Category: Run!

Wild Run 5K recap

I hope everyone had a good 4^th of July!

Wild Run 5K brought a couple of firsts for me. One was a rare opportunity due to the race size and something I never thought would happen. What I am most proud of was that I ran a smart race from start to finish-negative splits and all.

Choosing the Wild Run 5k, I knew it was going to be a smaller race and I was a little leery considering the past experiences that I had with races put on by this gym. However, I was pleasantly surprised-for the most part. Packet pick up was a breeze on Thursday. Parking was in the zoo parking lot so super simple. Previous races by this gym had a spray painted starting line, a megaphone start, and an orange cone finish line. So I was impressed to see tents set up, an emcee leading a warm up and a designated start. Granted it was pop-up tent but still a huge improvement. There were about 100 runners for the 10k and 5K combined. A little smaller than even I was previously thinking. The only glitch I saw prior to the race was the start time. I had confirmed that the start time for the 5K was 8:10 but the schedule on the board said 8:30. Umm? Turns out 8:10 was correct.

It was go time and we were off. After looking at the map the previous night, I saw that the first ½ mile of the race had a hill and the last ¾ of a mile were on the lake path that I run. Everything in between was a mystery but for the most part was pretty flat. I started off in the middle of the pack like I always do. We ran through the parking lot to the lot of the baseball field nearby and then up the street. We were still running in a pack when we hit the hill. It wasn’t the elevation, less 100 ft., but it was short and vertical. I walked near the top. .3 miles in and I was walking, waah. It was short, about 20 seconds and then I was running again. I pulled away from the pack and there were only a couple people in front of me. I figured that wouldn’t last long so I may as well enjoy it. After that small hill, it was flat, yay! My watch buzzed at mile 1 -9:37. Ouch, I knew I wasn’t in top shape speed wise, but I was hoping for better than that. I knew I could pick it up so I that is what I tried to do. I kept a guy pushing stroller in my sights. He seemed super comfortable at that pace so I knew I probably couldn’t catch him so I tried to always be able to see him.

I heard someone coming up behind me and that gave me the incentive to run faster. They fell back and I kept going. Rounding a corner I found the only water station but I didn’t need it. I managed to pass a guy in blue shirt here. I just kept watching stroller guy. We went right and there were some rolling hills. The elevation was almost negligible it was just that there was like 6 of them in a row. Stroller guy got farther away. No! So I picked it up again. Mile 2-9:00. A little more street and we were back to the lake path. I knew the path well so I was hoping to pick it up but I wasn’t going to look at my watch again. This was also where I started to realize that no one had passed me yet, I also hadn’t seen another woman since the start of the race. As I was coming up on one of the bridges on the trail, a biker rode past me and then the 10K leader thundered past. I got hung up right before the bridge, 2 women and 4 dogs were in the path. I had to walk the little bridge until I got around them. Then I had like .3 of a mile to go. My goal was to finish strong and not let anyone pass me. Usually I am dragging and breathing hard by the end of a 5K but I felt like I had the energy for a final kick, so I kicked. Mile 3- 8:30.

Finish time -27:48

Hot damn, that’s a new PR! Not by much, but it still counts. Here’s where it got really interesting. I was the first female 5K finisher. What?! Seriously? How is that possible? Another woman finished about a minute behind me. She looked hardcore, how did I pull this off? I was super excited and a little bit in shock. I realize that it’s because it was such a small race but it’s still a huge pick me up after I had a few rough races.

Post finish- not sure what I am doing here

While waiting for the awards ceremony, we got to cheer on the other runners coming in. There were people finishing for the 10K, 5K and 1 mile. The kids running were so adorable. But hands down the coolest finisher was an 85 year old woman with a walker. She completed the 1 mile course. Talk about awesome.

This is also where they kind of fell apart. They were having computer issues so the awards were delayed; so delayed that quite a few people went home. When they finally started announcing, there were so few people there. The awards were for 1-3 male and female for each race. When they announced my name they also announced my time as 24:48. Ha! I wish!

Even with it’s little issues, it was a good race and a fun morning. Well outside of one thing. For whatever reasons, my iPhone had a little glitch. I ran the entire 5K with one song playing repeatedly. 27 minutes of Wrecking Ball over and over and over. I deserve props for not chucking my phone. I came pretty close. 🙂

How was your weekend?

Did you have good 4th?

And the winner is…

Happy Thursday! Everyone ready for the 4th and the weekend?

Thank you all for your thoughts on my “Choose my next Race” post. They were great! And the winner is-

I was definitely leaning one way but Monday was rougher than I let on in my last post. I knew that if I chose Pozo I would probably push harder than I should right now. Between the flat course and fast crowd plus my own desire to beat my last official PR (27:54) I may have had troubles reigning it in like I should. I’m not saying that I’m still not going to try to push it but now I have some hills to temper my inner (wannabe) speed demon. Ha! Plus I have a half marathon next Saturday that I want to try and be as ready for as possible. Did I mention it’s on my birthday? 33 and 13 miles.

Yesterday, NikeC and I met up at the gym again to workout. After 3 miles on the treadmill, it was time for the circuit room again. I feel like I was more consistent this time around. Well except for the step things, I still can’t remember step aerobics. 🙂 Turns out the 90 I thought NikeC was lifting (pushing?) on the first machine last week was 110. I’m so weak! I had to drop it back to 50. We weren’t able to complete the whole circuit because once again people had troubles following 1-20. Come on people!

Then we moved on to the hip abduction things. I learned that those machines can turn pretty creepy when there is an older, leering man dressed in street clothes using one. Ewww. Luckily he left fairly quickly. But I will say that I am glad there are no mirrors in that little area. Those motions are a little awkward in public. 🙂 After that I goofed around on ab coaster. They are harder than they look! Plus kind of fun in a silly way. NikeC tried one too. And holy crap, my abs feel sore today!

Can you tell what distance I am running?

I picked up my race packet tonight on my way home. It was simple and easy at the gym. It has the weirdest bunch of food samples in it. Even a pancake mix. Also, there was a map of the course and I realized that it’s a bit hillier than I would have liked, dang. Oh well, it should be fun. I am looking forward to racing tomorrow. I am aiming to maintain my recent times around 28:00. Yes a PR would be awesome, but we’ll see. 🙂

What are your 4th of July plans?

Anyone else racing?

June Recap- Mid year Check In

In some ways June was awesome, in others not so much. I started my #noexcusessummer plan on June 1^st and stayed mostly committed. I think I only took 5 rest days the whole month. 2 just happened to fall in the last week. 😦 I tried to not let the heat or my lack of sleep or even my stupid stomach get to me. I prevailed for the most part but this weekend kicked my butt. I had a full weekend planned, work, 2 runs, a friend’s anniversary party, shopping, the movies plus the usual errands. Saturday turned out to be a wash. I got through work, completed my errands but soon realized that a run wasn’t likely. I did the yoga dvd instead and it was not good. It was all downhill from there and I did not make it to the party- horrible friend alert. Shopping never happened either but I did make it to the movies (Transformers was awesome!) and was able to get in a sluggish 6 miles on Sunday at the gym. I was feeling a little rough so I would run .9 miles at 6 and walk .1 at 4. It worked pretty well for my stomach.

Monday, however was another story. After missing the planned 5 miles on Saturday, I wanted to follow through with the 5 I had planned for after work. It figures that the last day of June would be the day I felt the worst. It was all I could do to make it through work. I won’t lie I still thought about trying to run. By 3:30, I knew it wasn’t going to happen but as added deterrent I received a text from my mother telling me to get over my ego and an email from NikeC telling me to rest. I get it, I get it! So yesterday was a rest day.

What did my mother mean by my ego? I realized Friday that if I hit certain miles at each run over the weekend and Monday I would hit that impossible dream number that I never thought I’d hit in a month. But, as it was, I was 10 miles short, but still hit my highest mileage month yet-

90.5! What?! How did I do that!?

I had zero races in June but that was partially planned. I needed a break for a bit. I was feeling a little frustrated at how my last few races turned out. I planned June to be a rebuilding month. Mission partway accomplished. While I built a solid base of easy miles and some longer runs, I didn’t do any speed work. Waah waah. Hopefully July will involve some track time. Overall I feel like 84 of those 90 miles were solid miles. Even 2 weeks later, I still say that first 6 a few Fridays ago were just miserable. They were hot and ugly. Either way, I am still stoked about that number.

Month	Miles
January	77.3
February	70.0
March	74.7
April	70.4
May	64.5
June	90.5
	447.4

So at the beginning of the year I set a few goals. While I have not met any of the speed goals, my mileage is pretty solid. I set a goal of 750 miles for the year. At the halfway point, I am more than halfway there! Woo hoo!!! Now to keep it going, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.

How was your June?

How has your year gone?

What are you looking forward to in July?

Choose My Next Race

Before we move on to the main event, this happened on Thursday and I almost missed it!

If you want to read my very first newbie post, you can here.

I am a person who likes to register as close to race date as possible. That way I know that I am going to follow though and not just throw my money away. Yes, 90% of the races I run benefit some form of charity but still I like to actually run them. This time I have left it even later than normal so I am calling on you to help me out. 🙂

I have 2 options for a 5k on July 4th-

**Neither race offers finisher medals and I have left it so late that I doubt I will get a shirt either, but both do benefit a charity.

Option 1– Pozo 5K- my original choice

Touted as a flat and picturesque out and back course, this is its 22nd year. It also has the steeper price and farthest drive. Small field about 200 runners. It offers raffles prizes and breakfast. Packets have to be picked up on race day. It benefits a local charity that helps family with sick or injured children.

I had originally planned on trying for a PR at this race but I don’t feel like I am in the shape to do so. According to last years race results, the slowest time was 40 minutes. Slowest. Fastest was 14 minutes. Well crap, I don’t want to embarrass myself. Yes, that’s my ego talking.

Option 2– Wild Run 5K

Somewhat flat and only 15 minutes away. Less expensive but not by much. Again, small field. This race benefits the local zoo. Which I run past every time I run at the lake path. Added bonus- part of this race is on the lake path so I am familiar with it. This offers packet pick up the day before, which is nice.

Downside to this is that is put on by a local gym. Why does this make me nervous? I have run 2 races put on by them in years past and was less than impressed with the organization. However that was years ago and a different location. They could be better now. I feel like this is more my speed right now but feel like I am wimping out of the other. In a completely girly, unimportant way, I have the perfect shirt to wear for this race. 🙂

So help me choose! I have to register by tomorrow for Pozo but have a little time for the Wild Run.

What do you think?

Hope you are having a good weekend!

Baby Steps (out of my comfort zone)

Happy Friday!! Wow, this was a long week. But let’s catch up. I stepped out of my comfort zone in very little ways this week, but that still counts right?

First up, Wednesday, I hit the gym after work with NikeC with the intention of doing the circuit room. I have only done it one other time and that was about 2 years ago. Machines and I don’t get a long so well. I did a short 2.5 miles on the treadmill to warm up. I actually kind of liked the treadmill, either that or I was nervous about the circuit room. I had hydrated a little too well before hitting the gym that night so before moving to the circuit room I had to use the restroom. Why is this special? I had never used the restroom or been in the locker rooms before. I’ve belonged to the gym for 5 years. I did mention I was a germophobe right?

From the website source — From the website
source

After surviving that, we moved onto the circuit room. Where some people were using it wrong. Ok, I admit I don’t use it but come on, I can count from 1 to 20. Once that was straightened out, we got to working out. #bloggerfail- I don’t remember the names of machines nor did I take pictures. She went first and demonstrated. Other than the first machine, I think I did ok. You sat in the first machine in kind of V shape and the pushed yourself back. (see- blogger fail) Also a fail because I couldn’t move it at all- I look over and NikeC had it at 90 lbs, yeah umm no. She’s a bad ass and I am not. Backed it down to 40 and I was good. I also felt really challenged on the stupid steps in between each machine. Who forgets how to jump?! I was born in the 80’s, when did I lose my Jazzercise skills! After the circuit we moved on to the leg room. Those hip abduction things could be a good thing for running but felt really awkward. I could do pretty much nothing in the ab room, apparently my butt’s too big for my back to lie flat. 🙂 So that will be a challenge for another night, haha. Overall, we were there an hour and a half. Now if I can just make it a weekly thing.

Since I work Saturday again this week, I had another short day on Thursday. It was opposite this time, so I worked in the morning and left early. Knowing this on Wednesday I decided to try to do my long run on Thursday. Only problem was I didn’t know where. I thought about running on the beach but was warned away by a text about a bunch of leash less crazy dogs. (It’s a leash free beach) I am crazy dog bait, so I passed on that. I headed to nearby park in work town that says it has 2.3 miles of paved trails. Yeah, I could only find about half a mile. Any other day I would have just run around and figured it out but I had 12 miles to hit so I wanted a general idea of where I was going. I headed to the lake to get in some laps, planning for 6 miles before heading back to home town to finish off the second 6.

It was warmer than work town but still mid 80’s so I felt good. I’ve decided to always walk the playground section of the path. It gives me a little breather and as an added bonus, I don’t run over any wandering children. 🙂 I have to admit I look forward to that little break, it’s about .10 of a mile, but feels great. After 3 miles I needed water but I had also over hydrated that day as well. Was I really going to have to use another restroom? This one in a public park? Yes…it was only slightly sketchy. No mirrors and lots of padlocks, classy.

After surviving that I pushed on. It was warm but I felt good, so continued on to 7 miles. Woo hoo! I stopped to stretch before heading back to my car. This is where I became an obnoxious runner. A woman and her daughter were driving by and they stopped near my car. She asked how far I had walked. I said “run” probably not in the best tone. I’m sorry!! Blame it on the heat or the tiredness or something. And since I do walk the playground now, she could have only seen me walking. There is nothing wrong with walking. In fact, I think I am more consistent with scheduled walking breaks. See example above. 🙂

After driving back home, drinking some Nuun and snacking on some Honey Stinger bites, I headed out to the newer path with my mom. Again she was going to walk and I was going to run. Since I had already done 7, all I needed was 5 so I planned on running the same route as Monday. Same as Monday, I walked most of the first mile with my mom, so I was perfectly fine seeing a 13 minute first mile. I figured I would pick up the pace, ha! Never happened. Maybe it was penance for my earlier snarkiness. I didn’t schedule any walk breaks but maybe I should have. Miles 2 and 3 clocked in at 11:00, hey at least I was consistent. Finally got back down to 10 flat for mile 4 but I also knew 5 wasn’t happening. I cut out the one cul de sac loop and just headed back to the car. 4.5 miles later and I was done. Yuck. I don’t know if it was because the temp had jumped again or if I was just tired. Either way I was still feeling pretty good for hitting 11.5 miles. Even if that last missed .5 bugs me a little. 🙂 Apparently my Diet Coke is still spiked. 🙂

Today I have yet to hit my measly 10 minutes of exercise but I still have a few hours. I really should because I ate way too much today. I was freakin’ starving! I was a little concerned I would be sore at work today but I was actually pretty good, tall boots and all. And bonus, I’m heading into the weekend having already completed my long run! Now I just have work to get through tomorrow and an anniversary party for a friend tomorrow night. And sleep, I need sleep. And to maybe read a book.

How was your week?

Anyone racing this weekend?

Am I the only one who has had an #obnoxiousrunner moment?