2nd Best 10 Mile Time Ever!!

Today during the Buffalo Stampede/Parrott Migration I managed to get my 2nd Best 10 Mile Time Ever!!  My best 10 Mile time was back in 2000 at the Annapolis 10-Miler and what is now my 3rd Best 10 Mile Time was at the Army 10-Miler shortly thereafter.  In 2000, I was significantly lighter AND was training and completing marathons!  Yet despite my current extra poundage, comparable limited training mileage, AND being 11 years older I managed an impressive time of 2:07.34!!!  So excited.  


I have done this particular race for the last 3 years.  Here's a summary. 

• Year 1:  Required a police escort for several miles during the race because I was LAST!  Finished with a time of 2:43.47
• Year 2:  No police escort needed.  Finished with a time of 2:25.15
• Today:  2:07.34  

That's a 35 minute improvement or 3:30 min/mile faster in just 2 years.  The coolest thing is that when I plugged in my finish time in the race predictor calculator, it said my half marathon time would be 2:50!  That would also be my 2nd best half marathon time ever!  I'm seeing a trend here.  I'll be able to see if it holds true in three weeks.  I can't complain but I also can't wait until my times become my BEST time ever.  

2nd Best 5K Time Ever!!

Over the weekend, I did an evening 5K and achieved my 2nd best time ever!!  I am still slightly shocked.  I improved my time almost 3 minutes from just over a month ago!!!  That's crazy insane.  Who does that?  I guess I do.  What's even crazier is that I had worked out 2 1/2 hours in the morning.  I did my regular Saturday morning routine of Spinning Class followed by Turbokick and I still managed this unbelievable time.  Who does that?  Me.

In my summer of exercise, it's amazing how losing 15 lbs (so far!) and gaining 15 lbs of muscle (so far) in the month between the 5Ks can make such an dramatic impact on the time.  Now, I am chasing times from back in the day when I was thinner and fitter.   I have only 6 more minutes to shave off my 5K time to get a new PR.  Off to the gym!  There's another 5K in 5 weeks and I'm hoping to shave off a couple more minutes.

OMG... I Am So Happy!

I did a 5K today!  Now that might not seem like breaking news but I haven't run in ages due to a nagging foot injury.  My last race was the Shamrock'n Half which was a miserable experience.  I tried to run a couple times following that but it wasn't pleasant.  So I dedicated myself to the gym and in particular, Turbokick classes.  I first tried Turbokick back in January and was tripping over myself trying to master the moves with the music.  Not a pretty sight!  But I stayed with it.  When Round 45 came out I had most of the basic moves and had figured out what my feet were supposed to be doing and became obsessed.  I was traveling to clubs far and wide to do this class every day.  And what a great workout!

Fast forward to now.  I am off work for the summer and now have lots of free time to work out.  I began missing running again.  Last night I decided to go for a run today and if I am going to run, I might as well run with several hundred people.  I found a 5K this morning, showed up, signed up, and off I went.   I wasn't really sure how my foot would react so my plan was just to run and see what happened.  (I figured I could finish in an hour if I needed to walk the entire thing.)    I set my watch to 2 minute running and 1 minute walking intervals and I was off!  The crazy thing was when two minutes was up, I felt great and kept running.  I settled into doing 5 minute running and 1 minute walking intervals, with walking up the few hills on the course.  I ignored my watch and was enjoying being able to run for the first time in about three months.   At mile 2 the suspense was killing me and I looked down and saw my time was 26:30!    My competitive self began thinking that I could break 40 minutes, so I picked up the pace a bit.   I didn't break 40 minutes but was only 3 seconds shy of my best time.  Go figure!?!?

Three months off running and spending time in the gym doing other things has dramatically improved my fitness levels and endurance.  What do I have to thank for this?  Turbokick.  So after the race, I got into my car and made it to the 10 am Turbo class.  To borrow liberally from the Round 45 playlist....OMG....I am So Happy!

Lucky (?!?) 7 Race Report

I got a PR!  (Disclaimer:  I was guaranteed a PR because I have never raced this distance.  But it's a PR nevertheless.)   It probably wasn't the brightest of ideas to do this race because of my recent leg issues and with two more half marathons coming up but it was a beautiful day.  One of the few recent sunny days in days of rain, rain, and more rain.  The race ran along the trails of Davis.  I must say I prefer these trails much more than the Davis Stampede course.  It's hard to comprehend that I lived in Davis for three years and never knew these existed.  It was a beautiful course along the various greenbelts.  My only complaint was that the mile markers appears to be randomly placed along the course.  They were in correct sequence but some "miles" were 1/2 miles, others were 1 1/4 miles, and some others were 1.5 miles.  I am glad I had my Garmin but during the race I kept on thinking whether this was going to actually be a 7 mile race.  My concern is that maybe it was going to be much longer.  In the end after all the twists and turns it was 7 miles.  

And the kids races are still haunting me.  The kids races start at the finish line.  So as I was running to the finish, the kids (and they were little) were lined up at the finish to run in my direction.  Luckily they delayed the start and some volunteers cleared a path for me to cross the finish line.   Next year, I will have the goal of finishing before the kids races line up.  In the end, I finished in 1:40.22 and I was almost ALIVE last again.  I was 3rd from last.  Too bad there aren't awards for the back of the pack.  I would be cleaning house this year on those.    Where have all the slower runners gone?  Maybe awards will help bring them back.


After the race, my leg was hurting and I was so ready to get my congratulatory Starbucks and head home.  I went to start my car and the battery was dead.  Aurgh!  I just wanted to go home.  An hour later, after AAA was there and I had to buy a brand new battery I was able to head home.  The jury is still out as to how "Lucky" this run was in the end.  Shamrock'n is next weekend and I hope my leg is up to the challenge.

Bay Breeze (aka Bay Freeze) Half Marathon Race Report

Day 2 of my Four Day Weekend was spent completing Half Marathon #18 in the Bay Area.   We had rain all week and I also had a monster sinus infection that kept me from working out which would have been great reasons not to do this race.  But the hourly accuweather forecast predicted rain before and after the race but not during the race.  So I woke up super-early and made the long drive down to San Leandro to get there early, nab a prime parking spot, and squeeze in a pre-race nap.  So far, so good.  But during the hour before the race started, it was raining at a pretty good clip.  I thought about going home since I already had picked up my shirt but that's not really my style.  I had come this far, it seemed silly to turn around.  The weather cleared about ten minutes before the race started and the sun even came out momentarily.  It took it as a sign that I was meant to complete this race.  I suited up and lined up at the start.  About twenty minutes into the race the accuweather forecast was accu-WRONG.  It rained on and off  for the next three hours.  


The course runs out along a trail from the San Leandro Marina to the San Mateo Bridge and back.  Even though it was raining, the course drained nicely so there wasn't a lot of puddles and mud to run through.  Just lots and lots of bridges to cross, watching the tides roll away, and lots of different types of birds.  This weekend is the Great Backyard Bird Count and there were plenty to count!  But instead of counting I was determined to NOT go off course this time!  On the way out, I saw where I missed the turn during the Summer Breeze event so I stayed focused on the pink ribbons along the course.  I met my goal of staying on course!  Similar to the half I did in January, there were very few of us in the back of the pack which made for peaceful running.  I again loved the buffet-style aid stations with more things than I could even imagine eating during a race.  I stuck to the M&Ms and the gummy bears which suited me just fine.  Maybe someday I'll try Doritos after 11 miles.  Not exactly the first race food that comes to mind!

I wasn't feeling the best at the beginning (not surprising since I did not work out at all this week!) and then when the rain kicked in I made a pact not to obsess over my pace.  I am proud to say that I didn't even look at my watch until mile 4, when I was at 57 minutes.  I vowed to check my pace at 2 mile intervals.  This worked out well since my hands were inside my jacket almost the entire race.  I kept up the 2:1 intervals to the bitter end.  The last few miles I would have preferred not running but did it anyways.  Unlike previous races where I tanked and was forced to walk, I continued with my pace and finished.  Here I am close to the finish, drenched but still smiling.  My final time was 3:10.27.  This is my slowest of 2011 but clocks in as my 8th fastest time of the 18 half marathons completed since October 2009.  I can't complain.  I just hope another sub-3 hour time is coming soon.

Davis Stampede (Half #17) Race Report

I will have to wait and see if running todays half marathon was the wisest idea in the long run considering I have been feeling sick, but I did it AND finished with my 3rd fastest time among the recent 17 half marathons.  I kept to my 2:1 intervals that worked out well until about mile 11 which is where I tanked.  Today was hot and the aid stations left A LOT to be desired.  From the first one being completely out of water by the time I got there to no aid stations having any energy drink until the very last one.  After tasting the Gatorade the folks mixed up at that station its easy to imagine why it was missing from the other stations.  It was grossly concentrated.  Yuck!  Fortunately, I carry my own water source with me while running but today I needed to rely on GU over the energy drinks which isn't my preference.   It's hard to complain given my time.  The best part along the race was the ONLY UC Davis cheerleader displaying any spirit who had her own cheer towards the end of the race.  It was something along the lines of "Don't quit, soon you'll be able to sit!"  I know that's not the exact words but definitely the spirit needed to finish the race strong.  And the VERY BEST part was I managed to finish before the little ones which was not the case last year.  Given these challenges surrounding this race, future racing in 2011 looks promising.  Hopefully a loss of additional weight will help me break the 3 hour barrier again.

Half #17 in Jeopardy

Half-marathon number 17 is Sunday and I woke up today feeling like my head was going to explode.  I don't know if I will make it.  I was so looking forward to this half.  The course if flat.  I had a super-fast time last year (even though I couldn't keep up with the kiddie run happening at the finish), and I am ten pounds lighter than I was for the half two weeks ago.  I was super curious to see how that would impact my finishing time.  I am resting lots, taking different meds, drinking fluids, and somehow managing to sit through class this weekend and hoping for the best.  If half-marathon #17 doesn't happen on Sunday at least there is always the Super Bowl!

Finished ALIVE Last!

I completed the Whole Foods Running School Half Marathon this weekend.  It is my 16th half marathon since October 2009 and I logged my fifth fastest time.   The best part was that I managed a first in all my running athletic history.  I finished in DEAD last!  Though since I'm still breathing, I prefer the term alive last if there is such a thing.  It's hard to believe that my fifth fastest time, or top third, would mean that I was the 143rd finisher out of 143 finishers.    The funny thing is that it was probably one of my best races in recent memory.   The course was beautiful and you couldn't ask for better weather in January.  The aid stations were well-stocked and most of them still had people at them when I brought up the rear.  Speaking of "bringing up the rear"  I didn't expect all the elevation on the course.  Lots of rolling hills that didn't feel that bad until it seemed that mile 6 and 7 were entirely uphill.  A slow, gradual climb that really took it's toll after a while.  The course had several out and back jaunts along different parts of the trail.  It was great especially for me being so far behind to see folks several times along the trail.  I have to say it say that it made for an encouraging race.  Participants cheering me on as the straggler.  I felt good and didn't think I looked too bad but I sure got a lot of encouragement!  The race was almost entirely run on trails so that meant I missed out on the experience of a police escort that usually accompanies the lonely runner at the end.  I did 2:1 intervals throughout and my running times remained pretty stable throughout which I found most surprising.  My last few halves I wanted to end at mile 10, but this one I was strong through the end.  Yeah!  Progress!   I think all my high intensity cross training and the incorporation of weights has helped tremendously.  It makes me look forward to my remaining running events in 2011.

My First 5K (of the Year) Race Report

I finished  My First 5K (of the Year) downtown at the Capitol.  It was a nicely organized race.  The kids race started before the adults and it was great to watch the little ones running alongside giant fruit.  The race is organized by the Wellness Task Force so the focus is on fitness.  It highly encourages first-timers and rewards them with a medal.  So it was great to see so many newcomers to the distance out on this dreary, rainy Sunday morning.  I managed to keep up my 3:1 run/walk ratio for most of the race and switched to 2:1 for the last mile as I felt myself slowing down.  My final time was 40:41 which is less than 10 seconds off my best 5K time in recent memory.   And, it was 9 minutes faster than my painful turkey trot experience just six weeks ago.  Yeah!!!  I was pushing myself but felt strong throughout.  I think a sub-40 5K will be in my future very soon if I keep up this pace.  It started raining hard right after I finished so I didn't stick around for the Resolution toast, but I did fill out a card at the resolution table.  The Wellness Task Force will mail it back to folks mid-year for extra encouragement.  I can't wait!  It will provide an opportunity for reflection, readjustment, and celebration of health and fitness goals mid-year.  Overall, a great race and one I would definitely recommend in future years.  

Enjoying Running Again

I have been fortunate enough to have the last two weeks off for vacation.  I've had plenty of projects to do to keep me out of trouble.   I am most grateful to have had the time to spend working out, going to the gym, and running along the trail the few times the sun was out.  The first couple days were pretty dreadful and it was difficult to get out of bed the next day because my body was screaming at me.  But now, even though it remains a challenge to actually start exercising, once I get moving I feel so much stronger.  


Today on the treadmill, I realized that I haven't really enjoyed working out since June last year.  I still managed to keep up my long runs and complete a number of races in the fall but the whole endeavor had lost its sparkle and enjoyment.  I had completely stopped working out mid-week with any kind of consistency.  My overall fitness suffered tremendously.  Now, after two weeks of consistent daily workouts focused on building up my fitness level, I feel pure joy when I am working out.  The body is amazing thing.  Its ability to recover and gain strength is remarkable.  I was on the treadmill for over an hour today.  The Rose Bowl was on and I was waiting for half time to hop off and do weights.  I had been doing an easy interval workout with lots of walking to recover from long run yesterday and prepare for race tomorrow.   But I threw in a number of intervals in to mix things up a bit.  With two minutes left on the timer, I ran at 6.0 for 1 minute.  I did this maybe 10 days ago and completed it but barely.  And I didn't do it at the END of my workout.   I set the treadmill at 6.0 and did 1 minute without a problem.  Probably could have completed an additional minute (but not much more).   If I was able to bare run a 10 min/mile pace for 1 minute less than two weeks ago and now can maintain that pace without a  problem,  I wonder what pace I will be able to maintain two weeks from now?!?  The possibilities are endless and I can think of no better way to start the new year.