Reindeer Run Recap

Reindeer Run 5k
December 1, 2012, Macon, GA
25:07, 8th out of 71 in age group

Can we say PR? If anyone was taking pictures at the finish line on Saturday, my smile was a mile wide as I came around the corner and saw the clock, which read 25:20. That would have been 11 seconds faster than my previous best 5k time, but this was a pretty big, chip-timed race and I certainly didn't start near the front of the pack. A quick check of  my watch and it said 25:07 - and my chip agreed with my watch!

The course was anything but flat. In fact, reading Facebook posts of other runners and hearing folks lamenting at the finish about the hills has made me even more psyched about my finish time. I actually really enjoyed the course. Sure, there were plenty of uphill spots, but there were just as many downhill sections. I certainly hate when a course is all one slow incline without any breather. These hills you could see the top of so I like the sense of accomplishment I feel when I know I'm at the top.

This was my last race of 2012 and I'm so excited that it was my best of the year and I head into 2013 feeling like I could run a sub-25 race at some point!

Light More Homes 5k

We rock Christmas socks

Light More Homes 5k 
November 17, 2012, Macon, GA
25:50 - 3rd in age group

I love a cute race shirt. If it is a tech shirt - even better, but to me if I spend $20, $25 or in the case of this race $30 - on a race it should have a cute shirt to offer participants. In spite of the expensive entry fee, the shirts for this race were absolutely ugly. There's really no nice way to say it. While it was a tech shirt, the very large gray fabric with black, red, yellow, green and blue primary colors and a list of sponsors a mile long on the back will be going to the very bottom of my running drawer.

The money is going to a good cause (Habitat for Humanity), so the shirt really shouldn't matter. But what this organization failed to realize is that the 300 people who ran this race and got this shirt would probably wear it in public and advertise your organization year-round if it were somewhat attractive.

Note to all race organizers - post a picture and the measurements of the shirt on your registration site.

Faith and I wore festive holiday socks for this race. Have you ever tried to find pink Christmas socks? I mean, red and green would clash horribly with my hot pink shoes so those weren't really an option. I did find two pair believe it or not and I'm wearing the others in December for the Reindeer Run.

As far as my time is concerned - the clock said 25:41 when I crossed the finish line. They posted 25:50 as my official time. My watch said 25:45. I guess the truth lies within there somewhere. The course wasn't easy - two laps of the same route with three large hills. I'm not a fan of running the same route twice, especially when there are challenging hills. I mean I ran them once - wasn't that enough?

I think I may skip this race next year and spend my money on a turkey trot somewhere.

Week 4: Half Marathon Training
Goal Total Miles: 19 miles
Actual Total Miles: 20 miles

See, I told you I'd make up that mile I was short on last week.  I'm listening to an audio book right now while I run - Defending Jacob by William Landay. I'm lucky to live in an area where you can check out audio downloads to your iPod from the library. The only downside is that you have 14 days to finish listening to it, which can be challenging if your book is 50 hours long. I find that days when I have to long run alone, it helps keep my brain busy and I don't look at my watch as often.

Happy Running Birthday to Me

Ease to 5k app diary from a year ago today

One year ago today, I started the Ease to 5k program. I'd tried to start the program using my treadmill back in September 2011 and I made it through three and a half weeks successfully before falling off the running wagon. Despite the Young and the Restless on the television and air conditioning blowing in my face, I really didn't like it.

Things changed for me when I laced up and ran outside for the first time - October 31, 2011. It wasn't so bad. Just me and my iPod and my running app touring my quiet neighborhood. I joined a challenge on My Fitness Pal - Run a 5k by New Year's Day. There were 15 to 20 of us committed to the program and we cheered each other on week to week. By New Year's Day, only two of us were left and we continue to cheer each other on daily in our workouts a year later, even though we've never met each other. 

Instead of running today, I decided to reflect on my journey.

• I cannot believe how much progress I've made both time-wise and distance-wise since a year ago. I ran 14.5 miles on Sunday - something that I never thought I could do a year ago. 
• My body has totally transformed. I'm down more than 20 lbs and I'm leaner all over. Do I wish I wasn't as lean as I am in the chest area - maybe, but then again I don't have to spend money on expensive sports bras. 
• I can tell a difference in my mind. I'm not restless. I'm more focused at work. I sleep more soundly. I'm more dedicated to taking care of my home. I'm not nearly as scattered - well, most of the time. 
• I'm more confident. Most people would tell you that I didn't have this problem before I started running. The truth is, I was really good at faking it. I don't have to fake it any longer. 

This time last year, I had just one goal - run a 5k in 2012. Instead I've run:

• Twelve 5k races - placing in the top three in my age group in six of those events
• One 10k race - placing 9th in my age group and finishing in 56 minutes in 85 degree heat and 100% humidity
• One mud run - a fun experience and a nice change from a typical race

For my next year of running I've started thinking about my goals, after all I've got to set up some sort of plan for myself. Here are just a few of my running goals for November 1, 2012 - Oct 31, 2013:

• Run a 25:15 5k - I'd really like a sub-25, but baby steps, right?
• Run a sub-2 hr half - who knows if this is even possible, but a girl can dream.
• Hot Chocolate 15k - Atlanta, GA - I will do just about anything for chocolate
• Museum of Aviation Half Marathon - Warner Robins, GA - this will be my first half ever and right in my backyard. 
• Disney's Princess Half Marathon - Orlando, FL - I'm planning a sick snow white costume.

As you can see, I've not gotten too far on my list - I think that's everything through February. I'm not much of a planner, so for me that's like setting up a calendar for three years in advance. Now I think I will go celebrate with a cupcake. 

Race Recap: Jay's Hope 5k

Wonder Woman & Bat Girl 

Jay's Hope 5k
October 27, 2012, Macon, GA
25:30, 3rd in age group

After running in costume in Vegas I was on the look out for somewhere else to bust out in my Wonder Woman costume. I worked hard on it, after all. Thank goodness Halloween was right around the corner and the Jay's Hope 5k encouraged runners to dress in costume. I didn't want to show up and be the only goofball in a costume, so I bribed convinced Faith to run as Bat Girl so Wonder Woman wouldn't be lonely.

The Bat Girl costume was easy. A combination of:

• one Batman logo cut out in iron on glitter vinyl
• some black lame fabric for a cape
• a pair of awesome caped Batman socks
• black running shorts or skirt if you prefer
• Bat Girl costume accessories from the local Halloween store.

We made quite the dynamic duo, don't you think?

Well, someone at the local running club thought so. Faith checked the results later that night and I was the cover girl on the Macon Tracks' website. Not the most awesome pic - chunky white thighs, weird arm pose and all - but believe it or not I've seen a lot worse of me.

This was my first 5k since July when I lost my lung at the Beach Mountain 5k (5200 ft). It was also the coolest race, weather-wise, I've run since March of this year. I was a bit curious to see if I'd gotten any faster. I was pleased with my time, especially since the whole first half of the race was a long slow uphill climb.  A solid 3rd place in my age group and I won an awesome Nike Dri-Fit hat with the Jay's Hope Logo on it - in a Wonder Woman costume. Bring it.

Ramping Up

Latest Workouts:
Monday: 3.03mi/28:01
Wednesday: 4.10/37:04

Vacation hangover continues. All of my miles have felt slow and short lately. I've struggled getting up in the morning to run. Thank goodness it is cooler here in the south so I can still get my run in at 8a instead of 6:30a. I'm hoping a race or two on my calendar will bring my mojo back.

I think I've focused on distance and not speed lately and I totally expect it to impact my 5k times in my upcoming races. We'll see what happens in a couple of weeks.

Speaking of distance - I really have to decide what plan I'm going to use for the half I want to run in January.

Twitter Road Race - Summer Edition

Latest Workouts:
Friday: 3.38 mi/ 29:21
Saturday: 3.11 mi/ 27.01

My Friday run was uneventful, although my neighbor saw an ENORMOUS snake (dead) on her route. I chose to avoid that road all together as my fear of snakes, dead or alive, is significant.

This morning I participated in my first ever virtual road race, hosted by Doug at I Run Because.... I signed up for the Twitter Road Race - Summer Edition a month ago after realizing the lack of racing opportunities throughout July and August in my area. Obviously, the experienced runners in my area know that no one likes running in 100 degree heat/humidity at 8 a.m., so they don't even bother to host a race.

I love the idea of a virtual road race - people from all over the world running on the same day and compiling the results. I love looking at this race results list and seeing participants from the UK or New Zealand. It was like our own Olympic 5k or something. I will absolutely participate in another virtual race.

My time was not a PR, but it was respectable. I even got a new running skirt for the occasion. More on that tomorrow. My 15 year old cat, Walter, was the only spectator cheering me on and I celebrated with a glass of low fat chocolate milk, post-race.

The rest of the morning was spent at a Southeastern Region Little League playoff game. The kids from our area are the Georgia State Champions and the SE Little League tournament is hosted here, so we sat out in an oven for two and a half hours. Our boys came back to win their second pool-play game 7-6 against Florida. Good, sweaty times.

I got home in time to cheer on Galen Rupp in the Men's 10,000m race. Is it just me or do they look like they are barely working to run that hard and fast? I know I look nothing like that when I run twice as slow as they run. Inspiring and sickening all at the same time.

Running with Altitude

Today's Run:
Beech Mountain Club 5k
31:45 unofficial, First in Age Group

I searched high and low for a race to run close to me while I was on vacation in the mountains of NC. I secretly hoped the race would be on the low side. I wasn't that lucky. The only race within an hour of me today was at 5400 ft. Crap! Sign me up!

The drive up to Beech Mountain is intimidating. The switchback turns make your GPS think you are actually making left and right hand turns, not going around curves. I was a tad nervous this morning, mostly about dying. There was no course map and I had no idea how tough it might be, so of course I thought the worst.

The course was actually on the Beech Mountain Club's golf course, which was pretty cool. Starting at the recreation area of the club, we ran up the road and on to the course, around the back nine and a water obstacle, then back up to the club house. The terrain was a bit like an obstacle course - asphalt to gravel to concrete to grass (we ran on the fairways!) to concrete to gravel to asphalt. The hills were steep and plentiful. The downhill parts were kind of scary - especially on the gravel.

I felt good the first 2 miles. I could feel I was running a slower pace than I normally would, but there were at least 4 large hills in the first 2 miles of the race and I didn't stop on any of them. Personal victory. But I struggled through mile 3. My legs felt strong - not tired at all. It was my breathing that became a problem. I seriously thought that somewhere on the back 9 of that golf course someone removed a lung from my body. I walked probably a quarter of the last mile just trying to slow my breathing down and get back into a rhythm. I finished strong once my body figured out how to use oxygen again.

Because I had no cell signal and my GPS was screwy, the app I use to track my splits wasn't really accurate, so I only have the time I saw on the clock at the end. They haven't posted the chip time yet, but I think I was 31.45 - fast enough to be first in my age group. Okay, so there were only three in my age group, but I wasn't last.

I'm not shy. I'll talk to just about anyone. And I found myself chatting with a family waiting for the race to start. Lori and her husband (Mike I think) and their 10 year old son, Jack were vacationing in the mountains from Columbia, SC. On the out and back I spotted Jack and his dad on the other side of the course and they both gave me a high five (too cute). Lori has been a personal trainer for years and she is seriously in amazing shape. She came up behind me as I was struggling on mile three and helped me get through my lung suddenly turning black.

Lori's friend Judy (who looks closer to 50 than her real age) was a total inspiration to me. She had just run in an ultra relay in Florida on a team called 100 Shades of Gray. They wore handcuffs and t-shirts that said Laters, Baby. Awesome, right? Judy has done it all - triathlons, cycling, marathons, ultras - and she didn't start running until she was 39. There's hope for me yet! Both Lori and Judy were running The Bear at Grandfather Mountain on Thursday and invited me to tag along with them - even after they realized they are way out of my league. Unfortunately, I'll be back to my real life by then, but we've all exchanged information and will absolutely keep in touch. The Bear is on my bucket list for sure.

This was the slowest time I've ever put up in a race. But in retrospect, between the heat (yes, it was 78 degrees even in the sky), the altitude and the hills, I feel like it was a great test for me and I had so much fun meeting Lori and her family. Really, it was a win/win kind of day - blue ribbons and new friends!

Vaca Running

Today's Run:
Jim Gibbon's Traffic Jam 5K
25:51 - 7th out of 73 in age group

Until six months ago, I would never have thought about how to get a workout in while on vacation. Vacation = Lazy. The last two trips we've been on, I've kept to my every other day running schedule. This one has been a bit more difficult, but I managed to find a race to do in Chicago the evening we arrived. I thought it was the perfect, "welcome to the city,"experience.

This was the 18th year for the Jim Gibbon's 5K and all race proceeds went to Leukemia research. I thought Jim was a local news man at the ABC affiliate in Chicago and KC and kept looking for and wondering why we couldn't find the reporter anywhere in the crowd.  Unfortunately, Jim fought a long, hard battle with Leukemia that ended in the mid-1990s. His son runs this event in his memory. I'm glad we didn't ask someone where Jim was.

I had an unexpected running partner for this race - KC. He runs on the treadmill regularly, but doesn't run outside or have any interest in running races. But, since we were on vacation, he decided to strap on a bib and enjoy a run along Lake Michigan.

It was 85 degrees at race time, but I'm not kidding when I say it felt cooler at race time in Chicago than it does when I get up to run at 6a in Georgia. The race kicked off on the local news and you can see me (in white hat and pink shirt) and KC run by around the 1:07 mark of the video.

He paced off of me the whole race and out-sprinted me at the end to post a 25:40. I was very pissed that he beat me proud of him.

I was proud of my time and I ran better than I have in my last two timed events. The girl who won my age group actually came in third overall female with a time of 19:02. Holy f-ing cow.

They had a few food trucks at the post-race festivities. My favorite - the Chubby Wiener.

After the race we decided to walk along side the lake through Lincoln Park and enjoy the fabulous weather. We ended up walking three of the six miles back to the hotel before it got too dark for us. Along the way we watched beach volleyball tournaments and a dodgeball game that was pretty intense.

After seeing what competitive dodgeball is about first-hand, there's no way I will ever willingly participate in a dodgeball game. Insert balls flying in my face joke here.

Between the mile and a half walk to the race (after getting off on the wrong L stop), running three miles for the race and walking another three home, our legs were a little on the sleepy side to say the least. Our big plans for taking in the comedy festival that is in town this week were quickly nixed. Old people need their rest.

Will Run for Biscuits

Race Day
CFA Connect 5K Race Series: Warner Robins
26.49 - 3rd in age group

If you've never eaten at a Chick-Fil-A (CFA), you are missing a whole mess of chicken sandwich goodness. Grilled or fried, their product is flawless and their service is perfection. All you northerners are missing out. CFA used to be a southern secret found only in malls. Now it's more mainstream thanks to their BCS Bowl Game sponsorship. The cool thing about this company is that even if it is a giant corporation with stores all over and billions of dollars in revenue, their local operators do a great job supporting their communities.

This year, CFA started a race series across the country to help promote family fitness. And like everything else they do, CFA does racing right too. Today was the second race in the Middle Georgia circuit. The first race, which was on Memorial Day, was a horrible run for me. I felt slow. I had a bad attitude. I had a guy puke right in front of me not even a half-mile into the race. I was disappointed in my time, but the race itself was well-run and had lots of really nice touches - including chicken biscuits for the runners at the end of the race. And you haven't lived if you haven't had a CFA chicken biscuit.

Here's a recap of my morning...

Race prep: 5:45a - PB&J on toasted English muffin and coffee. Must. Have. Coffee.

Put the Pink On: 6:45a - race day is a pink day.

Post-Race Pics: 9:30a - these ladies are a part of our local women's running group called Where's the Finish (WTF). This is also the time for giving shout outs on Facebook. I just realized that I'm wearing my number way too far up on my chest. Super dork.

Medal Swag: 10a - not to brag, but I smoked the 4th place finisher in my age division at the finish line. We had the same chip time, but I crossed first. Thank you sprint training. I felt good today. The course was really tough. The whole first 1.5 was all downhill, so you know what that means - the whole 1.5 was uphill. It was also one of my better times in the heat (75 at race time). Thank goodness for a shady neighborhood.

Pedicure: 10:30a - sure I'm sweaty and stinky, but I do like a post-race pedi. Don't knock it til' you try it.

What's missing? Oh, right - the post-race chicken biscuit. This CFA didn't put out a spread like the Macon location. Just water and bananas - blah. Where's the biscuit? The next local race isn't until October and there better be biscuits.