Frederick Women's Distance Festival 5K

I used to sleep in on Saturdays.  I miss it.

Today I woke up at 5 a.m. in order to get myself together and in the car by 6 to head to the Frederick Women's Distance Festival 5K. The race was about an hour away, and I wanted to get there in time to pick up my packet, use the facilities, and do my warm-up.  I got there with plenty of time, so I decided to take a pic for my Facebook cheerleaders.

Bathroom selfies.  I still don't get it. 

Remind me not to do that again.   Moving on....... 

I did a little random warming up, and checked out the crowd.  There were about 300 women in the race, and a ton of male volunteers wearing bright pink shirts that said "She's The Boss."  I spied a woman that I've seen at two other races (well, one other race, two different years).  I jokingly call her my "nemesis."   She's 70 and we finished within seconds of each other the last two times.  I could not let that happen today.  

Someone announced that we should all move towards the starting line (we were all in the wrong place) so we trudged up a hill and lined up.  I lined up near the back of the pack, like I normally do.  Today that was a bad idea.  The gun went off, I hit my Garmin, and.... nothing.  Everyone in front of me WALKED to the starting line.  Lovely.  Except this was not a chip timed race, and every second counted!    We finally started moving and I was feeling good, though I was getting a little frustrated at having to dodge around people.  Now I know how people feel when I'm in their way! 

The race looped around the campus of a community college, so we were alternating between being in the street, and on paths.  The paths were just bigger than two people wide, and sometimes it was difficult to pass.  I held back for the first mile, but then decided that it wasn't really being rude to pass, this was a RACE after all, so I started being a bit more aggressive with getting around people.  

I was really starting to feel tired around 2.5 miles.  I thought maybe I wasn't going to PR and I started to feel a little defeated.  I let myself have about 5 seconds of a pity party, then just kept chugging.  When I hit the 3 mile mark, I told myself to just hold on and I started picking people off.  Just steadily increasing my speed, I passed a few ladies, including one woman just before the finish line.  I smiled for the photographer, tore off the bottom of my bib, grabbed my water, and got out of the chute.  

Time on my Garmin read 35:20 - a 36 second PR!  My splits looked like this: 

Overall, it was a great race.  I am very happy with my time, because I feel like I did my best.  Of course, the next few days will be spent like this: 

But that's ok. 

Now..... chocolate.  =) 

Week 4 Recap

I can't believe it! I'm already finished with a whole month of training.  How is that even possible?  I think it's going pretty well so far, but nothing in life is perfect!

Here's how Week 4 was supposed to go:

• Monday - Rest
• Tuesday - 3 miles speed
• Wednesday - Rest/Cross Train
• Thursday - 2 miles easy
• Friday - Rest/Cross Train
• Saturday - 7 miles
• Sunday - 2 miles easy

Here's how Week 4 actually went: 

• Monday - Rest (really, is it any surprise that I'm super good at this one?)
• Tuesday - 3 miles speed (hit the paces for my mile repeats, though the second one was a bit of a struggle)
• Wednesday - Hour long gym session (that I'm STILL sore from, nearly a week later. Ugh)
• Thursday - 2 miles easy (super slow, was pretty darn sore)
• Friday - Rest
• Saturday - 7 miles (this run went ok.  really slowly, and the humidity was terrible, but it was ok.) 
• Sunday - 2 miles easy (this felt super easy)

All in all, not bad.  But that hour long training session on Wednesday pretty much killed me.   This was supposed to be my week of getting into strength training, and instead I have been popping pills and laying with a heating pad for the past 5 days.  NOT pretty.  I cancelled the appts I had scheduled for this week - no way am I risking feeling like this for another week.  Lord have mercy.  Ugh.  I guess I'm going to have to workout on my own for awhile - in short, easy bursts - until I'm a bit stronger, then I can go back to seeing Aaron again.  Blah.  

Saturday is the 5K I signed up for, and my coach seems excited for me - she said she'll be sending me a "race plan" in a couple days.  I've never had a race plan before! LOL  I guess I won't be winging it after all. 

What are you up to this week? Anything fun?  12 days till Disney! 

Frederick Women's Distance Festival

I got the go-ahead from my coach, so it looks like I'll be running in the Frederick Women's Distance Festival 5K Run/Walk on August 10th.  Which means I have 10 days to figure out how in the heck to run a 5K.

Even though I've been doing speed work once a week, my running lately has been more focused on laid-back, easy runs, and building up mileage.  It's been ages since I tried to run at a fast pace and hold it for any length of time.   Yesterday I did mile repeats, but I know I can't hold that pace for 3.1 miles.  I suppose I'll just have to go out and wing it, like always, but I do wish I had a better idea of what I'm capable of.

Actually, that's part of the whole reason behind running this race- so that I can find out what I'm capable of!

Fortunately, unless I trip and break something, there's a high probability that this race will go better than my last one, so that's something, at least.  Plus, this is an all-women event for a good cause, so there's that.  

Now, I'm off to the gym.  Someone remind me why I thought an hour long training session would be a good idea today?  

*crickets*

Yeah, that's what I thought! 

Slow and Steady Wins The.... Wait a minute!!

Today I ran the Matzohball Run, a local 5K.   I ran this same race last  year, and it was a really bad day for me, emotionally.   I finished in 39:15, which at the time was a PR, so I should have been happy, but I was not.  I was all weird and conflicted and unhappy and blah.

Fast forward 364 days to today - I finished in 40:13 (which is 4+ minutes SLOWER than my current PR), and I was totally happy and fine and whatever.

Makes NO sense to me, whatsoever, but I guess I shouldn't complain about being happy. LOL

It was soooooo hot today, and I ended up walking so many times, it was ridiculous.  I almost always negative split during races, because I don't warm up well and I kind of warm up as the race goes on.  Today, I warmed up with a little slow running and some strides (I'm such a pro now LOL), and then BOOM - started the race (downhill) going so fast my feet should have fallen off.  I spent half a mile going "Too fast! Too fast!" and the other 2.6 miles slowing down to turtle speed.  And walking.  And talking to random fishermen who were also displeased with the weather.   It was good times. =)

Last year, I finished just ahead of a 68 year old woman.  Today, I finished just behind that same woman (now 69!).   She told me she's done over 1500 races in the past 47 years.  I want to be her when I grow up.  Except she's probably slowed down as she's aged, and I'm already her speed.  LOL

The shirt looks blue here, but it's Ravens Purple! 

Happy Sunday! =)