TR18: Back to Back Virtual 5ks (plus .8 miles) or a 7 miler, you pick!

I signed up for two 4th of July Virtual 5k's and I was so sore from my 5 mile run that I really didn't get into it until today...and what the hell, when you have 7 miles to do, that is at least two 5ks!!

Ok, so I got up EARLY this morning...left the house before 7am as we had family zoo plans today.  I was blessed that my hubby got up early too, so he watched the guys while I ran.  I have never been happy to be snubbed by my kiddos till today...when the little guy refused a stroller ride with mommy.  A solo run, the first since last week...made me smile!

First 5k:  I started out for a routine training run, 7 miles.  Doing my now standard JG program.  I had used mapmyrun to plan exactly where my first should end as well as my second would end.  When I hit the end of the first, the Freedom 5K sponsored by Running Mate, I paused my running app and looked.  Holy hell, 27:12.  For me that is HUGE.  I ran my fist 5k in May.  I finished at 31:01.  After that, the fastest I got was 29 and some change.  So, PR baby!

Second 5k:  After celebrating, dropping an F bomb and starting running again, I began my second 5k, The Independence 5k at 28:00 into the run, hosted by Let's Move it Mommas.  I tracked my run, all going great until about 6 miles into the run when I noticed my middle toe on my right foot throbbing like a new blister was forming.  UGH, why?  So after my super strong first 5k, my second was rather uneventful, with a 30:27.

But how many folks can say, "I ran two 5ks in one day"?  ME!  :)

It was a great run.  Jeff Galloway is rocking my times faster and faster...and I love his technique.  The overall time was 1:04, which I am stoked about.  I maintained my 5k/5mile time for 7 miles and that is awesome!

http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/40641580

TR16: Firecracker 5 Miler

Just another training run...ummm, NOT.  That was the attitude that I had going into the race.  I was treating it as a training run.  I was going to use the JG program...even in a race.  I was going to do my own thing and have fun with it.  It's just a small town 4th of July tradition...when I looked around there were another almost 400 people around me, I realized, not just another training run!

I was a little intimidated because I was one of about 3 people that I saw with a hydration belt on...I said oh well, "I was going to do my own thing and have fun with it."  At mile 3 when I saw two guys, more avid runners than I, doubled over with medical attention, I was like, yep...glad I have it.  I was also intimidated because there were so many "obvious" runners.  I don't really look like a runner.  But it was good.  Doing my own thing.

Here is the route:

http://www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=125868

They had timers at mile 2, 3, and 4.  Mile 2 split 18:something, Mile 3 medical emergency, Mile 4 38: something, Mile 5, finish 48:47 chip time (49:37 with starting lag).

As I said I used the JG plan.  Seeing it in a race made me see the value of it.  I explained it to my husband as this:  "with it, I beat "faster" runners."  I would pass them, they would pass me on the walk and this went on about 2-3 times (12 minutes) then they never passed me back.  I was able to pace my runs with men, who typically run faster than women.  I was able to run at fastest part of my runs 7.5+ mph at the slowest 6.5ish.  Both of these are faster than when I run 5 miles straight.  I usually average 6.2mph on a 5 mile run.

Was I the fastest out there?  Nope, but when I crossed the finish line and saw a sub 50:00 I was STOKED!  I literally came around the corner where I could first see it and said "holy crap"

268   312 Christi Young           36   F Vicksburg       MI   49:37   48:47  9:46

On other notes, I am sore as hell, my quads are screaming at me :)

TR4: Virtual Insanity 5K: Race one, Therapy

I planned on running this morning early to avoid heat and it is my little man's big day, he is TWO!!  Today he woke me up at 5:50, a half hour earlier than normal, when I planned on taking him for a birthday run...but he sweetly fell back asleep until 7:00am, which allowed Mommy a solitary run, that I needed so bad.

The time resonated with me, reminding me why I started running (a MOD benefitting race) and also as the time I would wake up in the morning at the hospital for a blood draw, morning monitoring, and attempting to get a clean catch of amniotic fluid to determine the maturity of his lungs.  He was born at 5:05pm so the numbers were significant as well.  We all fondly remember the birth of our children, but when you have a preemie, it is a bittersweet memory plagued with PTSD type memories of the whole situation.

I had been on bedrest for six weeks at the hospital when he was born by emergency c-section, about an hour after I noticed it wasn't just amniotic fluid I was leaking, it was blood.  So today, I am reminded of the mantra and slogan Rhonda came up with, "the NICU made me crazy, Running is my therapy"  And I really needed some therapy this morning on the bittersweet day of his birth.

Not to mention, I had a PR.  34 minutes for 3.8 miles, which put me at under 9 minutes for each mile.  But as I said, today was about therapy and mental cleansing, not time.

http://runkeeper.com/user/clyoungsey/activity/38194846

First 5k: Hearty Hustle

So, today, in backward fashion, I ran my first ever "official" 5k.  I ran a virtual one while in GA over the Easter weekend, but today was the first one I have ever ran with real other runners.  I was stoked.  It was slightly uneventful as I was running by myself.  I did find a friendly face that I chatted with before the race, she was wearing a "Running for Max" shirt, which hit me in a whole different place.  Max is the sweet 2 year old son of a good friend from high school.  He passed in a car accident last February.  He was near the same age as my oldest and it hit me like a ton of bricks to see that.  But we turned the mood to happy as we talked of her newest bundle of joy who is about 3 months old now.

I am not sure if it was that experience, hormones, or what that made me all emotional, but I found myself tearing up a little during the race; seeing hefty firefighters clapping us on, kids holding signs saying "go mom" (not even mine) and I just got a little misty.

I have no experience with running with people, passing people or knowing how to set my pace with other people around.  I didn't use my gps, which would have kept me aware of where I was, but I just really enjoyed the experience.  I tried to explain this to my husband, as I have never ran during our almost 10 year marriage.  I just rediscovered it last summer and fell in love with running.  At mile 1.5 I just escape.  That first one is always rough....but then I hit my groove.  This was true of today, that first mile felt like forever.

But, it is done.  I finished with an "official" time of 31:00 and had a 9:59 pace, which confirms my thought that it really did say 30:59 when I crossed the line.  Anyway you look at it, it was my first, which makes it a PR and especially if you count my virtual 5k, in which my time was 31:43.  I was middle of my age group, so not the fastest, but plenty of room to improve.

Jelly Bean...Virtual 5k

Isn't it funny how the romanticized ideal running experience gets turned into a "mom, when can I get it in" one?  Yes.  We traveled down south for the weekend, the highlight for me was to run in warm temperate weather.  Walking...yes, LOTS.  Running, not so much.  We had to pack light, which doesn't include a jog stroller.  So my running became hotel treadmill running.

However, it may suck, but it will get it done.  I ran a virtual 5k over the weekend.  My first ever.  As it was virtual, it didn't matter where you ran it, so the treadmill was ok.  I ran mostly at a pace of 5.7 - 6.0 mph. I really hoped to be at about 30 minutes, but my "official" time was 31:43.

It was my first, so I guess it is a baseline or PR for now.  Now onto the Hearty Hustle, a run to benefit the boys' schools, which I will be doing with a jog stroller, so no potential PR...but let's see what running with people can do! :)