tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12748361085346514322024-03-19T18:36:49.272-04:00Running and stuffThis blog is where I post my race experiences and all the stuff leading up to and after them.
Mostly it's so I can go back someday and read them to remember what the heck I did!Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00773977213886959997noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1274836108534651432.post-91833210816520294772012-05-28T15:26:00.002-04:002012-05-28T15:26:35.073-04:00Cary Road Race 10K and 5K April 14, 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cary Road Race Course</td></tr>
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I decided to do the Cary Road Race 10K this year as a lead in to the Biltmore 15K in May. It's close by and a nice course that I am familiar with. I had run it in 2009 and it was a good event. Also Owen was interested in doing the 5K so I figured we could both run that together. I drove separate from Keith to run the 10K and Keith would later meet me there with Owen so we could then do the 5K. I was not sure what to expect as far as competition but expected the 5K to be more competitive than the 10K. It turned out that I was wrong however. I knew at the starting line that there was at least one faster woman and assumed that there would possibly be others as a race in Cary tends to draw a different group than the ones in Raleigh do. <br />
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As the race started I was in second place but wasn't sure if I would hold onto that. The race is just two repeats of the same course and there is a fairly big hill early in the race and then you have to go back and do it again. But after getting past the hill I felt better. I ran the first mile in 6:25, so probably a bit fast. My main goal was just to PR which should be doable since I don't often run 10Ks and the current PR was from the Cary Road Race in 2009 at was around 44 minutes. Mile 2 was back down the hill so I did that much faster in 6:19 and felt pretty good. Then the course evens out to be more flat but going out a bit fast in the first 2 miles caught up with me and I did mile 3 in 6:39, so not too bad but definitely slower than the first two. </div>
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Mile 4 goes back up the hill and I was wishing by this time that I had done the 5K. There was a younger girl in her 20s in a heavy sweatshirt who at this point had passed me, and then I'd pass her, and so on. But I was basically running as fast as I really could at that point so was more focused on time and finishing than maintaining my place. I ran mile 4 slower in 6:57. Since mile 5 is downhill again, I was able to pick up the pace a bit at 6:24. I was pretty spent by mile 6 and somewhere between 5 and 6 a bug decided to do a kamikaze flight into my throat. Also another woman passed me around this time and I really felt I couldn't pick the pace back up so I did mile 6 in 6:55, slower than I'd hoped but still my average pace was way better than the last time I did this race 3 years ago. To my surprise the finish line seemed to come quickly and in fact did because the course was short, by a lot actually. According to my Garmin, it was 6.03 miles. I finished in 39:46, 6:24 pace. A PR by a lot but of course since the course was short it was likely that my time should have been around 41 minutes instead of sub 40. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen right before the 5K start</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitTCjeZzHnQTiR_EBZwyiHRklWM_2ZDd4wu3oD7IFcB-qNFKFNfIQmQq9gfcDWv8RhbS_lSTwdRFSc-ClgG9NppcDhs5bDXuQEpFHWjITvB_3E3Ax10Bff4wlgtz-VYqKLdtcypCNZ7vQ/s1600/IMG_4655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitTCjeZzHnQTiR_EBZwyiHRklWM_2ZDd4wu3oD7IFcB-qNFKFNfIQmQq9gfcDWv8RhbS_lSTwdRFSc-ClgG9NppcDhs5bDXuQEpFHWjITvB_3E3Ax10Bff4wlgtz-VYqKLdtcypCNZ7vQ/s320/IMG_4655.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen at the start, with me behind him in the IOS shirt (photo courtesy of Shannon Johnstone)</td></tr>
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In the end I came in 4th overall but first masters female. I quickly went to find Keith and Owen before the start of his race. Due to the bug incident and pushing the pace, I was feeling quite nauseous but had to run the 5K with Owen and felt better after we started running. Luckily he was in a very good mood and did a great job running the 5K, talking and having fun the entire way (not always the way it goes!). He was quite impressed to see a barefoot runner (Shannon's husband Anthony) and also one of our neighbors running the race and he had lots of fun shushing me so he could "concentrate" on his race instead of me talking to him. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen mid-race</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen nearing the end</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-iVgNaqgjNqhdDpg95jlJAF9e_qz8NdHqx147KzOmsuZpIfxbX51XVhR6MVFMhF3rm_T4BjT19cgmnn6FSNb4qMNM7F6-11_Qvw7HulMD1h40hfh_WhfAjDuKg7KMnfL4vCTn7GgqLCs/s1600/IMG_4638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-iVgNaqgjNqhdDpg95jlJAF9e_qz8NdHqx147KzOmsuZpIfxbX51XVhR6MVFMhF3rm_T4BjT19cgmnn6FSNb4qMNM7F6-11_Qvw7HulMD1h40hfh_WhfAjDuKg7KMnfL4vCTn7GgqLCs/s320/IMG_4638.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen ready to cross the finish line</td></tr>
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Owen ended up with a huge PR as well, finishing in 34:41. We got back just in time for the 10K awards for the masters category so I was able to get my gift card and Owen took a few pictures. I was glad I ran the 10K but moreso glad that Owen had such a great race. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">10K Race Results</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSfCdbHyUTTru1eef4NOo3mXZjv7KdcBKVtYEhr1rPp9Zux6rQxz_zfL4aS4erk5bd46m-L5y1fU5E1zNraGGaKsHQ0fWiSkP3BljFvsCUZeEW6yAZQQ18RlJqIG4opsAwKg4Ifzy04s/s1600/IMG_4647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSfCdbHyUTTru1eef4NOo3mXZjv7KdcBKVtYEhr1rPp9Zux6rQxz_zfL4aS4erk5bd46m-L5y1fU5E1zNraGGaKsHQ0fWiSkP3BljFvsCUZeEW6yAZQQ18RlJqIG4opsAwKg4Ifzy04s/s320/IMG_4647.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me getting my award</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6mB5iB69jRBaLTIuu5Tjk0-AAH-3xN12_HAcgtQ-HmoD2km5eFV3Lnrs9HypMl2UncD-LrLM-OOsO-GIQeTL8zMNBfi-CxTJsYPCv68UwoaU5bW2qUw-mSIWfIzY2Ezlcz-SVvQ_JgxM/s1600/IMG_4639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6mB5iB69jRBaLTIuu5Tjk0-AAH-3xN12_HAcgtQ-HmoD2km5eFV3Lnrs9HypMl2UncD-LrLM-OOsO-GIQeTL8zMNBfi-CxTJsYPCv68UwoaU5bW2qUw-mSIWfIzY2Ezlcz-SVvQ_JgxM/s320/IMG_4639.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen post race</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen modeling the cool race shirt (after the race of course!)</td></tr>
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</div>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00773977213886959997noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1274836108534651432.post-9975993125123293492012-05-27T17:30:00.000-04:002012-05-27T17:30:02.920-04:00Second Empire 5K March 25, 2012<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second Empire 5K Course</td></tr>
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I am way behind in this race blog update, but since today is opening day at the pool and the wi-fi is actually working this year and it's too cold to go in the water (at least for me, not for the kids of course), I figured I'd try to catch up. <br />
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I decided not to run the Second Empire Spring Series because I wasn't really feeling up to committing to so many races in the early spring and I was more focused early in the year on Umstead training and injury recovery prior to Umstead. But I do have two of the spring races that I enjoy so wanted to participate in those. The Run for the Oaks was earlier in March, the weekend after Umstead. Instead of running I volunteered with Owen since I wasn't sure I'd be ready to run quite yet. We had a great time and got to cheer on a few friends. In the end I probably would have been less sore if I ran it than volunteered. Turns out pulling chips off shoes is quite strenuous! <br />
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The other spring race in the series that I really enjoy is the Second Empire 5K. It was my first race in NC back in 2008 and it's a really well run event thanks to Kim Reynolds and her husband. I have run it several times now and last year I realized that the prizes were really great for this race as well. It was the day after a tornado hit the surrounding area so the race went on, but fewer people came than usual, which explained my surprise second place finish. I hoped this year I would fair well but after injury and Umstead three weeks prior, I really just wanted to see if I could beat 20 minutes. Of course I secretly hoped to place so I'd get the cool race bling. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPYtCV3LRgTEVnnhtHbFFB53YZUY5ytn2BdrannUR1RdPVEdN39gBctqhDE5_5CnxUCL67xIOK93rqpvZ1937YYcBdmWqSkAB8KnDVQTgP2VLPjlt6_Ii9x3rAv6IZFaUN9-JmurFM-M/s1600/IMG_4474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPYtCV3LRgTEVnnhtHbFFB53YZUY5ytn2BdrannUR1RdPVEdN39gBctqhDE5_5CnxUCL67xIOK93rqpvZ1937YYcBdmWqSkAB8KnDVQTgP2VLPjlt6_Ii9x3rAv6IZFaUN9-JmurFM-M/s320/IMG_4474.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Owen waiting to cheer us on at the start<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We got there early and had some time to hang out a bit at Flying Saucer like we had done a few times in the past. Then I headed over to warm up just a little. I saw quite a few running friends that I chatted with, which is always fun and a good way to relax a bit before the race. And this was the first race I was running as a part of the IOS running team, so a few of the IOS runners were there as well. As we all lined up at the start, I wasn't feeling too nervous but not too confident either. I just wanted to get through and beat 20 if I could. As the race started, and we headed towards the capital building, I felt pretty good but knew I was probably going out too fast. It turns out I was going a bit fast and the first mile split was 6:11. That speediness was soon was over however as the second mile, which heads up Hillsborough towards the NC State Bell Tower, is a tough and hilly part of the course. Surprisingly I didn't feel too bad during this part of the race and just focused on keeping an even pace and not giving into the temptation to really slow down a lot. I did run that mile slower, in 6:36, but from what I counted at the turnaround at mile 2, I was in second place overall at that point. So as long as I could maintain my pace I should be able to place.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Somewhere near the finish, looking about to die :-)</td></tr>
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Pretty close after the turnaround I started to feel really tired and just wanted to be done. However I was able to convince myself that with less than 1 mile to go, I really should be able to hang in there. Afterall I ran a full marathon only 3 weeks ago so this should be easier. I knew I wouldn't catch the first place woman, who was actually the 13 yr old girl who had been winning all the races in the spring series so far. I wasn't too far behind, but far enough that I wouldn't catch her. So I just tried to run as steady as possible and when I saw the finish, which you can see from fairly far away, I started to speed up. I was surprised later when I checked my Garmin data that the last mile was actually 6:12, nearly the same as the first. It is, according to Garmin, a down hill finish, but I wasn't expecting to be able to pull that off so was pretty happy. Final results: 19:43, 6:21 average pace and 2nd female overall, 29th of 406 finishers. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlUDT5cU6LEF2MrOus1B5x7tKPrX7D5yL3NQam6-GqVyHPDhUakwE3oW64Ci_nR-yxAEoi1lGswiaWAAvow96rTP-CpDA0-Jytvt5rrnVKo2ccNBGx6WYIDT5i6VAmlgYWPwulJHcWyvs/s1600/IMG_4467.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlUDT5cU6LEF2MrOus1B5x7tKPrX7D5yL3NQam6-GqVyHPDhUakwE3oW64Ci_nR-yxAEoi1lGswiaWAAvow96rTP-CpDA0-Jytvt5rrnVKo2ccNBGx6WYIDT5i6VAmlgYWPwulJHcWyvs/s320/IMG_4467.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Posted results</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Keith and the kids were there to cheer me on, so that was pretty awesome. Keith then left to take Grace back home while I waited for the award ceremony and the 1 mile run that Owen was going to do. But just as the 1 mile was about to start, the storms that had been threatening to come all day finally hit with lightening and thunder enough to cancel the 1 mile. Owen was a little disappointed but a bit relieved as the lightening and thunder were really freaking him out. The award ceremony took a little while to get going and Owen was getting impatient and wanted to leave but I told him we at least had to stay for the first part. Normally I stay for the entire thing to see all my running friends get their awards too, but this time we did bail early due to Owen's crankiness and the storm. It was really nice to receive a $75 gift card to Second Empire, an engraved glass, and a gift card to Capital Run Walk. Some of the best race bling in the area....shhh don't tell anyone! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_kh1xenhkbIRUcV24x9KqWN_OKBvL5pwojxg4OiZLgh_tOiBVHKycw8AHZKMW9WJmNkq16JvQeMhegsNdcWHyyS1jIdKBgNgjDHIv5dMrHlZea2oy2d8v3lbCR5c0azdiETIN079HHF8/s1600/IMG_4469.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_kh1xenhkbIRUcV24x9KqWN_OKBvL5pwojxg4OiZLgh_tOiBVHKycw8AHZKMW9WJmNkq16JvQeMhegsNdcWHyyS1jIdKBgNgjDHIv5dMrHlZea2oy2d8v3lbCR5c0azdiETIN079HHF8/s320/IMG_4469.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the best local race "bling"!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On the way home, Owen fell asleep from a long and tiring day. I was glad I ran the race again this year and was happy with my finish. It was great to get out there to a 5K and see all my running friends again.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBFvzL3huDJ9T24tEloFXRMFd_MS30gz64n8fb6Oz8a9bIadvQENopSII0HJmVsIflU-q8YIw-WxbFqbUveJQy0GTwIX2kLRLbwmzdakMEnW-smAEkhMamVNZRaZU8OcmOg-FE2qYvojI/s1600/IMG_4468.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBFvzL3huDJ9T24tEloFXRMFd_MS30gz64n8fb6Oz8a9bIadvQENopSII0HJmVsIflU-q8YIw-WxbFqbUveJQy0GTwIX2kLRLbwmzdakMEnW-smAEkhMamVNZRaZU8OcmOg-FE2qYvojI/s320/IMG_4468.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snoozing after a long day</td></tr>
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<br />Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00773977213886959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1274836108534651432.post-44926011777480207102012-03-04T21:01:00.000-05:002012-03-04T21:01:56.294-05:00Umstead Trail Marathon - Raleigh, NC - Mar 3, 2012 - Part II<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8h3-bTPPstWWIY41rx2u61EE45pna8nONXcz8j0wbpUFcMkCs8pQ01fdxRP62MwOueg77JeoFQsr7loy9V5V5P62-oZd7uUD17bR4FZi-bttq9zc1A8PWUcsScL_ADIefH0O3cXOBNI/s1600/0001q3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8h3-bTPPstWWIY41rx2u61EE45pna8nONXcz8j0wbpUFcMkCs8pQ01fdxRP62MwOueg77JeoFQsr7loy9V5V5P62-oZd7uUD17bR4FZi-bttq9zc1A8PWUcsScL_ADIefH0O3cXOBNI/s320/0001q3.jpeg" width="286" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Umstead Trail Marathon course map from my Garmin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>As the race started I felt pretty good. I felt like I was going at a nice easy pace. But as I also have experienced with 5Ks, an "easy pace" feeling is always relative to how fast the other runners are going. I started to look around and notice that there were all guys around me, pretty fast looking guys. Whoops, my pace was in the low sevens. I tried to slow down but it felt really slow. So I decided it was ok if the first 2 miles, which are on the fire road, were faster because having that time "in the bank" was going to be needed once I hit the single track, which is not my forte. I enjoy running single track in general but am pretty slow in comparison to my road speed and prefer to not have anyone on my heels for fear of taking them down if I fall. A few people shouted "first female" to me but my reply was "yep let's see how long that lasts" because I knew it would not. If I had been better trained or not had the injuries or better weather or actually all 3, then maybe it would be feasible (and even then only if all the fast people stayed home). But I knew it was only a matter of time because I didn't plan to go at break neck (literally) speed on the single track and risk getting injured before the race had even really started. My second mile at 7:29 pace was on Old Reedy Creek Road and was even faster than the first (7:41 pace). <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSMrEZTOExJkBHUDAEEeOypCSZesHSVYiLJ7_3OOdM4c_psXGUJqdhLtor6ChkIYXMFpgS7zSbevErrJZ8zh2lKatCaFbno-GjukJH_5rZLd1aj-AWwqpq9FYHWVdFvlLkQm43YVe3FFY/s1600/422737_3220382795975_1458587041_32897659_1919474580_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSMrEZTOExJkBHUDAEEeOypCSZesHSVYiLJ7_3OOdM4c_psXGUJqdhLtor6ChkIYXMFpgS7zSbevErrJZ8zh2lKatCaFbno-GjukJH_5rZLd1aj-AWwqpq9FYHWVdFvlLkQm43YVe3FFY/s320/422737_3220382795975_1458587041_32897659_1919474580_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not sure what mile this was but likely early in the race because I am smiling (photo borrowed from Shannon)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Right around the 2 mi mark there is a left turn onto Company Mill Trail, the first of 2 single track portions in the race. My first run on that trail that I can recall resulted in a badly twisted ankle that swelled and turned a lovely shade of purple and black once I took my shoe off. I've run on it several times since but I try to respect that it's a hilly, very rooty trail. So I slowed a bit but not as much as I usually do in a regular run. I let anyone who was close on my heels pass however as it was more stressful to hear them behind me. Around mile 3, I'd guess, I heard a man and woman chatting as they ran so I knew my "first place" status was soon to be history and was totally fine with that. Mile 3 and 4 were a respectable 9 mm pace. Two other women running together passed me on Company Mill as well, so I was now in 4th place. Still pretty good after the first section of single track. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1_QbMebdGNiffzQDUOMWRwSF97vJQPll5Cj0mjB3i_9Do6Ryx5mKS2ojKOyP7RtqZdp_SULp4BtwsF1o1AP677iV4N81tB3nKMR8ddLIkxhe_yvaZouWWqX_qxwFCSRHff4UrynX6voI/s1600/418391_3220393636246_1458587041_32897691_1418277225_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1_QbMebdGNiffzQDUOMWRwSF97vJQPll5Cj0mjB3i_9Do6Ryx5mKS2ojKOyP7RtqZdp_SULp4BtwsF1o1AP677iV4N81tB3nKMR8ddLIkxhe_yvaZouWWqX_qxwFCSRHff4UrynX6voI/s320/418391_3220393636246_1458587041_32897691_1418277225_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I didn't even see this sign while I was running, but I did see the "tree of death" and walked through those roots (photo borrowed from Shannon)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Around mile 4 you turn back on Old Reedy Creek for a quick bit, up Graylyn, and then back onto the single track, this time the Sycamore loop. On Old Reedy Creek was when I saw my RTR friends who came out to cheer me on (Scott, Ryan, Mariana). I was surprised to really see them so looked around only briefly and wasn't even sure who all was there but just heard my name being called. At some of the water stops, people I didn't even know were calling my name since I guess in a race this size, they maybe had a list of all the runners by their bib numbers. So whenever someone called my name in the race I wasn't sure if it was someone I really knew or not. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1PGeixziqBl9i52evC1SGWwnWBItqwlB0koUPbMDHRPHSxbGjR6vIiODOMA1_NDfOuuLTjQ-pvE56FQ2bRJ58xKkQv5yHnHZdr7Cg0UmdiHsV0c0wrWhGsZU6FFjceVjr5o-CCJsM-vM/s1600/420748_3220385476042_1458587041_32897666_1233782960_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1PGeixziqBl9i52evC1SGWwnWBItqwlB0koUPbMDHRPHSxbGjR6vIiODOMA1_NDfOuuLTjQ-pvE56FQ2bRJ58xKkQv5yHnHZdr7Cg0UmdiHsV0c0wrWhGsZU6FFjceVjr5o-CCJsM-vM/s320/420748_3220385476042_1458587041_32897666_1233782960_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me again (in the pink shoes and Zensah sock), still looking fairly cheerful (photo borrowed from Shannon)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>As I turned onto Sycamore, I thought about how much I really like this trail, with the creek flowing along side it. It's very quiet and peaceful and the creek was really full from the rain so the sound of the water rushing by was nice. Mile 5, which was on Sycamore, was slower at around 10 mm pace, due to the hills and lots of mud. The next mile was faster and was the part of the course that was the change for 2012. Usually, according to the race map, the course turns off of Sycamore, goes left onto Graylyn and continues up to the Graylyn gate. But due to some reason that I can't remember, the course instead this year turns left on Graylyn and then another left into an area where they are constructing a new parking lot. I had only just recently been to that area of the park on the 10 mi early weekday runs with Daren but that was in the dark so it really didn't look the same during the race. There was an aid station there so I grabbed some gatorade before turning around. But this section was a huge mud pit on race day, even more than it was the second day that I ran with Daren and slid on the mud a few feet like I was on ice skates. This time the mud was so thick your shoes just sunk into it. There really wasn't any way to run around it, especially since this is one of the turn around points so runners are on the trail in both directions. So you just run through it and hope your shoes don't come off. <br />
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Once you get back on Graylyn, you turn right and then left onto Sycamore to finish the loop. I knew at this point this was the last bit of single track. I was thankful because I assumed after this I could speed up a little (which was, it turns out, not the case). But I also just tried to enjoy it because I discovered that this part of the course is actually refreshingly different. By this time everyone was fairly spread out and it felt more like going through a nice leisurely run in the woods rather than a race. No pressure of who is ahead or behind you. During this part, there were only a few guys here and there who passed me or who I passed. Somehow I had managed to keep my feet fairly dry until about mile 7 or so, when I zigged instead of zagged and went directly into a huge puddle and my left shoe was then full of water. In fact it was so wet I actually stopped after about 1/4 mile and took my other foot and stepped on the left one to try to squeeze out some water. But the damage was done so I just hoped it didn't turn into a blister situation. Ever since switching to Balega and Zensah socks, I haven't really had any blisters so would not know how to deal with that in such a long race with so far left to go. Turns out my Zensah compression socks did just fine so there were no blister issues. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDE4e2Bg13J7rCiemD9Bi0n2ydtS2M8haKJqOZIdGIj2hNxyN-jB96FriCIMnwbKmvZYia8727eRD596gB74XotIm8cqEIyCETfYC7E0548saJAI7eFR-ipAxymgamUkKrbRFRuuJkXAs/s1600/426900_3220383435991_1458587041_32897661_1564849931_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDE4e2Bg13J7rCiemD9Bi0n2ydtS2M8haKJqOZIdGIj2hNxyN-jB96FriCIMnwbKmvZYia8727eRD596gB74XotIm8cqEIyCETfYC7E0548saJAI7eFR-ipAxymgamUkKrbRFRuuJkXAs/s320/426900_3220383435991_1458587041_32897661_1564849931_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a sampling of the mud on the trails that day (photo borrowed from Shannon)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Although I was almost wishing away the single track part, the second half of the Sycamore loop in particular was really fun and was the best part of the race for me, though I probably wouldn't have predicted that at time. The course here is either down hill or flat and miles 7 and 8 were a decent pace for me for single track at 9:18 and 9:04. After leaving Sycamore, the course turns left back onto Graylyn and then left back onto Old Reedy Creek. I was back on the bridle trails which I am most familiar with and I can usually hang an 8 to 8:30 pace on these or sometimes faster. Mile 9 and 10 were where I picked up speed (splits were 8:05 and 8:01). I remember passing mile marker 9 and thinking, why yes, I can do another 17! I felt pretty good. Somewhere around here I also passed one of the women who had passed me on the single track early on. So I was now the 3rd woman. I also saw the RTR crew again around this time. Also at this point was when the rain, which had really been misting or non existent, really started to pick up. But it actually felt good and I was glad in the end that I wore my hat, which I really don't like wearing but will do so reluctantly when it's raining hard. But the rain slowed down after about another mile or so. In the end I was also glad I chose to wear shorts and a tank top. I would have been way too warm with a LS shirt, jacket or even arm warmers. Even with the temps dropping, I felt fine temperature-wise the whole way. At the water stop at the Trenton gate I saw some other familiar faces from RTR (Brandy and Kristine) and I turned onto Turkey Creek.<br />
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Somewhere between mile 10 and 11, just after turning onto Turkey Creek, was when I felt the first signs of trouble with muscle cramps. This varied throughout the rest of the race as to location but I really struggled with it for the remainder of the race. I usually have this problem in my calves or quads in a marathon, but not so early in the race. Not sure if it was poor nutrition leading up to the race, lack of rest that prior week, electrolyte issues, being undertrained or just the fact that I ran so much single track and then was trying to run Turkey Creek which is really hard and something I never had done before. I spent the rest of the race focused on managing this issue. The good news I guess is that I wasn't as worried about my "behind knee/calf/hamstring injury" but rather about the cramping getting worse and forcing me to drop or slow down and not meet my 4 hour goal. So I began to fill my water bottles with gatorade at every water stop and drank a lot of it. So much in fact that I don't think I can look at Gatorade for a while. I guess it helped but did not eliminate the issue. I had to adjust my speed and stride to cater to where the cramps were at the time. They were everywhere from my toes and feet, to my calves, to my quads and inner thighs. Miles 11 and 12 were still pretty fast at 8:22 and 8:11, despite the cramping. Of course they were also downhill. Miles 13 to 15 were slower, ranging from 8:45 to 9:04, but still not too bad considering they were uphill. I felt better after reaching the end of Turkey Creek and turning right onto Graylyn for my second trip to the muddy turnaround. I filled my water bottle again with Gatorade and headed back down Graylyn and a left back onto Turkey Creek going in the opposite direction.<br />
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I usually don't like road races with turn arounds. In a 5K in particular it's very distracting. But in a trail marathon it turns out it's really nice to see friendly familiar faces along the way several times. Each time I saw Heiko who was very close by, he had a big smile on his face. That really helped me feel better. I am sure I had a smile also, at first, but I think it got smaller at each turnaround, with each new leg cramp. Shannon was snapping pictures along the way and was very cheerful and encouraging. Carolyn and Jim came soon after. Carolyn was also looking fairly cheerful despite her own struggles with some injuries. Jim looked refreshed as if he was out for a 3 mile jog. I believe shouted something like "holy shit Mary, your in 3rd place!" when I saw him around mile 16 or 17. By that time I was glad to be past the 16 mile mark, which was where I started to have trouble in Boston. I just hoped I could maintain a pace to keep me under 4 hours and that not too many women would pass me in the last 9 miles. I knew that a few were close (the down side of the turnaround at mile 15). A woman did in fact pass me around this time but my focus was on managing the cramps and I didn't want to try to speed up and make things worse and risk not finishing, so I resolved to let her go without too much concern (ok well part of it was a bummer, but I mostly let it go since I knew I didn't have a choice under the conditions). Miles 16 to 18 were between 8:55 and 9:10 but since this is fairly downhill, it was much slower than I'd normally run this part of the course if it wasn't for the cramping. Mile 19 was hilly so my pace dropped to 9:28. Mile 20 was a bit better at 8:56. I caught up to the woman who passed me earlier at the rest stop around mile 20 but only because she stopped for a drink. After this I didn't really try to keep up with her and her lead grew as my cramping continued.<br />
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I remember I commented to Brandy at that point that if this was a 20 mile race it would be awesome right now! Once hitting the 20 mile mark, while I know it's here that the real race is supposed to begin, I felt at least the end was in sight. I knew the rest of the course very well. I headed up Old Reedy Creek Rd knowing that there were 3 hard sections still to run. Corkscrew Hill, which is a tough one for me usually, was first. Just before Corkscrew, mile 21 goes downhill, passing Reedy Creek Lake. The cramping was getting worse so I did that mile slower at 9:17 despite the downhill. Mile 22 was only rivaled by mile 24 for the hardest mile on the course. Mile 22 (9:40) included Corkscrew Hill and the flat part of Cedar Ridge. I often hate Corkscrew but I usually love Cedar Ridge. On this particular day, however, I did not. Even the downhill at mile 23 was hard. Every leg muscle was cramping now, so the downhill was particularly hard on my quads and hips and I finished mile 23 in 10:29, wondering how in the world I was going to get back up Cedar Ridge. Mile 24 was where I did the most walking. I hate walking and usually don't do it because it makes it worse and my muscles seize up. But I couldn't help at least a few times slowing to a walk and probably letting out a few grunts and perhaps some not so pleasant words under my breath. A guy passed me and offered words of encouragement which helped a bit. I was watching the clock now because my current pace (not average mile pace but current) was slowing to 11 and 12 and higher at some points. I was getting nervous that I'd miss my 4 hour goal. So I willed myself to run despite the cramping. Mile 24, at 10:48, was my slowest in the race, much slower even than the single track, which I wasn't expecting. <br />
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I was so glad to turn off Cedar Ridge but that was short-lived because Cemetery Hill was soon to follow. I walked once on Cemetery but knew the end was soon and knew also that I needed to run that mile in less that 11 minutes to feel comfortable that I'd meet my 4 hours. I ran it in 10:26 even with the bit of walking. Mile 25! While my leg cramping was continuing and I was feeling a bit nauseous from all the Gatorade, I was looking forward to the end of the race. I swear mile 25 felt like it was 2 miles long. Once I turned right off Old Reedy Creek to head back to Camp Lapihio where the start/finish is, I tried to speed up and was desperately looking for the finish line. That also seemed like it took forever and I was afraid I'd taken a wrong turn. I passed the marker for mile 26 and really did my best to run faster. I ran that last 0.2 mi at 7:38 pace and crossed the finish in 3:56:43. I was 29 of 169 finishers overall, 4th female overall. I was so glad to be done and to have finished in under 4 hours, despite my injury (which wasn't really a factor during the race it turned out), the weather, undertraining, or the leg cramps. I was handed my 4th place female finisher wooden bat plaque (awesome!). I was also offered Gatorade which I couldn't even look at, got my bat pint glass (love it!) and picked my door prize ticket from the basket, which was membership to Godiva Track Club for 1 year (pretty cool). <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRuItcUV8NPY7kqnAStWbCB29xsIR3asH5-_fN-e-4cMu5eD5T0FjMSVIVtJhmJXOTANYnDD6luQOk-Dl6DUy3UJ9tRPPgELDK29YEWLlIermovEq0p84TGWqMdKnO8vE5gBfHk0MMuck/s1600/426287_3275021361796_1455307044_33027859_1472257199_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRuItcUV8NPY7kqnAStWbCB29xsIR3asH5-_fN-e-4cMu5eD5T0FjMSVIVtJhmJXOTANYnDD6luQOk-Dl6DUy3UJ9tRPPgELDK29YEWLlIermovEq0p84TGWqMdKnO8vE5gBfHk0MMuck/s320/426287_3275021361796_1455307044_33027859_1472257199_n.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wooden bat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCSzUI3IW3Il2EusTn9CMTQ7Icl-lswyyebZNq43M-gMVgy4VbHMnIWK6yLD2p0lwnd3jzLq1921q3Y03cClM57BhlQysTUOo0n7y7XIcK2ds5t6NXqptpk5Fw8_M6p9GA5xF8V6g56_g/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCSzUI3IW3Il2EusTn9CMTQ7Icl-lswyyebZNq43M-gMVgy4VbHMnIWK6yLD2p0lwnd3jzLq1921q3Y03cClM57BhlQysTUOo0n7y7XIcK2ds5t6NXqptpk5Fw8_M6p9GA5xF8V6g56_g/s320/photo.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2012 Finishers Pint Glass, complete with bat of course</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I wasn't feeling so great stomach-wise from the overload of Gatorade, so I grabbed my clothes and quickly headed to the car to change, wondering how I'd do that, being as cramped up as I was. Fortunately a woman had "accessed" an empty cabin that was on the way to the parking lot, so she could wait there with her two sons while her husband finished the race. I asked if I could use it to change and she agreed. It seemed to take forever to change, as I was moving very slowly. But I felt much better once I was changed and then I headed to the car to drop off my dirty stuff and get some food/drink. I called Keith to let him know I had survived and headed back to the lodge to hopefully say hi and thanks to folks who had cheered me on along the way. I also tried to eat one of the Moe's burritos but after one bite I knew that wasn't going to happen, so I just ate some of the snacks I brought instead. I left after having a chance to say thanks and goodbye to most folks and thankfully was able to get out of the mud pit of a parking lot without much trouble. Others who needed a tow truck to get out were not as fortunate. I was tired, a bit sore and just thankful to have met my goal. I left thinking, yep, I'd do this race again! <br />
<div><br />
</div><div>It's over 24 hours later and I really have to say this was a truly great race. I loved the NYC marathon, I was proud to have made it to Boston, and enjoyed the experience of Marine Corp, but this was completely different than NY, Boston and Marine Corp. It was really nice to run it in a place that I think of as home, with so many words of encouragement from other local runners as well as the wonderful volunteers. My sincere thanks goes to the many volunteers who really did a spectacular job. The race was one of the best organized and most well run that I've been to and I have no doubt I'll run it again. </div>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00773977213886959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1274836108534651432.post-79522495583667017342012-03-04T20:28:00.000-05:002012-03-04T20:28:27.154-05:00Umstead Trail Marathon - Raleigh, NC - March 3, 2012 - Part I<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwIrQvLpdT_Iv4eLeMLaLenIgPkFJj8sVdCR_0WogyQD-KUeB4WQhtBGi_PVnJEtRhzx8qiQOyNfBWL4sof_1qqmbMB4ry3Wo7DfFiwnqqJyGH1uCd5t4eEy4qBD6je9GbIimCkkCZL20/s1600/0001q3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwIrQvLpdT_Iv4eLeMLaLenIgPkFJj8sVdCR_0WogyQD-KUeB4WQhtBGi_PVnJEtRhzx8qiQOyNfBWL4sof_1qqmbMB4ry3Wo7DfFiwnqqJyGH1uCd5t4eEy4qBD6je9GbIimCkkCZL20/s320/0001q3.jpeg" width="286" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Umstead Trail Marathon course map from my Garmin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I wasn't sure I'd make it to the starting line, let alone the finish line of the Umstead Trail Marathon. Last fall I was thinking that I'd like to run this race someday and so put it on my 2013 list. But in late November as the race registration was about to open, I had this crazy idea to sign up for this year's race, despite not having been training up to that point for a race of this distance. So that probably was <b><i>strike 1</i></b>. But I was excited at the idea of a race that was more for the fun and challenge rather than for a PR or to qualify for Boston. I was also interested because it was a small race, looked like lots of fun and was on "home turf" where I run every weekend. Plus the cool t-shirts, pint glass and the possibility of "getting wood" (aka the hand carved wooden plaque that goes to the top 15 male and female finishers) was pretty cool too.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHAOdk8fGuSi9zd4YJAfORePABldRNvI5PgneiKG-Y7VdelxxdC_2XJEsd36lmSW4lFLhqMGb6_SwdW7fThugWIPKpLAVDb4j4pPXPfmi_28BjuOVVt7pxXFo7fpC7sazo6SsfBuhyC6g/s1600/pint_glasses_2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHAOdk8fGuSi9zd4YJAfORePABldRNvI5PgneiKG-Y7VdelxxdC_2XJEsd36lmSW4lFLhqMGb6_SwdW7fThugWIPKpLAVDb4j4pPXPfmi_28BjuOVVt7pxXFo7fpC7sazo6SsfBuhyC6g/s320/pint_glasses_2011.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pint glasses for prior years (borrowed from Umstead Marathon website)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>So in December I started to ramp up my running, running more often during the weekdays in the mornings and running longer on the weekends. That was going well until I felt my upper left calf was pretty sore after a typical 4 mile run on the road just before Christmas. Then, instead of resting it, I figured I'd just run through it, as I had planned to run Jimbo's Boxing Day Bad Ass Mad Ass Dumb Ass Fat Ass Fun Run (which had a great t-shirt that I can only wear to bed after the kids are asleep!). Jim really put on a great event. The goal was to run as many laps as you wanted of a 1 mile loop at a park in Sanford NC. Turns out I barely made it 2 laps before my calf "popped". This is a signal to stop, right? Well, my signal was delayed and I limped through another 4 loops before waving the white flag. I then was forced to take several days off but when I ran again, things seemed much better. So the training recommenced. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yNnPbI0xE3nUStA_rZSfc9ykuhPA_wG05II00zlu1EgmnhIjK4FOoeC9xbteC3TeIXZlLOohYkFeUMo3LVIV_DPyNlV490eLU4SgOuMlBpWMm0MzvdIsIpOth18eUI4qBSWNh2nTfQI/s1600/photo2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yNnPbI0xE3nUStA_rZSfc9ykuhPA_wG05II00zlu1EgmnhIjK4FOoeC9xbteC3TeIXZlLOohYkFeUMo3LVIV_DPyNlV490eLU4SgOuMlBpWMm0MzvdIsIpOth18eUI4qBSWNh2nTfQI/s320/photo2.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best t-shirt that I can't wear around the kids</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I ramped up the long runs and did them all in Umstead as training for the race. Lots of running on Turkey Creek and Cedar Ridge (very hilly) and a little single track here and there. I ran my longest run, a 22 miler that started out as a 20 miler but I was feeling good so upped it to 22. At the end I still felt good but made the worst mistake of sitting on the couch with the kids the rest of the day. I started to have a tendon/muscle soreness behind the left knee after that, likely related to the original calf issue and to not stretching after that long run, but it wasn't bad enough to not run. So run on it I did. Until the one day I had another bright idea that I'd better practice some single track running mixed in with bridle trail running. So I got up early in the pouring rain one Saturday to run 10 miles before joining RTR for their regular single track Saturday run. Well I got about 3.5 miles out, just to the bottom of Cedar Ridge where the water crossing is. I am a wuss so I turned around at that crossing and was heading back up when again my calf snapped, this time I am sure it was an audible snap (at least in my head it was), followed by a curse word or two from me. Crap, now I had to limp back to the car another 3.5 miles. That was painful but I hoped to run it off because walking back would take even longer. I was at least smart enough to skip the single track run that day and to look into sports med docs the next day.<br />
<br />
I made an appointment for later that week and his advice was "do not run on it if you want to be able to run the race". <b><i>Strike 2</i></b>. Well that was new for me, I never got that advice before. So of course I followed it...oh wait, no I didn't. The race was just about 6 weeks away at that point and I planned to follow the advice, but one day as I was heading out to the gym to do spin class or the elliptical or something else that I like much less than running, I saw how warm it was out and decided to just run anyway. And it didn't feel bad, so I ran again a few more times, short runs of 3 to 5 miles. That gave me a false sense of security however because when I went to the Inside Out Sports Chase the Grape Run (a run followed by free wine tasting at Sip across the parking lot, first Wed of every month) in early February, they decided to do a hillier than usual route and my behind the knee thing was hurting again. Also my hamstring had been sore over the past few weeks and wasn't improving. Uggh, guessed I should follow the docs advice afterall. I tried water jogging classes a few times. It was mentally painful for me because I have no patience (that is why I run, because it's fast). Water running was slow and boring to me and when they mixed in some water aerobics I really felt I was being tortured as I am not a group class kind of girl. Not that water running is easy, it's not. I was the last one across the pool each time and women and men much older and much heavier than me were lapping me. It was a good alternative to running, but one that I'd only do if I was forced to again due to injury. Same with the elliptical. I am not a fan. But I was heading out for a week long business trip and so did the elliptical every day before my meetings. By the time I returned home, I couldn't stand it anymore and after 1.5 weeks of this I decided to try to run again. The race was less than 5 weeks away and if things weren't better I'd rather know and drop now. I was not comfortable just doing water running and elliptical and then showing up on the starting line as my doctor indicated some of his patients had successfully done. <br />
<br />
I was also going to PT 2x per week and that seemed to help. I decided to try a short run one chilly but sunny Saturday, sticking to the ATT which is softer than the road and flatter than Umstead. That was a great run. I did 6 miles (probably more than I should have) at sub 8 mm pace (faster than I should have) because I was so happy to be running again I just couldn't help it. I did 10 miles at Umstead the next day and it went well. Things seemed to be on the mend. I ran a 6 mile and 4 mile run that week on the road but this only aggravated the injury again. So the next weekend I went back to ATT on Saturday and did 10 miles and to Umstead on Sunday and did 18. Both felt pretty good. I didn't want to risk running on the road at all now, so I joined Daren and his group for the earliest Umstead runs I've ever done. 5:30 am start (so I got up at 4:30 am) in the dark with headlamps, 2 days in a row, 10 miles each day, around 10 mm pace. Those runs really helped to finish off my training. They were followed by a Saturday 10 mile single track run of Company Mill and Sycamore (part of the race course) with Stephane and then a 10 mile Sunday run at Old Reedy Creek, to round out the weekend before the race. I had my last PT appointment on Monday and I ran only once during the week before the race, 4 miles on the road on Wednesday. That was pretty much it for my training and either I was ready or not. I decided I'd rather DNF than DNS, so made up my mind that I'd just do my best and see what happened. <br />
<br />
Work was crazy busy that week as were kid activities (tae kwon do, swimming, book fair, etc) so I didn't get much rest that week and didn't eat very smartly (chili, burritos, sushi, chick fil a, etc). So this would be <b><i>strike 3 and 4</i></b> I guess. But wait, there's more...<br />
<br />
My marathon experience is quite limited relative to many runners I know. I had run 3 of them before this one, Marine Corp in DC, NYC and Boston. All three were very large road races that had water/gatorade stops at every mile and the weather turned out to be perfect for all 3 of them (probably because John Williamson did not enter them!). Well I suspect that John secretly did enter the Umstead Marathon at some point because as the week wore on the weather forecast got more grim. Lightening, thunder, strong winds, heavy rain, etc. <b><i>Strike 5</i></b> (I think I lost count now). And it went from 50%, to 70%, down to 60% and back up to 80% chance of rain in a few days. Hmm, looks like I'd better learn to swim. I feared (and a small part of me, just a small part, hoped for) a cancellation. I was at Myrtle Beach in 2010 for the half marathon when they cancelled for snow and I was not prepared for that race so was totally ok with it being cancelled. Plus my inlaws live there so it's not like I shelled out a bunch of cash to travel there only to have the race cancelled. But this time I really did want to run, so figured I'd do it anyway if it was cancelled but others would unofficially run it (depending on the lightening situation).<br />
<br />
On Friday late afternoon I picked up the kids from school and we went to pick up my race packet. We were all excited to see what the Umstead mascot would be this year. That's another pretty fun thing about this race. The mascot, which is on the t-shirt, pint glass and award plaque, is kept a secret until the race packet pick up time. I had put in my guess a few months prior, coyote. I have never seen one there but know others have seen and heard them. Other cool choices, as mentioned on the Running Down blog, were copperhead, opossum, bat, and of course the elusive stegosaurus (well just because you haven't seen one yet doesn't mean there isn't one!) Duck, while kind of lame, would have actually been most appropriate given the weather conditions. Well that or whale, which was my daughter Grace's guess. But now she says she was only kidding. As we sat in the car outside the Great Outdoor Company, my son Owen's final choices were coyote or water snake (also appropriate) and Grace chose bat or deer. I stuck with coyote. And the winner....bat! A totally cool t-shirt and the blue color was awesome too. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-CDpBGY8Eend7sGL3VBpj49KcsC2vIeVTWvupFNjQyEPQWlizrKVo1mhPABKFa4za09SiZ-iHXN1V_do1lKOlRxQWaU5EUR9WvakcjrEC0IOUMBzG4iLFnKr6twoKh-PrS2I-u0Fb7zw/s1600/420411_3276786285918_1455307044_33028697_2011191993_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-CDpBGY8Eend7sGL3VBpj49KcsC2vIeVTWvupFNjQyEPQWlizrKVo1mhPABKFa4za09SiZ-iHXN1V_do1lKOlRxQWaU5EUR9WvakcjrEC0IOUMBzG4iLFnKr6twoKh-PrS2I-u0Fb7zw/s320/420411_3276786285918_1455307044_33028697_2011191993_n.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cool bat shirt!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>After a trip to chick fil a for dinner (in retrospect not the smartest move pre-race), I spent time prepping my stuff for the race the next day (clothes, food, etc). I finally went to bed, later than I hoped, with no rain in sight. Ah, see those weather folks clearly got it wrong, afterall 80% chance of rain means 20% chance of not rain, right? This happens a lot for our RTR Sunday runs, most folks will cancel when bad weather is predicted and then by the time we start running the weather turns out perfect and these are some of the best runs for those of us who do show up. And then...at 2:58am, KABOOM! Huge thunder clap followed by lightening, gusting winds and pouring rain. Ok, well looks like my "perfect weather for marathons" streak is clearly over. I slept on and off for the next few hours but kept checking the weather and the Umstead website (not sure what I expected to see there, hopefully the race directors were not up at 4am, but perhaps they were). I got up at 5:30am and started to get ready and pack all the running gear I had just because I couldn't decide what to wear or bring for after the race. It was raining but not much thunder so the race was likely still on.<br />
<br />
I am sure I was nervous for my other marathons and half marathons, but I was actually physically feeling sick a little about this one on and leading up to race morning. I woke up at 5am most mornings feeling anxious that week before. And even on the drive to the park that morning, I think my hands were shaking. I felt under prepared already but with the weather conditions combined with not being a really savvy single track runner, I was pretty scared. Once I got there and parked (in a mud pit that I wasn't sure I'd be able to get back out of), saw a few familiar faces (Jim, Shannon, Heiko, Michael, Charles, etc) and was introduced to some other runners I knew of but had never formally met, I felt a bit better. In fact I almost lost track of time and then realized I'd better figure out what I was wearing (I settled on tank top and shorts, no long sleeves or arm warmers) and do a last minute potty stop. I did that (ah the beauty of Umstead is you don't really need to wait on the potty line) and was on the starting line just in time. It was the calmest starting line area of a marathon ever. No one clammering to get up front, no one jumping into faster corrals (there were none of course) and everyone was still chatting calmly until the start. This was no NYC or Boston, for sure.<br />
<br />
My Umstead race experience - continued in part II.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00773977213886959997noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1274836108534651432.post-75876845479689332222012-01-08T17:27:00.001-05:002012-01-08T17:30:13.710-05:002012 Race Calendar and 2011 Year End Summary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDxlp3OdbpK1Lk6v3QpjWAbrG6NUGhNoAU6k_fu71DY401FmmXJb0CLQ-nptgaDfFtn-j9hDGGbeqbsl5uueTH9eAynOiorPw9jbOtD88lKSLvOBaL-dui5_ri_dlkB87F1mw_kgkf8s/s1600/IMG_3952.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDxlp3OdbpK1Lk6v3QpjWAbrG6NUGhNoAU6k_fu71DY401FmmXJb0CLQ-nptgaDfFtn-j9hDGGbeqbsl5uueTH9eAynOiorPw9jbOtD88lKSLvOBaL-dui5_ri_dlkB87F1mw_kgkf8s/s320/IMG_3952.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Happy 2012! I usually reserve my blogging for race reports, but in the spirit of setting some goals for 2012, since that’s the thing to do as we end one year and begin another, I thought I’d do a recap on 2011 and a preview to 2012.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">2011, let’s review….<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I had a few running goals in 2011. One was to PR, and maybe even run a sub 20, for the 5K. And the other was to do a half marathon in under 1:35. I achieved the half marathon goal in March, at the Wrightsville Beach Half Marathon. A great race and a great mini vacation, a PR and sub 1:35 half. The 5K goal took a bit longer to achieve, mainly because of the lack of 5Ks in the summer. I ran a few in the spring and did well but had to wait until the fall 5Ks came around to refocus on this goal. In the meantime, while I not only didn’t PR but actually ran my worst half marathon in recent history, I had an excellent vacation in California at the Napa to Sonoma Half Marathon. Great location and great event, I’d like to try it again sometime when I am more prepared. I refocused on the 5K goal and entered my favorite fall 5K, the Run for Healthier Babies. But just so I would have a “practice” race, I also entered the Run for Autism. Turns out I pulled off the sub 20 in the autism race. I think running more often in the mornings combined with losing a few pounds, the right racing shoes and Zensah socks really helped me to make the leap from a 20:34 PR (Mar 2011) to a 19:55 PR in October. After similar sub 20 success in the Healthier Babies race I decided to do the Second Empire Series and ran all but one of my fall 5K races in under 20 minutes, proving it wasn’t a fluke afterall. My current PR is 19:29 in the Jingle Bell 5K. Another goal I added later in 2011 was to run under 33:30 in the Turkey Trot. I did better than expected and finished in 32:16. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Looking ahead to 2012…<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I set out with an aggressive race calendar for 2012 when I was originally thinking about it a few months ago, but had to cut back on it some since it was obviously too much to do in one year. As of when I am writing this, Dec 29, 2011, the only races I am formally registered for are the Umstead Marathon on Mar 3<sup>rd</sup> and the Biltmore 15K on May 20<sup>th</sup>. Unfortunately due to what I really believe was a non-running related Christmas present wrapping calf injury, I am a bit worried about my ability to be ready for Umstead Marathon in time. I’ll just have to take it easy and see how it goes. I wasn’t even able to do 6 miles without lots of pain and stopping earlier this week, but rested 2 days and did 3 today with some, but considerably less, pain. But I was able to do 18 with no trouble in Umstead including Turkey Creek only a few weeks ago, so hoping that this calf thing doesn’t set me back too much. I would like to run Umstead in under 4 hours but we’ll see how it goes. It’s not a BQ race and I’d be doing it for just the fun of doing it. But I don’t want to suffer through it either, so hopefully this injury will heal fast and I’ll be back out there soon. As for the Biltmore race, I am also excited about that one. It’s a great course and a fun trip to Asheville and Biltmore. So far that’s all that is officially on tap for 2012.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Umstead Marathon<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.umsteadmarathon.com/">http://www.umsteadmarathon.com/</a><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Biltmore 15K<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://biltmorekiwanisclassicrace.com/">http://biltmorekiwanisclassicrace.com/</a><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Still of course there are some other races I am pondering…</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><ul><li>March – Run for the Oaks and Second Empire 5Ks. I’ve done both of these for several years now and I like them but I’ll have to see how I feel after the Umstead Marathon.</li>
<li>September – Provided I am in town this time, I’d really like to run the Magnificent Mile, which I’ve never run before. I’d like to get some speed work in over the summer to train for it. I'd also like to do the Friesen Run with the Canes again.</li>
<li>October – Either the Army 10 miler if we can get an RTR crew to go, or the ATT 10 miler locally.</li>
<li>November – City of Oaks Relay, again if we can get an RTR relay team together it would be fun. And of course the Turkey Trot, maybe the Surfside Beach one this year instead of the Grand Strand Myrtle Beach one. </li>
<li>December – This one really will depend on funding to be able to travel to another race, but I’d like to do the Kiawah Island Half, if not this year, maybe the following year. </li>
</ul><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Looking REALLY far ahead to 2013 and beyond some other races I’d like to do are: </div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><ul><li>Big Sur Marathon in California</li>
<li>Covered Bridges Half Marathon in Vermont</li>
<li>Oregon Wine Country Half</li>
<li>Chicago Marathon</li>
<li>Outer Banks Half </li>
</ul><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Well that is enough dreaming about cool races for now. Happy New Year to you! I wish you a 2012 filled with beautiful trail runs, exciting road races and an injury free year of achieving your goals, whatever they may be! <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">P.S. - Update as of Jan 8<sup>th</sup>, 2012 – I did a 22 mile run today, and felt pretty good so I am feeling better about the Umstead Marathon. I also have a new mantra to use, thanks to my son Owen’s Tae Kwon Do instructor. “Goals I set (sir) are goals I get (sir)!”. I’ll probably leave out the “sir” part but it got me through the last few miles today!<o:p></o:p></div>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00773977213886959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1274836108534651432.post-56534403422820474372012-01-08T17:18:00.002-05:002012-01-08T17:23:11.450-05:00Jolly Elf Trail Run 5K Cary, NC Dec 10, 2011<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfVtxiorptP6F5f7B15VnlQNyi80zlWcfIjOgdLgH08m4gcAFYwFiibfzfIrkJ1AegsY2tQ5NERdLW89lKv0GcVlZEgOZ1e_UPF-fC4sIlg6eCWkDac54Ks1iLNuxpFHh57nzJcWkEi2s/s1600/0001dQ.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfVtxiorptP6F5f7B15VnlQNyi80zlWcfIjOgdLgH08m4gcAFYwFiibfzfIrkJ1AegsY2tQ5NERdLW89lKv0GcVlZEgOZ1e_UPF-fC4sIlg6eCWkDac54Ks1iLNuxpFHh57nzJcWkEi2s/s320/0001dQ.jpeg" width="287" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jolly Elf Trail Run 5K Course</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">After running this race in 2009 I swore I wouldn’t do it again. Of course you’ll note I said that about the Free to Breathe 5K, which I did this year too, but I was serious about this one. However I didn’t have a choice. If I wanted to compete in the series I’d have to run it, since I was out of town for 2 of the 8 races and you need to run 6. I ran a practice run of the course a few months before so I could get familiar with the course again. And…I got lost on the first attempt, despite having a map with me. So since I had time and wanted to run farther I did a second attempt and did better but still wasn’t sure I had run it correctly. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">To clarify, it’s not that I dislike the Jolly Elf course, I do like it and do like trail running. It’s trail racing, especially a race where speed is important, like a 5K, that I am not comfortable with. But since I had to do it, I figured I’d embrace it and make it fun. Since this was another holiday race, I figured I’d dress up in my Santa hat again or maybe I’d try a Christmas tree, using a tree skirt and a green shirt with maybe some real Christmas lights. I checked out the stock in Target and all the tree skirts were too heavy and long and since I only do dressing up when the running is not impacted, that idea was out. Plan B then was to do a elf theme, since it is the Jolly Elf afterall. I was also doing some Christmas shopping so was passing by the girls department when I saw it…the perfect red tulle skirt with a sparkly silver waistband. This would be the inspiration for my costume. Of course it would only work as a tutu over my running shorts and I had to try it on to see if the waistband would fit. I then found a green tank top and battery operated Christmas lights to add to the skirt. I tried on the outfit and the skirt was a bit tight but another store had it in a larger size and they were still open so I was off to Target number 2. I picked up the skirt and thought I’d check there for an elf hat, as they didn’t have one at the previous Target. I was excited to find the perfect elf hat, with ears and all for under $5. And to finish off the costume, as if it was fate, were the perfect red and green stripped, white fur trimmed knee socks, sitting right there by the cash registers! An elf was born!<o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLT5itSMksis1pVx05xbPo7_Wbi26gQdKygMQ8M-90v8t5O-u0Qml1Z-LeQY6OFgWLJUDOC_SSjH1jpcbUK94FCFySXgS2hOL10cHmofaXUj3ANjEQJHxp4lEX27ZwtUv10s0QHUy21yc/s1600/IMG_3758.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLT5itSMksis1pVx05xbPo7_Wbi26gQdKygMQ8M-90v8t5O-u0Qml1Z-LeQY6OFgWLJUDOC_SSjH1jpcbUK94FCFySXgS2hOL10cHmofaXUj3ANjEQJHxp4lEX27ZwtUv10s0QHUy21yc/s320/IMG_3758.JPG" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to run!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">As the race got closer it became clear that while it wouldn’t be as freezing cold (28 degrees!) as 2009, it was going to be too chilly for a tank top. On race morning, I tried some other options but felt I needed the green tank to complete the outfit, so eventually decided on a black cap sleeve Underarmor shirt to wear under the tank. It turned out this was perfect since I was then able to pin the Christmas lights to the tank with the safety pins on the inside of the tank and still had the other shirt under it so the pins couldn’t be felt. I added the tutu over some short bike shorts, the elf hat, awesome elf socks (over my Zensah socks) and a few bells on my shoes and wrist. The battery pack for the lights fit nicely into the zippered back pocket of my shorts. I was good to go! Keith got up to snap a few pics including one with me and Jangle Bell, our Elf on the Shelf elf. Owen was up just in time to see me before I left, but Grace was still snoozing when I headed out. <o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdH2vRML_L4b2LlRVYMzOAMYsiHNs0fQAwF2HtgKkFu1wrzDVng1JwfQlSEGI-lvQmsdcZbSsw0DKGVeGTvmVmEIX4RYcOTergtePly50_Pct60SCFLwlkcSjqWIbg9si9vRGvz-bhCiY/s1600/IMG_3760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdH2vRML_L4b2LlRVYMzOAMYsiHNs0fQAwF2HtgKkFu1wrzDVng1JwfQlSEGI-lvQmsdcZbSsw0DKGVeGTvmVmEIX4RYcOTergtePly50_Pct60SCFLwlkcSjqWIbg9si9vRGvz-bhCiY/s320/IMG_3760.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Posing with Jangle Bell, our Elf on the Shelf</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">The race start was at 8:30, or so I thought, so I got up early. But then before leaving I realized the 5K was actually at 9. Still I knew parking could be a challenge so I wanted to get there pretty early. Just like last time, I missed getting a spot in the lot by the registration desk by one car. So I parked in the overflow lot, just like last time. But since it wasn’t as cold, it didn’t seem as far to walk to get my bib and t-shirt as well as over to the start to get my chip. I saw several running friends along the way. Louise was there and Rusty, Rodney, Rusty’s son and Rodney’s brother and another friend were there, getting their elf stuff on. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I brought my stuff back to the car and ran to the bathrooms a few times, thankful that there was really no line in the ones near the boat house (shhhh don’t tell anyone for next year!). I warmed up a little and at the start saw Debra and Jeff and several other running friends. This time I knew what to expect at the start, a big line across the field as there is no starting mat to get a starting chip time and a mad dash across the field to try to reach the turn off to the trail as fast as possible so you don’t get stuck behind other runners. It was pretty muddy but at least it was warmer so the mud wasn’t frozen over like last time. And at least I had on shorts and not tights that didn’t have a drawstring like last time, so I wasn’t spending the first 5 minutes of the race pulling up my pants! <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Prior to the start, the race director, gave a very detailed account of the course but the sound system made it challenging to hear. And the funny part was at the end he was like, “well just follow the guy in front of you.” Or maybe I just imagined he said that because a few of us were joking while he was describing the course that this was our plan anyway, to just follow the guy in front of us, really only that first guy needed the course debrief. Still I was glad I had practiced the course so was familiar with it this time. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As the gun went off (which actually I can’t say for any of the races I really remember how the start went, if it was an actual gun, a horn, or someone just saying “ready, set, go”), I made sure to take off pretty fast to get out there before the left turn and then right turn onto the trail. Since I knew however that this wouldn’t be a PR and wouldn’t even likely be a sub 20, I wanted to just focus on keeping a pretty steady reasonable pace after ensuring I wasn’t blocked in. As I did this, I noticed that another woman, Meghan, was pretty close to me and passed me as we turned onto the paved trail about .3 miles or so into the race. But instead of focusing on passing anyone I wanted to ensure I didn’t go out too fast too soon, so I kept a steady pace. The course makes a right turn and then goes onto an unpaved path for a bit, then around the baseball fields and turns right again back again through a parking lot and past the original starting area. It was at this point that I hit a bit of a bottle neck due to some high school kids who started out fast starting to slow down. This is around the 1 mile mark. I couldn’t quite get around them and they were spread a few across and chatting as they ran. Finally they noticed a friend of theirs had dropped from their group so they agreed to slow to wait for her and I was able to get past them. I passed a few more of them before entering the woods again. <o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimgGvRxEOU0st1Brketdojpz1KGivnkv6VNHP6EyGMU0Yv5RNGMOX8ifqQnXyKYcJYWA11_yNUYiq6KuogcIElj8uRDz9HcbY3fPK2k-CRs1YtRJbBSq4mOXi9EGU_p9yrV5cxQgfunY/s1600/IMG_3825.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimgGvRxEOU0st1Brketdojpz1KGivnkv6VNHP6EyGMU0Yv5RNGMOX8ifqQnXyKYcJYWA11_yNUYiq6KuogcIElj8uRDz9HcbY3fPK2k-CRs1YtRJbBSq4mOXi9EGU_p9yrV5cxQgfunY/s320/IMG_3825.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying to weave around the high school runners around the 1 mile point<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">This part of the course is more like a real trail. It isn’t quite single track but it’s more challenging than a typical fire road would be. This is a pretty fun part of the course and it felt like going for a nice run in the woods because by this point the runners had started to spread out. I felt really good and had really not been looking at the overall time and distance, only the pace. I passed Meghan around this point, which I believed meant I was second female overall, with Erin Dillon way out in front. I kept going at a good even pace through the trail and slowed a bit but not too much as I went up the railroad tie/steps area. The trail winds through a nice wooded area here. I started to catch up to and pass a guy who looked like he was in pretty good shape but he did not look like a true “runner” given the clothes he was wearing. He asked me how fast I was planning to run the race and I told him usually I’d aim for sub 20 but maybe not for this as it was on the trail. He seemed a bit surprised and said something like he had not run in 3 years and that it must be nice to be in shape. I am sure being passed by a girl (ok a 41 yr old “girl”), who was fully decked out in an elf costume with working Christmas lights was not something he had expected. He tried to stay with me for a bit but eventually fell back. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As I exited the wooded area and back onto the paved trail I saw Winston, a 14 yr old young man who I see at lots of local races who runs around the same pace as I do. He was keeping a great pace. He asked what pace we were going and I said around 6:30 or so. Around this point we reached the 2 mile mark and honestly I was shocked. I often get to 2 miles and feel “oh my god we are only at 2 miles!” so this is probably the first time I felt “oh my god how did we get to 2 miles already!”. I felt great and was very happy that was the case. Winston fell back a little bit just after the 2 mile mark. Not sure if he ever would find this blog but I truly believe he is much faster than he thinks. I can tell by they way he is running that he definitely has more speed and energy in him but sometimes I think he doesn’t know it and he slows down in the last mile or mile and a half. <o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF-0MLxXYz-cyzO6m4xqASrDjj-dMbnQIGMaNAvTKzncABiykK53CdQIsm76e9i-NJfD-0t03gHXkuwJun1JsmjyjS3CvG-JGqm_V1VlNEJUiwfpfw4yCuX3IfoTl_CjPq2fijfoSpiyU/s1600/IMG_3822.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF-0MLxXYz-cyzO6m4xqASrDjj-dMbnQIGMaNAvTKzncABiykK53CdQIsm76e9i-NJfD-0t03gHXkuwJun1JsmjyjS3CvG-JGqm_V1VlNEJUiwfpfw4yCuX3IfoTl_CjPq2fijfoSpiyU/s320/IMG_3822.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sprinting to the finish<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtNmhpSj3Zl4X23cPmu9W_B1zzTZmMx731gsaxywfLKHrdY1-clDhrOsgmDilRjCiZD3FtL_m2WOcjeTCOSTs8VFsXqNqGuiV3CAQjO0Lj7WYmLN5lXHY1WQvi6R3xAeDYGz6j9ubbx1g/s1600/IMG_3765.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtNmhpSj3Zl4X23cPmu9W_B1zzTZmMx731gsaxywfLKHrdY1-clDhrOsgmDilRjCiZD3FtL_m2WOcjeTCOSTs8VFsXqNqGuiV3CAQjO0Lj7WYmLN5lXHY1WQvi6R3xAeDYGz6j9ubbx1g/s320/IMG_3765.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Results posted at the race</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">I was able to keep the pace and even increase it in the last mile a bit. As we passed the baseball fields for the second time, knew the finish was very close and I was still feeling strong. I turned off into the wooded area and through to the open field to the finish line. I even passed a guy or two in the home stretch and as I neared the finish I saw to my surprise that the clock was still under 20 minutes so I sprinted to beat 20. I finished in a chip time of 19:41! This was likely due to the course, at least according to my Garmin (and everyone elses), being a bit short. The race this time was WAY better, both in time and in experience, than in 2009. And while it was a bit chilly, it was not bitterly cold so I was comfortable staying in my elf costume, with only an extra fleece jacket added on top. <o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSpeMz6N-xd7O6vscwbLQ_Xs1bofEJTUs8DmzQNgzpDCOs_SY_hBqHUTbs-SgwfHi3aCT8Ejra5rzhf7acowWYEspTMkZ9Xa4ZxQEzUChARkCkBdr4vyT-PG2nrmjKF_KWNIVWLhkjPs/s1600/IMG_3763.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSpeMz6N-xd7O6vscwbLQ_Xs1bofEJTUs8DmzQNgzpDCOs_SY_hBqHUTbs-SgwfHi3aCT8Ejra5rzhf7acowWYEspTMkZ9Xa4ZxQEzUChARkCkBdr4vyT-PG2nrmjKF_KWNIVWLhkjPs/s320/IMG_3763.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post race</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi807T6vJ8CjKqPLdkkYG2_wnliZbC_Jj9lM91zltWkt6W4s1Vkc84hVizRjav_jvb9BOn9qKyRxj1GJz5DZPRXh67EMIiVXfmE67d_4OFVb-Qo1XPZEuMEfev_fRCCeTLLa5Uwva7dqdU/s1600/IMG_3769.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi807T6vJ8CjKqPLdkkYG2_wnliZbC_Jj9lM91zltWkt6W4s1Vkc84hVizRjav_jvb9BOn9qKyRxj1GJz5DZPRXh67EMIiVXfmE67d_4OFVb-Qo1XPZEuMEfev_fRCCeTLLa5Uwva7dqdU/s320/IMG_3769.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, Rodney, Rusty's son and Rusty in our elf attire<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">I hung around for the awards while chatting with friends, taking some pictures and enjoying some hot cocoa. David from the IOS Wine Run was there and Sarah had run the 5K with Mia, who did a great job! When award time came, I picked my ornament from the pile and since I was second overall female I also got a pink water bottle and belt. Since I have a water belt already, I wouldn’t ever use this prize and wished I had gotten the third place award of some nice gloves instead. But I figured Grace would like the water bottle for hiking, which she did, so I didn’t attempt to trade it in. I originally picked a dark bluish/black ornament but when I went back up to get an ornament for Linda who had to leave before the awards, I saw a Ho Ho Ho Run Run Run ornament so I got one for her and exchanged my other one for one of those too. In the end they forgot to announce the winners of the most festive costume, but one of the race organizers told me on the way out that I was one of them so that was cool. No prize for that I guess, but he did give me a dozen cinnamon donuts to take home! <o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiebjJmBJxz4tGRkE0CUTTWKC4PCHTX8FXQKaO5l2OknBLS5Wj6hX72c_v4nl04Uz0m0IxubMl0vpj-boo3_8pA0LG_E3HGemn7TspDQFh55bB0ma-aMaU1kdN-zwIGQeau1ufHcC086aU/s1600/IMG_3772.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiebjJmBJxz4tGRkE0CUTTWKC4PCHTX8FXQKaO5l2OknBLS5Wj6hX72c_v4nl04Uz0m0IxubMl0vpj-boo3_8pA0LG_E3HGemn7TspDQFh55bB0ma-aMaU1kdN-zwIGQeau1ufHcC086aU/s320/IMG_3772.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Race bling<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">The Jolly Elf trail run was a great end to a great fall race series. I finished 3rd female overall (link to results <a href="http://results.active.com/pages/page.jsp?eventID=1988749">http://results.active.com/pages/page.jsp?eventID=1988749</a>). The series was a lot of fun but I was glad it was over so I could move on from the 5Ks to the longer distances again and to focus on training for the Umstead marathon, which I decided to enter just after Thanksgiving. Not sure if I’ll do any other races before Umstead on March 3<sup>rd</sup>, likely not but I may. For now, I am looking forward to the Second Empire awards luncheon on February 4<sup>th</sup>. I’ll see all you Second Empire Series winners there! Congrats to you all, it was great racing with you.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00773977213886959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1274836108534651432.post-83034877591386057322012-01-08T17:02:00.000-05:002012-01-08T17:02:35.021-05:00Jingle Bell 5K Raleigh, NC Dec 3, 2011<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF1KucfAwSmUaIJXEwr2yOkLrckletKONNhAZh5epDUZAhxpDer2sBDmWw_HFgnPBtDS9L-XF93C7nRm1FLo5wi6OFEnlmGVVpui_t2ltuyU7RLS8FKQ1ooe-nO37F4-czXelfVVYRXVs/s1600/0001m7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF1KucfAwSmUaIJXEwr2yOkLrckletKONNhAZh5epDUZAhxpDer2sBDmWw_HFgnPBtDS9L-XF93C7nRm1FLo5wi6OFEnlmGVVpui_t2ltuyU7RLS8FKQ1ooe-nO37F4-czXelfVVYRXVs/s320/0001m7.jpeg" width="290" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jingle Bell 5K Course</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">This is my 3<sup>rd</sup> year doing this race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not sure I like the course very much, but I do like the event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s so much fun to see everyone dressed up and with their jingle bells on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 2008 I ran this as my second race ever since moving to NC.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran the Second Empire 5K in Oct 2008 as my first “comeback” race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only running I was doing was on the weekend, usually pushing one of the kids in the jogging stroller.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran that in 23:xx.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not too bad for not really training I’d say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I ran the Jingle Bell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Owen and Grace did the kids dash that year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was very cold however and quite stressful for Keith to watch both kids in the cold while I ran.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So the following year, I went solo but for some reason wasn’t feeling quite so well after the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I placed in my age group but asked someone to get my award for me because I was feeling nauseous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So that year, not so fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did 22:xx but it was not my best race that year for sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I skipped the race in 2010 so was happy to return in 2011 to do it as part of the Second Empire series.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2DCI6MJMRtBKGfDjRPC2WIxdC0k-PpwxSO3-pw2pb0EHHvo6zohYydodAdlItq7XCGQgukD-6foWlA_6F0j9ytnhRyao2WHOoaHiXmNIqzxJx7ou60ylyl4yiFmN3VQavl1EkT9z8Ssc/s1600/IMG_3720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2DCI6MJMRtBKGfDjRPC2WIxdC0k-PpwxSO3-pw2pb0EHHvo6zohYydodAdlItq7XCGQgukD-6foWlA_6F0j9ytnhRyao2WHOoaHiXmNIqzxJx7ou60ylyl4yiFmN3VQavl1EkT9z8Ssc/s320/IMG_3720.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for the Jingle Bell<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">I wore my Santa hat for the race the last 2 times, so was planning to do that this time as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last minute before leaving the house I decided to add a little something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a garland that had some bulb Christmas lights hanging from it so I fastened them with safety pins after wrapping them around me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pretty festive and unobtrusive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t mind a bit of dressing up in the holiday spirit as long as it doesn’t’ interfere with my running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not coordinated enough to pull off the real costumed running so you won’t see me running any Turkey Trots dressed as a turkey or anything!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The Jingle Bell 5K starts at St. Mary’s School off Hillsborough St. in Raleigh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a pretty big event, well organized.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And this year it was even warm enough to roam around outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got a great parking spot right on the campus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s blocked in by the race course but since I was staying until after the awards I didn’t care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it was right near the port a potties!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the one problem with this race is the lack of potties for the size of the race field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sorely lacking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not and issue early on, but once the crowd starts to grow, so does the line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And per usual I had to go again right before the start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also knew that for this race I’d better line up early. Unlike the Triangle Expressway Trot, no one would be shy about getting right up on the starting line at this race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was absolutely no way the line would move fast enough to get me to the potty before the start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However as luck would have it I saw another woman duck into a door in the school where the bib and chip pickup is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I followed her and sure enough she was heading to an upstairs bathroom that only a few knew about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a line but short enough that I was able to go and get to the start 10 minutes ahead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whew!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Before the potty quest, I had gotten my bib and chip and double, triple checked that the chip and bib matched.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The number on my chip was hand written on there on a little round sticker, not like the other chips with the preprinted number.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not exactly confidence inspiring given my last two races.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I was surely sticking around for results and awards so if there was any issue I’d be there to fix it at least.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I saw Pauline and met some of her new friends from work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was looking all buff as usual and festive with her cute earrings and red shirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also saw Bill who runs sometimes with our group and we chatted about the Umstead Marathon, which I had just signed up for, since I guess I needed a new challenge now that the Second Empire Series was winding down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He told stories of miserable looking runners that he’d seen out there last year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gee thanks Bill!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So after the potty issue was resolved, I dashed to the start and got right up there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before lining up and at the starting line, I saw a lot of the “regulars” (Debra, Rodney, Rusty, Emil, etc) who are running the series and chatted a bit until the gun went off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took off up the hill down St. Mary’s Street pretty fast to try to get right out there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But was cautious to not go out too crazy fast because I have done that in some of the downtown races before with bad results.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t want to crash and burn around mile 2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I consciously had to slow myself down a bit with a goal of trying to run at a more even pace this time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I noticed that for much of the race I wasn’t too far behind Kimberly but was cautious to try to not keep the pace faster than I was able to maintain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finished the first mile in around 6:15, so not too bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghnLIgV0j4d9lek6Urmphi7F770AxlPk2_r6IzWaNiJrSVeil8Rg2KMhuf2VGwqXesHfkh33racrpO33awhk7DsVXVBRN8DSLKk6Kjf_LNdqEgX2xsWQfs_wE50J6cMAG97jHYrqdZ3VQ/s1600/IMG_3736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghnLIgV0j4d9lek6Urmphi7F770AxlPk2_r6IzWaNiJrSVeil8Rg2KMhuf2VGwqXesHfkh33racrpO33awhk7DsVXVBRN8DSLKk6Kjf_LNdqEgX2xsWQfs_wE50J6cMAG97jHYrqdZ3VQ/s320/IMG_3736.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just before rounding the corner back onto St. Mary's Street to the finish<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Running straight down Hillsborough St. isn’t the easiest course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It feels like you are running forever and can’t wait to get to the turnaround.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again an out and back course which isn’t my favorite type of course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I kept focused on a constant pace and not slowing down but just looking at the current and average mile pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hit the turnaround and was feeling a bit tired but tried to not let that feeling take over and slow down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finished mile 2 in 6:20, so a little bit slower but much more consistent pace than usual.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just had to hang on one more mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since this course turns back on St. Mary’s Street, it didn’t feel quite as bad as just running straight to the finish on Hillsborough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately I had about 2 blocks more to go before the turn then I thought, since the school is big enough that there are 2 more driveway entrances before actually getting to the corner of St. Mary’s Street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could still see Kim up ahead and Santa was standing on the corner cheering everyone on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gave Santa a shout out and turned the corner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew it was a short way at this point so felt some energy to sprint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once I could see the clock I was even more motivated, because it seemed I would not only PR but maybe even come in under 19:30!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc1HDQxsugu3bqvIJB5Mp0bwnXd6arP-oL-oNz1sEogDLzV5O0Sem4hBKDKjyLeXAOwtev9HYaE4n8vhLKQR06hndUvYIv5GbEhEwJPwCyJBkpLL68k-sebZcHSBzlCr5kut1nxdSe2oA/s1600/IMG_3722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc1HDQxsugu3bqvIJB5Mp0bwnXd6arP-oL-oNz1sEogDLzV5O0Sem4hBKDKjyLeXAOwtev9HYaE4n8vhLKQR06hndUvYIv5GbEhEwJPwCyJBkpLL68k-sebZcHSBzlCr5kut1nxdSe2oA/s320/IMG_3722.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Results posted on race day<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">I crossed the finish with a time on my Garmin of 19:31, so hoped perhaps the chip time would be a bit faster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later that night when results were posted my chip time was 19:29, YAY!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was 4<sup>th</sup> overall female which put me as first in age group since there was no masters category.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was really happy with a PR and the AG win and was also glad that the weather this year was finally warm enough to roam around outside and enjoy the day and the post run coffee and food while waiting for the awards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spent some more time chatting with some friends and then got my award, a $20 gift certificate to Omega Sports.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another great 5K in the Second Empire series down, one last race, the Jolly Elf Trail Run, to go.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAlDjBGJzv09vZlMHIDwNcN6bFu0npCAcx4B5u808yX_PpmclwjEnbqIgQR9bBxiL37btKHXqHj1A0utk9iHdo8lunJnbV4Nl1RqCOc6DloDZyImxaw-hb_UcImjZeSE494kjIrE2OnaI/s1600/IMG_3721.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAlDjBGJzv09vZlMHIDwNcN6bFu0npCAcx4B5u808yX_PpmclwjEnbqIgQR9bBxiL37btKHXqHj1A0utk9iHdo8lunJnbV4Nl1RqCOc6DloDZyImxaw-hb_UcImjZeSE494kjIrE2OnaI/s320/IMG_3721.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanging out with Mr. C!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><!--EndFragment-->Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00773977213886959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1274836108534651432.post-46801015406640389022012-01-08T16:49:00.001-05:002012-01-08T16:49:44.764-05:00Grand Strand Myrtle Beach Turkey Trot 8K Nov 24, 2011<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNsmG09UejySd_12kcdVmlbJxPZdynEgKh8quSNr-cidVKRmaDtkEaYs2yh-K6yO6-KERrSr5tR8FG1aRzwEq0Ez2XuKZkvrQJV3j4jP77yPTXBnU-w1cvtvSgwdH5tPiisaQn1lTk_hc/s1600/00016W.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNsmG09UejySd_12kcdVmlbJxPZdynEgKh8quSNr-cidVKRmaDtkEaYs2yh-K6yO6-KERrSr5tR8FG1aRzwEq0Ez2XuKZkvrQJV3j4jP77yPTXBnU-w1cvtvSgwdH5tPiisaQn1lTk_hc/s320/00016W.jpeg" width="288" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grand Strand Turkey Trot 8K Course</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">I was really looking forward to running this race again. On a whim I decided to run it last year. In fact I had not really planned to. I knew there was a race in Market Common, a fairly new shopping area near the old Air Force base in Myrtle Beach, but really didn’t plan to run it. I kind of knew that no one else in the family would be jazzed about getting up early to go and I felt bad for leaving on a holiday morning. But when I decided that morning to head to the beach to run anyway, I got in the car and figured, hey I could make it over to Market Common and just run the Turkey Trot. So I did. And I came in 3<sup>rd</sup> overall! My times this year in 5Ks were certainly faster so I was excited to see how much better I could do. This time I let everyone know I was running it and I registered ahead of time so I could get a shirt that actually fit instead of the XL one I got last year. I said that no one had to come but that I’d be running it and would be back as soon as I could. But since Owen wanted to also run and Deb was coming for Thanksgiving too, Deb and Keith came too, along with Owen, who registered for the 1 mile. <o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivZq2Plj29xTMDkEEX8aMpEa40k9ylKWFoE02P3iJ_LWubho6a6YnjcJrLfIkPKyGayIoh9dqyxKu-Je5rR2z5JSa34zef1dHKxGcKVNKq8O7AE5eWyGTogyzlJc51mjcLLTfV8MMATwA/s1600/IMG_3643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivZq2Plj29xTMDkEEX8aMpEa40k9ylKWFoE02P3iJ_LWubho6a6YnjcJrLfIkPKyGayIoh9dqyxKu-Je5rR2z5JSa34zef1dHKxGcKVNKq8O7AE5eWyGTogyzlJc51mjcLLTfV8MMATwA/s320/IMG_3643.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen not feeling very photogenic before the race<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghF7t9Mmncop2Vpb9gThTANMq191j6F-2f_XFuSTjW4Mt76LwMHZbontF8yLCe7lzIbjLtBPaWHrMwRWAHezrgTmX3sre6GuNidQzFEoniKu4M_sbcS9VQCv_ELR1yHytwxacpS6cU-8U/s1600/IMG_3647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghF7t9Mmncop2Vpb9gThTANMq191j6F-2f_XFuSTjW4Mt76LwMHZbontF8yLCe7lzIbjLtBPaWHrMwRWAHezrgTmX3sre6GuNidQzFEoniKu4M_sbcS9VQCv_ELR1yHytwxacpS6cU-8U/s320/IMG_3647.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deb hoping this is the only time she sees this stretcher. LOL!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">We got there with more time to spare than we really needed and it was pretty chilly out so we hung around in the community center building for a bit. We eventually asked about the 1 mile course and found out to our surprise it was not starting where the 8K starts, but actually starting back over where the 8K finishes! Good thing we asked because we had little time to get over there. Deb said she’d run the 1 mi with Owen so they lined up for the start while Keith and I cheered them on. I waited until Owen and Deb finished before heading back over to the 8K start. Owen did a great job, running his fastest 1 mile ever in around 10:30. I bet he can go even faster next time, the key for sure was him having to do it without me to complain to along the way I think, that and he was getting a big kick out of being in front of Deb so that encouraged him to keep going. Nothing like beating your nice Aunt who was kind enough to run with you huh? <o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNXL7K-dQTxuFmPoIkiD_PVh4aZe-swQ64G8rvjmgIqMu12-xyojU8DVbRj36tDB5FN8CrY2zyGW9kQL8Mzj5ixKPEtx_PcMpfqtOq_UTMjYQYmRg5nEiA6GIZ_zcUbIvbWB39SMq0-M8/s1600/IMG_3656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNXL7K-dQTxuFmPoIkiD_PVh4aZe-swQ64G8rvjmgIqMu12-xyojU8DVbRj36tDB5FN8CrY2zyGW9kQL8Mzj5ixKPEtx_PcMpfqtOq_UTMjYQYmRg5nEiA6GIZ_zcUbIvbWB39SMq0-M8/s320/IMG_3656.JPG" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen sprinting to the finish!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzTvUiNQ104W4_y8jMAV6rbsiJJ_q_ejLWKw3fhsGPUdjfuz48PLRDFZbz94Qec8U-pok_vw4NhQy-35QJGKatlhhFdQOn28ui6p2VoC_s-1Pfeit4zDlBrKeD5OkaH8jqUfojK8byVYI/s1600/IMG_3654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzTvUiNQ104W4_y8jMAV6rbsiJJ_q_ejLWKw3fhsGPUdjfuz48PLRDFZbz94Qec8U-pok_vw4NhQy-35QJGKatlhhFdQOn28ui6p2VoC_s-1Pfeit4zDlBrKeD5OkaH8jqUfojK8byVYI/s320/IMG_3654.JPG" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen and his race "bling" with Aunt Deb and me</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Owen was all smiles now after his great finish. Deb did well but probably vowed never to run with Owen again. I headed over to the 8K start and they announced a 10 minute delay. Grrrr! Well at least this allowed time for another potty stop. I line up at the front and saw a few other fast-ish women and guys up there too but it’s hard to know who is doing the 5K and the 8K because they start together and then eventually branch off. As I took off I tried to remember not to go out too fast like in the Triangle Expressway Trot less than a week ago. I just ran my pace, a bit faster than the goal pace of 6:35 or 6:40 and just ignored the fact that there were a few women ahead of me. I hoped that most were doing the 5K anyway. The first mile felt stupid easy. I had to slow myself down and felt that I was jogging along. Very strange feeling indeed. Probably due to the cool weather, the extreme flatness, and the high from PRing the weekend before. Still I knew it wouldn’t last so I had better slow down and settle into a pace I could keep for 5 miles. <o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnaY1HJY-LReZRWgobITOa6-bg4GwqVMcyy8jXfg7fIWE3ICOurV480RRU3I7VGX16ARa692WDCGZ8z2FpLZCORtl7z4Zpd55ilqQQ1yYqP_OtlcJ8CAmpMnBlGbjb_IzjdPaE9Ti6kec/s1600/IMG_5930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnaY1HJY-LReZRWgobITOa6-bg4GwqVMcyy8jXfg7fIWE3ICOurV480RRU3I7VGX16ARa692WDCGZ8z2FpLZCORtl7z4Zpd55ilqQQ1yYqP_OtlcJ8CAmpMnBlGbjb_IzjdPaE9Ti6kec/s320/IMG_5930.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me in the purple tank and black Zensah socks, near the start</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Mile 2, hello headwind. This was a challenging mile for sure. I believe in mile 2 is when you split from the 5K and as suspected many folks were doing the 5K so turned right when I turned left. I wasn’t 100% sure but pretty sure there was probably at least 1 woman who was doing the 8K ahead of me. I ran up the main road in Market Common, Farrow Parkway, knowing that this part was the tough part last time for me. It’s the part of the course where you get to 3 miles and then turn around so you can see everyone behind you and ahead of you, again a blessing and a curse. I felt pretty tired but was determined to maintain my pace for the next 2 or so miles. Once I approached the turnaround point, I did confirm that one of the women on the starting like who looked speedy was in fact ahead of me. She was older than me for sure, and likely was one of those local front runners. She was far enough ahead that it would not be really doable to catch her, so I settled in to second place and just focused on pace. The woman behind me in 3<sup>rd</sup> was also far enough behind me that she’d likely not catch me, so just keeping steady was the key. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I thought about the turkey dinner that was coming soon as well as getting some chai tea at Starbucks when I was done. Soon I reached the lake that I knew was around the 4 mile mark so just a bit less than 1 mile to go. You can actually see the finish on the other side of the lake which is somewhat comforting but still a long way to go, especially having to weave through the 5Kers who remerge with the 8K at this point. I did a few “on your lefts” and got some bewildered looks. Guess most folks running a 5K at the pace I run an 8K at are not everyday runners who know what “on your left” means. But I gave it everything I had to get to the finish and ended up with a time of 32:17. A whole lot better than my 35 or so time from last year. <o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgVybaJtCjSLkvgFYIhQ12-kDxXZkA-JwfGAGShyphenhyphenHyqYSUK5hT50vcTs4GPK1HeG6xHu5xEKkRTPAZ_FYT_MFWVIKUEjy8dMIK7J_DNnKjy2exiBKhLnh6vpXoUHz3_UtMa4KjerIn6yM/s1600/IMG_3651.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgVybaJtCjSLkvgFYIhQ12-kDxXZkA-JwfGAGShyphenhyphenHyqYSUK5hT50vcTs4GPK1HeG6xHu5xEKkRTPAZ_FYT_MFWVIKUEjy8dMIK7J_DNnKjy2exiBKhLnh6vpXoUHz3_UtMa4KjerIn6yM/s320/IMG_3651.JPG" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After the race</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Keith, Owen and Deb were there at the finish. It was funny because Owen mentioned that I’d be upset or that it took me so long or something and I was like “no, this was a great time Owen, way better than last time!”. My pace was under 6:30 which was much better than I’d planned. Then he spilled the beans to say that daddy thought I’d be upset because he had calculated my pace and figured I’d finish in under 29 or 30 minutes. Of course he used my 5K pace for that. I explained that if I could run an 8K at that pace, then my pace for the 5K would be faster. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">They all headed back for breakfast and I stayed for awards, wasn’t making that mistake again! As it turned out, my time was correct but the results posted on site said I was 3<sup>rd</sup>! What the heck!? I didn’t even notice at first since I was just checking to be sure my time was right. I took a picture of the results but then looked at it again and realized something was not right. I saw that a male (Matt) and female (Chris) with the same last name were listed as having come in at the exact same time, ahead of me and a few other folks who were up front. That was certainly not the case, there was no couple running at breakneck speed who romantically held hands and crossed the finish together, no way. Just as I was going to the timing booth to mention this, a few other guys were also doing the same. Turns out that this guy and his wife were supposed to run the 8K but decided last minute to do the 5K instead….with the 8K chip of course since they didn’t realize this would be an issue. So they fixed that plus some other errors (they had the overall winner as the female, so completely missed the first place guy entirely). This and the fiasco the week before has opened my eyes to how often errors can occur, so I will certainly be watching this more closely from now on! <o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3h1TNquN9tiprw9BDGI0Js1PVm5Q7O6fKQixXnbk1CtvgtMNsv0_5Oam73GpaALQJ1XP42fJjMcxsg03MNskXbWbglfksHvNuJAye4vnWfWXDTHHKlkn_7sg4SXstfICGribhwudgV1g/s1600/IMG_3650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3h1TNquN9tiprw9BDGI0Js1PVm5Q7O6fKQixXnbk1CtvgtMNsv0_5Oam73GpaALQJ1XP42fJjMcxsg03MNskXbWbglfksHvNuJAye4vnWfWXDTHHKlkn_7sg4SXstfICGribhwudgV1g/s320/IMG_3650.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Race Bling</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">As was the prize last year, this year was another painted tile with the turkey trot logo on it. I now had a 3<sup>rd</sup> and 2<sup>nd</sup> place tile. Just a few hundred more and I could redo our bathroom shower…bet Keith would LOVE that. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I was very pleased with how I did at the race and was glad that Owen did well and more importantly felt good about himself after the race. I was also glad that Deb and Keith could join us for a great start to the wonderful turkey day we had. <o:p></o:p></div>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00773977213886959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1274836108534651432.post-1574126853349736742012-01-08T16:29:00.001-05:002012-01-08T16:30:41.006-05:00Triangle Expressway Trot RTP NC/Wake PTA 5K Cary NC Nov 20, 2011<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ4FbyqyjoabSihbowoVnQYFxAY48d898UQmxNs5pIIdoPHbU0VDFoH4zLNQ-_87_tI9fQeDV3Sq2B_qGFsoKNDxeyWIVjd71IpEhTmP8MLYMh54hGB-fDRizWd3R8JxaSEiHcfyE1CLQ/s1600/0001xT.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ4FbyqyjoabSihbowoVnQYFxAY48d898UQmxNs5pIIdoPHbU0VDFoH4zLNQ-_87_tI9fQeDV3Sq2B_qGFsoKNDxeyWIVjd71IpEhTmP8MLYMh54hGB-fDRizWd3R8JxaSEiHcfyE1CLQ/s320/0001xT.jpeg" width="294" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Triangle Expressway Trot 5K Course - Even I couldn't get lost on this one!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">First Place Female Overall, for the first time EVER! <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Ok well that really sums up the Triangle Expressway Trot 5K but guess I’ll write a little bit more about it since it was a good event. I can’t recall if I saw this race online first or if someone mentioned it and I looked it up, but from the first time I heard about it I was interested. Sounded fun, running on the stretch of highway before it opens, a one shot deal because they wouldn’t be shutting down the road next year. And it wasn’t part of the Second Empire Series so I could just go and not think about place or point, but secretly I was also hoping that it wouldn’t draw a big group of fast runners either so I’d have a shot at placing overall. Plus I figured it was likely to be pretty flat. While not a scenic course it would be different. But then I realized the start of this race at 2pm was only 1.5 hrs from the start of Owen’s Wake PTA 5K at 3:30. Hmmmm, could I make it??? I sat on the fence for a long time, in fact until the day of essentially. Even the day before I considered just skipping it. But in the end I figured hey I need to run anyway so a quick run down the expressway and I’ll jump in the car. Keith said he’d bring Owen and Grace to the Wakemed Soccer Park for the start of the Wake PTA 5K, so as long as I got there for the start to run with Owen I’d be ok. No problemo!<o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnovC96GIlMyakfLnyCP1Ig9yTL3gC9cFzzl-6S6Wymt5oESJaPgrzLZFfUTMtdGJbwaiFhHKZ9NG4Fc1jQUSmR37ou-fcVhP44qd1Fg0sF7qkKtgg8E87fvvQtDFsaMvqadOeqgK9qCQ/s1600/IMG_3641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnovC96GIlMyakfLnyCP1Ig9yTL3gC9cFzzl-6S6Wymt5oESJaPgrzLZFfUTMtdGJbwaiFhHKZ9NG4Fc1jQUSmR37ou-fcVhP44qd1Fg0sF7qkKtgg8E87fvvQtDFsaMvqadOeqgK9qCQ/s320/IMG_3641.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cool race logo</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">I drove to the race starting point in Morrisville, which wasn’t to hard to find, and quickly registered. I saw Louise there and Brad, but didn’t recognize most of the other runners. I assumed it was because Morrisville draws a different crowd, but I later found out many of the attendees were families of those who helped construct the road, so not your standard running folks. I filled out my form and handed it to the volunteers. I asked about a tech shirt but all had been spoken for so I just took the standard cotton one. This will be important later but at the time I didn’t think too much of it…a guy, who had parked right near me as well, was registering at the exact same time. When the volunteers were organizing the forms and handing us our bibs and chips I heard the one with my form say 483 but my bib said 482 so I said to her, “did you say 483?” and she looked at a form she had and said “no that was his” referring to the guy registering at the same time as me. So I said “oh” and just let it go. I also don’t recall having looked at the chip they gave me to see if it even had a number on it, muchless whether the number matched my bib…ALSO an important part of this race story. <o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqGvwbrSD1aw1gmX7S9Zq7JZbEiU7t1YZBaqh4EEon9_EkVMa2zIVnypZ4hAGlq0_FLnuQGLqBqQFiYbbZRh_UY-vqFaDS2XB2k_4_X9BmZx1cR-i0zTkd60CpYp6tzXmCjiS8JFj4yE/s1600/IMG_3635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqGvwbrSD1aw1gmX7S9Zq7JZbEiU7t1YZBaqh4EEon9_EkVMa2zIVnypZ4hAGlq0_FLnuQGLqBqQFiYbbZRh_UY-vqFaDS2XB2k_4_X9BmZx1cR-i0zTkd60CpYp6tzXmCjiS8JFj4yE/s320/IMG_3635.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me in the gray tank and black Zensah socks. On the left is one of the NC State Wolfpack mascots<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">I put on my bib and chip and ran back to the car to drop off my t-shirt. I drank some more water and then decided to warm up a bit, as well as of course hit the port a potties, which I usually have to do many times before a race starts unfortunately. As the start time drew near I headed to line up. Strangest thing ever, no one, except the Wolfpack mascots (yep, the boy and girl wolves, don’t know their names) was actually trying to get ON the starting line. Everyone else held back, just wandering around. Usually in the 5K’s I’ve been doing, everyone is usually pushed up on the line. So this was a sign that the competition maybe wasn’t so fierce. The Wolfpack mascots were being silly and mugging for the cameras so that was entertaining. And a few guys who didn’t look like runners (not that we should ever judge that because hey, you never know how fast someone is by looking at them, that is for sure!) were up near the start by now. One asked me how fast I was going to run, and I said hopefully under 20. He looked pretty surprised, so maybe I also don't look like a runner, who knows! It was almost time to start and still no one clammering to get up front. <o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjImQCufWTx-aWyLOD0nqOdCtfSc1rvhLUn0hhCZnmatpoJmjf5tGc_Qh_wvyD3DZ7wd2qFuwWfNoOfQfnz6JwrJ_AjeAIWNjppbpGqjba3uAenOygEu0OTtf81D2MRkBZ63nlT6tlnHu8/s1600/IMG_3636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjImQCufWTx-aWyLOD0nqOdCtfSc1rvhLUn0hhCZnmatpoJmjf5tGc_Qh_wvyD3DZ7wd2qFuwWfNoOfQfnz6JwrJ_AjeAIWNjppbpGqjba3uAenOygEu0OTtf81D2MRkBZ63nlT6tlnHu8/s320/IMG_3636.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting a good head start<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">As the race started, I took off pretty fast, on the newly paved road that headed down hill. Quickly it was obvious that there were very few sub 20 runners in this even, including the men. A few guys got out in front quickly and then I was running along side a few other guys. Some of them dropped back significantly after about ½ mile. I think these were the non-runner guys who were affiliated with building the road. We were going at around 6mm pace, a pace they’d usually sprint at and so they kept up at first but guess they didn’t consider that they couldn’t keep that pace for the entire 5K race. After about 1 mile, the front runners were pretty set, including me. I knew I ran the first mile too fast but I couldn’t stop myself, it felt just too easy on the new roadway and it was down hill. I knew I’d likely pay later but didn’t care much this time. <o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYRc12MJMFWOh2YkDVNqhvJ8VMlrZEK0MyR7qFeGp0n6IVG2iWHbQ3gdFTLaaWyQ-Gsg4Bf7P90FctJYazNHdWTK0s0rOFnQaUpoPRP-aeWjwkzfUx7ej7GzVqp7yRMMSA4PWcqF_aonM/s1600/IMG_3638.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYRc12MJMFWOh2YkDVNqhvJ8VMlrZEK0MyR7qFeGp0n6IVG2iWHbQ3gdFTLaaWyQ-Gsg4Bf7P90FctJYazNHdWTK0s0rOFnQaUpoPRP-aeWjwkzfUx7ej7GzVqp7yRMMSA4PWcqF_aonM/s320/IMG_3638.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another shot of the race start<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">The course is an out and back, turning around where the onramp to 40 is placed. But it’s not a straight shot, it actually twists and turns a bit, so you can’t see the turnaround from too far out. In fact I got a tip from Neville Wood on the starting line to be sure to run the shortest way and not to hug the curves too much because the course is measured on the trajectory. Those in the local running community all know Neaville, even if they don’t know they do. If you look on the bottom of nearly every course map around here, you’ll see they were measured by Neaville. I’ve seem him at many races but never had an opportunity to speak with him. But given the hesitancy of the field today to get right up on the starting line, Neaville was right up there next to me so we talked about the course a little. He’s in his 60s and runs many of the races. In going to a lot of the 5Ks this year I am really getting familiar with the who’s who of racing, particularly in the 50 and up categories as they are for sure the most consistent group. Pretty much the same dedicated fun group of runners come out to all the races and I see them getting their awards race after race. I think that will be some of us someday doing the same. I know I’ll see Pauline, Pam, Kim, Laura, etc out there, with their colorful running shoes, racing tanks and probably even booty shorts (ok maybe just Laura, LOL), when they are in their 50s, 60s, and onward. Hahaha!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But back to the course…so as we reached the turnaround is when I started to feel like this was getting tough. I knew however that I was the first female from the start and in fact never really saw any women out there in my peripheral view once the gun went off. I never really looked back or thought about if any were close. I just assumed not as there weren’t really many men ahead of me either. The bad, and good, thing about out and backs like this is you can see exactly who is ahead of and behind you and by how far. But I was slowing down a bit and just wanted to focus on maintaining a pace to keep me under 20 minutes, so I still wasn’t as focused on who was behind me. I did notice the next woman but she seemed far enough behind that unless there was a drastic change in my pace, or hers, that I’d be able to hold the number 1 spot. Around mile 2 or 2 ¼ I definitely was feeling drained and it was a struggle to maintain pace up the hills. I knew they’d come back to haunt me. There was a guy a few seconds ahead of me for most of the second half of the race so I just focused on my pace and on keeping him in sight. I did the second mile in around 6:27 or so, a big change from mile 1, but still pretty good and enough to keep me under 20. I was struggling by 2 ½ miles and did the annoying whining/grunting out loud that I sometimes resort to that must be frustrating to other runners if they hear it but I can’t really help it sometimes. Sorry fellow runners! Anyway, this guy heard me a few times I guess and shouted back a few words of encouragement which was very nice. I am always thankful when another runner does that, it means a lot. <o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqg76cqzkSW8LyjzoPBCEkhUjyYyuhvLVLfbASulnWwNh_hm70R2QHVpnJxwppLHY-aS6UcvKdVReBLXV5P5CCT1NxCoMIK0DO_9a_WVRJedRcz3ArHl8VuRj0hbT3rrgaVosh7FMno4/s1600/IMG_3639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqg76cqzkSW8LyjzoPBCEkhUjyYyuhvLVLfbASulnWwNh_hm70R2QHVpnJxwppLHY-aS6UcvKdVReBLXV5P5CCT1NxCoMIK0DO_9a_WVRJedRcz3ArHl8VuRj0hbT3rrgaVosh7FMno4/s320/IMG_3639.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and number 95 (Shan) who provided me some encouraging words to get to the finish, thanks!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">As soon as I could see the finish I felt better, knowing that I could certainly get there and do it in under 20 minutes, so I was pretty happy. Still it was a struggle to the end and felt like it was all up hill, but as I got closer I saw someone pulling something across the finish line, and I was thinking “what the heck are they doing?” but then it dawned on me that they were holding out the finishers tape (or whatever its called) because I was the first female. COOL! (Wish I had a pic of that!) Also it turned out this was a new PR, 19:43. Not the most consistently paced race but a PR none the less.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I had asked Louise before the race started if she was sticking around and if she could pick up any award for me if I placed, since I’d have to leave right after I finished. But I never thought it would be first place. Arrrgh, figures the ONE time I have to leave and that’s the race I come in first. But I knew being there for Owen’s race was more important and besides it was coming in first that was cool, the award for it is just an extra plus. I went over to the announcers booth and told them I had come in first but unfortunately couldn’t stay but my friend Louise was going to be there for awards. Too bad I didn’t go to the timing booth instead. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I decided to hang out for a little bit longer to see Louise finish. I happened to be at the finish line and was going to try to say thanks to the guy who was in front of me who shouted the encouraging words, but realized I had no idea what he looked like. It was at that point I saw Neaville coming to the finish but he seemed to be falling, actually it was a surreal slow motion situation and he was nearly falling into the volunteer who was in front of me removing chips from shoes. Me and another women kind of caught his arms a bit as he fell and the volunteer nearly but thankfully didn’t get knocked all the way over. He had skinned his knee a bit but he seemed ok. It took what seemed like forever to get a paramedic over there. In the meantime Louise finished and I quickly mentioned my first place finish. Also around that time the girl who had come in second came over and we chatted for just a moment about her being new in the area and what running groups I ran with. I mentioned RTR and the IOS Wine Run. By then it was pushing 2:30 and I knew I was going to turn into a pumpkin if I didn’t leave. <o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC22JCvnq7M6_xg5JkxnSPOvSsSijuavVO5ocu8ux7OnMJJjq8ucHfyjQwRs4Yc-qJs2CactV4qShkQ-los2lWC8yj2HYOUdSTiJWZHroqNmggYArHHhHSch6YAwewfvvYN4Mul2hybLs/s1600/0001VG.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC22JCvnq7M6_xg5JkxnSPOvSsSijuavVO5ocu8ux7OnMJJjq8ucHfyjQwRs4Yc-qJs2CactV4qShkQ-los2lWC8yj2HYOUdSTiJWZHroqNmggYArHHhHSch6YAwewfvvYN4Mul2hybLs/s320/0001VG.jpeg" width="289" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wake PTA 5K Course<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">I ran back to the car, and I didn’t even really change except for my shirt since I was out of time, and headed to race #2. I got there in time and chatted with Tom and his family and also some of the Oak Grove group who had a big turn out at the race. As we lined up, I felt tired but was glad we’d be running this 5K slowly. The start was in a big open field which I am not usually fond of. Owen took off with his friend Andrew quickly. They were doing very well. But about ½ mile in, Owen had to go to the bathroom. It was kind of downhill (not literally) from there because Owen really had to go and kept saying so but was embarrassed to just go by a tree so we had to find a spot off the beaten path to go, around ¾ of a mile into the race. He finally went and he was lucky he didn’t get stuck because there were a bunch of thorny bushes in the spot we chose! Once we got back onto the course, Owen was pretty bummed that he had lost so much ground. I tried to cheer him up but he was pretty grouchy about it. He did sprint a few times here and there to gain some ground but then would feel discouraged again and walked. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF41SwHGa2WLDV_1V4bWvcO0t-CjndE8kuEl7XEB_u0MZxSo-GtSJh4IoLjvDN6S3bCOGLFQHAZmyalJuPhpmqsmkFiLvpAF_llsnA-44srTdEUlU5ffWKksJNdYVLaqMolxBypzcFhEI/s1600/IMG_3631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF41SwHGa2WLDV_1V4bWvcO0t-CjndE8kuEl7XEB_u0MZxSo-GtSJh4IoLjvDN6S3bCOGLFQHAZmyalJuPhpmqsmkFiLvpAF_llsnA-44srTdEUlU5ffWKksJNdYVLaqMolxBypzcFhEI/s320/IMG_3631.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goofing around before the start</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">The race course was actually a very nice one. Rolling hills, but none too tough. Of course I guess I’d feel different if I had actually been racing it. It seemed like we were out there a long time and Owen was fairly pouty for most of it and as we neared the 3 mile mark, he said his foot was really hurting so we were hobbling to the finish. My friend Tom finished 3<sup>rd</sup> overall, in under 19 minutes, which was awesome. If you take out the stop for the bathroom Owen ran it in around 45 minutes so comparable to the Run with the Canes 5K. But he was much more cheerful at that race. Oh well, they can’t all be good ones, but he finished and completed the distance for his school goal of doing a marathon. I guess I was more excited and proud than he was. <o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje4gFsoFq4GLq4xnugw6PTPeorxYMpMY0VUp6DkF5qTjyFNQoxUGglXdW3BDertZHGYVySLhOiEEkPyUD65X1jWLm8zznrU4NtMc-9dK9XlS6MIvjSXvFfZUwX3ruG1fmwrVoyJ1qUXvQ/s1600/IMG_3632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje4gFsoFq4GLq4xnugw6PTPeorxYMpMY0VUp6DkF5qTjyFNQoxUGglXdW3BDertZHGYVySLhOiEEkPyUD65X1jWLm8zznrU4NtMc-9dK9XlS6MIvjSXvFfZUwX3ruG1fmwrVoyJ1qUXvQ/s320/IMG_3632.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More silly poses</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioE2f9m38-9MWxRaVd492jd4a4vlAcIXcCr29rUvTvlnuXaSDTrTGTX-FazcxvvUX_0_0hfyiXVpp2JcplDFJDDVsRKYkjUbwWJhIJrOahbi9k0UF44bh7V1kILd2Xe6MJOrl_fFl5Nio/s1600/IMG_3633.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioE2f9m38-9MWxRaVd492jd4a4vlAcIXcCr29rUvTvlnuXaSDTrTGTX-FazcxvvUX_0_0hfyiXVpp2JcplDFJDDVsRKYkjUbwWJhIJrOahbi9k0UF44bh7V1kILd2Xe6MJOrl_fFl5Nio/s320/IMG_3633.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Very proud of Owen for finishing this challenging course</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Later that evening I was online waiting for the Triangle Expressway Trot results to be posted. When they finally were I couldn’t believe my eyes….I was not listed as first! The girl who was second was listed as first and I was second, with a time that was a minute or more slower than my actual time. I was freaking out….how could this happen!!!??? I tried to figure it out but before I did I immediately emailed the race director to let him know of the error and to ask for it to be fixed. I had heard that this happens more often than you’d think but never was the victim of it. And it just figures that the one time would be when I come in FIRST and CAN’T stay to get the award. Arrgggh! <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">After I sent the email the scene of me registering at the same time as Mr. 483 all came back to me. Of course! The registration volunteers actually must have mixed up the paperwork afterall. And not only that but they must have given me his chip and him mine. That would explain why he was listed as having finished in 19:43, the exact time I actually finished in. I was pretty sure he was not in front of me because there were only a few guys up there and he was pretty tall so I would have noticed. So I emailed the race director again after realizing this. Just as I was emailing him he also emailed me to mention that the forms he had showed me and this other guy as both being bib 483. That was clearly not the case, but since I wasn’t there for some reason they assumed the other guy was correctly timed with chip 483 but in reality I must have been wearing chip 483. What a mess. <o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJNIYRi-A8hg6PktmKFlsPo-I5Lgvx_fbnep8euPKIAiJUBkDq4PvLox9F8guhDIVAsETHJoiBHvzUQfkC2VtXr3BZBZOl4MIdPAMQhYjC93zin3_ibIwlxwqoreQB-4j1Ui9T7WrUYqQ/s1600/IMG_3640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJNIYRi-A8hg6PktmKFlsPo-I5Lgvx_fbnep8euPKIAiJUBkDq4PvLox9F8guhDIVAsETHJoiBHvzUQfkC2VtXr3BZBZOl4MIdPAMQhYjC93zin3_ibIwlxwqoreQB-4j1Ui9T7WrUYqQ/s320/IMG_3640.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Number 483 running along side a guy who ran in just under 21 minutes<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Ultimately they updated the race results later the next day, which I was glad to see. I actually even checked them a few times after to be sure they didn’t revert back to the incorrect times…silly I know. I have to say I know it may be dumb but I didn’t sleep much that night. It was really upsetting to see and I felt strange for having to explain myself to justify my first place finish. It just didn’t seem right and certainly not the way I envisioned finishing first to go. Later that evening, before the results had been upated, I was looking to see if there were any pictures or articles online about the race. There were a few short news articles but they focused more on the opening of the expressway and didn’t even mention the men’s winner much less the women’s. I was actually thankful for that because I am sure I would have been really upset if someone else was mentioned in the newspaper! It also turns out there were a few photos on News And Observer. None of me crossing the finisher tape (did I dream that???) but an interesting set of pics showing me and the “encouraging words” guy in one photo, and you can look up his time to see that he was right around the time I ran, so in the 19:30s. And the very next photo is Mr. 483 running side by side with a guy, who when you look up his number, had a time of just under 21 minutes. So photo proof that our chips were switched! As for Mr. 483, this wasn’t really his fault but I find that kind of funny that in the pharmaceutical industry 483 is a BAD number, it’s the number of the form that the FDA uses to write up deficiencies they find. So getting a 483 is bad…as it was for me this day!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In the end while the results did get updated, the awards did not. So I guess I’ll never know if the award for first was different than for age group. This race only gave 1<sup>st</sup> overall and 1<sup>st</sup> in each 10 year age category. Louise brought me my 1<sup>st</sup> AG medal to the next race. It was nice to at least get something. But I can’t help but wonder how no one else who was there getting an award noticed that there was something wrong with the results. Mr. 483 should have known he did not run a 19:43 5K but perhaps he didn't look at the times or didn't stay either, I don't know. The girl who came in second knew I was first, however for sure it was possible that she thought there was something that disqualified me or that I ran unofficially or something. There were several other runners that didn’t get awards that day due to this mishap and they probably don’t even know it. Since 483 was credited with my time, he took 1<sup>st</sup> AG but in reality some other guy was first. And since I was first overall but was given the 1<sup>st</sup> AG award instead, the woman who should have really been 1<sup>st</sup> AG for 40-49 didn’t get an award. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Moral of the story…don’t run a race you can’t stick around for. <span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span> But still I am glad I ran it because it was a good race, I got to see some friends there, and I eventually at least on the books got to say I came in first and ran a PR as an extra bonus! Also unless they do shut down the expressway in the future, I am a guaranteed course record holder. How cool is that!?<o:p></o:p></div>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00773977213886959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1274836108534651432.post-43647360367126554042011-11-07T22:28:00.000-05:002011-11-07T22:28:35.343-05:00Free to Breathe 5K Raleigh NC Nov 5, 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIthYuDSIWQ5fZYgU1dsHUH6lttWf4sRZ2WpbW4_VRTHPEOBEfhEa7LgfJKteicp9xau4q9oYq6X5p7pXrwhTWt4HOVv3bfDaC44cvOY9whTSURazIvduo3yw3xSFnLVZgCgxTR3DyGpo/s1600/0001Od.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIthYuDSIWQ5fZYgU1dsHUH6lttWf4sRZ2WpbW4_VRTHPEOBEfhEa7LgfJKteicp9xau4q9oYq6X5p7pXrwhTWt4HOVv3bfDaC44cvOY9whTSURazIvduo3yw3xSFnLVZgCgxTR3DyGpo/s320/0001Od.jpeg" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Free to Breathe 5K - "New" North Hills Course</td></tr>
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<div>I said I'd never do it again. The Free to Breathe is one of the toughest courses I recall running since I started running races in the Raleigh area. It was an uphill finish to what I recall being a not so scenic course, though I have to say all I really remember is the uphill finish. This was on the NC State Centennial Campus and I ran it in 2009. Actually I also recall that I had to park really far away and probably logged more mileage to and from the car when I did this race in 2009 than in the actual race. Still it was a well put on event and for a good cause (lung cancer research). So when I heard that it moved to North Hills I was optimistic that the course had to be better, couldn't be worse, could it? And if I was going to run the series I had no choice but to run it since I'd already missed the Magnificent Mile since I was out of town and would be away again for the IOS Turkey Trot.</div><div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Free to Breathe "old" Centennial Campus course, for comparison - elevation visually not so different and the last mile is at least a 30 ft higher climb in the "new" course</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>Again I didn't pre-register but waited until race morning to do that. I was pretty sure that I'd do it though since I had done 3 races already and while it was supposed to be cold, it was sunny and dry out so there was no good reason not to run it. So I got up early and headed to North Hills. I got a parking spot right in front of Harris Teeter, very convenient it turned out for avoiding the port a potties. It wasn't too far from the start. I got registered quickly and hung in the car a bit longer to eat some cereal and keep warm. I met up with Linda and was able to give her the award I picked up for her from the last race, as well as get a few pointers on the new course...uh oh, another uphill finish. Oh well, too late now. </div><div><br />
</div><div>I warmed up and saw a few of the "usual suspects" who are running the series. It's nice to see friendly faces in the crowd and have folks to talk to before and after the race. It was also a nice change to have a bagel place right at the start/finish. Usually there isn't a place to grab food after a race that is so close. Now that is mighty convenient, almost worth running uphill for...almost. This week the 1 mile fun run was first as well, just like the Monster Dash. Then the 5K group lined up. The "little" girls from last week skipped this race, thankfully, so I had a better shot at placing higher up! I got up near the front of the starting line and chatted until the start. </div><div><br />
</div><div>It was an uphill start which wasn't fun, but I tried to gain some ground there since I knew it would also be an uphill finish so I didn't want to start too slow. I have to say I felt really good all through mile 1, with a split of 6:14. Mile 2 was even better, winding streets with rolling hills and more down than up. I kind of knew I was going maybe faster than I should since sometimes the current pace read under 6 mm pace (like 5:40) but since I had my Garmin on current pace I couldn't really tell overall how much faster it was until the end of Mile 2 when the split read 6:06. Opps, maybe a tad too fast. But still I felt pretty good so I wasn't too worried. </div><div><br />
</div><div>That is until reality struck and I saw proof that "what went down must now go back up". The third mile was truly awful. No break from the hill, it was just up, up, up. And believe it or not, it wasn't my legs really or breathing that were the issue. But my arms were killing me, probably sore from trying to pump faster with no success to get up the hill. I couldn't wait for mile 3 to end. I talked to myself out loud (like a crazy person) to convince myself not to give up and not to lose it now. I wasn't falling behind necessarily, or at least no more than anyone else. I could still see Kim and Rodney ahead. In fact I passed a few people early in mile 3, so I was running that mile comparable to the rest of the field. But I knew I was slowing a lot so I just tried to go as fast as I could despite my sore arms. I even removed my arm warmers in the last 1/2 to 1/4 mile hoping that would help in some way...it did not. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Once I got to 1/4 mile left (there was a sign at 1/2 mile to go and 1/4 mile to go), I at least could feel the end in sight but physically couldn't see the clock until very close to the finish line, since it was around the bend. By the time I could see it, I knew I didn't PR or even make a sub 20. It was 20:15 when I passed through (20:14 chip time). I was first and foremost glad it was over and secondly I suspected I was 3rd overall which was pretty cool, so I wasn't too disappointed. Still I wished I had beat the clock to another sub 20 but knew that it was due to the course. In fact in comparing the times with other runners who had run the last few races, it was very clear that this was a tougher course. Even the first woman finisher had a time difference from the last race to this one of nearly 1 minute, so I didn't feel so bad. </div><div><br />
</div><div>After the race I got changed quickly (at the handy dandy Harris Teeter), chatted a bit with Rusty, Rodney and Kim, and grabbed a bagel and hazelnut coffee (my favorite) just in time for the awards. I was 3rd overall which was pretty cool. I got a nice medal, similar to the one from 2009, plus a $15 gift certificate for a Road ID. A great idea and I'd highly recommend getting one if you don't have one, literally it could save your life and certainly will help your loved ones to worry about you a bit less while you are running or biking. But as luck would have it I already have 2 of them, so not sure I'll be able to use that gift certificate but hey it's the thought that counts! I wished Rodney and Rusty luck in the City of Oaks Full Marathon which they were running and headed for home for another fun filled day with the kids. Except for that last mile, the course was actually really fun and it's a great location. So next time I just know I need to do some hill work to prepare!</div><div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-P_0mqhSJEFBmAwys6kDwMbzR6dUMjzyGajizKIBQcMtlmRM5-o-64ioAFb5buQf4tAwCtr2aOd-U1mqnsW1Tz5WfCs3VltIuF85m9OA7LadDlu0oH2pIChyphenhyphenw4qCi2JN6dhPzBM_GPs/s1600/393056_2489205476890_1455307044_32699739_2112293758_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-P_0mqhSJEFBmAwys6kDwMbzR6dUMjzyGajizKIBQcMtlmRM5-o-64ioAFb5buQf4tAwCtr2aOd-U1mqnsW1Tz5WfCs3VltIuF85m9OA7LadDlu0oH2pIChyphenhyphenw4qCi2JN6dhPzBM_GPs/s320/393056_2489205476890_1455307044_32699739_2112293758_n.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Race Bling...3rd Female Overall</td></tr>
</tbody></table>After thinking about this race and what I'd do differently, aside from hill repeats, I decided to update one of my Garmin screens to show current pace, lap pace (pace of the current mile) and overall pace all on one screen. I am still debating whether to have the 4th spot on the screen show overall distance or overall time. I am thinking I'll go with the time. Hopefully this will help me to pace myself better without having to toggle through screens which it turns out is really hard to do at race pace. I just hope I can keep all the data straight while I am running!</div>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00773977213886959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1274836108534651432.post-22311791961325479722011-11-07T21:16:00.000-05:002011-11-07T21:16:21.990-05:00Monster Dash Raleigh NC Oct 30, 2011<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs32F6LkrxDTBZJFLnpTc4KCJcSjC-4Y-RSPYoYe7Ddtrh-E8APxYYVb7SgPHJoLRfwzhBU72kr9cpEkU5hox4zKjmaQTPdTmqR57irZfCYJ0FuvwWjWGhTvLOOMCFOkukCQOUTLo5ZEM/s1600/0001ec.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs32F6LkrxDTBZJFLnpTc4KCJcSjC-4Y-RSPYoYe7Ddtrh-E8APxYYVb7SgPHJoLRfwzhBU72kr9cpEkU5hox4zKjmaQTPdTmqR57irZfCYJ0FuvwWjWGhTvLOOMCFOkukCQOUTLo5ZEM/s320/0001ec.jpeg" width="295" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monster Dash 5K Course</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I wasn't planning to run the Second Empire series this year, but after a pretty good performance in the first two races of the series (both sub 20, for the first time ever) and with Keith's unsolicited encouragement (which maybe he'll regret after a few weeks of this!), I decided to consider it. I still played it by ear and didn't pre-register for the next race though, which was the Monster Dash on Oct 30. I was on the fence even as late as the Friday before the race. However a trip to Target to get a few things after having had a glass or two of wine at dinner resulted in the purchase of a Halloween costume. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dressing room at Target...seemed like a good idea at the time</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Since I was not going to trick or treat in it, the only occasion to wear it would be the Monster Dash. My liquid courage did wear off the next day however and I was wondering if I should just skip the costume or the race all together. Owen and I were already signed up to run the 2K fun run as part of the Cross Country Challenge in Raleigh that day. I figured it would be a fun way for him to get a mile or so in towards his goal of 26.2 miles by Nov 20th for the school marathon. So I wasn't entirely sure I could make it over to the Monster Dash in time since the fun run was at 11am and the Monster Dash started at 2:30 and I had to bring Owen back home before I headed over there. <br />
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Owen did a great job running the Cross Country Challenge and he liked running over the 2 hay bales. But he was disappointed in himself for coming in at the back of the fun run pack. There were only about 7 kids total in the run and I was proud of him for getting out there and doing it, no matter what his time was. He was pretty upset but he felt a bit better when I agreed to stop for donuts on the way home. We jumped in the car right after the fun run so we'd have time to stop for donuts before I had to get changed and head out for race #2 of the day. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen ready to run the Cross Country Challenge 2K<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdpN5HPne67Dc_tqxdu9FoljReeGDmxoVb9vxa5TE0NAtv-VUznYOBOY7FvUuVWxDtQHP_cZPEdB4Q8wXd9WybShyyECDHLq5iZ88BWLhux85LGdZP9QzHECq1bhVrw2yK8tfzIiLlLm8/s1600/303815_2466755355651_1455307044_32679695_756710043_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdpN5HPne67Dc_tqxdu9FoljReeGDmxoVb9vxa5TE0NAtv-VUznYOBOY7FvUuVWxDtQHP_cZPEdB4Q8wXd9WybShyyECDHLq5iZ88BWLhux85LGdZP9QzHECq1bhVrw2yK8tfzIiLlLm8/s320/303815_2466755355651_1455307044_32679695_756710043_n.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen running in the 2K</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I got dressed in my "pink witch" costume, which Grace helped to pick out because it was pink of course. I liked it because it didn't seem too bulky and it matched my Zensah compression socks. Yes, true it did not match my Asics, which are bright yellow. But in my defense, I forgot I had donated my perfectly matched pair of hot pink and black Kinvaras the last time I bought new shoes at RRO. Bummer! So I was stuck with either the yellow Asics (super lightweight but more stable that the Kinvaras, called the Speed Sky, they are awesome!) or a very heavy pair of low mileage Saucony Hurricanes, which I hardly wear because they are too heavy, thus why they are low mileage. I decided on the Asics since I was already taking a risk of adding to my time by wearing a costume. I just couldn't bring myself to switch out the shoes too. Sorry Steve (aka Fashion Police), fashion is important but not enough to risk a PR for!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFnS2B6WWX6j343gwoMsgJZEJvofzTi0Jhq28ZqzK-4SlIBRSdg3ieehk85z4Cs5POE-LhP7AUCCP_-JtXazwEHXyV-3ulL58z25oNqa1HeoWuItas4KiWeWyMWOgx-WlWI2GYoUNA3k/s1600/photo%255B5%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFnS2B6WWX6j343gwoMsgJZEJvofzTi0Jhq28ZqzK-4SlIBRSdg3ieehk85z4Cs5POE-LhP7AUCCP_-JtXazwEHXyV-3ulL58z25oNqa1HeoWuItas4KiWeWyMWOgx-WlWI2GYoUNA3k/s320/photo%255B5%255D.JPG" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-race photo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I arrived at Cameron Village where the race starts with plenty of time to spare, which is a good thing since I had to park quite far away. My face was probably as bright pink as my costume, since I felt embarrassed by the fact that I had to walk so far wearing it. I got a few looks from folks who clearly weren't aware of the race today. But as I got closer I felt better seeing other runners, at least some of them were dressed up. Whew! I registered and brought my stuff back to the car and by that time I saw a few RTR running friends there (Linda, Larry, Mandy) and several other running friends from the IOS wine run (Louise) and from the local races (Rodney and Rusty). Larry's costume, the Gingerbread Man, was really awesome. I still don't know how he ran it it. It was even better than last year's hot dog costume, he really picks the good ones! <br />
<br />
The 1 mile fun run was first, followed by the start for the 5K. As I lined up I chatted a bit with Debra and Kim who are also running the series. I noticed that most of the usual front runners, male and female, were not in costume. Uggh, hopefully I wasn't impacting my time by dressing up. But it was kind of fun to be dressed up. On the starting line, and do mean right on it, there were several little girls probably between 10 and 13 years old. They were right up in the front and weren't budging. There were quite a few surprised and concerned looks from the crowd. Discussion started in the crowd about how they probably should move back. One guy did finally caution them they may want to move back, asking if they were planning to run sub 7 mm pace. They all turned around said "Yes!" in reply, with a confidence I have to admit was surprising but admirable. As the mom of a little girl I was kind of thinking "you go girls!". Their reply got a few laughs from the group and then I said to the guy, "hey watch, they may just show us and be right!". Honestly thought I didn't really believe it and just hoped I wouldn't trip over them since I was directly behind them. <br />
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The race started and the girls took off fast, as did most of the group up front. The course takes a right turn after about a block and then really is an out and back after that. I felt pretty good and kept a consistent pace for the first mile or so. Nearly all of the girls were still going strong after 1 mile, and I believe nearly all were still in front of me. Surely they'd slow down soon, right?! I just tried to keep an even pace and not worry about it too much. As I reached the turnaround, which is the part that is very hard for me, I had a tough time focusing. I am always distracted (and not in a good way) by the rest of the pack of runners coming towards me once I reach a turnaround of an out and back race. It's always distracting to me and I always struggle. It's nice to get a shout out from friends of course, but it's hard to really focus on the race with other runners coming at you. I much prefer a loop or winding point to point course for that reason. By mile 2 I was still on pace for a sub 20 and all but one of the "little" girls had dropped back. I was amazed they held on for so long and have to say I admire how well they ran and that they showed us they weren't kidding when they said they'd run sub 7 mm pace. I kept my sights on the one remaining girl ahead of me and on Rodney, who I see at most of the local races and first met on the way to the Boston marathon, who I could see but couldn't seem to catch.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-P0a_Z6l-jQOxU-K_awQngzeDrtEweAIhDfIAsRCHuRei6mncrXeW9e4_0XW2FsiLX879y1UowWebeyewFw6HfmmH44tcxMyw_GYYYwx-0KJiGUTP7pKgBOO3ootqXgp2Nr3xGhQTBDs/s1600/0001SD.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-P0a_Z6l-jQOxU-K_awQngzeDrtEweAIhDfIAsRCHuRei6mncrXeW9e4_0XW2FsiLX879y1UowWebeyewFw6HfmmH44tcxMyw_GYYYwx-0KJiGUTP7pKgBOO3ootqXgp2Nr3xGhQTBDs/s320/0001SD.jpeg" width="209" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not sure where this was but I'd assume somewhere in mile 3 from the look on my face, too bad I didn't bring my magic broom to ride to the finish on!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>That last mile was very tough and quite painful but I didn't do too much worse in mile 3 (6:32 vs. 6:18 and 6:22 in miles 1 and 2) which was good because that's usually where I fall apart. I slowed in mile 3 but not badly enough to miss another sub 20 thank goodness. The course turns the corner back to the start with about 1 block to go, which I couldn't wait to get back to. I sprinted as fast as I could and realized that I was probably close to my PR from earlier this month (19:55 chip time). In fact it turned out that my chip time of 19:53 in the Monster Dash was now my new PR. Guess I should have worn the pink witch costume, complete with hat which was still intact, sooner!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyZ4Mq853hx3Br7BYWvqS_xJ-3WmHUWMLfEJfoBy1mTBYY0sTHwvQ7S8KjhnpO6ZOTmxhod9d3G6nL-zwbJkGMPVvymRr6gTd-O5JzWGtIWVtWwfZ4jF0-FbwucAdlGzQ6AKHTETOQacM/s1600/0001Oa.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyZ4Mq853hx3Br7BYWvqS_xJ-3WmHUWMLfEJfoBy1mTBYY0sTHwvQ7S8KjhnpO6ZOTmxhod9d3G6nL-zwbJkGMPVvymRr6gTd-O5JzWGtIWVtWwfZ4jF0-FbwucAdlGzQ6AKHTETOQacM/s320/0001Oa.jpeg" width="209" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Approaching the finish!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxMHIgbYxjmwkPCncStGl8rXkDgfgpmZS6d6Y7vRxETnjTquVtrggFhN-3A5hXzVYlhPfaDyBRAdw3rGLbaQ6DvdTriYpkodpMaEnFZmiyWaqOIL9NQSd5M8Z_m89vigvSB8pNAViOQK4/s1600/0001u0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxMHIgbYxjmwkPCncStGl8rXkDgfgpmZS6d6Y7vRxETnjTquVtrggFhN-3A5hXzVYlhPfaDyBRAdw3rGLbaQ6DvdTriYpkodpMaEnFZmiyWaqOIL9NQSd5M8Z_m89vigvSB8pNAViOQK4/s320/0001u0.jpeg" width="215" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can't believe the hat stayed on!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>It was a tough last mile and not my favorite course but yet it was a new 5K PR so I was quite happy. This race was larger than the others I'd just run (Autism Run and Run for Healthier Babies), with over 700 runners in this one. Overall I was the 8th woman, as opposed to 4th in the other two races. In this race, only the 1st overall finisher (male and female) received an award separate from the AG (age group) awards. Usually it's the top 3 overall and sometimes even the top 3 masters. But not the case here, so I placed second in my age group. The award was a $15 gift card to TAF, which I am saving in my collection so I can get some more Zensah socks, which seem to have really helped over the last few races. <br />
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It was good to see some my friends at the race and it was very nice to chat with some others (Debra, Kim, Emil) that I hadn't had an opportunity to speak with before. I was really happy with my new PR and glad in the end that I did wear the costume, as it made for some interesting photos and didn't seem to hurt my time. Still, I certainly won't be one of those runners that dress up for races that are not on Halloween weekend (I am still bitter that Elvis and Winnie the Pooh faired better at the NYC marathon than I did), but it seems to have worked this time around!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00773977213886959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1274836108534651432.post-80450317911749371462011-10-25T23:47:00.003-04:002011-10-26T08:45:58.513-04:00Run for Healthier Babies, Morrisville NC, Oct 15, 2011<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmWYmuTIyuczmwt_he9BtF0YVNzHQOFaZ34sNnUcKElKNGr6Lb_7HsY7XdMkkpjoSP6v55z__mEb2Es4RAuS8hJa1Tegtaipbh76qCwPbpQkn8NTu2UostJ_5azTQbfq_Eu5u1EaBGiKg/s1600/0001UU.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmWYmuTIyuczmwt_he9BtF0YVNzHQOFaZ34sNnUcKElKNGr6Lb_7HsY7XdMkkpjoSP6v55z__mEb2Es4RAuS8hJa1Tegtaipbh76qCwPbpQkn8NTu2UostJ_5azTQbfq_Eu5u1EaBGiKg/s320/0001UU.jpeg" width="291" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Run for Healthier Babies 5K, really like this course</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I spent some time the night before this race checking online results to compare race times between this race and the Run for Autism (my new PR from the weekend before) for prior years, to see if there were any trends that would tell me if I could expect to do better, the same, or worse than last weekend. I wasn't sure at this point if my run last weekend was a fluke or not. I was not necessarily going for a new PR this weekend but just hoped that maybe I could still break 20. I found that for some folks their times were better in the Autism run and for some they were better in the Healthier Babies. Still I knew there were some hills in the Healthier Babies so I figured I may not do as well. I was pre-registered and knew that while it was a challenge last time to find the race start, once I did parking was plentiful, so I headed to the race a bit later than I did the weekend before.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiPmOcRoonVu-ndnHvetWTwvPUSeSKH0bjZ7FchiYWVxDnVDIDVcPmpWv_6AICMLO5AwEVdS0sJfOZp5_vVnOOGnxbdR9zQn8ARsoGPSRXU5OikKD3HJrLH_IpDHImW6zXrj5iqzf0Wh8/s1600/305392_2412904849422_1455307044_32640179_484514751_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiPmOcRoonVu-ndnHvetWTwvPUSeSKH0bjZ7FchiYWVxDnVDIDVcPmpWv_6AICMLO5AwEVdS0sJfOZp5_vVnOOGnxbdR9zQn8ARsoGPSRXU5OikKD3HJrLH_IpDHImW6zXrj5iqzf0Wh8/s320/305392_2412904849422_1455307044_32640179_484514751_n.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-race food and supplies laid out the night before...a little wine can't hurt right?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I followed my same plan of oatmeal and coffee, plus a banana this time, and brought the cheerios and milk again for pre-race, just in case I had time and was hungry. I ended up seeing a few friends there before the race and chatting, as well as my several port a potty trips (this race is also a good one for port a potty access, never any issues). I warmed up a little bit but before I knew it, the race was about to start. I got on the starting line (one row back). I knew, if not by name at least by face, most of the women up in the front. I also knew I needed to do what I did last week and keep in front of specific folks in order to meet my goal. This time I guess I felt a bit more confident, so when the countdown from 10 to 1 was up to signal the race start, I took off pretty fast to get a good head start. I knew I didn't want to relapse into my old pattern of blazing fast at mile 1 and then crashing in 2 and 3. But I did feel pretty good and the course was as nice as I remembered. Not sure why, but I do like this course. Guess it's because there is some variety of twists and turns and up and down hills. I think it was around 1.5 miles where I passed a few folks that usually run around my pace or a bit faster. I forgot to mention in the last blog update, but I also decided this fall that there was no way I was going to get water at the water stop(s) in a 5K ever again, unless it was blistering hot, because it takes too much time and isn't really needed.<br />
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Mile 1 was faster than the average pace I needed but not so fast that I didn't have anything left. I was glad to have a bit of time "in the bank". Mile 2 wasn't bad at all and by the start of mile 3 I was surprised to pass a fellow runner who I have never passed in a 5K before. I was not feeling 100% by this time, but not doing too bad either. Again I followed the plan that worked the weekend before, of looking at my 'current pace' and not looking at the total distance or total time. As I entered the parking lot, I knew, or rather hoped, that meant the end of the race was within 0.5 miles. I was feeling tired and definitely slowed down by that time. Just before this, a guy who was jogging the other way who I assume was affiliated with the race in some way, said to me either "you are third" or "you are catching up to third". I wasn't sure. But either way it didn't much matter because if I was third, I was third. And if I wasn't, I couldn't see the woman who was third and couldn't speed up enough to catch someone I couldn't even see. So it was what it was at that point and anyway I was really going for time and just trying to finish. Once I made the last right turn before making the final left turn into the finish line chute, I really sprinted because I couldn't see the clock from there and had no idea what it would say when I rounded the bend and by that time it may be too late. I knew I had a good chance at another sub 20, given the 'current pace' that I had seen each time I looked down, but knew it would be really close. Turns out it was just over the 19:55 I had last week, but still under 20, so I'll take that! My official chip time was 19:57. I couldn't help but feel happy but also wished I had tried to push it sooner. I know, never satisified right!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4YW6LdbpeMhzHQe9cOXxL6LpV2Yokq7B042_yywJ6lwFTh19vAEXgwVeyI9rfGAxYRk-X19nEl457-_BZBNDTWgiUdNnNUePZJqwTVmXFeeIofOXTzoohQTCvQhfQlZQRNZAjMbKWcVA/s1600/307354_2414995741693_1455307044_32642040_1275589489_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4YW6LdbpeMhzHQe9cOXxL6LpV2Yokq7B042_yywJ6lwFTh19vAEXgwVeyI9rfGAxYRk-X19nEl457-_BZBNDTWgiUdNnNUePZJqwTVmXFeeIofOXTzoohQTCvQhfQlZQRNZAjMbKWcVA/s320/307354_2414995741693_1455307044_32642040_1275589489_n.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Age group award, first place (yep that's me in the pink socks)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I spent some time again chatting with some running friends and then noticed I was feeling cold so I decided to change my shirt but this time to not be lazy so I headed out for a cool down run. But during it I started to feel quite nauseous, so only went 1 mile before giving up. My friend Louise (who is 70 and ran the race and the one last weekend both in under 28 minutes!!!) was so nice, she hunted down a bagel for me to eat which helped the nausea go away. I waited for the results to be posted and again I was 4th overall. Gee, always the bridesmaid, never the bride! Still, I am usually not even in the wedding party, so hey I'll take 4th. By this time, I met up with Sarah, Mia and Myia, who were running the 1 mile fun run. They waited with me while I got my award. I was first in age group, since there were no masters awards this time unfortunately. Interestingly, there was some question as to where the 3rd place finisher came from, since the name was not familiar to me (she was a 17 year old according to the posted results), since there were no young women on the front of the starting line that I saw, and also since someone else mentioned to me that they didn't see anyone cross between the second place finisher and me. But I decided to assume that in a small race such as this there are no Rosie Ruiz-types, so pretty much dismissed the idea. Still, it did occur to me later while driving home that the prizes for this race were cash, which they usually aren't in most races. I wondered how much I missed out on in being 4th instead of 3rd (turns out it was 50 bucks!). Oh well, at least I got a medal to add to my collection!<br />
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I hung around to watch the 1 mile fun run and for the awards for that. Sarah and the girls cleaned up, each winning a medal! And in the 5K, it was a PR for Linda from RTR as well as age group placing for several other running friends. It was really a great race and a fun time, and another sub 20 for me didn't hurt either!Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00773977213886959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1274836108534651432.post-667750283713264442011-10-25T23:29:00.000-04:002011-10-25T23:29:17.054-04:00Triangle Run/Walk for Autism 5K, Raleigh NC, October 8, 2011<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKA_zICh-dU-bQHhl1PmYpgx_Eaxz6-Fq_Y1oo3clxM0TC5IZRIi9G0dQqn7fLK6HEU4mHiNspUoNEX1-51unXLPUMULFlos7GNyE2JczLppqAW8wIRYTTPLayFurfSAjbHSsOOP5Eqvk/s1600/0001kV.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKA_zICh-dU-bQHhl1PmYpgx_Eaxz6-Fq_Y1oo3clxM0TC5IZRIi9G0dQqn7fLK6HEU4mHiNspUoNEX1-51unXLPUMULFlos7GNyE2JczLppqAW8wIRYTTPLayFurfSAjbHSsOOP5Eqvk/s320/0001kV.jpeg" width="295" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Triangle Run/Walk for Autism 5K Course</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I had a goal this year of running a PR in under 1:35 for the half marathon, as well as a goal of running a sub 20 5K. I achieved the first goal in March of this year and realized with the fun summer I had, I kind of forgotten to focus on my 5K goal. Opps! Thankfully I was focused on another goal of trying to get in decent shape (ie: comfortable in a bathing suit) for a beach trip in September, so at least I had started bumping up my running again by the end of the summer and really was able to get a lot of miles in during the beach trip. I had the chance to run every day while at the beach, usually between 5 to 6 miles each day plus a long run of 10 once. So while the fall race season did sneak up on me a bit, I was sort of ready to tackle a 5K. I had been running in the mornings and found that 30 minutes almost every day was really not too hard to maintain and it really helped my training. So I kept that up and decided to run the race that was my favorite of the Second Empire series. No, this was not the Run for Autism, but was the Run for Healthier Babies. I really liked that course when I ran it in 2009 and it was my PR for a while for the 5K. However I figured I should have at least 2 races picked out so that if I blew one I'd have another shot at a PR, and maybe even the sub 20 goal. My current PR was 20:34, which I ran in March at the Run for the Oaks. I had run my half marathon PR just shortly afterwards but then there were no PRs to be had for the rest of the spring and summer after that. I had only run a few 5Ks with Owen in the last 2 months so I really had no idea what I could do in the 5K. I knew I was running pretty well since the beach trip but hadn't done any speed work or racing so it was anyone's guess as to what I'd run. Could be sub 20, could be 22 or more. But it was now or never because soon it would be winter, so the fall races were my best shot. I decided to do the Run for Autism as a practice run before the real deal at the Run for Healthier Babies. I didn't register ahead of time and was actually feeling a bit under the weather leading up to the race. I had a sore throat and was sniffly the night before, not usually a good sign. I set the alarm and decided to let fate decide. When I woke up I did consider not going...who would really know, I hadn't registered in advance and had only mentioned to one or two people that I was running the race. But in the end I decided to get up, take some more Advil, and just get out there.<br />
<br />
I had my standard pre-race oatmeal, but no banana since we didn't have any at home. I did have some coffee which I don't normally do before I run but tried it before my last few races and it seemed to help and today I needed all the help I could get! I also brought some cheerios and milk to have before the race since I was heading out early to be sure I got there in time to register and get a decent parking spot. I got there pretty early and registration was quick. I parked right on Moore Square which was convenient. One thing about the Run for Autism is there are plenty of port a pottys so that's always comforting to me. I always always have to go multiple times before a race, likely all psychological but after my bad experience in Napa where I had to stop to go during the race which cost me a 3rd place age group win, I am even more nervous about it. <br />
<br />
I decided to do a short warm up by running around Moore Square and in the process of that saw a few familiar faces from RTR and other running circles. I have to say it was nice to have a break from racing but it was just as nice to get back to it and see some running friends out there. On the starting line I saw a woman who usually runs around the same time, usually a bit faster, than me. I was feeling a bit nervous about the competition there and I knew if I had any chance of meeting my goal, I'd need to stay with her or ahead of her from the start or it would be all over very quickly. I was very glad that the race started on time so as to not prolong my nervousness. I also knew that I needed to run an even pace, not too fast at the start, which is what I typically do, but not so slow that I don't hit my goal. The first mile would be the test, to see if I could keep just below the goal pace of 6:25 and still feel good enough that I could maintain that for the next 2 miles. At the start I made sure I got out there fast, but watched my Garmin carefully to ensure I didn't go crazy. I had done that in 2009 without really realizing it and looked up and noticed I was way too close to a few of the female front runners but instead of slowing down, I was delusional in thinking 'hey maybe I can do this' and then subsequently crashed and burned in mile 2 big time. So determined not to repeat that I focused mostly on my Garmin and switched it to 'current pace' instead of 'average pace for the current mile', which is usually what I do. But at the same time I made sure to keep an eye on that one particular person who I knew I needed to stay ahead of. She was right beside me for the first 1/2 mile, which was distracting for sure but I was determined. Once you give up, that's it, you can't usually get it back. And physically as long as you feel ok, most of it is mental anyway. I just kept my eye on my Garmin but ensured I didn't fall behind her. At around the 1 mile mark she fell back a bit. I didn't look back after that. I knew that was a good sign for me and I still felt pretty good. <br />
<br />
As I entered mile 2 I noticed that the neighborhood the race goes through was really nice, which I had not really noticed in 2009 since I was too busy sucking wind. I also was happy to not be running straight since the first mile is pretty much straight down Blount Street. As I headed into the 3rd mile, I was starting to have difficulty maintaining the pace, even falling back to over a 7 mm pace for very brief periods on a hilly section. But having my Garmin on 'current pace' really did help because as soon as I fell behind a bit I was able to correct it immediately. Somewhere in mile 3 I passed a few folks that I know are pretty speedy so I knew I was doing ok, but was starting to feel I couldn't hold on much longer. I was not looking at the total distance during the race because the screen on my Garmin that has the current pace doesn't have the distance on it. Turns out that is probably a good thing because just as I was feeling that I couldn't hold on much longer, I looked in the distance and saw the glorious sight of the blue and white inflatable finish line (most of you know the one, it seems to travel around to all the local races). I knew if I could see the finish I could certainly hold on until I reached it, so I gave it everything I had and sprinted, still not knowing even what the time on the clock was, because my Garmin also doesn't have the total time on that pace screen. I thought I may be close to a PR and possibly even under the 20 minute mark, but as I got close enough to the finish to see the clock I got really excited to see it said 19 and change. As I crossed the finish the clock said 19:5X something, so I knew I had made it. I was more than thrilled. I wondered what place I came in at that point, knowing it had to be in the top 8 or so of all women, and for sure I must have placed in the masters division. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpQfcmPWzOfYIeGF18huxVHSHSpc4gktVe_uFAICWaJaAGVUs9Z0OgT-hfXJgcs-cqCV1lT3pA3CbpUbfYgMnrniejhFZKiygW9TkGH5DlGjd0islkiSLI0kdKj7T3oyx-iA5w4w5cBLU/s1600/IMG_3443.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpQfcmPWzOfYIeGF18huxVHSHSpc4gktVe_uFAICWaJaAGVUs9Z0OgT-hfXJgcs-cqCV1lT3pA3CbpUbfYgMnrniejhFZKiygW9TkGH5DlGjd0islkiSLI0kdKj7T3oyx-iA5w4w5cBLU/s320/IMG_3443.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unofficial results posted at the race</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I spent the next 15 or 20 minutes chatting with some running friends about the race. I looked for my friend Pauline to try to run a few more miles but when I didn't find her I didn't really have the energy to do it alone so I just decided to get changed and walk around Moore Square to wait for the results and awards ceremony. I never did get to see the results before the awards as the moved the location of where they posted them without me realizing it. So when the awards were starting, I asked someone where the results were and they told me that I had placed first in the masters female group. Cool! When my name was called I got my award which was a little paperweight marble thing with the race info engraved on it. They mentioned that a gift card would be sent in the mail. It was nice to win but I have to admit that I liked the hand made plates that were given out in 2009 better. They were made by children with autism and it just meant more to me because of that. <br />
<br />
I drove home quite happy, with a PR, meeting my goal of a sub 20, a 1st place masters win and an overall place of 4th female. I was really glad I got out of bed that morning to run the race. My sore throat and sniffles did turn into a pretty yucky head cold on Sunday and into Monday unfortunately. But it was worth it! Now I was just hoping I this wasn't a fluke and I would feel better and could repeat this performance the next week, since I had already pre-registered for the Run for Healthier Babies!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFVP_K_COdnVGesFIlp-ARpreF5tOJjmpWDM-ZFZcGShfG9Rk3-UohkCqTCyYskkaBGCWiRMLdvA8NjhYy4R9wC2UMTTgERCyqTy_37-KWdE0mKYZC99s36xI4_MkTkJBDHrSPOhTUHIE/s1600/298158_2433711969587_1455307044_32655232_280507873_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFVP_K_COdnVGesFIlp-ARpreF5tOJjmpWDM-ZFZcGShfG9Rk3-UohkCqTCyYskkaBGCWiRMLdvA8NjhYy4R9wC2UMTTgERCyqTy_37-KWdE0mKYZC99s36xI4_MkTkJBDHrSPOhTUHIE/s320/298158_2433711969587_1455307044_32655232_280507873_n.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "race bling" is the the mail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>P.S. - I was beginning to wonder if I mis-heard them when they said they'd send a gift card in the mail but about 2 weeks later, not only a gift card for $50 but a really nice plaque came. Pretty neat!Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00773977213886959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1274836108534651432.post-49954648172052085162011-10-25T23:05:00.000-04:002011-10-25T23:05:04.624-04:00Friesen Run with the Canes 5K, Raleigh NC, September 11, 2011<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihKlhdjdFN89pfeIk3V_CnWQ7UsmhDtca78Joz2Yn7poRNLg4QArZYxFheImvgIow3x9OX3HZ7QsoJUQKbpQbZKy99DOzaIBil9ldoFPtfqhGTMZA9yIBsKVUVINT43wLClzlfZgUYVxY/s1600/0001mw.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihKlhdjdFN89pfeIk3V_CnWQ7UsmhDtca78Joz2Yn7poRNLg4QArZYxFheImvgIow3x9OX3HZ7QsoJUQKbpQbZKy99DOzaIBil9ldoFPtfqhGTMZA9yIBsKVUVINT43wLClzlfZgUYVxY/s320/0001mw.jpeg" width="289" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Friesen Run with the Canes 5K Course, was more fun than it actually looks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Owen decided, all by himself, that he was going to run the 26.2 miles needed to do his school's "marathon" this year. The kids need to run 26.2 miles over the course of a few months and at the end, if they finish, they get a medal. Owen got about half to the goal last year when he decided to quit. It was so painful to get him to run at that time that I allowed him to give up, even though I was disappointed, so that I could end the misery for both of us. Of course when the time came for the other kids to get medals, he cried when he didn't get the medal. It was very sad but a good lesson learned...you have to earn it. So this year, I didn't push it, but he said he really wanted to try again and would finish the program this time. This time around, I mostly let him decide when we'd run and how far. I mentioned the Run with the Canes race to him to see if he wanted to try to get 3.1 miles done in one shot. Since he did so well finishing the Dutchman Downs 5K in July, he was eager to try this race.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl7AW1Y78AHhR_p6ediwj4AVmIeAlpnhnDsJi0943xn_I2UUIBdVGbLbP6EVloQK3qJIiXoKHL7LCJ9IoCXggV3dWbCqnawuofoeP5u62Kx_iWiX2omjXEGkW2_WbdvqFO3yppw3-f8_8/s320/IMG_3249.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="239" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shoe chips ready!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHCZjsJer1yQN67JxA2B6_dWVzEopoYhKUp523imz9BSzlGIiz3VVNvbto0HqfyMRNxAQdRKe_deHDYhYoHi4StssestaY9kQrCuG34EskjcEy8MieV7_SE-zBSjJyNlL2pux9TSAKjaE/s1600/IMG_3216.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHCZjsJer1yQN67JxA2B6_dWVzEopoYhKUp523imz9BSzlGIiz3VVNvbto0HqfyMRNxAQdRKe_deHDYhYoHi4StssestaY9kQrCuG34EskjcEy8MieV7_SE-zBSjJyNlL2pux9TSAKjaE/s320/IMG_3216.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The race had a very nice tribute for the 10th anniversary of Sept 11th<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">On the morning of the race, we headed to the RBC center and we got our race bibs, t-shirts and chips for our shoes and were ready to go! Grace was sick that morning so she and Keith stayed home. Before the race started, they did a nice tribute in memory of those who lost their lives on Sept 11th, 2001. Then the players and Pete Friesen got up on the stage to say a few words about the race. It was great to see so many players there. Unfortuately I didn't really plan ahead that well to figure out which hockey player was which, and without their jerseys on, it was hard for me to tell. So we really didn't feel right about going up to get pictures or autographs since it's kind of embarassing when you don't know who they are. Eric Stahl was the only one I really recognized, well and Stormy the mascot! </span></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSW4Z_8DJ5Ob1ecigYYWWngHnE0MVY8D_5uIvpEbcqzEdArH3xOUBD_SZ2ecuRJ4Zf65c-s8BO-HhhukEWHUFpe7nUAPAmYyQy4yV6ftZ2e9pobv4Ma1BYR68dRX2u4hVdOpHmtqHPCXA/s1600/IMG_3252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSW4Z_8DJ5Ob1ecigYYWWngHnE0MVY8D_5uIvpEbcqzEdArH3xOUBD_SZ2ecuRJ4Zf65c-s8BO-HhhukEWHUFpe7nUAPAmYyQy4yV6ftZ2e9pobv4Ma1BYR68dRX2u4hVdOpHmtqHPCXA/s320/IMG_3252.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Checking out the merchandise in The Eye</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6fvfwA57qEw89hUUqjKnAmr4yNG9-dznMFFrlaJohsZ4lgtd9-hN89ZYHOS83wzFL_asKuAUqHFSVK0SeUehgwGLSJOs4J6jRh_0O7JxdgkCgRC6dWOibcQuMq56DU7Fy5_wS8jTwHnE/s1600/IMG_3253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6fvfwA57qEw89hUUqjKnAmr4yNG9-dznMFFrlaJohsZ4lgtd9-hN89ZYHOS83wzFL_asKuAUqHFSVK0SeUehgwGLSJOs4J6jRh_0O7JxdgkCgRC6dWOibcQuMq56DU7Fy5_wS8jTwHnE/s320/IMG_3253.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-race photo in The Eye</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7u-wseCOM_8Djc9Ak-tInuQtWmrFKxzizaeBQ2zkGyvLDyaP4Jg2_3aYJrOeM5GvvOyfrF_RUj-WNek9eFAmQlJwbTf8ZQBLwTK73dIT4l-HArjkBP9ejeF8R3YwTZZ5LdOUAO56Rkq4/s1600/IMG_3255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7u-wseCOM_8Djc9Ak-tInuQtWmrFKxzizaeBQ2zkGyvLDyaP4Jg2_3aYJrOeM5GvvOyfrF_RUj-WNek9eFAmQlJwbTf8ZQBLwTK73dIT4l-HArjkBP9ejeF8R3YwTZZ5LdOUAO56Rkq4/s320/IMG_3255.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blending in with the jerseys</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTF018pQV75IAWIo691BG5Mgve38o3HttPMd2G_5o_EWHJp-7FmZcGsbgz-KwWJRYiDj14PRWqfRX51qKDrtFLh8-qwey3GcvDZVJUargeiPnRrPt98WzFbT8Tulkmc9Dj7awLf8i3JbU/s1600/IMG_3260.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTF018pQV75IAWIo691BG5Mgve38o3HttPMd2G_5o_EWHJp-7FmZcGsbgz-KwWJRYiDj14PRWqfRX51qKDrtFLh8-qwey3GcvDZVJUargeiPnRrPt98WzFbT8Tulkmc9Dj7awLf8i3JbU/s320/IMG_3260.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Canes team on stage</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUtdlEiD6PKlkL-IjKqx_xvzq_6I9hmRbDE7NX_eLkK3bIz5KCWSEFChIjxNJ9MGWisCFCaQtM-sSH2ltGTFuEX03OcmNcIbisSjd61Zf21Kkh0uyypslmXXzsSSvnELZ1rBDhz4X_g4s/s1600/IMG_3264.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUtdlEiD6PKlkL-IjKqx_xvzq_6I9hmRbDE7NX_eLkK3bIz5KCWSEFChIjxNJ9MGWisCFCaQtM-sSH2ltGTFuEX03OcmNcIbisSjd61Zf21Kkh0uyypslmXXzsSSvnELZ1rBDhz4X_g4s/s320/IMG_3264.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen at the race start</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM2m8gT-9xHFSm7OK-6i_dAoii5PqjWG5wGH8U9Uq6M4nBDMO9S8jEadhby1My_703F6JqhECj8tB4V9_lQ5X7eSrGq6cmP0Oibq5TQbeme4CKRMgdIZWenM2DJvJL8e7bI94ams9xVac/s1600/IMG_3270.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM2m8gT-9xHFSm7OK-6i_dAoii5PqjWG5wGH8U9Uq6M4nBDMO9S8jEadhby1My_703F6JqhECj8tB4V9_lQ5X7eSrGq6cmP0Oibq5TQbeme4CKRMgdIZWenM2DJvJL8e7bI94ams9xVac/s320/IMG_3270.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking good in the first mile</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm4Ckmuv6g2p4Qyfo4sffLhTe3HWIS79hHdxt7P22h3alvVOmOQ2lE-NjzvZ0CBb6TZNjYkaXETWV9oD7iLJhqyL4l_RbZBSitvu5POG_4gMs0pBCyyMJReRVNTmkeeTQoSMKgYS_AYAo/s1600/IMG_3271.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm4Ckmuv6g2p4Qyfo4sffLhTe3HWIS79hHdxt7P22h3alvVOmOQ2lE-NjzvZ0CBb6TZNjYkaXETWV9oD7iLJhqyL4l_RbZBSitvu5POG_4gMs0pBCyyMJReRVNTmkeeTQoSMKgYS_AYAo/s320/IMG_3271.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Made it to mile 2!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3pXRwV4YX085BpsEv1V9HW43xcnZ6trJC4-85zpyQAHs88wpiPozS7ixZZpMVE9DokNiLPujPri_W_f9iFMngfkEEhelEaGZ305UfndDO243mNwyL0EjnY5J5UnQFSXYb01pEWqR_20I/s1600/IMG_3272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3pXRwV4YX085BpsEv1V9HW43xcnZ6trJC4-85zpyQAHs88wpiPozS7ixZZpMVE9DokNiLPujPri_W_f9iFMngfkEEhelEaGZ305UfndDO243mNwyL0EjnY5J5UnQFSXYb01pEWqR_20I/s320/IMG_3272.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen taking off right after he told me he was stopping to rest!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp23_L7kJW6LMLAAkE8GdYLhSJJbMVJSAA9IQ9YP9uSFMDSXtShw6iAXXUrpFhm3vTWBG1O4zdbNOugO-09jhMQhMQHDtfOfVhNj0uxgM7c8DTA1YaeEqFAepvnQ12hst2ANE_UdYqd3A/s1600/IMG_3275.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp23_L7kJW6LMLAAkE8GdYLhSJJbMVJSAA9IQ9YP9uSFMDSXtShw6iAXXUrpFhm3vTWBG1O4zdbNOugO-09jhMQhMQHDtfOfVhNj0uxgM7c8DTA1YaeEqFAepvnQ12hst2ANE_UdYqd3A/s320/IMG_3275.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sprinting to the finish</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipjnmyfQcEWzDtiia1K7LYuqUfc4582BAvgUHm9WmUve6reF_yky8PGrs9mnBsGRAHT2j7hcF92oAm8fjOQab6GiuMGEIdlHNmOz4fCgGoaqXB7wyLA-8sGQFST_645_ZxnYa7tWSDuyw/s1600/IMG_3277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipjnmyfQcEWzDtiia1K7LYuqUfc4582BAvgUHm9WmUve6reF_yky8PGrs9mnBsGRAHT2j7hcF92oAm8fjOQab6GiuMGEIdlHNmOz4fCgGoaqXB7wyLA-8sGQFST_645_ZxnYa7tWSDuyw/s320/IMG_3277.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Basking in the post race glory</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Soon it was time to line up for the race. Lots of kids were there but most were running the fun runs (50 and 100 yard dashes) so Owen got a lot of surprised looks from other runners when he lined up for the 5K. But he was an old pro at this now, since this was his second one! He looked a bit nervous so I just told him to stick by me and walk if he needed to. There were a lot of runners at the start so we got pretty far back so that he wouldn't get trampled and started off with a slow jog when the race began. The first part of the race is through the RBC center parking lot which sounds dull but it was kind of nice actually. The race then goes past the NC State stadium and onto some of the local roads. I was surprised at how much running Owen did. He really seemed to enjoy the race and didn't complain but instead thought it was pretty funny to tell me he was going to walk and then he'd take off sprinting once I slowed down. As we entered the RBC parking lot again, we sprinted to the finish line and Owen finished his second 5K race!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjUKWJRXdS2zTHSgLCE2VhIcqQII16V2UumtX5l5TsjamnysCKphjpFacK7nHsD58P2ENTU7DSOK1dys_1JRVriQEtl-lLKIGqbGn7YGI2kWaTHG4JqdAHgARhUrL0pUKXEpIA3iKCfUo/s320/IMG_3282.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="239" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Race results</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjUKWJRXdS2zTHSgLCE2VhIcqQII16V2UumtX5l5TsjamnysCKphjpFacK7nHsD58P2ENTU7DSOK1dys_1JRVriQEtl-lLKIGqbGn7YGI2kWaTHG4JqdAHgARhUrL0pUKXEpIA3iKCfUo/s1600/IMG_3282.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkKYjjx3HTZFLRyK_2X42nowNwAOy7ttiGKv3SDdC4yiowtRUyQ2kjUpLToXmH3SBGjyS3gWsJUznszEqDBPHnIN41AYMQIg0y_WIuaWmjZoB_eBCfx4a95dN68ZEtCyuPZM5FbWfcC4/s1600/IMG_3278.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkKYjjx3HTZFLRyK_2X42nowNwAOy7ttiGKv3SDdC4yiowtRUyQ2kjUpLToXmH3SBGjyS3gWsJUznszEqDBPHnIN41AYMQIg0y_WIuaWmjZoB_eBCfx4a95dN68ZEtCyuPZM5FbWfcC4/s320/IMG_3278.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pancakes!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTpvmrn0qtaDcPTVFpmHwUOjAUopXdAJ4Kegfp9wp8BXS_RRdZak24zBvgd1PsmEqQk0g_ZjLwAqFuW_yX2MmZ2THex2TnkyxVma9YETeSA6d_jBELb7gNgr3_orJFZmpdwg_yaRnYMI/s1600/IMG_3283.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTpvmrn0qtaDcPTVFpmHwUOjAUopXdAJ4Kegfp9wp8BXS_RRdZak24zBvgd1PsmEqQk0g_ZjLwAqFuW_yX2MmZ2THex2TnkyxVma9YETeSA6d_jBELb7gNgr3_orJFZmpdwg_yaRnYMI/s320/IMG_3283.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen promised to wear this hat if I bought it</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I was really proud of Owen for running the race because <b>he</b> wanted to, not because <b>I</b> wanted him to. I was glad he was able to finish the whole race. He wasn't even upset that he didn't get a medal, which is a big step for him. After the race they served pancakes which we enjoyed and then went over to watch the kids dashes and got a photo taken with Stormy. Then we went into The Eye (Hurricanes store, which was conveniently open for the race) and got a few things (Canes flag, puck head hat, etc) and headed out to meet Grace and Keith for brunch since Grace was feeling better. While it was by far the slowest official 5K race I have ever run, I had the best time because Owen really enjoyed it!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVmReuRdyn-axlTuA8X44PLV8t-wZ_Bq65fnZMo7-f8L37Z_BOu0GYx8l9sTakUVi5_HagTwRV09DItf1eLPpFcd76_HYyea052CDry2RK0eTH_tf1N9kPt5gh7qZzoooS1Rxowkko8Jc/s1600/IMG_3281.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVmReuRdyn-axlTuA8X44PLV8t-wZ_Bq65fnZMo7-f8L37Z_BOu0GYx8l9sTakUVi5_HagTwRV09DItf1eLPpFcd76_HYyea052CDry2RK0eTH_tf1N9kPt5gh7qZzoooS1Rxowkko8Jc/s320/IMG_3281.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stormy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00773977213886959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1274836108534651432.post-8000717020742017502011-10-25T22:16:00.001-04:002011-10-25T22:17:39.208-04:00Napa 2 Sonoma Half Marathon, Napa Valley CA, July 17, 2011<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdQvhBSUrDLyX9wxiCSsefk0D_3aBXRqX8LjDQcSsnmNwWmXR1Wed5w8_MGKKjVHFYjAQXY2lIl0MKwzJqi9bpsWKGnFZK06_8qLCCFkG1esmWp-7LtkQbsisVF5KYefqCIeVUVd8bulc/s1600/0001md.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdQvhBSUrDLyX9wxiCSsefk0D_3aBXRqX8LjDQcSsnmNwWmXR1Wed5w8_MGKKjVHFYjAQXY2lIl0MKwzJqi9bpsWKGnFZK06_8qLCCFkG1esmWp-7LtkQbsisVF5KYefqCIeVUVd8bulc/s320/0001md.jpeg" width="288" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Napa 2 Sonoma Half Marathon Course</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Well I haven't been "blogging" in a long time but the good news is it's because I've been busy running and having fun with the family over the summer and early fall. But I thought it was time to try to catch all my "fans" (yes all 9 of you) up on where I've been with racing, as if you didn't already know from Facebook. So here it goes...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs5heKMFkckek-rfkDFIn2KQEX1C-W_LXlf0ec_Lhd28RdnsEiVqWHvuDpid1PrnB4hnphq92iYZ_-R053qKTwx2BI6A6w_sYxXqF2kyPjMxub1nlZuqxEPnpSwzyFaUh03auzk9Wiwi4/s1600/IMG_2373.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs5heKMFkckek-rfkDFIn2KQEX1C-W_LXlf0ec_Lhd28RdnsEiVqWHvuDpid1PrnB4hnphq92iYZ_-R053qKTwx2BI6A6w_sYxXqF2kyPjMxub1nlZuqxEPnpSwzyFaUh03auzk9Wiwi4/s1600/IMG_2373.GIF" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cool race logo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Ah, the Napa 2 Sonoma Half Marathon, which I like to refer to as "my hard-learned lesson in training for a race actually does matter". We had an AWESOME time in Napa and Sonoma. Great food, wine, weather, shopping. The race however...well, not so great. It was a beautiful course, a bit hilly but not terribly so. Great weather. Amazing scenery. I'd highly recommend it as a destination race. Really perfect...if I was actually prepared for it. I only have myself to blame (well that and work I guess which was pretty crazy leading up to the race) that I was not better trained. I somehow convinced myself that a half marathon wasn't so bad so I could just "bang one out" if I needed to, without too much trouble. Ummm, wrong! It was my worst half marathon time in recent history. Still a respectable time of course, but not compared to my recent races. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbgfIdSCreSN63dCkApGV6zaFFWaTOQoABZBTDci95yReomYi-ded6W1FBkVKmPrsmEGCZzU5hA80E5A67NCYvEDGv4XXZj4y7ONIF5SnSz22ns-rqeDL010fwUvUXRbPdPQDuTyrlk4/s1600/IMG_2975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbgfIdSCreSN63dCkApGV6zaFFWaTOQoABZBTDci95yReomYi-ded6W1FBkVKmPrsmEGCZzU5hA80E5A67NCYvEDGv4XXZj4y7ONIF5SnSz22ns-rqeDL010fwUvUXRbPdPQDuTyrlk4/s320/IMG_2975.JPG" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally done!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic6a8mguMxjKMGYUj_vRdwjOhYIr2b30_TKYIYV-1yH1aW92RHwASr7_0IlulUIWH0KDBwBi3h2N4lyAsyZ7W5AuuRAx1LKmmn3wMRIq4RzYRt5mHBud8gt3CNCDsXkkGjxz1yxSDLRCw/s1600/IMG_2968.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic6a8mguMxjKMGYUj_vRdwjOhYIr2b30_TKYIYV-1yH1aW92RHwASr7_0IlulUIWH0KDBwBi3h2N4lyAsyZ7W5AuuRAx1LKmmn3wMRIq4RzYRt5mHBud8gt3CNCDsXkkGjxz1yxSDLRCw/s320/IMG_2968.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Race Results</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
As if that wasn't bad enough, this was the first time EVER that I stop at a port a potty during the race. The race started late and I didn't have enough time to get on line again (the lines were terrible!). So I missed third place age group, by <b>just about the amount of time of a port a potty stop!</b> Lesson learned...find a spot to squat before the race at all costs to avoid this mishap again. The prize was a bottle of wine. I know, I know, I am in wine country so can taste and buy all the wine I want, right? Still, nothing beats wine <strong>earned</strong> by winning a race, or so I'd imagine anyway. Ok, so wine tasting that afternoon and a good dinner helped me to get over it, but I still wish I had done better in this race since I know I could have, if I had trained just a bit harder. Oh well, no use crying over spilt wine.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTlW4BNY4xTk-IAOg4GOo9IrWRWFs6L-pe64_PzBJTpiLhZBsDnGgv_eu4xW99weXtKNaJw_AbeV5qIwbS7XkX5Q1YvCHgPO-C0RQC27w3JvCvUSBuOoSqJalxbKMnUg8C8-657aq_6kA/s1600/6326-FLeSXtS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTlW4BNY4xTk-IAOg4GOo9IrWRWFs6L-pe64_PzBJTpiLhZBsDnGgv_eu4xW99weXtKNaJw_AbeV5qIwbS7XkX5Q1YvCHgPO-C0RQC27w3JvCvUSBuOoSqJalxbKMnUg8C8-657aq_6kA/s320/6326-FLeSXtS.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post-race photo, with glasses ready to start washing away my sorrows, uh I mean to start tasting!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRbJRGG9cj8r8Jm9QW-tjN8WA-frlcDYgI1vi3q7tC8rrvt0JPh9YTkO3sk53D1qFuD2_GGyt8n2pc9yLeSTc5JrK7aWibfYUQxCvtWJB9yiKLx2jQ_ZUdFDhye71pUc3dJMMbm8BLTN8/s1600/IMG_3003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRbJRGG9cj8r8Jm9QW-tjN8WA-frlcDYgI1vi3q7tC8rrvt0JPh9YTkO3sk53D1qFuD2_GGyt8n2pc9yLeSTc5JrK7aWibfYUQxCvtWJB9yiKLx2jQ_ZUdFDhye71pUc3dJMMbm8BLTN8/s320/IMG_3003.JPG" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to Opus One</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYTR0Ac91J3t4TDMibCu2vpUBe03j89oly1ejfow1o3tFkLu8RBQmDUXVXbbklmD3at_qxJOedjxAsykBLPige5wMad6N4A-ZUhed2NhvE15nTioVLrRP6LAp8Rq2cBrASZtm9rMZJj3U/s1600/IMG_5713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYTR0Ac91J3t4TDMibCu2vpUBe03j89oly1ejfow1o3tFkLu8RBQmDUXVXbbklmD3at_qxJOedjxAsykBLPige5wMad6N4A-ZUhed2NhvE15nTioVLrRP6LAp8Rq2cBrASZtm9rMZJj3U/s320/IMG_5713.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Opus One</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDU6flZ4xfa91WF-V6V3n9DbDq1OQPSOyW__tZi7d0SQoX3m06FPK_1KHUXP5q0a8EesJhLGke8Hzy_0rhHBUiOzSkWrIZXGwKJC2R9-H3MKkFxvucl3Y0n-To5MDysFJiiJQTLBxesS4/s1600/IMG_5726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDU6flZ4xfa91WF-V6V3n9DbDq1OQPSOyW__tZi7d0SQoX3m06FPK_1KHUXP5q0a8EesJhLGke8Hzy_0rhHBUiOzSkWrIZXGwKJC2R9-H3MKkFxvucl3Y0n-To5MDysFJiiJQTLBxesS4/s320/IMG_5726.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joseph Phelps Winery</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-j51p1Au6TqwvJ6AWVsVJoncKjprqTvUnS_Htry8lMXbGAOiZ-9KrjhSaGBXpbvQvXV1Fevvno7T3iuGWFFYAn9QNpoZi06OMSy5dP6zMY80qqf25gJ68KM_vDncgrUkYdykMTTOypQ/s1600/IMG_2977.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-j51p1Au6TqwvJ6AWVsVJoncKjprqTvUnS_Htry8lMXbGAOiZ-9KrjhSaGBXpbvQvXV1Fevvno7T3iuGWFFYAn9QNpoZi06OMSy5dP6zMY80qqf25gJ68KM_vDncgrUkYdykMTTOypQ/s320/IMG_2977.JPG" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swanson Vineyards</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0kzkbJUQGa9ZwvpHiaoPXqD_oYuGv71R-xv1DHJGgMWpvDIlvG4qVKyg8zAo09BG-i7fcmPdyIh1-5vJpelog3pWDa6-3qKS31KyL2HKYJvIRwKW3pkJkIRrrOOKEy5MwO-KGxPy1xo4/s1600/IMG_5721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0kzkbJUQGa9ZwvpHiaoPXqD_oYuGv71R-xv1DHJGgMWpvDIlvG4qVKyg8zAo09BG-i7fcmPdyIh1-5vJpelog3pWDa6-3qKS31KyL2HKYJvIRwKW3pkJkIRrrOOKEy5MwO-KGxPy1xo4/s320/IMG_5721.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Pre-wine"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSNA8QpdZbx-94plEDjkEQ9Lrt9VQoXqrpvBiJxo_1ZfgP-ocrLzehQ4AluUb-rLBX9b0WpvbtNu_tOWlYY2QPL685AUwR7SDjIzOzkqjYQ8GYJvUXZEbdFihR9_aMV5BCxYYBTL3R4vI/s1600/IMG_5688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSNA8QpdZbx-94plEDjkEQ9Lrt9VQoXqrpvBiJxo_1ZfgP-ocrLzehQ4AluUb-rLBX9b0WpvbtNu_tOWlYY2QPL685AUwR7SDjIzOzkqjYQ8GYJvUXZEbdFihR9_aMV5BCxYYBTL3R4vI/s320/IMG_5688.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cakebread Cellars</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>On our trip, we got to re-visit several of the wineries and restaurants we went to on our honeymoon nearly 11 years prior. We visited several new places as well. So all in all, a great trip, but more so for the social aspect rather than running one. This race did teach me a few important lessons though. I decided to not put any longer races on my calendar this year unless I could train for them. Instead I just focused the rest of the summer on running for fun and getting in better shape for our upcoming beach trip in September. We had a great rest of the summer with the kids, much of which we spent at Dutchman Downs pool. Still there is likely no swimming in my future despite that. But at least Owen is a great swimmer now and they allow wine at the pool, which made for a more relaxing summer!Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00773977213886959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1274836108534651432.post-14322947443069474882011-10-25T21:35:00.001-04:002011-10-25T21:37:02.318-04:00Dutchman Downs 5K, Cary NC, July 2, 2011<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7gDcOnWN8PJaq8URyB5vUMMYbtvrUDTmjWPSgQiQlhW681Uxy2lMOnP1lzHdqp_z57TdwqQo52w24Y1mgMgkSrv1guo8mcRtvBVyvhRjSyCu1qO3QaEHhacIoBzMcZ4PDKaM3F1X5SMw/s1600/0001B1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7gDcOnWN8PJaq8URyB5vUMMYbtvrUDTmjWPSgQiQlhW681Uxy2lMOnP1lzHdqp_z57TdwqQo52w24Y1mgMgkSrv1guo8mcRtvBVyvhRjSyCu1qO3QaEHhacIoBzMcZ4PDKaM3F1X5SMw/s320/0001B1.jpeg" width="280" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dutchman Downs 5K Course</td></tr>
</tbody></table>There used to be a really nice race on July 4th weekend in downtown Raleigh. It was a 4 mile race that went through some really nice old neighborhoods. But due to a decline in participation, they decided not to have the race this year. Bummer. So when I found out that because we belonged to the swimming pool in the Dutchman Downs neighborhood, we were welcome to join the July 4th festivities, even though we don't live in the neighborhood, I was kind of excited to run their neighborhood 5K run. I knew they had a race since I had seen the mile markers painted for it. I often run through the Dutchman Downs neighborhood, since it's a nice older neighborhood with tree lined streets that reminds me of New Jersey neighborhoods. Don't get me wrong, I like our new neighborhood with it's updated coordinated landscaping and all, but sometimes I miss the old NJ neighborhoods I used to run in. When I mentioned I might go over there that morning to do the race, I was really surprised when Owen asked if he could do it with me. I explained that this was <b>3 miles</b> and the farthest he'd ever run before in a race was <b>1 mile</b>. In the 1 mile fun runs he has participated in he typically would run out of steam about half way through and then would complain for the rest of the race. But I could tell this time he was determined to do it, so I said ok and we headed over to the pool parking lot to check it out. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt1uuS1F4rnQUvlyhjJ2JYaheVH00RbvsBrjTV3UtWXhnhHFEKyYkWQ1CMcMTOT6f9Zhyphenhyphen1sfNORVxPpWKfjpcc9CIFraNrmfkKXKjpVciAWEFBff7496SE13BGMnuaSkLSwq4xNnFQcBs/s1600/IMG_2869.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt1uuS1F4rnQUvlyhjJ2JYaheVH00RbvsBrjTV3UtWXhnhHFEKyYkWQ1CMcMTOT6f9Zhyphenhyphen1sfNORVxPpWKfjpcc9CIFraNrmfkKXKjpVciAWEFBff7496SE13BGMnuaSkLSwq4xNnFQcBs/s320/IMG_2869.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen with his cool race number (yeah, it was a small neighborhood race, can you tell?)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I had no idea how many people would run in this race or what type of runners there would be. Turns out it was mostly high school kids (lifeguards and their friends, track team kids, etc) and a few older folks who were walkers. Owen was certainly the youngest runner. He was pretty excited about that. The hand written race numbers were a nice touch and Owen liked his number, "1010". At the start, we took off pretty fast and I encouraged him to pace himself but I was mostly unsuccessful in convincing him. Owen has two speeds, fast sprint and slow walk, which he alternated between for most of the first mile. He would speed up to pass people, and of course would brag about it, sometimes too loudly! And then he'd walk and they'd pass him again. By mile 2 he looked pretty tired, but I just kept encouraging him to keep going and that he was doing great. We were, by the start of mile 3, dead last but he was still moving at least. Even the walkers had passed us by this point, but we kept going, walking when he needed to. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6FFSN4rZO81ED7liVeZ8QuxYSnDtRRboB_i2BSYkleTV_CUpwwE352ygfQw80qXPDBf_NkjdGurQWtilGSi1rYtV7jNwHonr_meNDSfooPvveQS_QzV_OW2IwnKrJgqm8E_Ge3GYfBWg/s1600/IMG_2871.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6FFSN4rZO81ED7liVeZ8QuxYSnDtRRboB_i2BSYkleTV_CUpwwE352ygfQw80qXPDBf_NkjdGurQWtilGSi1rYtV7jNwHonr_meNDSfooPvveQS_QzV_OW2IwnKrJgqm8E_Ge3GYfBWg/s320/IMG_2871.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen and his friend Jack</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We passed Owen's friend Jack's house in the 3rd mile. Jack was getting ready for the July 4th parade that was to follow the 5K. Jack had his roller skates on and balloons tied to his bike helmet. This distracted Owen enough to get him excited about finishing, so we could get back in time for the start of the parade. We rounded the last corner with less than the 0.l mile to go and I saw that the race organizers had a roll of toilet paper held across the road as finish line tape for Owen to cross. He sprinted to the finish, breaking the "tape". It was really cool! I came in after him so technically I was last.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCsyznjRHptQIo2gSbQy3M900iBUqSizLM4DpS_KBDqtKz324nWMr1-2KJUjsWGBxKTaiHfj05I2bRyTist_Bg_vHGb9PaGFT7VPAg7KSC_9SaakTRg38ghEofu17I4Vh_O0rRdzditcE/s1600/IMG_2873.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCsyznjRHptQIo2gSbQy3M900iBUqSizLM4DpS_KBDqtKz324nWMr1-2KJUjsWGBxKTaiHfj05I2bRyTist_Bg_vHGb9PaGFT7VPAg7KSC_9SaakTRg38ghEofu17I4Vh_O0rRdzditcE/s320/IMG_2873.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen after finishing the race</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9STxakkG7iEk0DOYniM4ENCr5kTbFkY48-o7KhW17PgTlrCDlmHnbzjkVB5L1_dCfMjC9ee8ZuCgNhoPb_MU_BsereRkTgzTeQhU_V3PsOcGXVKUpm19OwMekOZRPajHMmRQ_H8chY2Q/s1600/IMG_2882.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9STxakkG7iEk0DOYniM4ENCr5kTbFkY48-o7KhW17PgTlrCDlmHnbzjkVB5L1_dCfMjC9ee8ZuCgNhoPb_MU_BsereRkTgzTeQhU_V3PsOcGXVKUpm19OwMekOZRPajHMmRQ_H8chY2Q/s320/IMG_2882.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen and Jack in the parade</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The parade was a lot of fun. I had to walk/run it to keep up since Owen and Jack got a ride on a neighbor's golf cart. After the parade, we went swimming and had some post race snacks at the pool. It was a great way to start the July 4th weekend and I was very proud of Owen for finishing his very first 5K!Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00773977213886959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1274836108534651432.post-36789275303796046192011-04-22T12:05:00.053-04:002011-11-04T21:00:36.803-04:00Second Empire 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run, Raleigh, April 17, 2011<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilLKk1-4k-wml4or2hFd4ZjOZemEXqNIqxkosKJKdfDKbwZFsPdYjUUhH5W-0GcEO8kIWxtcV1cB7Y_Xj1I29bok1lHN_ZpjOhrkdxQ4gT5AYnOV0WcOLwDPW1uAudIvTgP4toIvtBZEU/s1600/0001o9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilLKk1-4k-wml4or2hFd4ZjOZemEXqNIqxkosKJKdfDKbwZFsPdYjUUhH5W-0GcEO8kIWxtcV1cB7Y_Xj1I29bok1lHN_ZpjOhrkdxQ4gT5AYnOV0WcOLwDPW1uAudIvTgP4toIvtBZEU/s320/0001o9.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second Empire 5K Course<br />
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</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">This is the 3rd year that I have run in the Second Empire race, sponsored by <a href="http://www.second-empire.com/">Second Empire Restaurant</a> in Raleigh. In 2008 it was my very first race since moving to North Carolina. My first race in over 5 years, since before Owen was born. I didn't do too bad that first year, sub 24 minutes, given my primary training was on weekends pushing one of the kids in the jogging stroller. That same year the kids both did the 50 yard dash. In 2009 they didn't have the race since they moved it from the fall to the spring. In 2010, I ran the 1 mile race with Owen and the 50 yard dash with Grace. I skipped the 5K since it was soon after Boston and I wanted to focus on running for fun, just with the kids. Good thing too because it was really hot and humid that day. This year I wanted to use the race as one of my 5K's leading up to what I hope will result in a sub 20 5K before the end of this year. I wasn't feeling confident that this was the race for that since I hadn't been really training, but I was hoping for a decent time and to have a fun day. I was registered for the 5K and Owen and Grace decided that morning that they'd both do the 1 mile instead of the 100 yard dash. I was very proud of them when they even said they didn't care if they got a medal or not, but just wanted to do the 1 mile.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYAJX1yLTi7xjhRixkG_3y0ClSpd37gwQjEIL2TSp105GXF_l6Ohj3Gp5xS7cI2e5zrTtrqum4zyDBc08k9zrcaWHHvBlX4xhIAliTr0gAp281u1Po9Jnxhoc8exWcsH1LLsM97d9r1Mw/s1600/IMG_2472.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYAJX1yLTi7xjhRixkG_3y0ClSpd37gwQjEIL2TSp105GXF_l6Ohj3Gp5xS7cI2e5zrTtrqum4zyDBc08k9zrcaWHHvBlX4xhIAliTr0gAp281u1Po9Jnxhoc8exWcsH1LLsM97d9r1Mw/s320/IMG_2472.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">O & G practicing their starting line pose<br />
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</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: left;">While I was proud of the kids, in looking back at the 5K race, I am both proud and a bit disappointed in my performance. I really haven't had much time to run or train so I should be pretty pleased with my overall time considering this (20:49 gun, 20:47 chip). It wasn't a PR (PR is 20:34), but it wasn't too shabby. I accepted fairly early in the race that a PR wasn't in the cards, I just wasn't into it that day (late day race start, tired, sniffles, little running in the past few weeks, etc). And at the halfway point I was well beyond 10 minutes so it was highly unlikely I would catch up and reach a sub 20. Since those were really my 5K time goals (PR or sub 20), at that point I decided I was comfortable with just maintaining my place and not focusing much on time other than still wanting a sub 21. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I figured that I would be second masters female overall since I knew the woman directly in front of me was in the master's category and I was sure the other women I had seen ahead were younger. I felt just too tired and not motivated enough really to try to catch her. However, the flaw in that plan was that I was completely wrong in thinking I was second masters female. I was actually second OVERALL female. How that occurred I have no idea! I mean I know one contributing factor was that many of the super fast (i.e. sub 20) local women clearly had other plans that day. We had tornados the day before which is highly unusual so that perhaps kept some away. But how did I not <b>know</b> I was second overall? I guess I just wasn't expecting it since it never happens and I swear I saw several women in front of me. But when I finished Keith told me I was second. I didn't believe him until I saw the results posted. Had I known this I may have tried harder to close that 5 second gap between first and second. It's really all mind over matter and I let matter win this time. I always say I am a firm believer in the power of positive thinking (well at least running-wise) and not giving up in a race. I think if I had been motivated more and wanted it more things may have been different. Oh well, a lesson re-learned I suppose!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4NagOPDtGVmotAubW7JDxKQ1S0dK1cNBn2gbH9S60QeAdM8Pq4WaBrekfiTC-f2dG4EPeBmo8cFh6dKhbw-XaUmK-Zo21xqIZQWfi7hS5kBa_BPcvaK9I4yvTQB8BTb5l_z7MwSnO3ok/s1600/IMG_2476.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4NagOPDtGVmotAubW7JDxKQ1S0dK1cNBn2gbH9S60QeAdM8Pq4WaBrekfiTC-f2dG4EPeBmo8cFh6dKhbw-XaUmK-Zo21xqIZQWfi7hS5kBa_BPcvaK9I4yvTQB8BTb5l_z7MwSnO3ok/s320/IMG_2476.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">O & G practicing for their big finish<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWPNIwy2EINqlXNqDB7sEhLr0qc1vnLxxQXDgeXeH8IURnqwPO-j00Bs8expLEnoc2YUGMOqs439SyTHNP9sJzjp75Yyy3TQ_xyNP253SKV5f1j-vEXrB7ZGx1yjp3sWGPVrfJ-ssiG78/s1600/0001ae.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWPNIwy2EINqlXNqDB7sEhLr0qc1vnLxxQXDgeXeH8IURnqwPO-j00Bs8expLEnoc2YUGMOqs439SyTHNP9sJzjp75Yyy3TQ_xyNP253SKV5f1j-vEXrB7ZGx1yjp3sWGPVrfJ-ssiG78/s320/0001ae.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for the race to start</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7XY9bUytev20brWociR4r3Pl_i_K5hbHgYwFbuBml6E2PaLkgRQA4wl0zZeHCb6Up_YIvoRlZw5Even8EDvYt6xXljmwRk7-0OtXMNPUgCcqh_EYiROMigpYqE28trenEg1Mnpe1cfZI/s1600/0001fe.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7XY9bUytev20brWociR4r3Pl_i_K5hbHgYwFbuBml6E2PaLkgRQA4wl0zZeHCb6Up_YIvoRlZw5Even8EDvYt6xXljmwRk7-0OtXMNPUgCcqh_EYiROMigpYqE28trenEg1Mnpe1cfZI/s320/0001fe.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting to cheer mommy on</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Before the race we had a quick bite at the <a href="http://www.beerknurd.com/stores/raleigh/">Flying Saucer</a>, our official parking lot for the Second Empire race since we discovered how close it was to the start last year. It's also a wonderful alternative to waiting in the port-a-potty line (you know I couldn't go an entire blog post without mentioning the port-a-potty!). The race itself started off as any other. I saw some running friends including Pauline at the start. The race began and several men and a few women were ahead of me. Pretty typical. The race heads east on Hillsborough towards the capitol, goes around it and heads back towards and past the starting line, west Hillsborough, and back to the start again. I recall in the beginning having issues with my Garmin. It was reading sub 6 but I am sure I wasn't going that fast so was pretty focused on what was going on there. However I swear I saw several younger women in front of me as we rounded the square at the capitol. And I also swear that I did not pass any women along the way. So how, you may wonder, did I get to be second overall then? Well that is just what I'd like to know! I can only assume that the few women I saw in front of me were just running the start of the race for fun or something and then dropped out. Keith later confirmed at the 1 mile mark he also had seen other women in front, so guess they did drop. Curses!<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">I ran the first mile in 6:29, so fairly on target for the sub 20 but clearly too fast for how I was feeling. I was feeling slow and sluggish at the start of mile 2. Yep falling back into that old routine of crash and burn in mile 2. I don't know if allergies played a part or the warmer weather or the later start time or just that it was hillier in mile 2, but I just couldn't motivate myself enough to care more. It showed in my split time, with a mile 2 split of 6:53. I tried to refocus in mile 3 and to muster up some more energy to speed up. I was somewhat successful and finished mile 3 in 6:35 and the last 0.1 or so in just over 6 minutes. I really didn't feel too guilty for giving up on trying for a PR, afterall they can't all be PRs. I also sort of felt I needed a break from chasing the PR. Still the second place finish is both awesome and a bit disappointing because I keep thinking just maybe it could have been a first place one (well just maybe, but in reality the woman in front of me was looking pretty strong so maybe I couldn't have caught up anyway, but still....) and how often will that opportunity come up again.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5UmfK4FlRG9GdZA8BGFtuR-rhbucADeQlF8sQ3V9Zwf0L9wbltibP7KbZ7L0pmU49iZjnNTpx_Ibj3HPlaNYduohFhi_CEiP3A1Vf1sBkE6270QV5pUvUpbZKWLn_4_Afn9QbF3q9n1c/s1600/0001kb.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5UmfK4FlRG9GdZA8BGFtuR-rhbucADeQlF8sQ3V9Zwf0L9wbltibP7KbZ7L0pmU49iZjnNTpx_Ibj3HPlaNYduohFhi_CEiP3A1Vf1sBkE6270QV5pUvUpbZKWLn_4_Afn9QbF3q9n1c/s320/0001kb.jpeg" width="236" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The struggle to the finish, nice face!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhipO8Uwq3xLlckzEfzsK9ggri4tIcaXfYFt4WD9VqptjPdsWPu_BEeENA2-sfn8TBNE08H4bnsqvQ6utaYkkAEI4pOdQHn7_p-hVg0eOqTO-U4g-jFwlXTs8c6_ss3Snbq5mpLBI-ZSBM/s1600/0001TK.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhipO8Uwq3xLlckzEfzsK9ggri4tIcaXfYFt4WD9VqptjPdsWPu_BEeENA2-sfn8TBNE08H4bnsqvQ6utaYkkAEI4pOdQHn7_p-hVg0eOqTO-U4g-jFwlXTs8c6_ss3Snbq5mpLBI-ZSBM/s320/0001TK.jpeg" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nearly done</td></tr>
</tbody></table>After the 5K, they had the 100 yard dash but Owen and Grace decided they were doing the mile instead so we just watched that. They felt like real big kids, watching the little kids run. Results were posted for the 5K pretty fast so I knew I placed second overall before the kids races. Keith had come to the 5K but needed to leave before the 1 mile to catch a flight to Germany. So I hung out with the kids until the 1 mile race start. Owen was excited since I told him he could take off and run on his own as long as he waited for us at the end. Grace however started a meltdown before we even began to run. "Carry me!" was her request, or rather demand. No way, for a 50 yd dash yes, but not for a 1 mile little girl! So she ran a bit but then got tired and was complaining and crying. We walked a lot and I carried her a little. In fact the only negative about the entire day was the female police officer bringing up the rear of the race actually made us move over onto the sidewalk instead of letting us run the race like the other kids in the street. Yes we were last, but would it really have killed her to ride behind us, as she is supposed to do, and let us finish like the other kids?! Really, what was the time difference, like 5 minutes? Hillsborough had been closed all morning, what's an extra 5 minutes? I hadn't realized there was a time cutoff for the 1 mile fun run, geez! Quite disappointing but whatever, we didn't let it ruin our day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFOFLUdWFZjAWm3G_O69mEA0KoPnn0boUmnuHGyMRHnSdeg1gkIPjYT-gDRlCoPQVy9MwAJIkIVLzp6UiKCg54nLOdkNhq9tV52WEZu_zFs_7YFxyoh2gkDefJ4T4W0ppNWyx8-FnvQw0/s1600/IMG_2487.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFOFLUdWFZjAWm3G_O69mEA0KoPnn0boUmnuHGyMRHnSdeg1gkIPjYT-gDRlCoPQVy9MwAJIkIVLzp6UiKCg54nLOdkNhq9tV52WEZu_zFs_7YFxyoh2gkDefJ4T4W0ppNWyx8-FnvQw0/s320/IMG_2487.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for the start of the 1 mile<br />
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</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Owen took off so fast that he was nearly at the front of the pack at the start! It was really cool. I was worried because he was so far ahead but we saw him after he turned around after the 1/2 mile point and he was still running and looking strong. Grace pulled a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosie_Ruiz">Rosie Ruiz</a> and never quite made it to the half way point, we just turned around when we saw Owen so we wouldn't be too far behind him. Once he saw me he slowed and walked but I encouraged him to keep going. At that point Grace took off, sprinting down the street (way to go Rosie!). I guess the thought of beating her big brother was just too exciting! That prompted Owen to start running again and Grace slowed and stopped, complaining a bit again. Owen took off for the finish and I ran/walked with Grace to get her to make it to the end. She was dead last, but everyone cheered for her. Ok well correction, I was actually dead last since I knew she wanted to beat me. Hmmm, first last place finish for me, but it was really fun! In the end they got medals anyway for the 1 mile, which I was not sure they would. They were really happy but more excited at the prospect of getting ice cream afterwards. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9k92NjlsXlxjZtku2E39igDFJs80JVkog4ZS4WPt0ilip0Ubat5e_GLpfPPe4HpKP-AO4vq7WourINpkLfXCAapZJZ6RP4BOVyu53yz4N_jnC2Exj5GNtfPVYRt6RhTHAATsjcbv9KQ0/s1600/IMG_2488.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9k92NjlsXlxjZtku2E39igDFJs80JVkog4ZS4WPt0ilip0Ubat5e_GLpfPPe4HpKP-AO4vq7WourINpkLfXCAapZJZ6RP4BOVyu53yz4N_jnC2Exj5GNtfPVYRt6RhTHAATsjcbv9KQ0/s320/IMG_2488.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen looking strong just after the 1/2 mile point<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiifl0BH8JUcFhCpVOnpYXDKEArIyArxkewoKeru6OTdoZgUz4U6isO1wXNeAvbXdVIMeYyXyG14VrvXt-LCCm_gvKAdgYhxG9dX4pzwpssSiNso_15DaoNQ3D0UmCWANAuq7mzVf13gFc/s1600/IMG_2490.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiifl0BH8JUcFhCpVOnpYXDKEArIyArxkewoKeru6OTdoZgUz4U6isO1wXNeAvbXdVIMeYyXyG14VrvXt-LCCm_gvKAdgYhxG9dX4pzwpssSiNso_15DaoNQ3D0UmCWANAuq7mzVf13gFc/s320/IMG_2490.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grace (aka Rosie Ruiz) seizing her opportunity to get in front of Owen<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzjyhfBIgc9ULbFBIc5kiXECz1C4wkzIgpXnMpIBAm8S3GMiJszNzdlsvTCxX1WdtydtZNcB3Tt14NmfeLpPmPaUCYMN310_uHsY0gAeaF8od4cwcJVbjuHsjBV0DLQFPEoI-TaajRdy8/s1600/0001lA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzjyhfBIgc9ULbFBIc5kiXECz1C4wkzIgpXnMpIBAm8S3GMiJszNzdlsvTCxX1WdtydtZNcB3Tt14NmfeLpPmPaUCYMN310_uHsY0gAeaF8od4cwcJVbjuHsjBV0DLQFPEoI-TaajRdy8/s320/0001lA.jpeg" width="235" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikWMlRUU0JVPZNM57Z7OnYHmH4pY22v3k_WBGPcPgiKKzm9caFU9sIxd5xhDMIln3UmMfBtMS8uxykga2ZlUKGzTeuWsvDCe7R505gn7erCMQWxruJfBs1O6Im9QJtucwaFXG59x4o704/s1600/0001lZ.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikWMlRUU0JVPZNM57Z7OnYHmH4pY22v3k_WBGPcPgiKKzm9caFU9sIxd5xhDMIln3UmMfBtMS8uxykga2ZlUKGzTeuWsvDCe7R505gn7erCMQWxruJfBs1O6Im9QJtucwaFXG59x4o704/s320/0001lZ.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>Owen doing a great job!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1E9a5MoseMnEU49qWbwVX5syu3XMRjHXhbHxwTzYLCDq_lgb8wGis6vN09SI6jG0GhUpVogHi9Ehi2byW-CAdLxu2Ce80x5J5ECHb4xgdLHO4_5b4d_2Suavs1LGtyEH5T4OnQhs1KhY/s1600/0001rv.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1E9a5MoseMnEU49qWbwVX5syu3XMRjHXhbHxwTzYLCDq_lgb8wGis6vN09SI6jG0GhUpVogHi9Ehi2byW-CAdLxu2Ce80x5J5ECHb4xgdLHO4_5b4d_2Suavs1LGtyEH5T4OnQhs1KhY/s320/0001rv.jpeg" width="247" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmUJmB5UzcPGYwo8Ajo7YXlo6wkP1AoqWFKjxhnh6lTYESwG3JY4BYkrZunrnm2jwUh0isUYlMFgN7I7CJrJ64bW-M7ITyjOvo-2Fq8xXWiXP2FYF_G2nHGAqgn-tZIHvVS2KsYTmwcTU/s1600/0001ce.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmUJmB5UzcPGYwo8Ajo7YXlo6wkP1AoqWFKjxhnh6lTYESwG3JY4BYkrZunrnm2jwUh0isUYlMFgN7I7CJrJ64bW-M7ITyjOvo-2Fq8xXWiXP2FYF_G2nHGAqgn-tZIHvVS2KsYTmwcTU/s320/0001ce.jpeg" width="238" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCTfBzcubV1Ep6rbPb-OftBDD-32rZfWv2bNz_H19QIJdlt6kaWgz9gtR4Ku31TypP-UhzVMPfCUP_iMCFjex23Ug_6m6JX9OJxXVj71UKuP_40LOxxPZ-T1bDip_ZCmcUl86_9dVXfdA/s1600/0001DQ_2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCTfBzcubV1Ep6rbPb-OftBDD-32rZfWv2bNz_H19QIJdlt6kaWgz9gtR4Ku31TypP-UhzVMPfCUP_iMCFjex23Ug_6m6JX9OJxXVj71UKuP_40LOxxPZ-T1bDip_ZCmcUl86_9dVXfdA/s320/0001DQ_2.jpeg" width="237" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJg5T2oC_jMcUhqL3t1F-CyyJif5RNLH0dl-EwMVRtrylPFCWJfHQZpok_EAEnMAZm3Chs7Jb0U0fFYiYIHpAnRD35yGG9c-ypDfW-lOHFw36IOxiiABFUYHnWOuHxetIZahXwA3lXtY/s1600/0001sD.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJg5T2oC_jMcUhqL3t1F-CyyJif5RNLH0dl-EwMVRtrylPFCWJfHQZpok_EAEnMAZm3Chs7Jb0U0fFYiYIHpAnRD35yGG9c-ypDfW-lOHFw36IOxiiABFUYHnWOuHxetIZahXwA3lXtY/s320/0001sD.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqUk-db8BDy8SdoQOTdr0Zdv_FAG6Q4e15Dy2qEAMJzHAmvg8pHQaRX2AP0AxkAHjGZGnWPrbGhCFuQvKouJlrAFovC_oqBczapsydP518DdEJPdzRIBpfmFjgkZn5wqsUmj2viWK9y7U/s1600/0001FR.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqUk-db8BDy8SdoQOTdr0Zdv_FAG6Q4e15Dy2qEAMJzHAmvg8pHQaRX2AP0AxkAHjGZGnWPrbGhCFuQvKouJlrAFovC_oqBczapsydP518DdEJPdzRIBpfmFjgkZn5wqsUmj2viWK9y7U/s320/0001FR.jpeg" width="261" /></a></div>Grace out-kicking mommy<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_0HFdtPaRE4iWingEnWpA5HUNYOdhVc6qNS1tOtaLJVrjOBSXbBCBCVapPRZ2jVMHbhiRdp7Lg0MTppiFu1O4eVNcVdiEr6B5Oc8vshsUsS9S4yhnUKehdTq_2T5LpHRvea1x3a0lits/s1600/IMG_2491.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_0HFdtPaRE4iWingEnWpA5HUNYOdhVc6qNS1tOtaLJVrjOBSXbBCBCVapPRZ2jVMHbhiRdp7Lg0MTppiFu1O4eVNcVdiEr6B5Oc8vshsUsS9S4yhnUKehdTq_2T5LpHRvea1x3a0lits/s320/IMG_2491.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Race bling!<br />
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</tbody></table>The 5K awards were held pretty soon after the 1 mile finished, so I got my second place race bling...$75 gift certificate to Second Empire Restaurant, which I will be using tonight, $35 gift card to TAF, and a nice engraved glass to add to my collection in my home office. Not too shabby! Once again a great race experience at Second Empire. By the way, Pauline placed 1st in AG, with a time of 22:46, way to go Pauline!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAwVOCFdi3z4b8MkwrtedqOGYcsdxomleu2yeVIrf6aWrh4dTAhrL710YbJZTa8EaSRREm7k16tpdlx4iSlSQ4s1in6ty0y8XAQbhyTfOakc6IsuRI35EF5sTm1sK6Zha03bf9iu3hxMc/s1600/IMG_2494.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAwVOCFdi3z4b8MkwrtedqOGYcsdxomleu2yeVIrf6aWrh4dTAhrL710YbJZTa8EaSRREm7k16tpdlx4iSlSQ4s1in6ty0y8XAQbhyTfOakc6IsuRI35EF5sTm1sK6Zha03bf9iu3hxMc/s320/IMG_2494.jpg" width="309" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Award ceremony<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF4AHh2QoJ7o7rBk63vQv5waHIQcAnYbUdJZxO2WAFjnXb-dmCxpWt1hXCNZi8AIqFK91D7_94cRbFpWl7mgb4NKRJgsTpvgvyg2gGXrD-rkfUL1SC6uvENi6na9lRJ8dPlsRa2z2GyEE/s1600/IMG_2499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF4AHh2QoJ7o7rBk63vQv5waHIQcAnYbUdJZxO2WAFjnXb-dmCxpWt1hXCNZi8AIqFK91D7_94cRbFpWl7mgb4NKRJgsTpvgvyg2gGXrD-rkfUL1SC6uvENi6na9lRJ8dPlsRa2z2GyEE/s320/IMG_2499.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going to Second Empire tonight...yummy!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRIT4NR5usne3UGaGr2DpdmSPZhRKesZjiFrXkRSCOU58OuEV5QxshTkF6YM2LXVfrTzTL-JIG724gXuELfkgFDG9m0iC7Wkn_-q5ZgSv2HLG7bjlfbYsRHtHIUH7k7f9YuOPKT7V94Sc/s1600/IMG_2500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRIT4NR5usne3UGaGr2DpdmSPZhRKesZjiFrXkRSCOU58OuEV5QxshTkF6YM2LXVfrTzTL-JIG724gXuELfkgFDG9m0iC7Wkn_-q5ZgSv2HLG7bjlfbYsRHtHIUH7k7f9YuOPKT7V94Sc/s320/IMG_2500.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My race bling<br />
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</tbody></table>Next race...well pondering the <a href="http://www.active.com/running/cary-nc/bunny-run-5k-2011">Bunny 5K</a> in Cary (new race from Lifetime Fitness) tomorrow AM but my calves are quite sore and going to Second Empire tonight, so we'll see. I am still considering the<a href="http://www.runforourheroes.org/"> Run for Our Heros 5K</a> on Apr 30, depends on what kid activities are going on that day, and the <a href="http://www.ncraces.com/events/12-oaks-5k/">12 Oaks 5K</a> on May 22 which benefits our local Kraft YMCA. That is the same day as the IOS half marathon, but not really feeling quite ready for that one so I'll likely do the 5K. I guess I'd better get back to training for the half soon though since I have the <a href="http://www.napa2sonoma.com/">Napa to Sonoma half</a> in July which will be here before I know it!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCJzi3H_xq6BF-Dywr1YhcYMmzXrjf2uKdqK8YMo_Ggu3j8HOv-iJ3jH_bKpMq9zwR6NlVtKqXGu45vOJYfwTg3dpwZFZp5Qnbvxed8LwPrPSv9c685MOQ5SAfUpwzbpmCqN58P2NLuBA/s1600/IMG_2495.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCJzi3H_xq6BF-Dywr1YhcYMmzXrjf2uKdqK8YMo_Ggu3j8HOv-iJ3jH_bKpMq9zwR6NlVtKqXGu45vOJYfwTg3dpwZFZp5Qnbvxed8LwPrPSv9c685MOQ5SAfUpwzbpmCqN58P2NLuBA/s320/IMG_2495.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking too cute while picking at Second Empire...sorry guys!</td></tr>
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</div>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00773977213886959997noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1274836108534651432.post-15741446774796799242011-03-22T07:46:00.062-04:002011-03-26T10:13:18.538-04:00Quintiles Wrightsville Beach Half Marathon, March 20, 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqLsA2wNnL0zsokoQnv8mEUeoVvk-ythNy7kR2eTtBAvlB5a9rGI16HLrSFs8feN2UjbFaY-7NHAvHW8a3TmfyV7PBCrFhyphenhyphen28IDlLiW9zxEzlvXmO7741ZNoejK_8RoF38z1d6kC1YD2s/s1600/Q+WB+Half+2011.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587084696450288866" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqLsA2wNnL0zsokoQnv8mEUeoVvk-ythNy7kR2eTtBAvlB5a9rGI16HLrSFs8feN2UjbFaY-7NHAvHW8a3TmfyV7PBCrFhyphenhyphen28IDlLiW9zxEzlvXmO7741ZNoejK_8RoF38z1d6kC1YD2s/s400/Q+WB+Half+2011.jpg" style="cursor: move; display: block; height: 400px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 397px;" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Course and elevation from my Garmin</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzB6kNWSx0vrCiys1RoCiV3p7Hsh54FoNUH4_FkOMOJOHtZgr_UiYaGIdRqCW5Epbl42B_rr5ZHPuhu6VNMsOBhyphenhyphenHAxAtrwwOSO9XCb1wZmFjPNtaw0FflCFcveOvLF1y_Z5h8AiTGnro/s1600/0001LS.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzB6kNWSx0vrCiys1RoCiV3p7Hsh54FoNUH4_FkOMOJOHtZgr_UiYaGIdRqCW5Epbl42B_rr5ZHPuhu6VNMsOBhyphenhyphenHAxAtrwwOSO9XCb1wZmFjPNtaw0FflCFcveOvLF1y_Z5h8AiTGnro/s320/0001LS.jpeg" width="207" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Are we done yet?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaRe0nXg3Pm0PjToix_-uYlURh1VBiIZ49BURQ4CuHan6yGcFbNXifPjITo04qiFrl8yNDKWXs3APBexKIxK_yiY-atQSX6RfgkOOOh0auuTxnes-ClCPA7pfcR2O04dur9DAvdHpvoP4/s1600/0001vI.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaRe0nXg3Pm0PjToix_-uYlURh1VBiIZ49BURQ4CuHan6yGcFbNXifPjITo04qiFrl8yNDKWXs3APBexKIxK_yiY-atQSX6RfgkOOOh0auuTxnes-ClCPA7pfcR2O04dur9DAvdHpvoP4/s320/0001vI.jpeg" width="210" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">How about now?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQDccUJ3v3BeG9LMPUA5tFbzMhXZR7GXUOOO5fvUgowwiEWPtVKt9MloMfdQ2MmkOG418eIkeJCLs65hfnTGp8UxDWw02TrVLsUpAW62fdN2lKewSUlMZibMdbBVkOf3eZA84LNTM3ZJI/s1600/0001QS.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQDccUJ3v3BeG9LMPUA5tFbzMhXZR7GXUOOO5fvUgowwiEWPtVKt9MloMfdQ2MmkOG418eIkeJCLs65hfnTGp8UxDWw02TrVLsUpAW62fdN2lKewSUlMZibMdbBVkOf3eZA84LNTM3ZJI/s320/0001QS.jpeg" width="217" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Finish line</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrVQUhnq3uD7NBS8GeuW-Wddy5enbAGmLYg4s-ZADybUgYz0_RIruLjO3jvoRwA0DojRyHD6lOZxsliNwrI63Cv2HMfvPQrtnuazRfGdwnQUjA3R9PM4SzifemMuXg8gW7VOKXVBMOlE/s1600/20110321_16_14_08_889_6C2C0EA6.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><br />
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrVQUhnq3uD7NBS8GeuW-Wddy5enbAGmLYg4s-ZADybUgYz0_RIruLjO3jvoRwA0DojRyHD6lOZxsliNwrI63Cv2HMfvPQrtnuazRfGdwnQUjA3R9PM4SzifemMuXg8gW7VOKXVBMOlE/s1600/20110321_16_14_08_889_6C2C0EA6.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587084492656772066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrVQUhnq3uD7NBS8GeuW-Wddy5enbAGmLYg4s-ZADybUgYz0_RIruLjO3jvoRwA0DojRyHD6lOZxsliNwrI63Cv2HMfvPQrtnuazRfGdwnQUjA3R9PM4SzifemMuXg8gW7VOKXVBMOlE/s400/20110321_16_14_08_889_6C2C0EA6.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 285px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Owen on the USS North Carolina in Wilmington<br />
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</div><div>I am sitting on the balcony on our last day here in Wrightsville Beach writing this, trying to ignore the fact that in a few hours we need to pack up to head home. I love home of course, but just not looking forward to work again tomorrow. So lets just ignore that for now and focus on the hazelnut coffee, sunrise, and blog. :-) </div><div><br />
</div><div>Speaking of coffee, by the way, I think from here forward I will never travel somewhere by car for a vacation and not bring my own coffee, coffee maker and milk. It's made this trip much nicer! But back to the race report. I was traveling a bit for work right up until this race so I didn't have much time to pack or plan except whatever planning I did months ago when I registered for the race and reserved a room. So the day I was leaving was when I was trying to finish up some important work stuff while packing and figuring out how to get to the hotel. I managed to get all that done by 1:30 or so, an hour later than I had hoped to pick Grace up at daycare, but we were still able to get on the road early enough. Grace was very excited to go on the trip with mommy. Owen and Keith would meet us Saturday after Owen's soccer game. So it was girls day/night at the beach on Friday. Yay! </div><div><br />
</div><div>After a quick stop at McDonald's (yup, lunch of champions!) we headed down. Traffic was really no problem and Grace entertained herself by drawing pictures on my ipad. She is quite the little artist. It's really amazing how much detail she can remember of a particular Disney or Nick Jr show character and then get that all into her drawings. I was focused on trying to figure out my cruise control which I had never used until now, almost 9 months after getting this car, and listening to tunes on the iphone. Grace sang along with the only ones she knows, which happen to be the ones that Owen encouraged me to download (Justin Bieber of course and then a few from track out). Except for one wrong turn near the end of the trip, we got there without any issues by 4:30pm. </div><div><br />
</div><div>We checked in and headed right for the expo so we could get that out of the way. Let me just say that after going to expos at the Marine Corp, NYC and Boston Marathons, it was quite different. I had actually been to one other expo besides these 3, for the Myrtle Beach half marathon, even though the race itself ended up being cancelled for snow in 2010. I had thought that was a small one, but this one was I'd say 1/10th the size of MB. Still it was a nice, but I didn't really need any running stuff so Grace just grabbed any free candy from whichever tables she could, using her cuteness factor. I got my bib number, chip and t-shirt (a nice bright red short sleeve one...first note to all race directors of which none are probably reading this...if you are doing a short sleeve cotton shirt, just don't bother and do something else, anything else, instead). After that we took a quick peek at the beach and pool at the Shell Island Resort and then headed back to our hotel, the <a href="http://www.wrightsville.sunspreeresorts.com/">Holiday Inn</a>. Originally I had booked a room at Shell Island because it was cheap and it was the host hotel. But then I asked for advice on the place and afte considering it further, I decided to go with the Holiday Inn since I'd been here before. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Grace of course wanted to go to the indoor pool first, so we did that and then we showered and headed out for dinner. We asked the front desk staff where to go and they recommended <a href="http://www.thebridgetender.com/old/index.html">Bridge Tender</a>, which is just across the drawbridge on the mainland, but has a nice view of the intracoastal waterway (ICW). So off we went since on island choices are limited and we had already been to Oceanic, which is nice and scenic but the food was just ok. Bridge Tender was just the perfect spot. Good food and wine for me, great kids menu for Grace. She was so excited about the popcorn shrimp that when the waiter brought over her milk she said "Hey, where's my shrimp!" Not so polite but it was pretty funny! They also had a fish tank filled with fish just like Nemo, Marlin and Dori, so Grace was quite happy. It was a late dinner so once we got back to the room we watched some tv and went to bed. </div><div><br />
</div><div>On Saturday we spent time relaxing a bit in the room and then collecting shells on the beach. Grace swore she did not want to go down to the beach, she was busy playing and coloring. But once she was there she had a great time, running into the cold water and collecting broken shells. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder for sure because she was not interested in the whole ones, only the big broken ones. We decided after the beach to do a bit of shopping, after having lunch on the patio at the hotel. We got some shark tooth necklaces and a few other things and then headed back so we could be around when Keith and Owen arrived. Once they got there, we all went to the indoor pool of course because that's all kids ever want to do is go to the pool! </div><div><br />
</div><div>We weren't too creative for dinner and headed over to Bridge Tender again. It was the night before the race and so pasta is usually in order, but I ended up getting the grouper and crab meat special and just hoped that there would be no tummy issues. I also couldn't pass up the decent by the glass wine selection so had some of that too. For me, at least, I don't think that has had any negative impact for races, as long as it's limited. We came back to the room and I got everything laid out for the race, which was to start VERY early at 6:38 (yep, 6:38, not 6:30) AM. There was an attempt to watch Tron on the pay per view, but we were all falling asleep so we turned it off and got to bed pretty early. I always wake up in the middle of the night, so that night was no exception. When I did wake up, I was surprisingly able to get back to sleep pretty easily which is sometimes difficult for me, particularly before a race. All was going well until about 3am when I had a dream that seemed quite real. I looked at the clock and it said 7:12 AM. I freaked out (in the dream) and still tried to make it to the race with of course everything going wrong and no one else seeming to listen or care that I was trying to get there. Your typical bad dream scenario. I woke up and was so thankful that it was a dream but then did have a bit of trouble sleeping after that, fearing that my iphone alarm would fail me. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Of course I got up on time, and fumbled my way through getting coffee (my new ritual, usually I skip it pre run and race but I tried it prior to my last race and it seemed to help), breakfast and getting dressed. This included re-pinning my bib several times as well as getting my laces though my timing chip just right. It was a flimsy disposable one, so the plus is you don't have to return it but the minus, it looked more likely to break off. I have never lost a chip or had one not work but if I did I think I'd be pretty upset so I ensured this one was on as tight as possible. Then I headed down to meet John and Laura so we could jog over to the start. </div><div><br />
</div><div>I usually don't do the warm-up runs that most really good runners do, possibly because I am not in that category, but also because I am either lazy or really just focused on conserving my energy. But since I wasn't sure what parking would be like, or traffic, and since it was less than 2 miles (turned out to be probably closer to 1 mile or so) I decided to run over with them. Plus I guessed they had looked at the course and actually knew where the start was, which I did not. So it was a chilly but good run over. Traffic was non existent so we could have driven over but really running was the way to go. I was now warmed up and of course immediately got in the porta a potty line and then got in line again, which is really the trick for me...just keep getting on line because you have to wait around anyway and by the time you have to go again, it's too late and the line is too long. So after two times there, I dropped my bag with some warm (but not warm enough I later discovered) clothes and headed to the start. </div><div><br />
</div><div>I dropped my stuff off just as the Star Spangled Banner was playing, at 6:30 on the dot. This race was punctual! I actually had to ask which direction was the start because people were everywhere and I didn't see any big blow up arch that is typical in races. Turns out it was around a corner and pretty far from where I was. I used to feel it was pushy to move up front if I wasn't already up there early enough. Now, I don't feel that way. I politely excuse myself up to the starting line. I usually don't get right on the line but one row behind. I figure that the winners are usually up there and one second won't kill me but more than that might. I am sure some runners see me pushing past and are like, uh, where does she think she's going? She doesn't look so speedy. But hey, I figure if I have a shot at placing in masters overall or age group, I should be up there because they often use gun time for awards. So I got right up there and John, Laura and their friend Brian were already up there. It also pays to be up front because then your blurry face can be seen for 1 second on the local news clip on their website! My one second of fame. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Good thing I weaved my way up to the front quickly because unlike some other local races I've been to that haven't started on time, this one actually started early. My watch said 6:35 on the dot when the horn went off. It was still dark and a bit cold, but really perfect for the race. As we started to run, I tried to prevent myself from going all out, which is hard when you are up in front. I had to try hard to slow down and just let go of the thoughts I had while people passed me. Of course many of these were people who are fast but were laid back and didn't care if they moved up to the start. I am not sure who these people are, as I don't believe I know any of them! And others of these were people who go out crazy fast the first mile and then burn out by mile 3 or 4. Often guys with gym shorts, ipods and tennis shoes. So I focused on my average mile pace, knowing I needed to keep it below 7:15 but should really be above 7 or 7:05 in order to not run out of steam. I was determined to run this race at a more even pace. It was flat enough so it should be possible. As I ran the first mile and tried to settle into a good pace, the sun wasn't even up. Even through the second mile, it was still dark. It felt really good to be out so early before most people were even out of bed. It was also perfect weather. A bit brisk but not uncomfortable. As we headed down Lumina Ave into Wrightsville Beach, there were a few people out cheering us, and a woman with a little baby who was clearly up anyway, was out there ringing a cow bell and shouting, whooo, go runners, let's wake up the neighborhood! I thought that was pretty funny. It was really a great start to the race. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Not having looked at the course that closely since I knew I'd likely have people to follow, I wasn't quite always sure where we were, but I think that the first few miles were on Harbor Island and on Wrightsville Beach proper. Then we ran back over the bridge onto Harbor Island again and then over the drawbridge where I noticed a pretty strong cross wind. Still it felt good to be out there. We headed now onto the mainland making our way towards the Landfall neighborhood where the latter part of the race is run. I felt good for the first 3 miles, and as I have noticed in other races between 10 and 13 miles long, mile 4 was where I started to feel the first signs of being mentally tired, struggling to maintain the pace. In particular in this and a few other races, where the front of the pack (ie: the first 100 or so runners in this case) were by now a bit spread out. So if you were in that group, you were starting to now run single file. From my experience, it's much harder to judge pace once you reach that point. So as opposed to the first few miles where I had to try to slow down to be above 7 minute miles, at mile 4 I had to speed up to keep under 7:15. </div><div><br />
</div><div>I am at a disadvantage as I write this post now because I sent my dirty running clothes, along with my Garmin, back home with Keith who left on Sunday afternoon. So I'll have to go back and update this once I have my Garmin in hand. Beyond mile 5 I felt better, as I usually do. I believe that around the 6 mile mark or so is when the race enters the Landfall neighborhood. It was a nice change from the open road. The sun was now up and it was a beautiful day. So far the only negative was the Heed at the water stops (yuck! and orange flavor, even worse) but I was aware of that so I was prepared for it. At least they had paper cups...for anyone involved in the beverage container selection for races who may be reading this (I am guessing no one, but putting it out there), there is nothing worse than providing plastic cups at a water stop! They crack and then you either spill the water or gatorade (or worse yet, Heed) on yourself or on the ground, or you try to drink without squeezing them and then get it up your nose. Not a pretty sight. Of course, one 5K race I ran a few years ago had the ultimate worst, plastic DIXIE cups. Essentially a thimble full of water, not at all useful. But back to this race...</div><div><br />
</div><div>The rest of the course essentially goes through the Landfall neighborhood and then brings you back out along the main roads in the area again. I recall going through Landfall around mile 8 and being passed by a few men, but was listening to the breathing to see if any women were approaching. I was thankful that one guy just sounded like a girl when he breathed. I sensed there was probably a woman back there gaining on me but really what could I do but just maintain my pace since that was a challenge at this point. I dropped to a 7:30 pace around that point so quickly sped up to bring it back to under 7:15. I did see a woman in front of me and thought I could probably pass her just by keeping my pace between 7:05 and 7:15. Around mile 9, a woman did pass me but she was going much faster so I knew it would be a bad move to try to catch her. I did, shortly after that, pass the other woman. So all in all I maintained my place in the race as far as females go through the entire race. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Mile 10 is around when you exit the Landfall neighborhood I believe and turn back out onto the main roads. I felt tired but pretty good. Mile 11 is usually where I have difficulty. Since I wasn't really hurting anywhere and didn't feel bad, I figured this would be mostly mental fatigue during this race at mile 11. Well that plus the wind, which I know everyone mentioned but honestly I didn't feel it as much as the feeling of just wanting to maintain pace and get this over with. I tried instead to focus on the run and the fact that it was really a nice day to be out there and I may not get to run again for a few days. That helped a little. And the cheering from the crowds back out on the main roads was also a good distraction. At that point though I was just looking for the turn off to the finish line. I got through mile 11 and kept my pace and then just tried to focus on the last 1.1. It was a struggle to keep below 7:15, and I creeped up to 7:20's and then back down to 7:17 or so. Once we got to the traffic light which I thought we were making a right at, back into the Landfall neighborhood, I realized that the half marathoners were actually going left instead, into a shopping center. </div><div><br />
</div><div>At this point there was about 0.6 to go, so I just tried to "keep the wheels" on, even though I was really feeling done by now. The rest of the course twists and turns around so that you really don't see the finish until you are nearly there, which again for me is usually a good thing. Once I saw the 13 mile marker and managed to keep that last mile below my 7:15 goal. Then I came upon the final corner and I sprinted to the finish. For the first time, I was able to see my total time on the big clock. I had my Garmin on average mile pace so the overall time isn't on that screen. It was 1:34 and change, which meant I'd get my PR and my goal of sub 1:35. I kind of knew that I'd make it by about mile 10 or 11, barring any injuries, because all miles were sub 7:15 which was what I needed to achieve sub 1:35. But still it was good to see on the big clock. I crossed the finish feeling quite nauseous from the sprint, but didn't actually toss any cookies (or whatever I ate for breakfast) thankfully. My final time was 1:34:22 chip time, 1:34:25 gun time. </div><div><br />
</div><div>I had seen John around mile 12 so he came in right after me (due to an injury) and then we saw Laura and Brian who had been finished for a while now. It was actually pretty chilly so I got my bag of dry clothes (or semi dry since I had worn the shirt on the jog over to the start) and changed, got some pretzels and cookies, and a beer! Then there was the long windy chilly wait for the results to be posted, followed by the award ceremony wait. Not that I am complaining, as awards are great, but the wait is sometimes hard when you are cold and tired. There were plenty of great stores in the shopping center, and I had been smart enough to bring cash and a credit card in a small plastic baggy in my running shorts pocket (having to walk back from the Boston marathon finish 2 miles to the hotel due to no cab fare helped me to remember that), however ALL were closed as it was early on a Sunday. So I finally broke down and got a fashionable heat sheet and wrapped myself in that as I waited. I had seen on the results that I was the 3rd masters (geez I hate that word for some reason) female overall. I was also 12th overall female out of 1016 women and 71 overall of 1574. When it was time for the awards, I got a Quintiles beer glass with a check was in it. In error they gave me the first place one, which was $100. Darn, I had to give it back and get my $50 check. But still, I'll take it. It was a great race course, well organized, and a great morning to run it. Even the wind wasn't too terrible. Get me some gatorade next time instead of Heed (and make the water and gatorade cups different to be really top notch) and I'll be very happy to do it again next year. :-)</div><div><br />
</div><div>As we waited for the race results and awards, we spent the time looking at the real-time results from Tobacco Road since many friends were running that on the same day, just 30 to 45 minutes behind our start. It was a great day for some, and not as great for others. As runners, we can all relate to that, some days are PR days but many are not. I was proud to know so many runners out there who were giving it their all. Congrats to all who met their goals, whatever they were. To friends who didn't achieve what they had hoped for this time around, we all know how hard you worked and are so proud of you and know that at a race sometime soon, it will be your day! And we'll be cheering you on, either from the race course, running along in the race with you, or from an iPhone somewhere else. :-) </div><div><br />
</div><div>After the awards, we thankfully were able to get a ride on the trolley bus back not just to the starting line but to our hotel itself, which we weren't expecting. After showering, I went with Owen to walk on the beach, which by now was very windy and cold, and then to grab some lunch. Keith and Grace left around lunch time so they could get back for Keith to work Monday. I decided to keep Owen here with me for a few days since he is tracked out so that he could have some mommy and Owen time, like Grace had with me on Friday. We met up with John, Laura and Sophie, Laura's daughter, for lunch. Then we did the required pool and hot tub since Owen hadn't had much time on Saturday to enjoy that. We had a good dinner at Bluewater, but I decided I liked Bridge Tender better, just nice ambiance.</div><div><br />
</div><div>On Monday we spent the entire day in Wilmington, doing everything from a horse drawn carriage ride, to lunch on our own private balcony overlooking the Cape Fear River, to touring the <a href="http://www.battleshipnc.com/">USS North Carolina battleship</a>, where Owen exclaimed "this is the best day of my life!". Unfortunately there were no boat tours running this early in the season on a weekday, but we had lots of fun anyway. We then went on the beach for a bit and had a late dinner, again at Bridge Tender after trying to go to two other places that ended up being closed. </div><div><br />
</div><div>So now we are getting packed up and heading down to our last trip to the pool and hot tub before hitting the road. The trip was awesome and the race was lots of fun. Thanks to John, Laura and Brian for including me in the trip over to the start and back to the hotel. It was nice to have some company there. And thanks to Keith for bringing the kids back and forth to the beach so they could have a mini vacation.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: auto;"><br />
</div>Next race...not sure yet. I am registered for the <a href="http://www.second-empire.com/race/">Second Empire 5K</a> in mid April, but may do a race before that if I feel up to it. I still have my sights on a sub 20 5K this year, which will be a challenge. I think that will take a bit more training, so don't expect I'll hit it in April, but the Second Empire 5K will be a good test run to try to even out my 5K pace in preparation for chasing that sub 20!<br />
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P.S. - I added some of the "lovely" race photos to this post. And keep in mind these were the <b>best</b> looking ones, so you definitely don't want to see the bad ones! Yikes.</div></div></div>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00773977213886959997noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1274836108534651432.post-41171926370045085012011-03-21T09:16:00.023-04:002011-03-26T21:25:08.416-04:00Run for the Oaks 5K, March 12, 2011<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFng5b54rq0CgVEebecjGT8ZB4npcRoi_oiRXF0oeRebSpHNZGaR4lavwnTTVX6XcmSUF4TrmBS2n7xHXZ9JxtpUxWOtW83-530HySw-Jz1OGnCt9fDSbUq2eHi8YHX1qmoLzfypnNc-4/s1600/00011a.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586537032411344834" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFng5b54rq0CgVEebecjGT8ZB4npcRoi_oiRXF0oeRebSpHNZGaR4lavwnTTVX6XcmSUF4TrmBS2n7xHXZ9JxtpUxWOtW83-530HySw-Jz1OGnCt9fDSbUq2eHi8YHX1qmoLzfypnNc-4/s400/00011a.jpeg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 393px;" /></a><br />
<div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><u><br />
</u></span></div><div>Once again I am behind in my blogging, which is kinda sad since I only blog about races and have only run two this year. Work has been quite busy with a bit of travel so that is my excuse right now. I am sitting in the room at the Holiday Inn Sunspree in Wrightsville Beach, NC so before Owen and I start our day at the beach, I though I'd get started on my post on both the Run for the Oaks 5K (this post) and the Quintiles Wrightsville Beach half marathon (next post). In case anyone is following along with my 2011 race schedule (probably just me), I did end up skipping the St. Patty's Run Green on Mar 5th. Too many things going on that day (soccer, birthday party, dinner with friends, etc) and I also had flashbacks to the hot hilly 2009 race, so decided to skip it. </div><div><br />
</div><div>I ran the Run for the Oaks 5K in 2009. It was only my 3rd race since being in NC and the first one where I really sort of trained for it (I started running with the Raleigh Trail Runners in February 2009). It was freezing rain or really just barely above freezing because it was technically rain. So this year was beautiful in comparison. A bit chilly but perfect weather really. I got to the race early enough and got a great parking spot right on the corner of Blount and Hargett, across from Marbles Museum. John W. was just coming back to his car when I got there so we went over to pick up my race packet and of course find a port a potty (my ritual). We saw Sarah and Barry there too and a few other familiar faces from the local running scene. As I was not going to do a long warm up, I brought back my stuff to the car and then got ready for the race by taking off any unnecessary clothing. I ended up just with shorts, tshirt and my arm warmer thingys and gloves. I was so excited (sad I know) to finally wear them in a race. They are pretty awesome.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I found Sarah and Barry again and after another trip or two to the porta potty, Sarah and I did a really quick warm up and then ran to the starting line. I always make sure to get up front these days because I know awards are based on gun time and I need all the help I can get! I was hoping for a PR today but didn't feel I really deserved it because I hadn't really done the training I had planned to do. It had been a cold winter so I did speed work only once outdoors and a few times on the treadmill. But not really any in recent weeks. My planned Thursday tempo runs (target of 7:20 or less) had also turned into fun Thursday Cary/Apex area runs at about 8 to 8:30 pace, which I enjoyed but then really had no idea if I could keep up the tempo run pace since I hadn't done any recently. But you gotta have some fun right?! Beyond a PR, which was 20:49 (Run for Healthier Babies 2009), I also was hoping for a sub 20 5K at some point in 2011 but that would be a miracle if it happened today. </div><div><br />
</div><div>So at the starting line I tried to focus on thinking positive, mind over matter, which I truly believe in because I have willed myself through many races to achieve several goals. Now I am not saying that you can just pick a time and achieve it with no training, but I do believe the mental part is what prevents many runners from achieving their goals. I went to the start of my first half marathon in a long time thinking I was aiming for 1:40, but I ran it in 1:36 which made me realize that the only thing holding me back was the thought that I couldn't run that fast. I don't think that positive thinking will get me to a sub 19 min 5K, but for sure it got me under a 22 min and then a 21 min 5K, so maybe a sub 20 is in the cards someday. </div><div><br />
</div><div>The one thing I am really bad at is even pacing. I usually go out fast hoping to bank some time and then get slower as the race goes on. My review of all my recent 5K times showed that very clearly. Sometimes mile 2 was slowest but usually that is because it was a hilly course at mile 2. Most of the time mile 3 was slowest. So with that in mind I was trying to not do that this time. But it's hard to not want to jump out there to get a head start. So while I ended up kinda doing that again this time, I didn't go crazy and held back a little bit. My first mile felt pretty good, I had to consciously try to slow down because it's easy to run down Person Street at full speed seeing everyone else doing the same thing. Still I ended up doing the first mile in 6:23 which I knew was too fast. </div><div><br />
</div><div>In the second mile, to my defense, there is a bit of an uphill climb. But I slowed down on that one quite a bit, with a 6:41 pace. I was starting to get a cramp or pull in my right hamstring, which is one area that typically doesn't bother me. Knees, calves, inner ankle and quads in long races, but usually not hamstrings. So this slowed me down quite a bit. Still I was determine to keep the pace as best I could. At that time I had my Garmin set, as I usually do, on the average pace for the current mile. So I just kept trying to keep that as far below 7 as possible. I have run quite a few 5Ks where the last mile gets above 7 minute pace, so I was determined to prevent that this time, hamstring pain or not. </div><div><br />
</div><div>During the end of mile two or early in mile 3 I saw a kid, Winston, who I used to see in most of my races in 2009, but hadn't really seen for a while since I didn't do many 5Ks in 2010. He was 12 the last time I saw him, so now he is 14 and much taller and with bit of a deeper voice. Wow I was feeling old when I chatted w. him before the race! Anyway I passed him which I sometimes do, and he sometimes passes me, which I am sure will be more the norm from here forward! He is one of those runners who doesn't always seem to know how fast he is. Mind over matter...perfect example. Well that day I guess he thought "ok, no way am I going to let some 40 yr old woman beat me!", so he passed me again shortly thereafter. I wasn't bothered by that as I was running for time and I was proud of him for taking back his rightful place. I have seen him give up a bit (my perception at least) in some races that he clearly had the speed and stamina for. As for me, I was just trying to run through my hamstring pain to the finish. </div><div><br />
</div><div>The last part of the course gets a bit twisty turny going up and down several streets. I actually like this because running a mile straight back down a long wide Raleigh street is torture for me. I'd rather run around the little streets and then "oh surprise there is the finish" so close that it's not as painful. So this is why I like this course. I am told there is a part where you can see the finish line (big blow up arch in the road) on one of the turns far before you reach it. I guess if I saw that, it would be torture, but I was so oblivious I didn't see it so that was nice for me. </div><div><br />
</div><div>By the time I saw the finish, it was fairly close so I did my best sprint to get this over with. The last mile ended up being 6:50 pace. And the last 0.1 or so was a 5:47 pace because I saw the clock was under 20:49, my "old" PR. My now "new" PR, if you count chip time, which I do, is 20:34, 20:37 gun time. So not quite close enough to the sub 20 I was miraculously hoping for, but enough to earn me a new PR, a first place age group finish, fifth female overall, and 45th of 393 total runners. This race doesn't have an overall masters category, bummer. I would have been first in that category as well. I guess last time I ran it I wasn't 40 so didn't pay attention to that. I ended up with a gift card to TAF, I think it was $20 or something. Last year I got some Run for the Oaks water glasses, which I hardly use, but I have to say I prefer that over the gift cards. Still it was a great day for the race and despite the hamstring issue and feeling undertrained, I PR'd. Go figure. I guess that gives me hope for the sub 20 later in the year since if the hamstring didn't hurt and I went out slower in mile 1, I would probably have done better. And who knows, if I actually followed the planned track workouts and did some tempo runs, that would probably also help! </div><div><br />
</div><div>Beyond the race itself, it was nice to get back out to a local 5K and see so many running friends. Pauline (4th age group) was there and looking hot with her new sleek hairdo, barely looked like she sweated with perfect hair after running a super fast race. John W. ran a sub 20 in his first 5K in like 20 years, wow! And Sarah (3rd age group) and Barry ran together, shaving 5 minutes off of Barry's prior PR. If he keeps that up he'll be passing all of us! I saw lots of other runners I know from the Boston Marathon plane ride, from a few runs at ATT and Umstead, etc. And after the race a few of us grabbed a quick coffee and breakfast (mmmm, chocolate chip scones!) at Morning Times cafe. All in all a great way to start the spring race season! Next race (which I have already completed at the time of this post), Quintiles Wrightsville Beach Half Marathon! </div></div>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00773977213886959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1274836108534651432.post-85472241026918064582011-01-12T19:35:00.014-05:002011-03-27T12:42:35.060-04:002011 Race CalendarSo I am totally stealing my friend John's idea and posting my 2011 race calendar. By the way check out John's new blog if you haven't already at (hope the link will work).<br />
<div><br />
</div><div><a href="http://doubletimeitmarine.blogspot.com/">http://doubletimeitmarine.blogspot.com/</a></div><div><br />
</div><div>My race calendar is as follows for 2011. Hope I survive!</div><div><br />
</div><div>Mar 5 - St. Patty's Run Green 8K (I haven't registered yet but the fact that they move it to a Saturday, change the course a bit from the first year from what I've heard and added 2 water stops makes me want to run it again). See my list of "worst races ever" and you'll see that the 2009 race was on there. - <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;">UPDATE, decided not to do this one, too much crammed into one weekend!</span></div><div><br />
</div><div>Mar 12 - <a href="http://results.active.com/pages/page.jsp?eventID=1928563">Run for the Oaks</a> (I ran this in the freezing rain in 2009 so hoping the weather will be better.) <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;">- DONE, great race, PR!</span></div><div><br />
</div><div>Mar 20 - <a href="http://www.wrightsvillebeachmarathon.com/">Quintiles Wrightsville Beach Half Marathon</a> (I work at Q now, but also wanted to visit Wrightsville Beach again and run a flat race. Same day as Tobacco Road so I am sure most of my friends will be at that one.) -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;"> DONE, beautiful day and great course, PR!</span></div><div><br />
</div><div>Apr 2 - Jogging for your Noggin (Tentative, still thinking about this one.) <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;">- UPDATE, bailing on this one, again another busy weekend and I'd like to go watch the Umstead 100 instead.</span></div><div><br />
</div><div>Apr 10 - <a href="http://www.ncraces.com/events/raleigh-rocks-half-marathon-and-5k/">Raleigh Rocks Half Marathon</a> (I heard they changed the course and it's now starting at RBC so I may try this one. Never ran the prior course but heard it was a challenge.) <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;">- UPDATE, likely won't do this one but still on the fence. Since I PR'd in Wrightsville Beach, I though I'd take a break and focus on the 5K for a bit. We'll see.</span></div><div><br />
</div><div>Apr 17 - <a href="http://www.second-empire.com/race/">Second Empire 5K</a> (My first race ever in NC was this race in 2008.)</div><div><br />
</div><div>May 22 - <a href="http://www.ncroadrunners.org/IOClassic/">Inside-Out Sports Half Marathon</a> (Likely won't be a PR but I'll treat it as a long run).</div><div><br />
</div><div>Jul - Great Raleigh Road Race (I haven't seen it posted yet but hoping they'll still have it this year. I really loved this course in 2009.)<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;">Jul 17 - <a href="http://www.napa2sonoma.com/">Napa to Sonoma Half Marathon</a> (Yay, I got in through the lottery. Still working on logistics to see if I can go.)</span></div><div><br />
</div><div>Aug - <a href="http://www.ncraces.com/events/friesen-run-with-the-canes-5k/">Friesen Run with the Canes 5K</a> (Tentative, but sounds fun.)</div><div><br />
</div><div>Sep - <a href="http://www.runnc.com/Race_Schedule.htm#MagMile">Magnificent Mile </a>(Always wanted to run this one, hope I'll be ready!)</div><div><br />
</div><div>Oct <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;">15 </span>- <a href="http://www.runnc.com/Race_Schedule.htm#babies">Run for Healthier Babies</a> (My current 5K PR, ran it in 2009.)</div><div><br />
</div><div>Nov - Either <a href="http://www.cityofoaksmarathon.com/">City of Oaks Half</a> or <a href="http://www.obxmarathon.org/Top_Nav/Outer_Banks_Marathon.htm">OBX Half</a> (Tentative)</div><div><br />
</div><div>Nov 24 - Either the <a href="http://www.insideoutsports.com/extra/Turkey_Trot_8k.htm">Inside Out Sport Turkey Trot</a> or the <a href="http://www.mbturkeytrotrun.com/">Grand Strand Turkey Trot,</a> depending on whether we are home in Cary or away in Myrtle Beach.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Dec - <a href="http://jinglebellrunraleigh.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=343103">Jingle Bell Run</a> (I have run this twice and it's lots of fun.)</div><div><br />
</div><div>Dec 10 - <a href="http://www.kiawahresort.com/recreation/marathon/">Kiawah Island Half Marathon</a> (Sounds like a good winter mini vacation spot.)</div><div><br />
</div><div>I missed the boat this year on the two other races I'd like to run since they both close very quickly each year. I'll likely shoot for those in 2012. These are the <a href="http://www.cbhm.com/">Covered Bridges Half Marathon</a> in Vermont in June and the Napa to Sonoma Half Marathon in July. I am, however, entered in the lottery for the Napa to Sonoma one, so I'll hear in March if I got in or not. That would be way cool! <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;">UPDATE - Got into Napa to Sonoma! Maybe I can to the Covered Bridges next year.</span></div><div><br />
</div>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00773977213886959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1274836108534651432.post-4433054824593989032010-11-28T18:46:00.005-05:002010-11-28T18:56:09.809-05:00Grand Strand Turkey Trot, November 25, 2010<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDPIpRy0nI4kvoLw4DM8Jzghy5bTpHV-nrVpMJ0tgRG8kcMjWZfrovYzqLXprE1W9fmlYtC5A9rbL5AWJsQGT8YvH1uM-AKWn5wZagJAlii1EoNiCtKlExG922JhRHIrE7hALeEiWpcI/s1600/turkey+trot+1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDPIpRy0nI4kvoLw4DM8Jzghy5bTpHV-nrVpMJ0tgRG8kcMjWZfrovYzqLXprE1W9fmlYtC5A9rbL5AWJsQGT8YvH1uM-AKWn5wZagJAlii1EoNiCtKlExG922JhRHIrE7hALeEiWpcI/s400/turkey+trot+1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544753226371165106" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUBvdZL9HcLCSuBfRwup7SDM5nj7rldWNW51RehnQfo9Fun5n8Sv71h3VokTfJ8Po5wLf_1A9c_OCPzTl_O7gSOLc_bz6FQcN0QHvcKpzlg_vcQUTLNN_xp7zqF1mejQTFg9aH8vdK2a4/s1600/turkey+trot+2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUBvdZL9HcLCSuBfRwup7SDM5nj7rldWNW51RehnQfo9Fun5n8Sv71h3VokTfJ8Po5wLf_1A9c_OCPzTl_O7gSOLc_bz6FQcN0QHvcKpzlg_vcQUTLNN_xp7zqF1mejQTFg9aH8vdK2a4/s400/turkey+trot+2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544753222498583682" /></a><div><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">I was looking forward to my annual Thanksgiving Day run in Surfside Beach, SC.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We go there every Thanksgiving to visit Keith’s parents and every year I consider running the local Turkey Trot but never have since it’s usually cold or raining or no one else wants to go watch or some other excuse.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But I always do go for a run either near the beach or around the local neighborhood.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So when I was about 1 hour into the 3.5 hour trip and had a sudden realization that I packed everything BUT my running shoes, the quest for a local running shop began.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I could have just opted to run barefoot on the beach but was thinking it may be too cold for that and my calves would be really sore after that.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Plus I can always use running shoes, as Keith pointed out.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So I had the green light to buy some.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>However the local roads we take have almost no signal so it took forever to search on the iphone for a local running store, only really to discover there wasn’t one or at least one I could find.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So we found the mall with the nearest Footlocker and hoped for the best.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The biggest store in the Myrtle Beach mall was the Bass Pro Shop, it was huge!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So if I wanted hunting or fishing gear I’d be all set, but running shoes were a different story.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Not to be a shoe snob but most runners will probably agree that you have your favorite brands and running shops and really prefer those so it’s hard to then go to Foot Locker instead.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But it was that or no shoes, so I tried to keep an open mind.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Well good thing that there was also a Finish Line in that same mall because Footlocker was truly sad.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They only had one pair of Saucony’s which I asked if they could tell me about because I hadn’t heard of them before.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The woman told me they were “good, real good” shoes.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was kind of hoping for information on whether they were a cushioned or stability shoe or something beyond “they’re good”.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I tried them on anyway as I was desperate and they were not “real good” but felt like the sole was made of one inflexible piece of moulded plastic.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I passed on those and asked about some Nike’s but they didn’t have my size so I moved along to the Finish Line.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>While not much better they did have a few Nike’s and Asics.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I asked about the Saucony’s but the girl had no idea what I was referring to and then said “oh you mean Saw coney”.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I am fairly sure that I was pronouncing them correctly as I had in the past looked up how to pronounce them on their website.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>However I was corrected both in Footlocker and Finish Line, clearly the running shoe experts.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>By that time I just figured I should stick with what I know, so I tried my old favorite Asics Nimbus and then also tried a 2150.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The 2150’s were on sale and I ended up getting a coupon from the woman in front of me who was trying to use two coupons for one purchase with no success.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So not a bad deal overall.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">We got to Keith’s parents house later than planned due to that little detour but went out to a nice dinner at Gordon Bierch, a brew pub in a fairly new and our favorite shopping center in the area, Market Common.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The next morning, Thanksgiving, I got up around 7:30 and got dressed in my running clothes but wasn’t in any particular rush to head out.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was a little after 8am when I was ready to head out the door and then I remembered the email I had received on the Turkey Trot and pulled it up to just see when it started.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I assumed it was 8am since most races are that time or earlier but was surprised to see it was at 9am and registration was open until 8:30.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was pretty close by so I decided to go for it once I got in the car.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I figured if it was too crowded I could always just head to the beach to run but it was a nice day and Market Common was a nice area and that’s where the race was.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was easy to get to and easy to park.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I filled out the registration form and then found out they didn’t take credit cards and I didn’t have enough cash, however Keith left his wallet in the car so I “borrowed” $20 from him and registered for the race.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I chose the 8K as that is the traditional Turkey Trot distance for some strange reason and since I would probably have run 5 or more miles anyway if I was going to run at the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I knew later that I’d be wishing I’d registered for the 5K, likely right about at the 3 mile mark of the 8K!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I immediately got in the bathroom line because I always need to do that before a<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>race and then went to the car to stretch a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I had not of course planned for this race like I usually do, so had no Powerade or Gu or other food for that matter in the car.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I had eaten a granola bar before I left the house and had a bottle of water that was now almost empty.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was then that my lower back, which had been sore in the past few days, likely from assembling lots of playroom furniture or from lifting Grace up, was starting to hurt.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But it was 20 minutes to start time and with very little water and not much experience taking advil just prior to a race start, I decided to just hope the adrenaline would keep the pain away.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I headed for the bathroom line one last time and ran over to the start.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">It was quite different than the local Raleigh/Cary races.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Not many people trying to get right up on the starting line, which was surprising especially since there were no timing mats at the start.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They did have a D-Tag for the shoe but the mats were only at the finish, not the start or at any splits.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So I got right up front, knowing that I wanted my time to be the most accurate it could be even though I hadn’t trained for this race at all and in fact only decided to run it less than 1 hour ago.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The 5K and 8K started together then would split off and then meet up again, which is never really the best plan as those still running the 5K by the time the 8K meets up with them again are usually the people walking or jogging it really slowly.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So the 8K folks have to weave in and out of the 5K people and the 5K people really have to be careful of not getting run into by someone in the 8K trying to achieve a time goal.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The start went well, with there being no problem getting out near the front.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Of course there were several men and a few women to jumped right out in front at top speed.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I just hoped that most of the women were running in the 5K and not the 8 because I was already going too fast and would never be able to catch up.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So I decided that I’d just have to run my own race at my own pace and whatever happened, happened.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The first mile went by fast, as it usually does.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I ran that way too fast like I usually do in under 6:30 so I knew I’d slow down in mile 2.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I ran the second mile much slower, but probably somewhere less than 7:15 pace.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I decided that I’d try to keep that average pace for the last 3 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was at the start of mile 3, like right after the 2 mile marker, that I started to wish I chose the 5K instead.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There was a water stop at mile 2 which I was glad for.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was quite warm for November, probably in the high 60s by that point.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was pretty warm but not warm enough to just run in my sports bra (not sure I’d ever be warm enough for that!) so I just drank the entire cup of water and hoped the race would be over soon.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">It felt like it took forever to get to the halfway point as this part of the race is now split from the 5K and so the group had thinned out a lot.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There was one guy about 50 yards in front of me and then a few in the distance beyond that but that was all I could see.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There was a turnaround coming up however so I’d soon be able to see how many people, and specifically women, were in front of me.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>And I’d also be at the 3 mile mark thank goodness.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was feeling tired and thirsty but just tried to keep my legs moving.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>My new shoes seemed to be fine, which was good because of course you are never supposed to race in new shoes.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I just kept thinking how much better I’d probably be doing if I had my Saucony Kinvara’s since they are so much lighter than the Asics I bought.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But at least I wasn’t bare foot, I don’t think I could do that!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>As I approached what was probably 2.75 miles, I started to see the front runners pass by heading back towards the finish.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A guy wearing the race number 100 was in first place and had a good lead.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I recalled seeing him at the start and he seemed to be one of the few who was interested in standing right on the starting line, so I am assuming he won last year and earned his 100 race number.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Then I saw the first woman and she was running pretty fast and effortlessly.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Several other men passed and another woman.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>And then I saw a third woman, who was probably about 100 yards ahead of me.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So I was fourth woman overall at that point.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I hit the turn around at about 3 miles and then could see who was behind me.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There were<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>a few women fairly close but I wasn’t really focused on that as I was quite tired and still thirsty and ready to be done.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So I just tried to focus on keeping up the 7:15 pace.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I did slow at one point to over 7:30 but quickly willed myself to pick it back up.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I then realized that I was getting closer to the woman ahead of me.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She seemed to be slowing slightly and gradually.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I felt that if I could just maintain my pace I may pass her but it wasn’t my goal since I wasn’t feeling too energetic.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>And I thought if I passed her and she decided to fight for her place, I would not be able to win that fight.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So I tried to maintain but still hold back a little behind her.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>As I approached the 4 mile mark, however, the 8K and 5K rejoined and at about that time I passed the woman in the number 3 spot and also a guy running around her same pace.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I just kept going, afraid to look back.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I kind of had the element of surprise since she really didn’t know if I was in the 8K or 5K as I passed just after the two groups merged.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I felt a bit guilty for passing so close to the end though, but all is fair in road racing.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was really struggling by that point, feeling like I really wished I did the 5K, so I just tried to maintain and hoped no one was closing in behind.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The last part of the race goes around a nice little lake but I was not really enjoying the scenery by that time, I was just grunting and spitting a lot due to dry mouth by that point.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Quite a pretty sight I am sure!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I could see the finish on the other side of the small lake.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It seemed so far away but I knew I’d be done soon so I tried to pick it up to keep my spot but never looked back.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I sprinted to the finish as best I could, finishing in 35:31.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I have only run one other 8K that I can recall, the St. Patty’s 8K in Raleigh.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Since that was a terribly hilly course and very hot day, this was a PR by far.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The pace was similar to a few longer races I’d run recently so for sure if I’d been training I could have done better, but 3<sup>rd</sup> place overall and a PR are pretty good!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Of course this meant having to wait around for the awards ceremony.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was not feeling so great but felt much better after forcing down a banana and some water.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I decided I probably had time to walk back to where I parked the car so I could get a warmer shirt and call or text Keith to tell him how I did.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I had texted him just before the race start to tell him I had decided to run the race.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I walked/jogged over to the car and my calves were pretty sore.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I decided to drive back over to the finish and some roads were still blocked so I was hoping I wouldn’t get lost and miss the awards.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was able to part close to the finish and went over to check on the results.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>When I first saw them I was shocked to see that a woman finished first overall and then was a bit disappointed to see that I wasn’t 3<sup>rd</sup> overall but really 4<sup>th</sup>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I figured I must have counted wrong and just missed that first woman somehow.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But as I looked closer I saw her time was 22 minutes, which is a sub 5 min mile so thought uh something isn’t right there.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It didn’t take long to figure out that she really had run the 5K and somehow got misassigned.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So once they removed her I was back to 3<sup>rd</sup> again.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">As I went over to the race table to be sure they were aware of the error (they were and were fixing it) another woman, the one I had passed at the 4 mile mark, was also heading over to the table as her time had not been recorded at all.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I knew she came in shortly after me so I was ready to confirm that for them if needed.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She was assured they would fix it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She wasn’t 40 yet, so she’d get an award for first in her age group.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We chatted a bit and I found out she is a Marine stationed in the desert, I assumed Iraq but not sure if she really said that specifically or not.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She was visiting her parents who lived about 35 miles away and registered even later than I did, shortly after the 8:30 am cutoff, which was probably why her time didn’t get recorded initially.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We chatted a bit about races and running and Thanksgiving plans.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was nice to meet her and I still felt bad about passing her at the end.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Then when it came time for the awards, I received mine, a large tile with the race logo painted on it that said 8K 3<sup>rd</sup> place overall female.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I thought I should stay at least until the age group awards to see her get her award and unfortunately they had not fixed the stats like they promised and skipped over her for the award.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She headed back over to the table to try to get it corrected.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I felt bad and while I was proud of my award I asked a guy standing near me if he could take my picture with my award because I decided that I’d go over and give her mine.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This way I’d still have a photo of my award.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I ran over and offered to give her the plaque but she said that it was ok because they were going to order one and have her’s sent to her overseas.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So in the end I did get to keep my award and hopefully she’ll receive hers in the mail soon.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She headed out for the long drive back to her parents house and I headed back for a shower and a yummy breakfast.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was a great race, and nice to meet the Marine that I met at the race. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Later I learned that there was a competing Turkey Trot being held at Surfside Beach at 8:30am, where I usually run when I am down there.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was quite clear from their website that they were previously affiliated with the other Turkey Trot at one time and there was some sort of falling out.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Their website was so negative and anti “other Turkey Trot” which turned me off.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So it was good that I decided to run the one being held in Market Common instead of running in my usual spot.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In the end I finished 14 of 183 overall, 3<sup>rd</sup> overall female and 2 of 19 in my age group.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>While I was quite sore and tired later that day, I was very glad that I ran my first Turkey Trot!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Maybe next year the kids will come to run the “Tot Trot” or the 1 mile race.<o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00773977213886959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1274836108534651432.post-77211196482335622362010-11-28T18:30:00.007-05:002010-11-28T18:38:11.479-05:00ATT 10 Miler, October 23, 2010<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">What was I thinking, after not running very much since April???<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Well, I have to say it’s all Carl Grace’s fault!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Sorry Carl but it’s true.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I had not really been training for anything since Boston in April, and really I didn’t train all that much for that but really just tried to maintain since NYC in Nov 2009.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But a few months before the American Tobacco Trail (ATT) 10 miler Carl emailed a few RTR folks to see if anyone was running the ATT 10 miler.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I had wanted to run it at some point since I volunteered at it the year before.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So since I hadn’t picked any fall race to motivate me to run, I thought that may be a good one.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I heard it filled quickly sometimes so I decided to register early.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I think that Carl ended up not coming out from SF for that race but since I was signed up I was committed at that point.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was doing some 10 mile runs on the weekends but as the race got closer I really had cut back on that and also my runs during the week.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was busy with work and other things and wasn’t as focused on running.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Then suddenly the race sort of snuck up on me!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I thought about drop out and not running it, but decided I could probably run the 10 miles since it was a flat course.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Until the morning of the race I really hadn’t looked much into where the parking was which is unusual for me.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I did pick up my race packet the day before at Inside Out Sports in Cary.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In the morning I decided to take the risk and try to park in the White Oak Church parking lot which was supposed to have limited parking.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I headed out a bit early in hopes that it wouldn’t be full yet since I didn’t want to have to take a shuttle from the parking at Thomas Brooks Park which was a few miles away.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I like to have my warm clothes nearby at the finish of a race.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was lucky and got a spot.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I then jogged over to the race finish area to pick up my chip and of course use the port a potties a few times.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I then asked around about where the start was since I had never run the race before.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The women had a separate start from the men, which I thought was cool.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was 10 minutes ahead of the men.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I tried to get near the front of the starting line since awards are often by gun and not chip time.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Not that I expected an award but still it’s good to be well positioned just in case!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This was my first real local race in the “masters” category.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I wasn’t sure what the competition was in that group for this race but knew that another race, the Run for Healthier Babies, was being held in Morrisville that same day.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Since that race it part of the Second Empire Series I suspected that many speedy folks would be there.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I had run that race and the series last year and it was a great race. <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">By the time the women started it was getting a bit warmer so I took off my long sleeve shirt and decided to run in shorts and a tshirt.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was a bit brisk but I knew I’d warm up and would rather be a bit cold than too warm for a race.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was also my first race and probably longest distance with my Saucony Kinvaras.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was hoping they’d hold up to the 10 miles and not result in any unusual soreness or injuries.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>As the women took off, I was positioned pretty far in the front and could see the leader for the first quarter mile or so, which meant I was probably running way too fast!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I did the first mile super fast but felt pretty good so didn’t consciously slow it down too much but instead decided to let that happen gradually.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Mile 2 also felt pretty good.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was at mile 3 that I wished I was running the other race that day, the Run for Healthier Babies 5K.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was concerned that I was feeling tired so early in the race.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>However by mile 4 I felt better after a bit of Gatorade.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I picked the pace back up a bit in miles 4 and 5 and used a Hammer gel around that point as well, which probably helped.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>During much of the race I could see but never catch a woman who I had only known from a prior race as the 60 year old woman who kicked my butt.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She had run the Tobacco Trail half marathon and was running the same pace as I was for much of that race.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I knew she was older but mainly due to her silver/white hair, because her body was way more fit that mine and most other women in the race.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But in the last 3 miles she took off and finished ahead of me.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I later found out that she was 60 years old.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Wow, hope I can do that at 60!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>And there she was again, this time ahead of me from about mile 1 onward.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I knew this time however that she was pretty speedy and I decided I would not focus on her but focus on my time.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I could see her for much of the race so wasn’t too far behind but just far enough that she was always out of my reach.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">It felt pretty good to reach the turnaround at just over mile 5.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was tired already and had a long way to go, but could see that there weren’t that many women ahead of me and I don’t believe that any men had passed me by that point (remember they started around 10 minutes later).<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I had passed one or two women leading up to the turn around.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Mile 6 wasn’t too terrible but by mile 7 to 8 my calves and feet started to feel crampy, much like the issues I had in both recent marathons that caused me to stop dead in my tracks for a few seconds.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I decided that I would try mind over matter and just decide that the cramps would not be that bad or cause me to stop.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A few times I thought for sure they would win, but somehow I kept it from fully surfacing and kept plugging along.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>By mile 8 and 9 that was really what I was doing.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I had really slowed down a lot by that point so really was just trying to make it to the finish.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Some men passed me during the second half of the race but not a large number.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The women were quite spread out by this time and so the now 61 year old woman was ahead of me and no one was close enough behind to worry about.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It stayed that way, except for the men catching up, for the rest of the race.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The last mile felt like it was a real struggle and up hill which is all relative I guess on the flat ATT.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was very happy to finally see the finish line and tried to give it my all to get to the end before the cramps in my legs/feet stopped me.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was happy to stop and walk and tried to walk off the cramps as I went to the car to get my change of clothes.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I knew my time of 1:12:28 was close to my PR time but wasn’t sure if it was a PR.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Turns out it wasn’t, I had run Anna’s Angels, which was a hillier course, faster in 1:11:44.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Still, it was a pretty good time, with an average pace of 7:15.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I also wasn’t sure what place I came in but was sure I’d placed in the master’s category or at least in my age group.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Once the results were posted I found out I was 3<sup>rd</sup> masters woman overall which was nice for my first real local race in that category.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>No medal or trophy to remember the race, only the age group winners got those (I have to admit I would have liked one) but a Wachovia gift card for $50 and an IOS one for $30 was really nice.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I got to spend some time with a few RTR folks after the race while waiting for the awards and then headed home to start the rest of the weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Not sure what the next race is, I was considering the City of Oaks half but decided after this race that it would need to wait until next year since it was only 2 weeks away and I didn’t feel quite ready for a race of that distance.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Guess I better figure out what’s next so I can get motivated to step up the running again!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Thanks to Carl for getting me to sign up for this race, I would never have run it if I hadn’t signed up for it so far ahead and then I wouldn’t have placed in my first race in the master’s category!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00773977213886959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1274836108534651432.post-29523299800870933042010-05-05T22:01:00.012-04:002011-03-26T09:01:02.897-04:00Boston Marathon, April 19, 2010 - Part 4<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU-s5mnkc7vKkl2lZSrNOiY727AwED3ymsTISL8ehyphenhyphenQLVHrbC8RRDdoLsXMLIqFqNe7mN6swi3dvi6K0QnY3DyC6wCCYtNYC_eHVAb6ZRIlZaxlK7cqv1YwW7E9XQgf4EtFjVncSQVMMs/s1600/IMG_1350.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467972018103596994" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU-s5mnkc7vKkl2lZSrNOiY727AwED3ymsTISL8ehyphenhyphenQLVHrbC8RRDdoLsXMLIqFqNe7mN6swi3dvi6K0QnY3DyC6wCCYtNYC_eHVAb6ZRIlZaxlK7cqv1YwW7E9XQgf4EtFjVncSQVMMs/s400/IMG_1350.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a> Bill Rodgers Running Center</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjquqeWcHoxsb8l3lUI5G96BIyDFq6HevlopLOXGqZkIKB4yw6v0GwZORi2Liiewxl6MWmj30gx_qWhS1Z4e75MfLURceXzk09AeyexQ4IlcUTle0RY8nHxScgTbDn43lT06kKfa9KmVcE/s1600/IMG_1351.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467972015493922530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjquqeWcHoxsb8l3lUI5G96BIyDFq6HevlopLOXGqZkIKB4yw6v0GwZORi2Liiewxl6MWmj30gx_qWhS1Z4e75MfLURceXzk09AeyexQ4IlcUTle0RY8nHxScgTbDn43lT06kKfa9KmVcE/s400/IMG_1351.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a> Faneuil Hall<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikj6N5upAZh7MCUh-txnxEr3OhMhzLs5-3gvLcojANWdw2tXjWt9P0AD4n216WRuf_hQ4zMysuSwDLLyd83ON1V9KUAwwIJUkTFVElWB4D2Uf7YEfP7NA14CpvvNyTgiGs2Nxwt7q5k1I/s1600/IMG_1353.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467972004643047218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikj6N5upAZh7MCUh-txnxEr3OhMhzLs5-3gvLcojANWdw2tXjWt9P0AD4n216WRuf_hQ4zMysuSwDLLyd83ON1V9KUAwwIJUkTFVElWB4D2Uf7YEfP7NA14CpvvNyTgiGs2Nxwt7q5k1I/s400/IMG_1353.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a> Well deserved glass of wine at the airport<br />
<br />
<div align="left">So the race is over, but just thought I'd write a little on the post-race and beyond. I had a great time in Boston, really enjoyed the expo and the seminars put on by RW magazine. The race was tough, especially the last 1o miles. But it was a great experience. I still think I love NY better but now that the pain has subsided I think I'll have fond memories of Boston as well. I did a little sight seeing my walking from the hotel to the expo both days. Now I know my way around Boston a little to know what I'd like to see when I visit next time, likely not for the marathon! <br />
<br />
</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">After finishing the race and finding Tom's running group, we waited for a while trying to find Brandi. I won't write too much about that since I am not sure she'd want me to but long story short her stomach was feeling a bit upset after the race so she walked back to the hotel. But since neither she nor I had cell phones I didn't know and waited for her and even checked the medical tent just in case. Daren was great at getting us in there and getting some answers. :-) Once we knew Brandi wasn't there we parted ways figuring she had left already. Tom's running group went to get a cab back to their hotel and I thought about taking a cab to mine but then recalled I had no money! But it was only just under 2 miles and the weather was fine and walking is good after a race so once I got my bearings (had to ask a race volunteer and then a Boston cop) I headed back on foot. I was really tired so was very glad to get back. I called Brandi and found that she was at the hotel safe and sound. I then took a quick shower, called my husband, and headed to find food. I was so hungry and tired that I just went to the pub across the street and sat outside since it was pretty crowded inside. I had a yummy sandwich and a beer and then hobbled back to the hotel. I was able to nap on and off but wasn't up for going out again for dinner so just stayed in. <br />
<br />
</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">The next day I felt sore but walking around did help. Brandi and I had breakfast at Au Bon Pain and headed over to Faneuil hall. We visited the Bill Rodgers Running Center and I had some really good NY style thin crust pizza (or maybe in Boston they think it's Boston style). We didn't have time for more sightseeing (duck boats, museums, shopping in other parts of town) but that was ok, I was ready to come home after a great weekend. We headed for the airport and parted ways there since we were on different flights. At the airport I finally got a chance to sit and have a nice glass of wine with lunch. Life is good! </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">I met several Raleigh area runners again on the way back and it was nice to chat with them while waiting at the airport. I think most everyone had similar things to say about the down hills and that Heartbreak wasn't as bad as they thought but the last 10 miles overall were pretty tough. While most did not PR, I think everyone was glad to have had the experience whether it was their first Boston or not. <br />
<br />
</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">I can't say that this will be for sure my last Boston, but it likely will for a while. I don't see a big need now to do it again but perhaps I'll feel different someday. I also can't say it will be my last marathon but again not sure when I'll do another one. For me it's not just the challenge of running marathon but the experience of the race itself. I have only done 3 of them and each one I did for a reason beyond just running. Marine Corp had a great historical setting in DC, lots of monuments to see and I had heard the Marines and crowds were really supportive so it was a great choice for a first marathon. I have to agree, it was. And I was able to visit my friend Kim from college who lived there. For NYC, well that is such a great race and city and near my hometown in NJ so I've always wanted to run it. It has a great history and runs through so many diverse neighborhoods in the 5 boroughs. What could top a start on the Verrazano Narrows bridge! For Bart Yasso, who has done many races, it's the Comrades Marathon that is his life goal, which he's running this year. For me, NYC was like my Comrades. It was the race that I had entered and had to postpone doing in 2000 and then had to withdraw from in 2001 due to work priorities. and was too busy for after that with work, house, kids, relocating, etc. So I always wanted to go back to do it, which I did, and did well. And finally Boston, while I had not really dreamed of it personally for a long time, I had certainly thought more about it over the last year and knew it was a race many of my friends were aiming for. I was proud to be part such a well respected race with such a long history. <br />
<br />
</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">So what's next? Well I'd like to focus on speeding up in my shorter races. I won't be doing one every weekend but will probably pick a few that I'd like to do this year. So far I would like to go back and do the Great Raleigh Road Race (GRRR), which is on July 4th, provided it's being held this year. After that, not sure yet. I have thought about when or if I'd do another marathon, even though I had said I was done with that after Boston. For the next one if I do one, I think it would have to be one associated with a trip someplace nice or a close by one that is a fast course so I could aim to PR. Not sure I'd like to run one that is any farther of a flight than a few hours though and if I do, that won't be soon since our vacation plans for this year are already set. I am considering Richmond since it's close by, I've heard it's fast and we have family there. Not sure if this year would be an option for that though so that's likely something for next year. Chicago someday may be something I'd do since it's supposed to also be fast and I've really not been there except for business so didn't see any of the city. But that would require more advanced planning since it fills fast I believe. <br />
<br />
</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">So right now I am trying to continue running a few times a week in the mornings before work and then once every week or two in the evening w. RTR if I can, in addition to long runs on Sunday. I discovered in my panic to get miles in during the week that getting up early while a bit painful is actually not so bad and feels much better than not running at all that day. I am recording the miles I run with my Garmin still but I have no specific training plan yet beyond Boston. I guess I better get on that soon if I want to run a faster time at the GRRR though. Right now the next big race is (or actually "was" since I'd already run it by the time I wrote this) the 1 mile fun run at the Second Empire race. I ran the 50 yd dash with Grace and the 1 mile with Owen and it was awesome. That will be the next blog post!<br />
<br />
</div><div align="left"></div></div>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00773977213886959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1274836108534651432.post-19808584967451471132010-05-05T00:35:00.014-04:002011-03-26T08:59:40.388-04:00Second Empire 1 Mi Fun Run and 50 Yd Dash, May 2, 2010<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJoXtjv1oI85Yo_Lt-9ucYyvJP9g-lh_toJWke3xIxMCOeMpSRuL1fAqUiiSPTASuOXaJNJzwHBdHsZGc6VmEEzF8s3XTP7P25qoYomQUWgnZxQoTPIo4kcK-5ujxbJM6JPFyHymmmaw/s1600/IMG_4904.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495002873978126226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJoXtjv1oI85Yo_Lt-9ucYyvJP9g-lh_toJWke3xIxMCOeMpSRuL1fAqUiiSPTASuOXaJNJzwHBdHsZGc6VmEEzF8s3XTP7P25qoYomQUWgnZxQoTPIo4kcK-5ujxbJM6JPFyHymmmaw/s400/IMG_4904.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a> Grace and Mommy in the 50 Yard Dash</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRDRRkVb3jyC5dhdIQx5X3-PMJwMQa33N5wtEKgURqIqfOgtB0WbGm9Xs8BGV8D23m98AXVPG-0B2FZxv9Ihio40uIiCDUFvOdQOIK5-adw6tmNkNYbHATmc-jkp7MTKMfkjsHy9Fvf4A/s1600/IMG_4907.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495002861578934722" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRDRRkVb3jyC5dhdIQx5X3-PMJwMQa33N5wtEKgURqIqfOgtB0WbGm9Xs8BGV8D23m98AXVPG-0B2FZxv9Ihio40uIiCDUFvOdQOIK5-adw6tmNkNYbHATmc-jkp7MTKMfkjsHy9Fvf4A/s400/IMG_4907.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a> Grace getting her medal<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj33o-myuV67S1aCJEQCmqYGchIfUjLaDFG5cg935SAxRlljhK5UdOk22pXht4nA_OuI6o-2sBanQolfI7Oqw-siOxZte95v3WzKWPHrqZWxtyFhS2aZRKZ41OuVdIVjUU7U1U3Z_3_7YU/s1600/IMG_4916.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495002860090190210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj33o-myuV67S1aCJEQCmqYGchIfUjLaDFG5cg935SAxRlljhK5UdOk22pXht4nA_OuI6o-2sBanQolfI7Oqw-siOxZte95v3WzKWPHrqZWxtyFhS2aZRKZ41OuVdIVjUU7U1U3Z_3_7YU/s400/IMG_4916.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
Owen "coming in first" ahead of Mommy<br />
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<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnj2lqma8lFKPsekZePZw9c1i1z7dKKStoFel3K82_K5ysPAiAdbi7KSvBMv0KcnF4Dvie8fDLXA9a0l9L-YaIoGnHdREI0DGHqq0BtrjZzAdMVjUn8opKwixtACkLtzjY7MNFS_hm6IE/s1600/IMG_4919.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495002849997964434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnj2lqma8lFKPsekZePZw9c1i1z7dKKStoFel3K82_K5ysPAiAdbi7KSvBMv0KcnF4Dvie8fDLXA9a0l9L-YaIoGnHdREI0DGHqq0BtrjZzAdMVjUn8opKwixtACkLtzjY7MNFS_hm6IE/s400/IMG_4919.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a> Owen and Mommy getting our medals</div><div align="left"><br />
Although my blogs to date have been about races I have run, I have been wanting to write one about this particular race from back in May, even though I didn't "race" it. It was probably one of the best races I have participated in and the reason is because I got to run with Owen and Grace. Owen decided he really wanted to run a race, probably just for the medal but hey, he was excited so why not! But no 50 or 100 yard dash would do this time. Instead he decided he was ready for the 1 mile because he had been running almost enough laps around the track at his school to equal a mile. <br />
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</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">We did one practice run at the track before the race and Owen ran the 8 laps to make one mile, so I knew he was ready. He stopped and walked here and there and had a lot of water breaks, but he was smiling at the end so that was good. Grace also came along but she was easily distracted by the "flowers" in the field nearby (aka weeds) so she decided to stop and pick some. <br />
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</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">We registered them both for the Second Empire race, Owen for the 1 mile fun run and Grace for the 50 yard dash. Owen and I went to pick up the race packet a few days before so we'd have our t-shirts for the race. His was a bit big but it was a pretty cool tech shirt that matched mine. <br />
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</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">On the day of the race, which was in the afternoon in downtown Raleigh, it was pretty warm out. One benefit to the race location is that it's around the corner from The Flying Saucer, a bar with lots of great beer options and good food. So Keith was convinced to come to spectate. :-) We arrived as the first group of 5K runners were finishing and I saw a few running friends finish the race. Everyone looked very hot and sweaty and I was kind of glad to be running the 1 mile instead. <br />
<br />
</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Grace's race was up first. The year before, in the same race, she turned around and cried at the start so I had to carry her the 50 yards to get her medal. I was hoping this year would be better. We didn't know this in advance, but thank goodness her friend and classmate Elizabeth and her mom were running too. This distracted Grace for a bit and she was all smiles at the start. We held hands as we raced to the finish. Grace was very proud of her medal and happy that she and her friend ran the race together. I was happy she ran with no tears and no carrying!<br />
<br />
</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Next it was Owen's turn. Lots of adults, even those without kids, were lined up at the start. But there were also a lot of kids Owen's age as well. He was very excited but a bit nervous. But once the gun went off, he took off at full speed. He continued that much of the race, running at super sonic speed and then walking in between. A good speed workout I guess but not how I'd usually advise running a mile race. He didn't really seem to want mom's advice so we just kept running along according to his training plan. </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">I think Owen thought it was pretty cool to be running down the middle of a street all alone and not having to hold anyone's hand. He kept trying to pick off other runners and was not extremely modest about doing it. Of course then he'd stop and walk and they'd usually pass us again. It was really great to reach the half way mark and turn around toward the finish. Owen had a few times that he wanted to give up, but he kept plugging along and we'd agree to run to a particular light post or sign and then walk a bit. Soon he could see the giant inflatable arch finish line. Once he could see it there was no stopping him. He picked up his speed and took fewer breaks and of course passed mom to win the race. He clarified, after bragging about coming in first, that he really just meant he came in first in front of me. :-)<br />
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</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Owen was quite proud of his medal and I even got a medal too. It was a really great first race to run post-Boston Marathon. Afterwards we had some beer (well not Owen and Grace) and snacks at The Flying Saucer. And on the way home, Owen fell fast asleep from his big race.<br />
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</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">We haven't signed up for any other races yet, but I hope that Owen and Grace will want to keep running. It was great fun and I was very proud of them!</div><div align="left"></div><br />
</div>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00773977213886959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1274836108534651432.post-1434611215456245702010-05-05T00:14:00.041-04:002011-03-26T08:58:06.070-04:00Boston Marathon, April 19, 2010 - Part 3<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSh5h1bpDwLQgx4HZOOPYcPPBFk7Whb4ETCHdmp0THm19phfFHALRhpwobXvBBm4gt4evmx6Es1HFcdkiTdLgheyeb7DfUM9nKm4lpJbK-Vo_Fg1uopRHyxKtmKXAlZ8_7hWVdiaUP6BQ/s1600/Boston+Marathon+2010.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467964307352337058" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSh5h1bpDwLQgx4HZOOPYcPPBFk7Whb4ETCHdmp0THm19phfFHALRhpwobXvBBm4gt4evmx6Es1HFcdkiTdLgheyeb7DfUM9nKm4lpJbK-Vo_Fg1uopRHyxKtmKXAlZ8_7hWVdiaUP6BQ/s400/Boston+Marathon+2010.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 213px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a> Map and elevation from my Garmin</div><div align="center"><br />
<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrZc5kgll0hfeSOrJ9LPVCv1mm93qBv5G5_QjXYVRYBhItB0w64mrT40GPYeQW3wXVfDJtvWcFrS5v-21FL655oVWh20KZiD-KZo4dfjodw7SfUESxQ3Bj3joSYIrlFttb4heBUW5JCAY/s1600/photo3.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467964303028333410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrZc5kgll0hfeSOrJ9LPVCv1mm93qBv5G5_QjXYVRYBhItB0w64mrT40GPYeQW3wXVfDJtvWcFrS5v-21FL655oVWh20KZiD-KZo4dfjodw7SfUESxQ3Bj3joSYIrlFttb4heBUW5JCAY/s400/photo3.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 184px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 122px;" /></a> Somewhere on the course, looking in pain, maybe on Boyleston?<br />
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<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI8jq9-yEsFPl9TLbFX9JwCXba7SC1tzoVosIZ-UwKTaHzrC8S61xvTjhfAN9rzXp0MAjChInpUWdU1UsU9QjJtzIinvaMEx9RsOLO80_ErAx7abpjf0p0HMT0-A09id18gd5OideebT8/s1600/photo1.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467964298111066482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI8jq9-yEsFPl9TLbFX9JwCXba7SC1tzoVosIZ-UwKTaHzrC8S61xvTjhfAN9rzXp0MAjChInpUWdU1UsU9QjJtzIinvaMEx9RsOLO80_ErAx7abpjf0p0HMT0-A09id18gd5OideebT8/s400/photo1.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 184px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 122px;" /></a> Crossing the finish line!<br />
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<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd0xUoXSDMhhJUq68UOq5qmZwdDwoLx_CQmpCgDNMMzcjbVhqGc13WRfEbOnrVY9suIvabHEU_5acEGY3S3RMT5hcxZxX7GaVwvWkPdYnV87XayP_xG8uNiT2qMzGf7Z5iBKP2_TAVObw/s1600/photo4.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467964295242907954" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd0xUoXSDMhhJUq68UOq5qmZwdDwoLx_CQmpCgDNMMzcjbVhqGc13WRfEbOnrVY9suIvabHEU_5acEGY3S3RMT5hcxZxX7GaVwvWkPdYnV87XayP_xG8uNiT2qMzGf7Z5iBKP2_TAVObw/s400/photo4.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 184px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 122px;" /></a> Big cheesy grin showing how glad I was to be DONE!<br />
<br />
<div align="left">I got up around 5am to get ready for the race, which started at 10am. I am not sure why but I still was really not able to grasp the idea that today I would be running a marathon. Denial! I ate my oatmeal and bananas and rechecked the bag I packed. This was the first time I would be checking a bag so I could change after the race since I heard that you could drop your bag off pretty late and since I didn't have anyone to meet me there to bring my stuff. Here is a tip however when doing this...remember to pack some cash in there because you can't get a cab back to the hotel w. out that. But more on that later...</div><br />
<div align="left">I met Brandi in the lobby at 6:10am and we walked over to Boston Common to the start (with my handy hand-drawn map since there was no way I was bring my iphone to carry or check). We got there with no problem and I took the first option to use the port a potty there and then we lined up for the bus. I think we probably did some line cutting but to be fair the lines were crazy unorganized from the standpoint that some were short and then there was one long one that seemed to feed into some but not all of the short ones. So there was no way we were getting on that one. We got on a bus pretty quickly and were off to Hopkinton. I am not sure how long it actually took but I heard on the bus that it was going to be 40 minutes or so, so I ended up needing to move seats because I was sitting right on the wheel well and my knees were in my chest. I figured that while it seemed like a good stretch to do, doing it for 40 min was likely not a good idea before a marathon. </div><br />
<div align="left">I sat next to a woman from NYC who had run something like 20 marathons but she was younger than me so that was impressive. Of course no kids yet. She had run Boston a few times so we talked about NY vs Boston and some other races. Once we got to the start village Brandi and I found a good spot and did the ritual stretching, applying body glide and aspercreme (can't believe with that around bengay is still in use...very old school), eating a second breakfast, and several port a potty stops. Before long, they were calling us to the start, so it wasn't too bad of a wait, about the same as NY. We commented though that since it was at the Hopkinton Middle (?) School and we rode school buses it felt just like a big cross country meet instead of a big marathon. The start village for sure had more of a small town feel rather than a big city race. It was a nice contrast to NY, not better or worse just a nice difference. </div><br />
<div align="left">We headed to the buses to drop off our bags and then proceeded to the start about 3/4 mi away. And of course I needed to use the port a potty again. Turns out that they had them near the start thank goodness but not actually in the corrals. So the lines were pretty long and they were policing those trying to just go outside of the potties. I got in line and was still freaking out when it was less than 10 min to start and I still was in line. But some other folks who were more relaxed about it said not to worry, yeah right! I got in and out and ditched my throw away clothes since it was fairly warm out (above 50 I would guess). I kept a very light ls shirt and my gloves. I sprinted to the corral only to find a log jam. No one moving in, a huge group standing outside it. Very concerning based on my NYC experience where once the corrals were closed, too bad, you had to wait until the next wave. Boston it turns out is less formal. And I didn't realized until the start that it would take 10 min to get to the start line anyway so I really was ok even standing outside the corral. But being the person I am and since I didn't know that, I did manage to convince people to move in a bit and got in. </div><br />
<div align="left">The start was much less exciting than NYC I have to say. In NYC you are moved up close enough to hear the cannons signal the start right after Mayor Bloomberg and Mary Wittenberg (NYRRC president) and some professional runners said a few words. As Frank Sinatra belts out New York New York you can't help but feel goose bumps and almost ready to cry that you are there. Boston, not really so much. I didn't really even hear the start but saw the crowd moving far in the distance after a few minutes. Since in Boston you need to qualify the field is pretty fast so I was in corral 11 of the first wave, which only went up to corral 13. After about 10 minutes of mainly walking, I finally reached the start and started to feel excited. </div><br />
<div align="left">The crowds were there for sure, along the entire course, just like NYC. But as I ran I noticed it was a much more homogenious crowd than NYC. In NY you knew when you entered the different neighborhoods and boroughs. In this race, unless you were really looking for landmarks for each of the 8 towns the race goes through you'd likely miss a few. Not to say the crowd was not great and supportive, because they were. I also noticed fewer runners from over seas, fewer different languages being spoken at the start and fewer crazy costumed runners than in NY. The only one I recall seeing that made my day was a tall lanky bald man with a British accent, who was dressed all in pink complete with fairy wings, tutu, wand and pink running shoes. I don't know where he finished but it was certainly funny to see. A woman wearing a running skirt with a t-shirt that said "You've just been passed by a skirt" was running near him and he sprinted past her for a bit and said "ha, now YOU'VE just been passed by a skirt". Quite entertaining for a mile or so. :-)</div><br />
<div align="left">The start is always billed as being one long down hill that you will fly through if you don't watch out. I noticed that I was feeling ok and keeping my normal marathon pace (which is only based on one marathon, NY) but I didn't feel I could easily go faster than that or that I was sailing along. I did maintain that pace, of just under 8 minutes, for the first half of the race and really not too much more than 8 min pace until I hit the hills in Newton. I was well aware of the dreaded hills of Newton, which peaked at Heartbreak Hill. I feared them of course but I did not think I'd fare any better on them by running a deliberately slower pace. I kept telling myself and others that I'd go slower in this marathon since I didn't have anything to prove and since I had not been training as much. However, really, who was I kidding? If I didn't feel bad, I wasn't going to go slower on purpose. </div><br />
<div align="left">I have to say I didn't spend time looking at the sites as much as in NY. I also didn't do too much "high fiving" of kids because I was trying to focus on keeping the pace I was comfortable with. I knew that the race started in Hopkinton and passed through Ashland and then onto Framingham. I did see a few landmarks I recalled reading about such as the Framingham train station. I've never seen a big race where you have to be careful not to trip over train tracks in several places as well as be careful not to run into a few medians that divide the road. They did have some poor teenage volunteers (or more likely they were college students but just looked younger to me!) standing on the medians in bright clothes making lots of noise. Which to me says that often runners do run into the medians. I can see how it could happen and in fact I bet I'd have been one of them if I was running in the middle of the road but I was actually running closer to the right site most of the race. </div><br />
<div align="left">I also recall passing over a bridge with a nice lake around 9 or 10 miles and I know I read about that but didn't recall the name of the lake, which I have now looked up and it's Lake Cochituate. I recall there was a hill after this that felt pretty long. I think that this part was through Natick but I don't recall a lot else. I knew at that point that the half way point, just on the other site of Wellesley, was coming up. I had heard of the Wellesley "scream tunnel" and had heard that you could hear it from far away. I think I probably did hear it faintly before I saw the girls lined up along the right side of the road. I guess that this part of the race is more exciting to the men running than to me, but still it did mark the nearly half way point, which to me was more exciting. The high pitched screaming was actually a bit distracting and I didn't even see any of the guys kiss any girls but heard later that some I knew did. I did not do any kissing because I was assuming that I was probably not what most of the Wellesley girls were hoping for. </div><br />
<div align="left">After Wellesley College you enter the town of Wellesley which seemed very nice. It reminded me of some of the neighborhoods in the NY race for some reason. There were again lots of spectators on both sides of the road again but a bit less distracting than the girls were. I still tried to maintain the pace and keep saying my mantra which is "run the mile you're in". That worked pretty well but I was curious about those Newton hills and would soon find out what all the fuss was about. Well actually it's the first down hill that really got me, not Heartbreak as you'd expect. My right calf, which was the one that cramped around 23 miles in the NYC race, was bothering me from early in the race. Which is strange because it really hadn't been an issue in training. Just a race related injury that seems to surface in marathons I guess. Weird. Anyway, after the first big down hill between mile 15 and 16, my quads also joined the club and were really bothering me. So I knew that quads and calf would be in a race to see which one would be the bigger problem later. </div><br />
<div align="left">I started what I though was the first of 3 hills in Newton and just kept going up and steep down and up and down, some were longer than others but in the end I counted more than 3! When I look at the Garmin, it looks like at least 4 to me between mile 16 and 21 which is Heartbreak Hill. My quads were pretty torn up and the calf wasn't much better but I was expecting Heartbreak Hill to have a big sign or something but all I saw was a woman holding a sign that said what I think was that we had made it over the hill. I read somewhere that not everyone notices that they have even finished Heartbreak because there is no big sign. Well I wouldn't say that I was that oblivious since I knew about where in the race it was and figured this long climbing hill was it. It wasn't too bad considering the reputation but again right after it is the down hill again which was painful. It was my slowest mile of the race, at 8:40, but that's probably to be expected.</div><br />
<div align="left">It was at this point that I really couldn't stick to thinking about the mile I was running, even though I tried. Again the rest of this part of the race reminded me a bit of parts of the NYC race, in particular as we headed into Brookline. I was not really sightseeing at this point though since the quad and calf issues continued. I found it kind of amusing that my big issues had been my knees for the last few weeks prior to the race and yet despite a bit of soreness early on, they were now fine. In fact everything else was too. I wasn't tired, wasn't having any trouble breathing, etc. The quad and calf were the only thing slowing me down. I stayed around an average of 8:30 pace at this point for the rest of the race. I simply could not go any faster and every mile felt longer. I felt some relief when I got to mile 23 since that was where I had major calf issues in NYC enough to make me stop for a few seconds to rub it. Still I knew it could give out at any time. I also recall some small but painful hills in these last few miles. Nothing like in Newton but ever mole hill seemed a mountain by this point. I had been expecting flat or down hill from Heartbreak onward but that was not really the case. Still somewhere around here I saw someone holding a sign that was pretty motivation that said "find your happpy place". So I tried to do that to get through these last few miles. </div><br />
<div align="left">Between mile 24 and 25 I also experienced some foot cramping which I just basically "willed away" by saying "nope, that is not happening" and it seemed to work! I knew a bad foot cramp could really be a problem but I just kept going. I know that the big Citgo sign in the distance is a signal that you are nearing the end of the race but since you can see it from pretty far away you aren't quite as close as you think. Still it was a welcome sign. But still bearing right from Beacon onto Commonwealth at the sign feels pretty good. This means that there is just one mile to go and for some reason I always think about this as just 4 laps around the track, hey I can do that right?!</div><div align="left"></div><br />
<div align="left">I knew my time would not be under 3:30 at that point but I was ok w that. It would have been nice but I was not really aiming for that time and really knew I couldn't have run faster anyway in those last few miles. I wasn't at Boston to BQ, and I was really pretty happy to be under 3:40, so the possibility of 3:35, which I didn't really start to calculate until about mile 25 or later, was pretty good to me. I knew the famous (well I guess it's famous if there is a t-shirt at the expo that says it) right on Hereford, left on Boyleston was coming soon, though not soon enough for my pained legs. As I turned right on Hereford my foot cramp tried to come back but again I willed it away. But when I turned left onto Boyleston, and I could see the finishline in the distance, a lot farther in the distance than I had hoped, the calf muscle finally hit it's breaking point. Just as in NYC, I was stopped dead in my tracks by it. I am not sure if I was imagining it or not but I thought I heard a few moans or roars from the crowd sort of indicating that I couldn't stop now. I had actually run the entire way, and never stopped or walked once, not even through water stops, so if I was stopping it was bad. I regrouped and looked at the finish line and just started to run despite the major pain and figured I could stop at the finish and sit or whatever I needed to do but once I looked at my watch and it was 3:33 (and I couldn't see the seconds) I was motivated to sprint to get in under 3:35. </div><br />
<div align="left">As I crossed the finish line I felt a great relief. I checked my watch and determined I had just made it under 3:35 with a time of 3:34:56. I was pretty proud of that. I also saw another Raleigh area man who I had seen at the airport on the way to Boston. He finished right in front of me. I had passed him in the last half mile but then when I had the calf cramp he passed me in the end. We chatted for a few minutes and he said that the City of Oaks marathon in Raleigh was actually about the same or harder than Boston, so that certainly didn't encourage me to really ever want to run that one! Going through the post race chute area, I was definitely wiped out and thought I may need to sit down at one point but never did. I was thirsty and hungry so gladly took the strawberry kiwi protein drink and some cookies but really wished I also had ice for my calf and quads. I know they had it somewhere because I saw people with it but somehow I'd missed it. I got my medal and heat sheet and posed for a post race picture. The volunteer nearby said I looked like I was determined to get that picture because it was the last time I'd run this race and I agreed that she was probably right, at least for now. My stats for the 2010 Boston Marathon were 3:34:56, 8538 overall of 22629 finishers, 1898 of 9524 women finishers, 287 of 1685 women in my age group (40 to 44, first race in the "masters" group). </div><br />
<div align="left">I wandered to find my bus with my bag of clothes and found Daren who had finished within a few minutes of me. We changed and went to meet the rest of his running group. It was a great race and trip and my only regret, which isn't a biggie, is I wish I'd bought that "Wicked Fast Runnah" shirt at the expo. ;-)</div><br />
<div align="left">More on the post race and beyond in part 4...</div></div></div></div></div>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00773977213886959997noreply@blogger.com1