I ran a 5K today and PR'd! Hooray. It was my first one since July where I ran a 29:17. My 5K PR was previously a 28:46. I went in to today not expecting too much because I didn't feel super fresh but I had three goal times in mind.
Goal A: 26:15
Goal B: 26:45
Goal C: 27:30
I had no idea how the course was going to be and I knew I just really wanted to break 28 minutes with secret hope to break 27. (Yes, I am probably much slower than you.)
I woke up late feeling rushed and not very excited. However, once we got lined up I was feel pumped and took off near the front of the pack which is unlike me. I went out wayyyy too fast and struggled to get into a groove with my breathing the first quarter of a mile. Once I did I felt fine and just pushed at a pace I knew I could keep the whole way. I put in a few bursts of speed on a few stretches of the course then felt terrible the final .2 miles uphill to the finish. In fact, this was the first time I nearly vomited while running. I had to do everything I could to not got sick. I held it back, kicked it up a notch and ran across the finish line. I thought I ran around a 26:25 but found out my official time was 26:18!!!! NEW PR!
13/144 Age group
67/1181 Females
233/1820 Overall
I'll take it! Here's to my sub 25 5K, a sub 2:00 half, and a sub 5:00 marathon!!!
I am taking the next month off from any running over six miles. I am focusing solely on strength training, yoga and getting into really strong gear to start my marathon training. I can't believe training starts soon. Eeeeep!
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Shamrock'n Half Marathon: Another 13.1 and a new PR
I raced half marathon number three Sunday. The Shamrock'n half in Sacramento. It turned out to be my best race yet.
Saturday I felt awful all day. Horrid stomach ache, slight fever and just not good. I was nervous running a half marathon would be a bad idea, but I said I'd get a good night's rest, treat the day like I would if I was surely running (hydrated ate a few carbs) and see how I felt in the morning.
I woke up Sunday feeling great. I ate a bagel with some nut butter (first time I have had a bagel pre-run) then Lauren and I got ready to go.
We got to the start line pretty easily and waited a few minutes after a bathroom stop for the gun to go off for the wave two runners. (2:00-2:20 runners were in our wave)
Off we went on a perfect weather morning where there was sunshine, a slight breeze and mild temps. All of a sudden after admiring cute houses and trees in bloom I realized I hit mile four. I felt awesome and kept my pace but had no idea how fast I was going because I never race and rarely run with a watch. I did realize I blew by the 2:10 pacer around mile five. I passed a ton of people through mile 6 and was having a great time feeling really strong into the split at mile 6.6.
I had been drinking full cups of water through all the aid stations and walking through them which usually I don't do. After the split I grabbed water and tried to get my sports beans from my back pocket. Struggled for a moment before I got them out and tried to open them. I failed since I was carrying a water cup. I kept trying to rip them open with my teeth and dropped them. Finally I put the water down opened them up and poured them in my mouth, chewed quickly and gulped down my water and got on my way. I definitely lost a solid minute at the aid station, at least. I tried picking it up to recover some lost time.
The course had some nice rolling small inclines which was great for me because i get really tired on pancake flat runs and want to use some other muscles. I am also trying to embrace hills more and get myself all pumped about the reward of running down them.
I hit mile 10 still feeling great then made it to mile 12 where I literally said aloud "f@*% this $hi*." It seemed like another mile would be impossible but people were speeding up so I pulled it together and focused. I hit mile 13 and sprinted the best I could to the finish line where it was so congested I had to slow down and was elbow to elbow with people...narrow finishing chute for a race of 8,000? Bad idea.
At this point I had no idea how fast I ran and didn't really care too much. I just wanted a water and banana. I made my way to the snacks, stretched and decided to get a massage even though I should have been looking for Lauren.
Post-massage I ran into Jesse, Cos and Lauren. Hooray! Jesse let me know I ran a 2:05! I took two full minutes of my Kaiser race and PR'd!! Later when I looked up my time I realized I also ran an even split on the course which is even more awesome. One second faster per mile on the back end and it would have been a negative split.
We then snapped some photos, grabbed a free beer and headed back to our friend's house for showers and food. Two bloody mary's and a bacon burger later I was full and happy.
Such a great race with a nice course (though it did need one or two more aid stations) and friendly runners. I'd definitely sign up again.
Now, onto Portland training and my quest to a sub-two half marathon.
Shamrock'n Half Marathon-Sacramento, CA
2:05:27
143/614 AG (F25-39)
949/4150 (Females)
1980/6188 (Overall)
Saturday I felt awful all day. Horrid stomach ache, slight fever and just not good. I was nervous running a half marathon would be a bad idea, but I said I'd get a good night's rest, treat the day like I would if I was surely running (hydrated ate a few carbs) and see how I felt in the morning.
I woke up Sunday feeling great. I ate a bagel with some nut butter (first time I have had a bagel pre-run) then Lauren and I got ready to go.
We got to the start line pretty easily and waited a few minutes after a bathroom stop for the gun to go off for the wave two runners. (2:00-2:20 runners were in our wave)
Off we went on a perfect weather morning where there was sunshine, a slight breeze and mild temps. All of a sudden after admiring cute houses and trees in bloom I realized I hit mile four. I felt awesome and kept my pace but had no idea how fast I was going because I never race and rarely run with a watch. I did realize I blew by the 2:10 pacer around mile five. I passed a ton of people through mile 6 and was having a great time feeling really strong into the split at mile 6.6.
 | ||
| Me and Lauren. The only photo I have of this race, sadly. |
The course had some nice rolling small inclines which was great for me because i get really tired on pancake flat runs and want to use some other muscles. I am also trying to embrace hills more and get myself all pumped about the reward of running down them.
I hit mile 10 still feeling great then made it to mile 12 where I literally said aloud "f@*% this $hi*." It seemed like another mile would be impossible but people were speeding up so I pulled it together and focused. I hit mile 13 and sprinted the best I could to the finish line where it was so congested I had to slow down and was elbow to elbow with people...narrow finishing chute for a race of 8,000? Bad idea.
At this point I had no idea how fast I ran and didn't really care too much. I just wanted a water and banana. I made my way to the snacks, stretched and decided to get a massage even though I should have been looking for Lauren.
Post-massage I ran into Jesse, Cos and Lauren. Hooray! Jesse let me know I ran a 2:05! I took two full minutes of my Kaiser race and PR'd!! Later when I looked up my time I realized I also ran an even split on the course which is even more awesome. One second faster per mile on the back end and it would have been a negative split.
We then snapped some photos, grabbed a free beer and headed back to our friend's house for showers and food. Two bloody mary's and a bacon burger later I was full and happy.
Such a great race with a nice course (though it did need one or two more aid stations) and friendly runners. I'd definitely sign up again.
Now, onto Portland training and my quest to a sub-two half marathon.
Shamrock'n Half Marathon-Sacramento, CA
2:05:27
143/614 AG (F25-39)
949/4150 (Females)
1980/6188 (Overall)
Friday, March 15, 2013
Another half and a 5K
I am running another half marathon on Sunday. To be honest I should have run at least two more long runs and two more shorter ones. But life gets in the way of training sometimes and I am going to just try to have fun with this one and run super happy.
Next weekend I am running a 5K in Oakland thanks to my friend who comped me a bib. I am ready to crush my old 5K PR (28:46) with a time hopefully under 27 minutes. I know I can do it. I just really have to want it that morning.
In the meantime I signed up for boxing classes. Legit ones. Not that kickboxing cardio stuff. It's time to be able to respectably do pull-ups and get ready for marathon training. I want to go in feeling strong and confident.
Next weekend I am running a 5K in Oakland thanks to my friend who comped me a bib. I am ready to crush my old 5K PR (28:46) with a time hopefully under 27 minutes. I know I can do it. I just really have to want it that morning.
In the meantime I signed up for boxing classes. Legit ones. Not that kickboxing cardio stuff. It's time to be able to respectably do pull-ups and get ready for marathon training. I want to go in feeling strong and confident.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Flagstaff
I kind of miss the smell of Flagstaff in the summer right now. The dry air at 7,000 feet in a Ponderosa pine forest has such a unique, soul warming scent.
Sometime I miss wearing my down jacket out and about as a perfectly acceptable and even stylish choice of street wear. Let's be honest, my Teva sandals do make appearances on the SF streets, but very rarely.
I wouldn't trade my runs along the beautiful bay for the snow and ugly Milton Road strip, but I do find myself missing my mountain and the feeling summer is right around the corner. I miss the unpretentious atmosphere of Rendevous Cafe and driving out to the base of the mountain to go get lost on the trails for a few hours. It's true what they say about feeling more alone in a place where you are constantly surrounded by people rather than in my own little desolate place back in Flagstaff.
Looking across the bay and watching the lights on the bridge is a perfect reminder that I am exactly where I need to be, but from time to time, this heart yearns for the homeyness of the little mountain town I called home for 6 years.
Sometime I miss wearing my down jacket out and about as a perfectly acceptable and even stylish choice of street wear. Let's be honest, my Teva sandals do make appearances on the SF streets, but very rarely.
I wouldn't trade my runs along the beautiful bay for the snow and ugly Milton Road strip, but I do find myself missing my mountain and the feeling summer is right around the corner. I miss the unpretentious atmosphere of Rendevous Cafe and driving out to the base of the mountain to go get lost on the trails for a few hours. It's true what they say about feeling more alone in a place where you are constantly surrounded by people rather than in my own little desolate place back in Flagstaff.
Looking across the bay and watching the lights on the bridge is a perfect reminder that I am exactly where I need to be, but from time to time, this heart yearns for the homeyness of the little mountain town I called home for 6 years.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Five Things
1. I had a legit race with a guy on my lunch run yesterday. We raced the last 1.25 miles which actually caused me to unofficially PR my 5K time with a finish of 26:21. Sweet. Also, I love "chicking" guys.
2. My laundry situation is becoming a big issue. I have way too many workout clothes that I need to wash and the lack of a washing machine in my apartment, let alone building makes it such a hassle to wash all this stuff. I can only imagine what will happen when i get to my six day a week training schedule.
3. I never used to understand why people would want their significant other to come along on their runs with them, but the more my longs runs take up time on my weekends the more I understand. Since J is never home due to traveling for work Saturday is the one full day of the week we usually have together. I could move my long run to Sunday, but I rather not have to change my whole schedule. I wish he would come run some miles with me.
4. My lovely grandmother who I recently went to see in Boston sent me a Keurig as a "thank you" for going to visit her. Being the coffee fiend I am I used that thing about four times a day while their. She wanted to give me something for my apartment so she just sent one over. She is the sweetest, ever.
5. I still like sitting on my roof with a glass of wine looking out across the bay. It's forever one of my favorite views.
2. My laundry situation is becoming a big issue. I have way too many workout clothes that I need to wash and the lack of a washing machine in my apartment, let alone building makes it such a hassle to wash all this stuff. I can only imagine what will happen when i get to my six day a week training schedule.
.JPG) |
| Yes, I just put a photo of my dirty workout gear on the internet |
4. My lovely grandmother who I recently went to see in Boston sent me a Keurig as a "thank you" for going to visit her. Being the coffee fiend I am I used that thing about four times a day while their. She wanted to give me something for my apartment so she just sent one over. She is the sweetest, ever.
.JPG) |
| My french press is going to feel neglected (only on weekdays, weekends are for french press) |
 |
| From my rooftop. |
Monday, March 4, 2013
Almost Crimes
Sometimes you find yourself sipping a cup of Darjeeling tea and listening to old Broken Social Scene albums after a weekend of partying big time VIP with your awesome girlfriends in Las Vegas and you think to yourself, "damn, my life is really wonderful."
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