Race Report: Vigor 13.1

I ran a race.

You know, it's the only time that I update this darn blog.

The Saturday before Mother's Day, I woke up at 3am for my first half marathon of the year.  Caught a bus at 4am and waited around at the start line until 5:30am when they made us walk about a mile and a half down to the start line.

As we were dropping gear at the start line I found another local blogger was pacing for a 1:50 finish time.  My previous best time was 1:55, and quite frankly I haven't been doing very well with my training this year, so I thought that I might stick it out with him for as long as I could, knowing that I always drop off pace at the end of a race.

I hate typing up long race reports - so here's the condensed version. We started behind the 2:00 pacer, but caught up to 1:50 by mile 3.  We stayed with him the ENTIRE race and in the last mile he told us (us being me and my best running partner, next door neighbor, photography mentor/partner, best friend, Becca whom I've run several races with in the last 18 months) to get in front of him and we did.

The course was short this year (last year it was long), so between mile 12 and 13 was super fast and suddenly we were rounding the corner to finish line.  There was my husband and my two year old.  Becca sped up and I slowed down.

But I think going slower at the end was worth it. :)

 

Finish time: 1:46:45

Blaine, thanks for helping me to a 10 minute personal best!  And thanks for being my newest friend on Facebook.

Do I have anymore races coming up this year?  Not really - maybe something on the 4th of July.  Then the traditional November race in Idaho with family.  I'm kind of taking a break from paying for races this year.

So you might not hear from me for a couple of months.  Let's be Facebook friends, or follow my Photography blog/Facebook page.

Oh, Hi Again

Oh hi there blogging world - yes, it's been four months since my last post.  And I'm sure none of you even noticed.

Want to know what I've been up to while I've been absent?

Running.
Photographing my first wedding. 

Working.
Being a mom.

Now you're up to date!

... ... ...

I was supposed to run a half marathon two weeks ago, but the morning of the race I woke up to 6 inches of snow, along with an email from the race saying that they were cancelling because of the dangerous conditions.

While I was disappointed, I was also relieved because I had just developed a sinus infection with a nasty cough to go along with it.  So I probably would have killed myself trying to run 13 miles.

Since then I haven't been keeping up as well with my training, as I've been trying to get back to full health.  My daughter and I have shared plenty of sicknesses this winter season - and we're both just getting over a round of conjunctivitis.  Yay for daycare where the kids all share their germs!

I'm still in training for another half marathon that is in 5 weeks... and I'm hoping to KILL it, since it's an ALL downhill course.  I ran it last September and that's where I got my 1:55 half PR... so I'm hoping to take a few minutes off my time from last year, and hoping that I won't have to stop for a bathroom break mid-race again.

That's all for now I guess.

Race Report: Holiday Heros 5K

I ran another race (almost a month ago).  Aren't you impressed? 

I came in 3rd in my age group and finished in 25:36.  An average pace of 8:14 per mile. Which is pretty darn good for me, especially when I my last run was two weeks prior.

I got a medal.  I got a hug from Santa.  I got a free chocolate milk.

And now, I plan to take the month of December off.  I'm sure I might get out for a run once or twice - but there won't be any pressure to go.  I need a break.  I'm ready for a break.  And I'll pick it up again in January.

That One Time When I Went to Disneyland

Let me tell you a story.  Through pictures. 

We went to Disneyland for my daughter's second birthday.  And it was awesome.

It was all about the characters for us, and my little Katie loved every second of it. We can't wait to go back!

Race Report: Just Cuz 7 Half Marathon

Look, it's been almost a month since my last post - so I guess that means that I ran another race.

Yes, yes I did.  This was my third time running the "Just Cuz" in my small hometown of Pocatello, Idaho.  Every year that I run it I do better, but this time - I got under 2 hours!  WAHOO!

I love running in this race.  It's 8.5 miles of fast downhill.  It has a different theme every year (this year was Zombie Apocalypse).  And I get to see my family that still lives in Idaho that I don't see much as much as I should. 
This is my second under 2 finish - and this comes after a month of running only once a week, and skipping the long runs in the two weeks leading up to the race. (We were in Disneyland, and who wants to be bothered with running 12 miles when you are in Disneyland?)

Finish time: 1:59:07.  Yay for me!

I look like a zombie, right?

Next spring is looking to be fast - if I can keep up running through the winter.

But I have to be honest, I am SO ready for a break.  I've been running weekly since January and I'm tired.  Or burned out.

Anyway, I ran a race. It's my second best finish time ever and I'm so excited about it.

I don't have the time to do this race report justice, but I don't want to keep putting it off.

Maybe I'll come back when I have more time...

Or maybe I'll just post pictures from Disneyland.

Race Report: Dash After Dark 5 Mile

My first 5 mile race is over.  It was cold, windy and started raining with 1.5 miles to go.  When the gun went off, I was the front girl... at least I thought I was.

The first half mile was in a neighborhood and then we jumped on a paved trail.  Once on the trail, I had an EXCELLENT tailwind helping to keep my pace around an 8 min/mile.  Which is pretty darn fast for me.  It was an out and back course, so just before the turnaround, I saw everyone in front of me... and in maybe 5th place was a chick that I didn't see at the starting line.  WHAT?

Looking behind me, I saw that the next female participant was RIGHT behind me and I knew that should would pass me soon after the turnaround... since we were running straight into the wind and it was getting darker and starting to rain (stayed at about a drizzle for the race).  I was working a LOT harder to keep up an 8:30 pace, and at times got down to 9 min/mile.  With about a mile to go, the lady behind me passed me.  And as she came around, I got right on her tail and experienced my very first draft.

HOLY CRAP!  No wonder it's illegal in most racing!  That made such a huge difference!  I kept on her until my Garmin beeped the mileage and it scared her and she jumped out of the way.  When she saw it was me, she picked up her pace and I couldn't match it.

The last half mile I came up on a 14 year old boy that was obviously a cross-country runner, and I told him that he couldn't let me beat him.  He smiled and stayed right with me until we saw the finish line.  He took off sprinting - I tried to match it... and then decided to go slower so that I didn't throw up.

Waiting at the finish line was my best running partner (who should have been in that race with me - and probably beating me - but she was sidelined during the week with a kidney infection). So I got a great big hug in the wind and drizzle.

To cut this short (I hate writing long race reports).  I finished in 41:36 with an 8:19 min/mile pace.  I won my age group and was the second female finisher.  The lady that I saw before the turnaround had cut the beginning of the course in the neighborhood and they made her go back out.

I got some bling and a major award.  The fun thing about the 2nd place award is that it can now be used as part of my Halloween decor! 

I took a nice long, HOT shower when I finally made it home.  And I took the day off the next morning from my long run.

Bullet Point Thoughts

• It seems like the only time I have a new blog post is after a race.  This "blog" has turned into a record of my races and how I felt.  I guess that's OK - I have a family blog that keeps up to date with what is going on in my life (or rather, my daughter's life).  And I have a new website and blog for my new business dream.

• This running blog has mostly fallen by the wayside - and I'm pretty sure all of my "followers" have stopped following.  And that's OK - I wouldn't stay around either.  I've turned into a pretty boring writer.

• I've also turned into a pretty boring runner.  A weekend warrior is more like it.  Long runs on Saturday mornings and MAYBE one other run during the week.  For the last month, it's basically been Saturday runs. 

• I have a 5 mile race this Friday night and then a half marathon on November 3rd.  But between the two, I'll be spending my baby-that-isn't-a-baby's birthday in Disneyland.  And we'll be doing the travelling on the two Saturdays before my last half of the year.  Uh, I don't know how those long runs are going to work - but whatever. 

• I'm ready for the racing season to be over.  I'm ready to sleep in on Saturday mornings, and not feel pressure for 10 and 12 mile runs.  Although, last week's 12 miler absolutely rocked!  I felt great and had a short walk around mile 7 to get some water and GU.  It's runs like that that keep me going on these training schedules (even if I don't stick to them).

• I like ice cream.