First, I apologize for disappearing for so long. If you read my Twitter you know how busy I've been. I had to close my building for the year, do all the billing and now am in the process of finishing closing paperwork before going into conference season. Never ending cycle of my job but I love it so I can't complain too much. Photo challenge will be finished out this week - as soon as I have a chance to find photos for the last days.
In the meantime, my running challenge to myself has been fulfilled!
I set a goal of 3 5k's in 3 weeks and did it! Not only did I do it, but I set some amazing new times in the process! How sweet is that?!
So my challenge was this:
I started with the Race Against Racism on April 30th. It was the only morning run I had. The next week I ran the Cinco de Mayo night race. This weekend was the Full Moon night race. This race was especially important to me as it was the first race I was actually able to "re-run" since last year. I wanted to do the St. Patty's Day 5k which would have been my 1 year anniv of racing in OK but I was at the Grand Canyon so it wasn't possible.
RAR and CdM were super hard races - full of hills and hard terrain. Full Moon, I thought, would be the "easiest" because I already knew the course and it was all flat with the exception of a tiny hill at the end.
Boy, was I wrong! Full Moon was the hardest of them all! I decided to wear my standard outfit that I've been using at each race - tank top, sports bra, thinner running shorts and my gray Gap hoodie.
Sorry for the dirty mirror. : / Should probably clean that soon.
The night was pretty chilly which I wasn't expecting but made wearing the hoodie better. The crowd was huge this race - over 2,000 runners! It was hard getting a good start with so many slower runners around me so I pushed harder than I probably should have when I started to pass out some people. Because of this, I wanted to walk about a mile in. My legs were on fire the entire time and by the second mile I just shut my brain off and decided to run until I couldn't run anymore. I kept repeating songs and praying I wasn't going to be over last year's time (30:31).
I also had to mentally prepare myself because for some reason, at the Full Moon 5k they always grill burgers and hot dogs next to the finish line. This, I say with everything in my being, is the worst thing to smell when you are dying of exhaustion and just want to collapse. Last year it hit me and I almost threw up while running.
It wasn't as bad this year because I made sure to be on the other side of the street. It also helped that Joey and Tim were there and on that side of the street so she could take photos of me (I never get in any of photos when the professionals take them).
As I got closer to the finish line I thought the sign said "26:...) and I had to rub my eyes and saw it said 28 so I knew I had to push harder to cross before it hit 30. I dug in deep and just floored it past three people and crossed when the clock said 29:27. I was slightly disappointed but then Tim reminded me that I didn't cross the start line until almost a minute in. That made me feel better - and meant I may have been under 29 minutes which is awesome!
As it turns out, I did very well (for me!). Here's a break down of all the races:
Full Moon 5k (3rd race)
Overall - 807 out of 2,005 runners
Division - 49 out of 79
Sex - 262 out of 1,068 women (in the top 25% of finishers)
Final time - 28:35 (best time yet!!) Average time was 31:25 for race
Pace - 8:55min/mile pace
Cinco de Mayo (2nd race)
Overall - 312 out of 741
Division - 24 out of 69
Sex - 113 out of 415
Final time - 31:05 (Ran with Eryn at her pace) Average time was 34:11 for race
Pace - 9:42min/mile pace
Race Against Racism (1st race)
Overall - 50th to cross out of 153 to race
Division - 3rd out of 13 (age range) *especially proud of this fact*
Sex - 14th out of 81 female runners *also super proud of this*
Final time - 28:52 Average time was 35:08 for race
Pace - 9:01min/mile
I have to say that I never thought I'd see the day I'd be consistently running under 30 minutes, let alone 29 minutes! I really owe that all to my old trainer. His constant pushing me to do better has stuck with me since I don't work with him any more and it's pushing me to be better and work harder than ever.
Eryn and I are planning to start our training for the 1/2 Marathon in November soon. I'm still nervous but I'm not looking at time with the race - just the goal of finishing, hopefully without walking. But that is months away and we'll see.
And I picked my final race before I take my summer break - I think I'm going to redo the Runaway 5k. I remember it almost killing me last year with the killer hill you start on but I am going to attempt it again this year and hopefully will do better than last year's race.
In the meantime, my running challenge to myself has been fulfilled!
I set a goal of 3 5k's in 3 weeks and did it! Not only did I do it, but I set some amazing new times in the process! How sweet is that?!
So my challenge was this:
RAR and CdM were super hard races - full of hills and hard terrain. Full Moon, I thought, would be the "easiest" because I already knew the course and it was all flat with the exception of a tiny hill at the end.
Boy, was I wrong! Full Moon was the hardest of them all! I decided to wear my standard outfit that I've been using at each race - tank top, sports bra, thinner running shorts and my gray Gap hoodie.
The night was pretty chilly which I wasn't expecting but made wearing the hoodie better. The crowd was huge this race - over 2,000 runners! It was hard getting a good start with so many slower runners around me so I pushed harder than I probably should have when I started to pass out some people. Because of this, I wanted to walk about a mile in. My legs were on fire the entire time and by the second mile I just shut my brain off and decided to run until I couldn't run anymore. I kept repeating songs and praying I wasn't going to be over last year's time (30:31).
I also had to mentally prepare myself because for some reason, at the Full Moon 5k they always grill burgers and hot dogs next to the finish line. This, I say with everything in my being, is the worst thing to smell when you are dying of exhaustion and just want to collapse. Last year it hit me and I almost threw up while running.
It wasn't as bad this year because I made sure to be on the other side of the street. It also helped that Joey and Tim were there and on that side of the street so she could take photos of me (I never get in any of photos when the professionals take them).
As I got closer to the finish line I thought the sign said "26:...) and I had to rub my eyes and saw it said 28 so I knew I had to push harder to cross before it hit 30. I dug in deep and just floored it past three people and crossed when the clock said 29:27. I was slightly disappointed but then Tim reminded me that I didn't cross the start line until almost a minute in. That made me feel better - and meant I may have been under 29 minutes which is awesome!
As it turns out, I did very well (for me!). Here's a break down of all the races:
Full Moon 5k (3rd race)
Overall - 807 out of 2,005 runners
Division - 49 out of 79
Sex - 262 out of 1,068 women (in the top 25% of finishers)
Final time - 28:35 (best time yet!!) Average time was 31:25 for race
Pace - 8:55min/mile pace
Cinco de Mayo (2nd race)
Overall - 312 out of 741
Division - 24 out of 69
Sex - 113 out of 415
Final time - 31:05 (Ran with Eryn at her pace) Average time was 34:11 for race
Pace - 9:42min/mile pace
Race Against Racism (1st race)
Overall - 50th to cross out of 153 to race
Division - 3rd out of 13 (age range) *especially proud of this fact*
Sex - 14th out of 81 female runners *also super proud of this*
Final time - 28:52 Average time was 35:08 for race
Pace - 9:01min/mile
I have to say that I never thought I'd see the day I'd be consistently running under 30 minutes, let alone 29 minutes! I really owe that all to my old trainer. His constant pushing me to do better has stuck with me since I don't work with him any more and it's pushing me to be better and work harder than ever.
Eryn and I are planning to start our training for the 1/2 Marathon in November soon. I'm still nervous but I'm not looking at time with the race - just the goal of finishing, hopefully without walking. But that is months away and we'll see.
And I picked my final race before I take my summer break - I think I'm going to redo the Runaway 5k. I remember it almost killing me last year with the killer hill you start on but I am going to attempt it again this year and hopefully will do better than last year's race.
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