When training for a race, I like to be prepared for just about anything. I am a planner. It's a part of who I am. Sometimes though, it just doesn't matter. Or maybe, if I'm being honest with myself, it's not possible. That's something I have to learn to let go of. But, why? Why can't things always be perfect on race day?? For growth, Heather! That's what I tell myself. How can I grow as a runner, if I don't learn to go with the flow? There are way too many things that could happen that are definitely out of my control. I'll grow by learning from experiences, rather than beating myself up when my race doesn't go how I planned.
Case in point- I participated in my 6th Soaring Wings Half Marathon yesterday. My good friend, Amy, told me she was going to be running the race also, and asked if we could run together along with two of her friends. This would be a first half marathon for all three of them. I was thrilled to be able to run it with them. Knowing what I know now, I went in overly confident. I badly wanted to be the "experienced" half marathoner who supported and encouraged my friends.
I did all the miles the training plan recommended. I ran hills to prepare for the course. I ran in 100 degree weather and 50 degree weather. I felt ready and I was excited. Then I looked at the forecast. For ten days leading up to race day I watched the low for Friday night (which actually happens around 6am on Saturday) climb each day I looked. The chances of rain also climbed. And then storms were being forecasted. While the temperatures were not freezing as they ended up being at the Little Rock Marathon, I was still having flashbacks to when I did that one and there were rumors flying of the race being cancelled- WHILE the race was still in progress. I started to get anxious that after all our training, this race would be cancelled before it even began. Or we would be somewhere on the course and the officials would tell us we had to stop and take shelter. I was prepared to run in the rain. I LOVE running in the rain. I just prayed any storms would hold off until the afternoon.
The morning of the race arrived and despite the forecast for 100% chance of rain, you could feel the excitement buzzing in the air. Based on our training, Amy and her two friends, Dawn and Kayla, and Scott and I placed ourselves in between the 2:05 and the 2:10 pacers. We were only waiting a few minutes before the director of Soaring Wings Ranch said a prayer, and then the Star Spangled Banner was sang. We were in the second wave to start and it came quickly. There was a light, hardly there, drizzle that disappeared within the first mile. We kept with the 2:05 pacer for about a mile and then we passed him. It always feels good when you can pass a pacer. :) Dawn and Kayla were a little ahead of Amy, Scott, and me. I had a feeling they were going to stay that way. I was happy they felt good enough to keep ahead.
For the first couple miles I kept waiting for the settling in to happen. Usually it takes me about 2 miles to get my breathing right and feel comfortable in a pace. It never really happened though. The air was so thick from the humidity. The forecasted rain seemed to be just sitting in the air. I found it hard to breath. So hard that somewhere in the 4th mile I had to stop running and try and catch my breath. Only I got so frustrated that I got worked up, which in turn made it even harder to breath. And that just made me more frustrated. It was a stupid, vicious, circle. I took a couple minutes to calm down and then started running again. Amy was ahead of Scott and I now. I knew she didn't want to walk. She said she would slow down her pace if needed, but she didn't want to walk. So we caught up to her and when she asked if I was ok, I got upset again. All I wanted was to be HER encourager. Like I said earlier, I was overly confident. However, I love that Amy was the one to encourage me! Over the next almost 9 miles I had to walk much more than I wanted in order to make sure I didn't lose control again. Dawn and Kayla were far ahead and I knew Amy could be with them, but instead she stayed with Scott and I, slowing down her pace anytime I walked, but never walking herself. Every time I apologized she told me she never cared about her finishing time, only that she finished without walking. Scott was also so patient with me. I'm positive he could have PR'd this year, but he chose to stay with Amy and me through the whole race.
Every once in a while the moisture in the air would turn to actual rain and it gave me hope that I could breath better and maybe finish strong. In the last mile it almost did. There was only a little over half a mile left and I had a short walk. I hate walking with so little to go, but I was still having a hard time breathing and I really wanted to finish without feeling like my throat was closing up. We could hear the finisher's names being called. We were so close. I heard Scott telling Amy about the finish line. "There it is!" I heard him say to her. I made sure to stay with Amy. I wanted to walk so bad. And then we turned the final turn. We picked up the pace a little. I saw Amy's husband and kids along the side of the finisher's chute. I was so thrilled for her that they had made it to see her finish. It fueled me. And just like always I got a final burst of adrenaline. As the rain really started coming down Amy, Scott, and I flew across the finish line at exactly the same time!
Our official finishing time was 2:18:15, with an average pace of 10:33. That may be my second "slowest" time (next to my first half marathon time of 2:19:20), but I'm still proud of myself. It's not a slow time at all, and beyond that, we still placed close to the top third of all the half marathon participants. I think that's pretty stinkin' awesome!
I hugged Amy and high fived Dawn and Kayla who were waiting at the finish line (huge thanks to them for catching a great finish line picture of us!). They finished in 2:04:17! All three of them did amazing!
So what did I learn? I need to LET IT GO! I'm a control freak planner that needs to stop beating myself up over things I can't control. Like humidity that causes me to not be able to breath. It's so hard, but next time, whenever that may be, I'm going to remember my race yesterday and remind myself that I am not the one that is in control. I'm tempted to sign up for another race that happens soon just to prove to myself that I can do that. Oh wait... That's me still trying to control things, isn't it? :)
Until next time...
Sunday, October 25, 2015
Saturday, October 17, 2015
When a Sub-30 Minute 5k is a "Relaxed" Run
When I registered for the competitive run for Race for the Cure this year (and last year) I thought that in order to get a medal I had to place in the top 300. I love supporting the cause and I'd be happy to participate and not receive a medal. However, I also love the added challenge of the goal that comes with signing up as a competitive runner. In the past I've felt like I'd have to get a PR in order to finish within that top 300 goal. Well a few weeks before the race this year I found out that ANYONE who finished in 30 minutes or less would get a medal. When I read that I felt a pretty big weight lifted. I knew I could do that one. So I set a secondary goal of finishing in 29 or less minutes. I was 90% sure I could meet that goal. I've done it plenty of times. My only reservation was that I'd been pretty relaxed in my training this year. I hadn't run many hills even though I knew this course was very hilly. I had also only done a couple speed runs, both went very well, but I was not confident. So I felt like a goal of 29 minutes was reasonable, but knew there was a chance I'd not quite make it. In the back of my head I set a third goal- to finish with an average pace of 9 minutes per mile or less. I figured I'd get started at the race and see how I feel before I decided for sure.
Race morning arrived and I was nervous without reason. I kept reminding myself that I could treat this like any other run. I felt like I had something to prove to myself though, so the nerves continued while I made my way to the starting line. I was so anxious, that I had left my friends as soon as we parked, and ended up standing in the coral waiting for almost 30 minutes. I fed off the energy around me while responding to some encouraging texts I had received and before I knew it, it was time to start. A woman led a heartfelt prayer and with best of luck wishes the gun sounded and we were off!
I started off fast. Too fast. And I knew it. I also didn't care. :) I felt good and I hoped I'd settled in to a comfortable pace. My first quarter mile was averaging an 8:15 pace! I knew I couldn't maintain that, but I figured I'd just keep going until I had to slow down. The slow down happened gradually, but at one mile I had still managed an 8:43 pace. It was here that I decided to try and reach my third goal of a sub-9min average.
The hardest part of this course is going over the bridge that crosses the river, and we have to do that twice. The first time I went over I was almost to the top of the hill when I reached 1 1/2 miles. It was hard and I knew I had slowed down, but I hoped to regain some of my time going down the other side of the bridge. We went down a couple blocks and then circled back around to the bridge again. I was working my way up the hill on the bridge, had just reached 2 1/2 miles, and I had to walk. I felt the beginnings of how I feel when I start to lose control of my breathing and I figured it would be better to not make the pace I was hoping for, than to break down completely and not meet any of my goals. I only let myself walk long enough for three deep breaths and I picked it back up. I reached the top of the hill and passed the last person doing the competitive run making their way on the other side. I badly wanted to say something encouraging to her, but as I was having trouble breathing, I couldn't say anything and hope a smile worked just the same.
For the last half mile I just kept chanting in my head, "Almost done" and counting down the turns I had left to the finish line. Even with the short walk my pace was still under a 9 minute average, but I knew I couldn't go any slower. I was determined to reach that goal. I made the final turn and there it was. The finish line... up a short hill. Not even a hill, but it was definitely an incline. Who puts a finish line on an incline??? :)
I crossed the finish line and stopped Runkeeper, but didn't think to look at the information until after I had received my medal and found some water. It was then that I finally looked and saw that I did meet all three of my goals. The chip time stats are different from Runkeeper, which is not very unusual, but I like my Runkeeper stats better. :) (And since it's what I base my training on, I feel like I'm justified in using it as a way to base my progress in official races.) I'll mention both just for the sake of being candid.
Runkeeper:
Distance- 3.16
Finish Time- 27:58
Average Pace- 8:51
Official:
Distance- 3.1
Finish Time- 28:08
Average Pace- 9:05
Usually the stats between chip time and Runkeeper aren't so different. It's only a matter of a second or two. I don't really understand why it's that much this time. Ten seconds (or 15 if I'm talking about my pace) may not seem like much, and it's not, but when it comes to making a goal, every second counts.
I really enjoyed doing the competitive race this year. With less stress about reaching difficult goals, I was able to enjoy the sideline support more than I did last year. I even snagged a bead necklace from a firefighter as I passed one of the many trucks on the course. (The beads are a big deal. No one knows why. :) There are a few different places along the course where there are firetrucks with the firefighters throwing the beads from the top, or standing and passing them out from below. It tends to cause a lot of congestion along the way if you're a walker, but everyone seems to enjoy it anyway. :) )
I'm glad I've reached a point where I can do the competitive run but still take in the exciting things that are going on at the same time. I feel like I get to experience the best of both sides. And since I started at 7:30, I was still able to get over to where the 2k finish line is and watch my good friend and her mom cross the survivor's finish line and also see the Survivor Parade after that.
I LOVE the whole experience. It's so special. I'm already looking forward to next year!
Race morning arrived and I was nervous without reason. I kept reminding myself that I could treat this like any other run. I felt like I had something to prove to myself though, so the nerves continued while I made my way to the starting line. I was so anxious, that I had left my friends as soon as we parked, and ended up standing in the coral waiting for almost 30 minutes. I fed off the energy around me while responding to some encouraging texts I had received and before I knew it, it was time to start. A woman led a heartfelt prayer and with best of luck wishes the gun sounded and we were off!
I started off fast. Too fast. And I knew it. I also didn't care. :) I felt good and I hoped I'd settled in to a comfortable pace. My first quarter mile was averaging an 8:15 pace! I knew I couldn't maintain that, but I figured I'd just keep going until I had to slow down. The slow down happened gradually, but at one mile I had still managed an 8:43 pace. It was here that I decided to try and reach my third goal of a sub-9min average.
The hardest part of this course is going over the bridge that crosses the river, and we have to do that twice. The first time I went over I was almost to the top of the hill when I reached 1 1/2 miles. It was hard and I knew I had slowed down, but I hoped to regain some of my time going down the other side of the bridge. We went down a couple blocks and then circled back around to the bridge again. I was working my way up the hill on the bridge, had just reached 2 1/2 miles, and I had to walk. I felt the beginnings of how I feel when I start to lose control of my breathing and I figured it would be better to not make the pace I was hoping for, than to break down completely and not meet any of my goals. I only let myself walk long enough for three deep breaths and I picked it back up. I reached the top of the hill and passed the last person doing the competitive run making their way on the other side. I badly wanted to say something encouraging to her, but as I was having trouble breathing, I couldn't say anything and hope a smile worked just the same.
For the last half mile I just kept chanting in my head, "Almost done" and counting down the turns I had left to the finish line. Even with the short walk my pace was still under a 9 minute average, but I knew I couldn't go any slower. I was determined to reach that goal. I made the final turn and there it was. The finish line... up a short hill. Not even a hill, but it was definitely an incline. Who puts a finish line on an incline??? :)
I crossed the finish line and stopped Runkeeper, but didn't think to look at the information until after I had received my medal and found some water. It was then that I finally looked and saw that I did meet all three of my goals. The chip time stats are different from Runkeeper, which is not very unusual, but I like my Runkeeper stats better. :) (And since it's what I base my training on, I feel like I'm justified in using it as a way to base my progress in official races.) I'll mention both just for the sake of being candid.
Runkeeper:
Distance- 3.16
Finish Time- 27:58
Average Pace- 8:51
Official:
Distance- 3.1
Finish Time- 28:08
Average Pace- 9:05
Usually the stats between chip time and Runkeeper aren't so different. It's only a matter of a second or two. I don't really understand why it's that much this time. Ten seconds (or 15 if I'm talking about my pace) may not seem like much, and it's not, but when it comes to making a goal, every second counts.
I really enjoyed doing the competitive race this year. With less stress about reaching difficult goals, I was able to enjoy the sideline support more than I did last year. I even snagged a bead necklace from a firefighter as I passed one of the many trucks on the course. (The beads are a big deal. No one knows why. :) There are a few different places along the course where there are firetrucks with the firefighters throwing the beads from the top, or standing and passing them out from below. It tends to cause a lot of congestion along the way if you're a walker, but everyone seems to enjoy it anyway. :) )
I'm glad I've reached a point where I can do the competitive run but still take in the exciting things that are going on at the same time. I feel like I get to experience the best of both sides. And since I started at 7:30, I was still able to get over to where the 2k finish line is and watch my good friend and her mom cross the survivor's finish line and also see the Survivor Parade after that.
I LOVE the whole experience. It's so special. I'm already looking forward to next year!
Friday, August 14, 2015
Goodbye, Summer... Hello, Routine!
What a crazy summer break we have had! My running has been erratic, and at one point, I feel, non existent. I picked it up just enough to be somewhat ready for my beach 5k, but mostly I've been fairly relaxed about it. However, it occurred to me that I'm behind in my training for Soaring Wings. Well, not behind. Just not where I normally prefer to be.
This week I began my official training for the half marathon and while it's been nice not having a structured plan, I'm very much looking forward to the routine my training will bring. Saying goodbye to summer, unfortunately , does not mean goodbye hot weather. Last year about this time I wrote about sleep, the heat, and how one of them had to give. This year I'm choosing sleep and praying the hot weather doesn't last. :) Until then, I go out and do what I can with very little expectations.
I haven't set a time goal for Soaring Wings. I just want to go out, enjoy a couple hours running with Scott, support the children's home, and get my beautiful medal. :) I'm sure once I get further in to training I'll set a little goal. Maybe. lol I really just want to have fun. No stress.
The race is in 10 weeks and my training plan has me running 4 days a week, cross training one day, maybe two if I choose, and a rest day. The second cross training day can be a rest day. I plan to take that a week at a time. It's a fairly busy plan, but like I said earlier, I believe I need this structure after so much time away. I think it's going to be great!
I also have Race for the Cure a couple weeks before Soaring Wings. I am hoping to do the competitive run again, and because of that, I will use one day a week for speed training. I'm not looking for a PR this year, but I do want to make top 300 again. The last two years I have done that, I was trying for a PR though. So we'll see. It's a goal. A loose one, but a goal nonetheless. :)
I have a lot to look forward to in the next couple months. Hopefully with all the regular, real life stuff that I have going on, the routine of my training plan will keep me grounded.
It's going to be a good training season. :-D
This week I began my official training for the half marathon and while it's been nice not having a structured plan, I'm very much looking forward to the routine my training will bring. Saying goodbye to summer, unfortunately , does not mean goodbye hot weather. Last year about this time I wrote about sleep, the heat, and how one of them had to give. This year I'm choosing sleep and praying the hot weather doesn't last. :) Until then, I go out and do what I can with very little expectations.
I haven't set a time goal for Soaring Wings. I just want to go out, enjoy a couple hours running with Scott, support the children's home, and get my beautiful medal. :) I'm sure once I get further in to training I'll set a little goal. Maybe. lol I really just want to have fun. No stress.
The race is in 10 weeks and my training plan has me running 4 days a week, cross training one day, maybe two if I choose, and a rest day. The second cross training day can be a rest day. I plan to take that a week at a time. It's a fairly busy plan, but like I said earlier, I believe I need this structure after so much time away. I think it's going to be great!
I also have Race for the Cure a couple weeks before Soaring Wings. I am hoping to do the competitive run again, and because of that, I will use one day a week for speed training. I'm not looking for a PR this year, but I do want to make top 300 again. The last two years I have done that, I was trying for a PR though. So we'll see. It's a goal. A loose one, but a goal nonetheless. :)
I have a lot to look forward to in the next couple months. Hopefully with all the regular, real life stuff that I have going on, the routine of my training plan will keep me grounded.
It's going to be a good training season. :-D
St Pete Road Runners 5k
Who schedules a race while on vacation? Well, me apparently. I can only assume I'm not the only one. :) Back in the spring after we settled on vacationing at the beach in July, my friend Jenny (who I had run with in the Princess Half) asked if I'd be interested in doing a 5k race while we were there. Our families were vacationing together and there happened to be a race at St Pete Beach the night before we would be heading home. It didn't take any convincing and we signed up as soon as registration opened. I didn't realize at the time that the race was actually ON the beach. I thought it would be on a boardwalk along the beach or something like that.
There's not really a good way to train for a run on the sand. Unless you live close enough to a beach for regular runs, of course. So I went in to it knowing that it would be difficult and that I'd likely be sore. I didn't set any strict goals. I really just wanted to enjoy the run. However, once we got to the beach I did try to get in a couple short runs on the sand. Early in the week Scott and I went out for a 2 mile jog and I made it about 3/4 of a mile before we found access to the sidewalk. The next day Jenny and I went out for 3 and did 1 mile in the sand before getting on the sidewalk. And that was it. Two short jogs in the sand and I had to call that my training.
Jenny and I got to race central about 30 minutes early. It had been raining most of the day and we were watching a storm roll in. All the while hoping it would roll in slowly. There was a light, off and on, drizzle when we got to the starting line... Which was not a line, but an area of beach marked by cones.
There was a buzz among the runners. Jenny and I were towards the front (somewhere I definitely did not belong :) ) and we were making conversation with some girls around us. It seemed most of the runners around us had not run on sand before. This gave me a glimmer of hope that I wouldn't do terrible. Because it IS possible to enjoy the run even if it's a terrible one. :-D At that point I set a couple very loose goals. I wanted to try to keep my pace under a 10 minute average, and if I was feeling good, maybe even try to get it closer to 9:45 which would give me a small, very small, possibility of placing in my age division. I based that pace on the results from the first race in the Road Runners Beach 5 series that happened in June. I had no expectation for the second goal, but it was in the back of my head.
With a short countdown we were sent on our way. Jenny took off, and rightly so. She is much faster than me and I knew she'd be able to place if she didn't wait on me. I ran a short distance on loose, unpacked sand before turning around at a cone and heading back the way I had just come. Once I turned around I was able to run on the packed sand near the water. It was easier, but not easy. I settled in and kept my eyes ahead, admiring my awesome race course.
I made it a mile and a half before I gave myself a chance to take a short walk. I can't remember how much more I ran before another walk, but after my second one I didn't walk again. Just before I hit two miles we turned back around to finish in the same location we had started. Along the course I ran through some unavoidable waves. At first I was trying to avoid them, but once it happened, it was so fun, I almost stopped trying. :) Between the waves, and the rain that had picked up in the last mile, I felt energized. I finished as strong as I felt possible, with Jenny cheering me on. There was a small flagged off area that served as the finishers chute and as I ran through it I checked the clock to see how I had done. I was pretty sure I had made my goal of keeping my average under 10 minutes. Runners received a card as they finished and it was the way the coordinators kept track of placement. I filled out the card, turned it in, and then stopped to enjoy the view.
We were getting rained on pretty good, but I didn't care. It felt great! Jenny and I took our version of a finishers photo and then headed over to the buffet dinner that was included with our race entry.
We stood in the rain eating and waiting for the awards ceremony to begin. I had no doubt that Jenny would get an award. They announced the overall male and female winner, and then as they were getting ready to do the next set they got word that the storm was much closer and coming in much faster than anticipated. The awards would have to be mailed to the winners and we were all told to clear out.
I so badly wanted to watch Jenny win her award. We noticed a couple people talking to a guy with a clipboard so we quickly went over to him. After a quick check we knew, sure enough... Jenny placed FIRST in her age division!! (5th overall for woman!) I'm so proud of her!!!
With award in hand we ran to the car and drove slowly the 30 minutes back to our condo.
It took a while for the official stats to show up, but eventually I found mine. Out of, I believe, 137 runners I placed 81st (31st out of 72 women) with an average pace of 9:52. First goal was met. :-D There were only 6 ladies in my age division and I wasn't very close to the lady who placed third, but that's ok. I did have fun. It was a wonderful experience, and overall, a very well organized race.
And now I can I can cross off "Beach Race" from my running bucket list. :-D
There's not really a good way to train for a run on the sand. Unless you live close enough to a beach for regular runs, of course. So I went in to it knowing that it would be difficult and that I'd likely be sore. I didn't set any strict goals. I really just wanted to enjoy the run. However, once we got to the beach I did try to get in a couple short runs on the sand. Early in the week Scott and I went out for a 2 mile jog and I made it about 3/4 of a mile before we found access to the sidewalk. The next day Jenny and I went out for 3 and did 1 mile in the sand before getting on the sidewalk. And that was it. Two short jogs in the sand and I had to call that my training.
Jenny and I got to race central about 30 minutes early. It had been raining most of the day and we were watching a storm roll in. All the while hoping it would roll in slowly. There was a light, off and on, drizzle when we got to the starting line... Which was not a line, but an area of beach marked by cones.
There was a buzz among the runners. Jenny and I were towards the front (somewhere I definitely did not belong :) ) and we were making conversation with some girls around us. It seemed most of the runners around us had not run on sand before. This gave me a glimmer of hope that I wouldn't do terrible. Because it IS possible to enjoy the run even if it's a terrible one. :-D At that point I set a couple very loose goals. I wanted to try to keep my pace under a 10 minute average, and if I was feeling good, maybe even try to get it closer to 9:45 which would give me a small, very small, possibility of placing in my age division. I based that pace on the results from the first race in the Road Runners Beach 5 series that happened in June. I had no expectation for the second goal, but it was in the back of my head.
With a short countdown we were sent on our way. Jenny took off, and rightly so. She is much faster than me and I knew she'd be able to place if she didn't wait on me. I ran a short distance on loose, unpacked sand before turning around at a cone and heading back the way I had just come. Once I turned around I was able to run on the packed sand near the water. It was easier, but not easy. I settled in and kept my eyes ahead, admiring my awesome race course.
I made it a mile and a half before I gave myself a chance to take a short walk. I can't remember how much more I ran before another walk, but after my second one I didn't walk again. Just before I hit two miles we turned back around to finish in the same location we had started. Along the course I ran through some unavoidable waves. At first I was trying to avoid them, but once it happened, it was so fun, I almost stopped trying. :) Between the waves, and the rain that had picked up in the last mile, I felt energized. I finished as strong as I felt possible, with Jenny cheering me on. There was a small flagged off area that served as the finishers chute and as I ran through it I checked the clock to see how I had done. I was pretty sure I had made my goal of keeping my average under 10 minutes. Runners received a card as they finished and it was the way the coordinators kept track of placement. I filled out the card, turned it in, and then stopped to enjoy the view.
We were getting rained on pretty good, but I didn't care. It felt great! Jenny and I took our version of a finishers photo and then headed over to the buffet dinner that was included with our race entry.
We stood in the rain eating and waiting for the awards ceremony to begin. I had no doubt that Jenny would get an award. They announced the overall male and female winner, and then as they were getting ready to do the next set they got word that the storm was much closer and coming in much faster than anticipated. The awards would have to be mailed to the winners and we were all told to clear out.
I so badly wanted to watch Jenny win her award. We noticed a couple people talking to a guy with a clipboard so we quickly went over to him. After a quick check we knew, sure enough... Jenny placed FIRST in her age division!! (5th overall for woman!) I'm so proud of her!!!
With award in hand we ran to the car and drove slowly the 30 minutes back to our condo.
It took a while for the official stats to show up, but eventually I found mine. Out of, I believe, 137 runners I placed 81st (31st out of 72 women) with an average pace of 9:52. First goal was met. :-D There were only 6 ladies in my age division and I wasn't very close to the lady who placed third, but that's ok. I did have fun. It was a wonderful experience, and overall, a very well organized race.
And now I can I can cross off "Beach Race" from my running bucket list. :-D
Monday, April 13, 2015
Chip's Share it Forward 5k
It's been a long time since I've run a 5k just for the fun and support of it. This past Saturday I did the Chip's Share it Forward 5k. I had not planned on any spring races, but a friend of mine told me about the beautiful course and how low the registration fee was, and I was sold! This was the inaugural race for Chip's. It was put on by a local dentist office. The turnout was awesome! There were 150+ pre-registered with more expected to register the morning of.
I registered about a week and a half before the race so it sort of snuck up on me. I kept forgetting about it. It's a good thing I was going into it not expecting to race it, but just enjoy the course and support the cause. Our registration fee (or at least some part of it- I'm not sure how much) would be going to camp scholarships for kids from the Searcy Children's Home and other underprivileged kids.
I planned to run with my friend, Angela, and her son, who is in kindergarten, as long as possible. I fully expected my friend's son to out run me. The course was hilly but I knew that the last 1/4 or so would be all down hill. Maybe not quite that much, but enough that I knew if I could just get to that point, I would coast to the finish line. It was a beautiful course. I never knew there could be a 5k with this kind of scenery. In the beginning, and again at the end (it was an out and back course), there were two fields and each had horses. They would run along the fence line with us. It was incredible! And also, a nice distraction. :)
Angela and I finished as the clock hit 28:06. I was fairly shocked. I had a great time while at the same time being incredibly challenged by the course. I've decided the area would be a great place to train for my half marathon in October. :) I'll definitely be doing this 5k again next year.
I registered about a week and a half before the race so it sort of snuck up on me. I kept forgetting about it. It's a good thing I was going into it not expecting to race it, but just enjoy the course and support the cause. Our registration fee (or at least some part of it- I'm not sure how much) would be going to camp scholarships for kids from the Searcy Children's Home and other underprivileged kids.
I planned to run with my friend, Angela, and her son, who is in kindergarten, as long as possible. I fully expected my friend's son to out run me. The course was hilly but I knew that the last 1/4 or so would be all down hill. Maybe not quite that much, but enough that I knew if I could just get to that point, I would coast to the finish line. It was a beautiful course. I never knew there could be a 5k with this kind of scenery. In the beginning, and again at the end (it was an out and back course), there were two fields and each had horses. They would run along the fence line with us. It was incredible! And also, a nice distraction. :)
Angela and I finished as the clock hit 28:06. I was fairly shocked. I had a great time while at the same time being incredibly challenged by the course. I've decided the area would be a great place to train for my half marathon in October. :) I'll definitely be doing this 5k again next year.
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Discovering Virtual Racing- Our Ninja 5k
About a month ago I stumbled on the US Road Running website, through a friend who had posted the link on Facebook. I had heard of virtual racing one time, but I didn't realize there was a site where you could sign up for a 5k, do it on your own time before a certain date, and then get a medal and a bib just like in a live race. There are so many options too! I showed it to Scott and we decided to give it a try.
We signed up for the Ninja 5k, mostly because part of the medal spins and Scott has a thing for spinners. :) Registering for a virtual run was the same process as registering for any live race we have done before. After the process was complete I received an email with instructions on how to log our run when we did it and also saying our medals would be mailed within 15 days. I assumed that meant 15 days after we posted our run to the site. However, a day or two later I received another email saying we had a shipment coming our way. Our medals arrived a few days before we were leaving to go out of town.
Since we signed up before my Princess Half and didn't have any 3 mile runs to do before we left, we put it on the calendar to do a week after we returned from our cruise and decided to not open the envelopes that held our medals. I knew I would want a break from running after the half since I had been training for one race or another since July. The timing of things made it possible for Scott and I to run together today. We didn't go into it saying we were going to do our Ninja 5k. Both of us were expecting a slower (for us) run. Yesterday my run was extremely painful and I had to stop at 2 miles. Scott just wanted to try for something slower because he had a couple very fast runs recently.
By the time we got to 1 mile I knew we were going faster then the 10+ minute mile we were thinking. Scott's RunKeeper told us we had averaged 9:25 that mile. It was at that point that I told Scott we should do the extra .1 and make this our 5k. Especially since we weren't sure when we'd be able to run together again and we definitely wanted this 5k to be one we did together. That's benefit #1 to a virtual run- Deciding mid-run to make it a race. :-D Scott agreed with me and we decided that if we could keep our total average pace under 9:30 we would make it our 5k. I was still skeptical though. This was only my second run since the Princess Half almost three weeks ago and that would mean keeping a pace at least a minute faster than yesterday's run that I struggled with.
At about a mile and a half I had to stop and tie my shoes. I figured that would slow us down some. When we hit 2 miles our average pace was around 9:40. I knew I'd need to pick up the pace if we wanted our medals. I was feeling better than yesterday, but still feeling it. I tried to run faster. At 2 3/4 Scott said if we wanted to get under 9:30 we'd have to pick up the pace. I was ready to stop. I didn't know how I'd be able to go any faster. Scott talked to me for the next couple minutes. Encouraging me and pushing me. When my RunKeeper said 3 I almost stopped. Those last few seconds to get the extra .1 seemed to take forever. When I finally got there, stopped RunKeeper, and looked down, I realized we had done much better than a 9:30. Scott had lied to me! lol I think if he had not pushed me we still would have had a 9:30, but he knew I had it in me to go faster, even when I didn't think I did.
My total time was 28:46, average pace 9:15.
It goes to show that while running is obviously very physical, a lot of what stops you is mental. You can feel exhausted. You can feel pain. You can also push even just a little harder. Tell your brain to shut up and follow your heart. When I finished I imagined myself pushing through a ribbon at a finish line. I had won my race.
Virtual racing is definitely on our list of repeat races. :-D I see many more in our future. Whoever thought of the idea is brilliant! Benefit #2 to a virtual race- James and Evie were with us the whole time! Next time, we'll be sure to have biking medals for them also.
Race stats for our Virtual Ninja 5k:
Total time- 28:46
Average pace- 9:15
Splits- Mile 1- 9:25, Mile 2- 9:43, Mile 3- 8:45
Race Placement- 64th and 65th out of 515 participants! (Subject to change as participants can post results until March 31st)
We signed up for the Ninja 5k, mostly because part of the medal spins and Scott has a thing for spinners. :) Registering for a virtual run was the same process as registering for any live race we have done before. After the process was complete I received an email with instructions on how to log our run when we did it and also saying our medals would be mailed within 15 days. I assumed that meant 15 days after we posted our run to the site. However, a day or two later I received another email saying we had a shipment coming our way. Our medals arrived a few days before we were leaving to go out of town.
Since we signed up before my Princess Half and didn't have any 3 mile runs to do before we left, we put it on the calendar to do a week after we returned from our cruise and decided to not open the envelopes that held our medals. I knew I would want a break from running after the half since I had been training for one race or another since July. The timing of things made it possible for Scott and I to run together today. We didn't go into it saying we were going to do our Ninja 5k. Both of us were expecting a slower (for us) run. Yesterday my run was extremely painful and I had to stop at 2 miles. Scott just wanted to try for something slower because he had a couple very fast runs recently.
By the time we got to 1 mile I knew we were going faster then the 10+ minute mile we were thinking. Scott's RunKeeper told us we had averaged 9:25 that mile. It was at that point that I told Scott we should do the extra .1 and make this our 5k. Especially since we weren't sure when we'd be able to run together again and we definitely wanted this 5k to be one we did together. That's benefit #1 to a virtual run- Deciding mid-run to make it a race. :-D Scott agreed with me and we decided that if we could keep our total average pace under 9:30 we would make it our 5k. I was still skeptical though. This was only my second run since the Princess Half almost three weeks ago and that would mean keeping a pace at least a minute faster than yesterday's run that I struggled with.
At about a mile and a half I had to stop and tie my shoes. I figured that would slow us down some. When we hit 2 miles our average pace was around 9:40. I knew I'd need to pick up the pace if we wanted our medals. I was feeling better than yesterday, but still feeling it. I tried to run faster. At 2 3/4 Scott said if we wanted to get under 9:30 we'd have to pick up the pace. I was ready to stop. I didn't know how I'd be able to go any faster. Scott talked to me for the next couple minutes. Encouraging me and pushing me. When my RunKeeper said 3 I almost stopped. Those last few seconds to get the extra .1 seemed to take forever. When I finally got there, stopped RunKeeper, and looked down, I realized we had done much better than a 9:30. Scott had lied to me! lol I think if he had not pushed me we still would have had a 9:30, but he knew I had it in me to go faster, even when I didn't think I did.
My total time was 28:46, average pace 9:15.
It goes to show that while running is obviously very physical, a lot of what stops you is mental. You can feel exhausted. You can feel pain. You can also push even just a little harder. Tell your brain to shut up and follow your heart. When I finished I imagined myself pushing through a ribbon at a finish line. I had won my race.
Virtual racing is definitely on our list of repeat races. :-D I see many more in our future. Whoever thought of the idea is brilliant! Benefit #2 to a virtual race- James and Evie were with us the whole time! Next time, we'll be sure to have biking medals for them also.
Race stats for our Virtual Ninja 5k:
Total time- 28:46
Average pace- 9:15
Splits- Mile 1- 9:25, Mile 2- 9:43, Mile 3- 8:45
Race Placement- 64th and 65th out of 515 participants! (Subject to change as participants can post results until March 31st)
Friday, March 6, 2015
My Magical Run Through Disney
Nothing makes you feel more like a princess than a visit to Disney. Add in something major, like a RunDisney race, and you are given the true royal treatment. I had heard about RunDisney before, but had never considered a race. Not until a friend asked if I would do one with her. In the summer of 2013 I committed to doing the Disney World Princess Half Marathon in February 2015 with Jenny.
I went into this race knowing I wasn't doing it for time, but only for fun. Especially since I'd be running in a tutu. Every princess needs a tutu, right? :) Beyond my running attire, there are more than 20,000 people running in this half marathon. There was a good chance it would be too crowded to run fast enough for a PR. There was a time while training that I thought MAYBE I'd be able to PR. I had 4 long runs in a row where my average pace would have given me a PR. Even after those, I kept telling myself it was unlikely. I'm glad I didn't have my heart set on it.
Race weekend seemed to be creeping up slowly. I guess a year and a half wait will do that. Finally it was time. This race was so spectacular! It's hard to know where to start. Jenny and I decided to get up early on Saturday so that we could go to bed early that night. To give us something to do, we decided to go to the Enchanted 10k that was also happening at Disney World. My friend Tisa and her sister would be running the 10k and I was hoping there was a chance we could see her. So Jenny, Scott, and I got up and found a perfect spectating point.
Not only did we get to be spectators, something that I have never really done, but we got to watch a gorgeous sunrise over Disney World. Jenny and I clapped and screamed for runners for almost two hours as the went by. Spectating is so much fun! It also brings to perspective the other side of things as I ran the next day. And bonus, we DID see Tisa. :-D
After watching the race for a couple hours we went home to get ready for the day. We still had to go to the race expo to get our race packets and run a couple other errands. At the expo things got a little more real. It was huge!
It was a lot of fun walking around the expo, but my favorite part of the day was when I got to hear my favorite Biggest Loser contestant speak.
Danni Allen won her season of Biggest Loser a couple seasons ago. She seemed the most "real" on the show, and seeing her in person was so neat. She talked about her journey and her beliefs where it comes to health and fitness. We seem to feel the same about a lot. She also answered questions about the show. It was great!
We spent the rest of the day keeping busy until bedtime. We were aiming for an early bedtime because we had to get up at 3:00am!
Finally, it's race day! The reason for getting up so early is because we need to be to our corral by 5:00. We needed to leave the house by 4. It didn't take long to get to Disney. Jenny only lives 10-15 minutes away. The time it takes to get from our parking spot to our corral took longer than that. A lot longer. I'm estimating it was somewhere between a mile and a mile and a half from one to the other. Add to that all the beautiful princesses we would be running with and a potty stop, We got to our corral right around 5:00. It was nice having some time before we started. I thought time would drag, but instead there was enough going on that it was time to start before I knew it. Jenny and I were in Corral D. I was excited about how close we were. I thought that with so many people, even though we were only four corrals back, we would be further from the start.
The first two were sent off (by the Fairy God Mother!) fairly close together, and then maybe 5 minutes between the next two. Each corral gets a firework send off!
Now for the really good stuff. :) The excitement was emanating from everyone around us. We are running a half marathon. IN DISNEY WORLD! We started on a road outside Epcot and headed towards the Magic Kingdom. The first three miles went by fairly quickly. Through out the course there were Disney characters on the sidelines for photo ops. Jenny and I didn't stop, but I tried to take pics while running. Usually it works, but since it was still dark most of my pictures turned out blurry. The first character stop was Captain Jack and his ship. We also saw the men of Disney in the first 2-4 miles. It's too easy to lose track of where I saw everyone. :)
Just after mile 5 we made a turn that would take us to what I think was the cast member entrance onto Main Street USA- the main drag in the Magic Kingdom. Jenny had been building up the moment. Each step closer she'd tell me a few more turns until we were there. Nothing prepared me for it though. I expected the feeling I'd have when I got to the castle (coming up soon...), but oh my word, we made the turn and all of a sudden there were a TON of spectators and I was in the Magic Kingdom. The buildings were all lit up and people were yelling and clapping and smiling at us. All of a sudden I couldn't see through the tears in my eyes. It was a very cool moment. Somewhere in the crowd on Main Street Scott and Jenny's husband and son were waiting for us. I never saw them, but Jenny did. I loved knowing they were there, even when I didn't see them. After going down Main Street USA we did a small curve through Tomorrow Land and then BAM! Cinderella's Castle. Ohhh my word! I felt like a giddy little girl. It was barely getting light out at this point, but we managed to get a sort of castle selfie.
Smiles as big as they can get!! As we ran through the castle Hans, Anna, and Elsa were standing on a castle balcony to greet us!
We came out of the castle and stopped for a professional picture in front of the castle, and then we were back on our way. We ran through part of Frontier Land, passing Splash Mountain, and then we were out of the Magic Kingdom. I was almost sad. :)
Once we left the Magic Kingdom we still had fun, but there wasn't quite the excitement build up. Thankfully we had a few characters along the way. The pics aren't great, but the memories with them are.
The course is an out and back course so at this point there were few turns before the finish line, and most of those happened in the last two or three miles. That means that for almost 4 miles in the last half of this distance race it's about pushing through mental blocks and, in my case, some foot pain. I desperately needed new shoes and I was feeling it. I tried not to complain. I'm not sure if I succeeded. I don't know if Jenny would even tell me if I had complained too much. Things got quite in those miles. We did make a friend in mile 9-ish. I don't even remember how but she just struck up conversation with us. She stayed with Jenny and me for a couple miles. Her name was Amy and she was a very welcome, talkative, distraction.
I usually hit a wall around mile 9 or 10, I managed to push it away, but it pushed back and around 11 1/2 we were on our way up an overpass and I lost control. It took a little longer than normal to get my breathing back to normal. I was actually a little scared about how poorly I was breathing. I'm so thankful for Jenny and how understanding she was. She talked me down and and reminded me how great we had been doing. The fact that she reminded me about the cruise we were getting on later that day probably helped some too. I had completely forgotten about it. Shocker. I know. :) Anyway, I went in to mile 12 determined to finish fast and proud. It was the LONGEST final mile. EV-ER. I truly can't remember a final mile to any race feeling like it took as long as this one did. I know it was mental though.
The huge pick me up was when Jenny said, "Are you ready for this?" and all of a sudden we turned and there was Spaceship Earth!
As we entered Epcot there was music playing. I don't know for sure, but I am almost sure it was the soundtrack to Soarin'. (Side note, if you haven't been on Soarin' it needs to be on your must list.) The music was the perfect push I needed to finish. I can't say I sped up, but it made me feel like I could. Just before the bridge to the World Showcase, The Fairy Godmother was waiting to tell us we were almost done. We made a hairpin turn and Spaceship Earth was right in front of me again.
After we exited Epcot things are a little muddled in my head. I know there was only about 1/4 mile left. I know we passed a beautiful gospel choir and then we turned and saw the finish line. The most beautiful finish line I'd ever seen. And Donald was there!!
Jenny and I crossed the finish line holding hands in the air. Jenny got a PR! I'm very proud of her. I know I held her back too. I can only imagine how much faster she would have gone. I'm looking forward to hearing about her next half. We finished in 2:12:03, average pace 10:05. From the start of our training Jenny and I had said that we anticipated about a 10 minute pace, even when I had my faster training runs. So I'm thrilled that we stuck close to it.
After receiving our medals we got sprinkled with Pixie Dust!!
To say this race was magical is a huge understatement. It is clear the directors work hard to put on something so organized and special. Every detail from the expo to the parts beyond the finish line sparkled with happiness. I can't wait to do it again sometime!!
I went into this race knowing I wasn't doing it for time, but only for fun. Especially since I'd be running in a tutu. Every princess needs a tutu, right? :) Beyond my running attire, there are more than 20,000 people running in this half marathon. There was a good chance it would be too crowded to run fast enough for a PR. There was a time while training that I thought MAYBE I'd be able to PR. I had 4 long runs in a row where my average pace would have given me a PR. Even after those, I kept telling myself it was unlikely. I'm glad I didn't have my heart set on it.
Race weekend seemed to be creeping up slowly. I guess a year and a half wait will do that. Finally it was time. This race was so spectacular! It's hard to know where to start. Jenny and I decided to get up early on Saturday so that we could go to bed early that night. To give us something to do, we decided to go to the Enchanted 10k that was also happening at Disney World. My friend Tisa and her sister would be running the 10k and I was hoping there was a chance we could see her. So Jenny, Scott, and I got up and found a perfect spectating point.
Not only did we get to be spectators, something that I have never really done, but we got to watch a gorgeous sunrise over Disney World. Jenny and I clapped and screamed for runners for almost two hours as the went by. Spectating is so much fun! It also brings to perspective the other side of things as I ran the next day. And bonus, we DID see Tisa. :-D
After watching the race for a couple hours we went home to get ready for the day. We still had to go to the race expo to get our race packets and run a couple other errands. At the expo things got a little more real. It was huge!
It was a lot of fun walking around the expo, but my favorite part of the day was when I got to hear my favorite Biggest Loser contestant speak.
Danni Allen won her season of Biggest Loser a couple seasons ago. She seemed the most "real" on the show, and seeing her in person was so neat. She talked about her journey and her beliefs where it comes to health and fitness. We seem to feel the same about a lot. She also answered questions about the show. It was great!
We spent the rest of the day keeping busy until bedtime. We were aiming for an early bedtime because we had to get up at 3:00am!
Finally, it's race day! The reason for getting up so early is because we need to be to our corral by 5:00. We needed to leave the house by 4. It didn't take long to get to Disney. Jenny only lives 10-15 minutes away. The time it takes to get from our parking spot to our corral took longer than that. A lot longer. I'm estimating it was somewhere between a mile and a mile and a half from one to the other. Add to that all the beautiful princesses we would be running with and a potty stop, We got to our corral right around 5:00. It was nice having some time before we started. I thought time would drag, but instead there was enough going on that it was time to start before I knew it. Jenny and I were in Corral D. I was excited about how close we were. I thought that with so many people, even though we were only four corrals back, we would be further from the start.
The first two were sent off (by the Fairy God Mother!) fairly close together, and then maybe 5 minutes between the next two. Each corral gets a firework send off!
Now for the really good stuff. :) The excitement was emanating from everyone around us. We are running a half marathon. IN DISNEY WORLD! We started on a road outside Epcot and headed towards the Magic Kingdom. The first three miles went by fairly quickly. Through out the course there were Disney characters on the sidelines for photo ops. Jenny and I didn't stop, but I tried to take pics while running. Usually it works, but since it was still dark most of my pictures turned out blurry. The first character stop was Captain Jack and his ship. We also saw the men of Disney in the first 2-4 miles. It's too easy to lose track of where I saw everyone. :)
Just after mile 5 we made a turn that would take us to what I think was the cast member entrance onto Main Street USA- the main drag in the Magic Kingdom. Jenny had been building up the moment. Each step closer she'd tell me a few more turns until we were there. Nothing prepared me for it though. I expected the feeling I'd have when I got to the castle (coming up soon...), but oh my word, we made the turn and all of a sudden there were a TON of spectators and I was in the Magic Kingdom. The buildings were all lit up and people were yelling and clapping and smiling at us. All of a sudden I couldn't see through the tears in my eyes. It was a very cool moment. Somewhere in the crowd on Main Street Scott and Jenny's husband and son were waiting for us. I never saw them, but Jenny did. I loved knowing they were there, even when I didn't see them. After going down Main Street USA we did a small curve through Tomorrow Land and then BAM! Cinderella's Castle. Ohhh my word! I felt like a giddy little girl. It was barely getting light out at this point, but we managed to get a sort of castle selfie.
Smiles as big as they can get!! As we ran through the castle Hans, Anna, and Elsa were standing on a castle balcony to greet us!
We came out of the castle and stopped for a professional picture in front of the castle, and then we were back on our way. We ran through part of Frontier Land, passing Splash Mountain, and then we were out of the Magic Kingdom. I was almost sad. :)
Once we left the Magic Kingdom we still had fun, but there wasn't quite the excitement build up. Thankfully we had a few characters along the way. The pics aren't great, but the memories with them are.
The course is an out and back course so at this point there were few turns before the finish line, and most of those happened in the last two or three miles. That means that for almost 4 miles in the last half of this distance race it's about pushing through mental blocks and, in my case, some foot pain. I desperately needed new shoes and I was feeling it. I tried not to complain. I'm not sure if I succeeded. I don't know if Jenny would even tell me if I had complained too much. Things got quite in those miles. We did make a friend in mile 9-ish. I don't even remember how but she just struck up conversation with us. She stayed with Jenny and me for a couple miles. Her name was Amy and she was a very welcome, talkative, distraction.
I usually hit a wall around mile 9 or 10, I managed to push it away, but it pushed back and around 11 1/2 we were on our way up an overpass and I lost control. It took a little longer than normal to get my breathing back to normal. I was actually a little scared about how poorly I was breathing. I'm so thankful for Jenny and how understanding she was. She talked me down and and reminded me how great we had been doing. The fact that she reminded me about the cruise we were getting on later that day probably helped some too. I had completely forgotten about it. Shocker. I know. :) Anyway, I went in to mile 12 determined to finish fast and proud. It was the LONGEST final mile. EV-ER. I truly can't remember a final mile to any race feeling like it took as long as this one did. I know it was mental though.
The huge pick me up was when Jenny said, "Are you ready for this?" and all of a sudden we turned and there was Spaceship Earth!
As we entered Epcot there was music playing. I don't know for sure, but I am almost sure it was the soundtrack to Soarin'. (Side note, if you haven't been on Soarin' it needs to be on your must list.) The music was the perfect push I needed to finish. I can't say I sped up, but it made me feel like I could. Just before the bridge to the World Showcase, The Fairy Godmother was waiting to tell us we were almost done. We made a hairpin turn and Spaceship Earth was right in front of me again.
After we exited Epcot things are a little muddled in my head. I know there was only about 1/4 mile left. I know we passed a beautiful gospel choir and then we turned and saw the finish line. The most beautiful finish line I'd ever seen. And Donald was there!!
Jenny and I crossed the finish line holding hands in the air. Jenny got a PR! I'm very proud of her. I know I held her back too. I can only imagine how much faster she would have gone. I'm looking forward to hearing about her next half. We finished in 2:12:03, average pace 10:05. From the start of our training Jenny and I had said that we anticipated about a 10 minute pace, even when I had my faster training runs. So I'm thrilled that we stuck close to it.
After receiving our medals we got sprinkled with Pixie Dust!!
To say this race was magical is a huge understatement. It is clear the directors work hard to put on something so organized and special. Every detail from the expo to the parts beyond the finish line sparkled with happiness. I can't wait to do it again sometime!!
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