I am terrible! This is a post about the race I did 9 days ago. So I have fell a bit behind…

This race was in my neighborhood and that was very cool cause I know almost every pebble and slight hill throughout this entire neighborhood. The race started in the park behind my house and then did the 2 mile loop plus another partial loop to make the 5k and end back at the park.

I ran it with my running buddy Krissy. It was early very rainy off and on, but I got to finish the race right about when the rain started up again. I had only run once since the last race two weeks earlier and I was just getting over being sick again, so I didn’t really have high hopes for my time, but I ended up getting a new PR by 20+ seconds. I ran pretty well, but after the first 2 minutes, I really didn’t want to run anymore because I just felt bad, but I got over it and at the end of the race coming around the last corner, I even kicked it pretty hard, 10 MPH hard even! The whole race felt good, but the next day I decided to take a week off running completely because my knees and back were hurting more than usual. Which brings us to today, when I am to start back up my routine.

I was just reminded by a parent at my son’s school about a 2 mile race next Saturday night. And though I have had a week off, I can’t really pass up a 2 miler PLUS it’s at night and we all know how I LOVE night runs! So you will probably see me there

Pictures. Husband got some since we ran right by our house and then they walked down to the finish line for some more.

Me hauling butt at the finish (I’m the one with the knee brace):


Krissy kicking butt crossing the finish line:

Running time: 28:08

Distance: 3.12 miles

Miles for this week: 3.12 miles

Calories burned: 343

Avg pace: 9:03 min/mile

Yesterday, day after glutton turkey day, I decided I really wanted to run. I am out of town and had brought my running stuff, but figured that I probably wouldn’t as I never do when out of town, even when planning too. But I just really felt like I wanted to run. It was a bizarre feeling.

It was soo nice to just run without a destination or a goal of time or distance and just run till I felt like turning around. The first .5 mile hurt in my lungs, but I am just now getting over my sickness I have had for week or 2, but after that, no pain, just ran right through it. I got to run on my favorite trail too, that goes over the water. The only problem was, I figured out 60°F is about as cold as I can take it in shorts and short sleeves. With the wind (which was listed as 12MPH, but I swear was 15-20 by the water where I was) it was kinda hard running against, but I got used to it.

Pic of me on the water

Running time: 40:24

Distance: 4.12 miles

Miles for this week: 4.12 miles

Calories burned: 457

Avg pace: 9:48 min/mile

I ran the Lightfest 5K last night with Krissy (her first race ever and she beat her desired time by 1.5 minutes!!!)

I have been sick for about 4-5 days, so the last time I ran was 5 days ago, and before that was 5 days, so as this race was getting closer, I had changed my goal from beating 29 minutes (last 5k I did, I did at 29:40 and 9:46 min/mile pace) to just beating my last race of 29:40 to just finish the race. I still kept in my head, it would be kinda cool to beat 29 even if barely, but as sick as I felt, I knew there was no way.

As Krissy and I walked the route trying to find the elusive start line, I started to feel a bit better even though a weird cramp in my shoulder started creeping up again.

The race was in our local big park and they have a lightfest every year that you pay to drive through and look at all the holiday lights they put up, but last night it was only open to the runners for the race. It was very very very dark, I forgot that they don’t have street lights there and even with the holiday lights, it was almost to dark. Running along I would get blinded by someones car (parked) lights or someone running with lights around their neck and would almost run into people because of it. I was mostly worried about running into one of the many ponds/lakes in the park, but thankfully, I wasn’t even close.

I wore my tech shirt from this years 13K and had a lot of comments about that race and even saw one guy with the same shirt on. Everyone else seemed to love that race as well and saddened that this year was the last year for it.

Anyhow, so as I was running, I had my cardiotracker on and I had set it to tell me my pace etc. every minute. I was shocked when I my pace was mostly around 7-8:30 and then when it was telling me time/distance it would say 2 digits time under my distance! (i.e. you have gone 2.4 miles in 22 min. 24 min means about 10 min pace, anything under that means less.) I have never in all my running, heard it go time less than distance, so when I heard it say 2 min under the distance, I was stoked, I would run this race in under 29 min if I could keep it up!

It was a really hard run I was doing and the first .5 miles I had pain in my lungs and found it very hard to breath and I had worried that I would not make it and possibly pass out from lack of O2 but eventually that went away (not the pain though). All in all I crossed the finish line at 28:30 (official time had me at 28:34)!!!!! I had no idea I had that in me! I am so excited, even now, a day later. My ultimate goal for 5K is to beat 24 min, so I have quite a ways, but I didn’t even think I was that close to beat 29!! Next race, with proper training and not being sick, maybe I can see it in the 27 range!! Speaking of which, Krissy wanted to see how she did on her first race, before committing to another one and she is all set now to sign up for our next race which happens to be in my neighborhood and in 2 weeks! YAY!

Oh and the coolest thing?!?! I came in 6th in my age group out of 35!!! I am usually about the bottom 10 or so!!!
And now for some pictures:

Krissy and I before the race

We don’t have any pics of during because it was so dark and my husband didn’t want to blind the runners with the flash. I do have one of Krissy before the finish line, but again, because so dark and my little camera is the pits, she is completely out of focus and you can barely see her.

a pic of us right after the race:

Running time: 28:30

Distance: 3.14 miles

Miles for this week: 6.14 miles

Calories burned: 349

Avg pace: 9:04 min/mile

I haven’t run in 5 days and man, I feel it. I ran a bit harder today than normal, but less than I would in a race. By the time I got to 3 miles, I was worn out. Sheesh. I really need to stick to my schedules or I pay the price.
I have a 5k race this Sunday, and I hope to break 29 min, but at this rate, I won’t. I gotta fix that.
Tonight is frisbee as well, so that is another 3 miles to today.

Running time: 29:18

Distance: 3.00 miles

Miles for this week: 3.00 miles

Calories burned: 333

Avg pace: 9:46 min/mile

It’s a wee bit cold out there. And windy. I had to do 6x400m today and I didn’t realize it was so cold outside. So I go out running in my short short running shorts (need to do laundry, I really hate these shorts) and about freeze. I was fine after my warm up jog (.5 mile) and the first quarter mile, but I almost came back home and put on pants.

I first ran my warm up run of .5 miles and then did a quarter mile run with pace of about 7-8 min then walk a quarter mile and repeat 6 times. The wind was really hard to run against and I think if I had to choose between hot and muggy and cold and windy, I would choose hot any day. It was really hard.

I also did 3 miles of ultimate frisbee on Tuesday that I forgot to post.

Tuesday:
Running time: 1hr 12min

Distance: 2.94 miles

Miles for this week: 2.94 miles

Calories burned: 677

Avg pace: 24:28 min/mile

Today:
Running time: 37:19

Distance: 3.33 miles

Miles for this week: 6.27 miles

Calories burned: 370

Avg pace: 11:11 min/mile

Today was just a regular 3 mile run day. My oldest son came out with me on his bike, which was nice and kept me going.

I am suppose to have a 3 mile fast run and a 5 mile long run this weekend, but I am skipping both. Way to much going on. So, have a great weekend, I know I will

Running time: 31:40

Distance: 3.01 miles

Miles for this week: 8.87 miles

Calories burned: 334

Avg pace: 10:32 min/mile

Tempo Runs: This is a continuous run with an easy beginning, a buildup in the middle to near 10-K race pace, then ease back and cruise to the finish. A typical tempo run would begin with 5-10 minutes easy running, continue with 10-15 faster running, and finish with 5-10 minutes cooling down. You can’t figure out your pace on a watch doing this workout; you need to listen to your body. Tempo runs are very useful for developing anaerobic threshold, essential for fast 5-K racing. -Hal Higdon

So today I did a 30 min tempo run. Kinda hard. I did about a 9:30 pace for the first 10 min, a 6:30 pace (!!!!) for the second 10 min, and about a 11min pace for the last 10 minutes. I felt good during the whole thing and even after I was done.
I am getting pain in my left leg, and I already wear a support on my right knee. I may just switch the legs and hope that works, if not, then it’s two supports for me. Fun.

Running time: 30

Distance: 2.86 miles

Miles for this week: 5.86 miles

Calories burned: 321

Avg pace: 10:29 min/mile

Today was an ‘easy run’ of 3 miles. I think I did easy. I am not sure. I think I did the top of easy cause it wasn’t hard, and I could of probably held conversation while running, but not the entire time. So, color me shocked when I saw my pace average! Kinda nice. Maybe, just maybe I can finish a 5k in under 26 minutes in the next few months?

I signed up to do the Space Coast Lightfest 5k with Krissy in a couple weeks. It is a night run (yay!) and through the really cool Christmas light display in the park that they do every year. Apparently there is a free dinner afterward for teh first 475 runners that register *BONUS!* I turned in my registration today, so I hope I made it in the first 475
My goal for this race is to be under 28 minutes. My last (and first ever) 5k was 29:45, so it seems a reasonable goal.

Running time: 29:20

Distance: 3 miles

Miles for this week: 3 miles

Calories burned: 337

Avg pace: 9:46 min/mile

Time to find a good speed training schedule now.

2 Months ago, I bruised my toenail (second toe on right foot) and it turned all purple a week or two later. The next week, I clipped my toenails and figured out it was just a blood blister and it drained and all was well, the toenail actually turned back to a normal color. I thought that that was the end of it.
Two days ago, I was checking it out and noticed that it looked kinda weird. Apparently, I started growing another toenail under that one and that one was about to fall off! My biggest fear since about 3 months ago is losing my toenails, and now I have lost one, and it’s nothing. It didn’t hurt at all, it was just dead skin by the time I noticed it (the week after I bruised it hurt though.) Anyhow, I have a lovely picture I took of it. It’s gross, so scroll down if you don’t want to see

On to last night.
Last night was the local running group run. My mom came (and walked with my daughter in a running stroller. YAY for mom finally getting moving), as well as my friend Krissy, who just finished the couch to 5K program 2 weeks ago (YAY KRISSY!) and keeps her running stuff over here.
I was beat from being sick all week and other stuff, I even missed doing my quarter miles on Wednesday (probably doing them tonight if this rain will stop…) so I figured that I would either walk with my mom, or be Krissy’s running buddy. I was so happy Krissy showed up because, as much as I would love to walk with my mom (and she did awesome on her own), I was really looking for a bit more of a work out.
We did pretty good and it actually felt really nice. I felt great after the run (until I ate 2 pieces of free pizza, then I felt sick. heh) and the pace was pretty good! We ran about 2 of the 3 miles at a 10:30ish pace (which, I think is faster than her normal pace and she rocked it!) and then the walking brought the pace down to about 14ish min/mile.

Afterwards they have free pizza and drawings. Krissy won an awesome hat that I have been looking at in the store for the past two months, it has a mesh top so it lets the hot air out and you can still wear a full hat without overheating. Before the running started they had a sponsor there, like they normally do, Puma. They had shoes out for you to test in the run and return. I ALWAYS test the shoes, but this time I didn’t because I have new shoes and I like them. Come to find out, at the end of the evening, they gave free shoes to everyone that had tested them!!! Crazy! This was also their last running group night until the time changes again next March. Boo Hiss.

I tried to take a pic of me and Krissy running, but it didn’t work out so hot because it got dark quick on us and well… we were running
So here ya go:

Running time: 47:35

Distance: 3.35 miles

Miles for this week: 7.13 miles

Calories burned: 376

Avg pace: 14:11 min/mile