing like last month's icky 5k, so I was still feeling cautiously optimistic.

I turned on my music at the 5k split and felt like I was coasting on auto-pilot. After an extensive "status check", I happily realized nothing hurt. There was a male and female in front of me, but I had no desire to pass. Using them as pacers seemed a much better plan.

There were a couple of issues, towards the end of the race.
1. The enormous hill, right at the end of mile 5, sputtered out my slowest split (8:04)

2. The guy in front of me walked off course, apparently finished for the day, right before mile 6. (wth?) I stopped, thinking there was a problem. Still not sure if he never intended to actually race, was my own, little hallucination or was a secret plant to mess with my head. Either way, it was weird.

3. Lack of signage/direction coming around the final turn. I couldn't find the finish line, or the race leader. The lady with the megaphone was lovely and encouraging but would not, for the life of her, just point a finger in the right direction. I had to (again) stop to say "which way?!". Her ever-so-helpful response : "Girl! You lookin' GOOD!"

I agreed, took a gamble and turned the blind corner. I knew, long before this point, that my overall time wasn't great, but I was very happy with how well I was feeling. Little did I know, the way I was feeling on the inside, was definitely not reflecting outwardly :

Holy Geez. What am I even doing there? At least this explains why my right hip hurt, afterwards.

 

After uglying up the Finisher's Chute, I saw my guys, got some amazing news about some 5kers, took a few sips of water and headed out to finish my run. If I'd waited any longer, I would've definitely talked myself out of those last, hotter (but slower) six miles. My lovely sister-in-law kept me company for most of them, so it wasn't all bad. 

 

The Good News :

1. I felt really strong and happy and ended up winning 2nd, overall.

treat for them : they got to put the medal around my neck after I ran an additional 6 miles!

 

It was a small race. Just a little over 250 participants and most were walkers or people who chose the 5k. First overall was actually a female, too!

when I grow up, I want to look like that when I finish a race

 

2. For an inaugural race, there were very few hiccups. The parking area was over a mile from the start line. Not ideal, but we knew in advance and the directors did everything they could to make it more pleasant.

Packet pickup was IN the parking lot, so you could stash your stuff before making the trek to the start.

They also semi-lit the super-dark, in-the-woods, paved trail so we'd be able to see the bear/bobcat coming to eat us, long before it pounced.

It was supposed to be chip-timed, at the start, but didn't end up being so. Don't know why.

I'm not real sure about the post-race amenities as I was out running while others were enjoying them. I do know they had a kids' race, very cute medals and lots of pink.

 

3. Hot on the heels of my medal-winning sister, our partners-in-crime/running, destroyed their former 5k PRs on this fine, Sunday morning.

beat her best time by TWO minutes!!

 

Kristi-Anne's time was good enough for third female, overall, in the 5k and Kim's (above) medal was for placing first in her division!

 

To paraphrase my new, directionally-challenged volunteer friend  : "Girls, you lookin' GOOD!"

 

I'll have plenty of time to figure out how to make those great-feeling race miles faster. I've done it before and am confident I'll do it again. For now, I can ride high on the happiness of this past weekend with family and friends and enjoy this low-maintenance, high-stress taper-time!!

 

Giveaway coming soon!! 

 





 



 



 





Weekend Recap

The photo teasers and brag-worthy race results, from this past weekend, deserve a blog post.

Also, it gives my frazzled brain something other than packing, itinerary and/or First Marathon to freak out about.

Saturday Swiping : a little over six months ago, my sister was generous enough to produce a baby girl, for the first time in decades, for our family.

someday Ella will hate us for this picture

 

Unfortunately, my sister's body did not cooperate to allow her to run through her pregnancy. While definitely worth the time off, it was a looonnnggg wait. When she finally got the green light to run, again, she charged back into it with a hunger and determination I've never seen. She is currently training for her first Half-Marathon and is excited to throw in a couple 5ks & 10ks along the way. She registered for a local race and I was looking forward to running it with her. My current 5ks are just enough faster that I hoped to be useful as a "pacer"

 

Her ultimate goal was to PR. She has only run a few 5ks, though, so anything close to her best time would be amazing, as well. Our 1st mile ended up being about 7 seconds faster than I was planning for, but it evened out by the end of the 2nd. The course was hillier than I'd remembered, the sun started beating down on us and I saw her fading. fast.

 

I knew that look on her face, very well. It was the one that was fighting the urge to just. freaking. walk. We'd been able to keep up pleasant, distracting conversation up 'til the point where she threatened to vomit. Then I resorted to stupid jokes, constant reminders about running form, lies about how small the next hill was...anything encouraging I could think of came flying out of my mouth. I'm sure the other racers were ready to strangle me.

 

While I was loving every second of this awesome opportunity (ps : I think this is how I'll race from now on), she was looking like I'd felt at the end of my last 5k.

 

Although I hated doing it, the time had come to switch to Nasty Big Sister Mode.

"Quit being a sissy!"

"As soon as you cross that finish line, you can stop moving for the rest of your life, if you want. Until then, RUN FASTER!"

"Puke when you're done!"

"This is YOUR race. Not mine. You have to pass me. Pass me! Pass me! Dooooo it!"

(It was, at that point, that two frightened-looking gentlemen did, indeed pass me)

 

The combination of her perseverance and my incessant yelling flipped that switch. We came around the corner, to the promised downhill finish, and she did, indeed, pass me.

 

I thought my smile was going to rip my face.

 

Had there been any other women near the finish, I would have stepped aside to let them cross in front of me. This truly was not my race, and I didn't want to ruin anyone else's chance for a medal. Seeing only men, I hopped over the mat, right after her. This turned out to be an "oops".

 

There was a new (fun!) timing system to play with once she caught her breath and reveled in the congrats from our proud, spectating family. We were able to type her bib number into a laptop, and pull up instant stats. The only thing I saw, for her #, was "1 of...". I shreiked the news to her and we both gulped back tears.

The way they broke down the age group, though, meant that we were actually grouped together, and I'd managed to snag second place.

 

thus the "oops"





 

I found out, that night, that the third and fourth place finishers,  were only 1 second apart. This means, I totally "stole" that division placing for the fourth place chick. (sorry lady!) I tell myself she was probably pacing the 3rd place lady, anyway, and didn't want a medal, either!

 

Delusion : helping people sleep peacefully for thousands of years

 

That aside, we thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the morning. My sis was, deservedly, on cloud nine. I couldn't get over how fun the pacing had been and was, obviously, ridiculously proud of how hard she fought for that medal. She didn't PR, but it was just close enough to fuel her even more. On a cooler day, with a flatter course (and maybe a less bossy pacer?) she will blow her current best away.

 

We scarfed down the free pancake breakfast with our kidlets, spouses and parents, snapped happy (her) and sheepish (me) photos of the awards ceremony, and split up to enjoy the rest of our Saturday.

my speedy snis, on the way to get her very first medal

 

her oldest, complete with fake mustache, celebrating her victory

 

Well, now this turned out to be way too long so Sunday's recap will be a whole 'nother post. I also have a really fun giveaway planned and way more marathon talk than you ever hoped to read about.

 

Stay tuned!

 

...is the suspense totally killing you, yet?