A Multitude of Race Reports

Since I've done 3 races since my last post (including one this morning), I figured I'd let you lovelies know how I did, and how I'm doing, and all that jazz.

Austin American-Statesman Capitol 10,000 (4/11/10):

(My dad made a point of asking me if the older gentleman on my right beat me. I'm sure he did.)

Good times had by all (or by me, at least). I ran this with some of my friends on a misty April morning, along with a crowd of about 30,000 people (gotta love the Austin running community!). We all signed up for the untimed, and did several segments of run/walking. Some of my favorite sights were the police academy running block and the Chinese dragon (that apparently ran the entire race together--this happens to be a big dress up/party race). We finished together in about 1 hour 35 minutes, and then went for pancakes (pancakes!!!).

Texas Round-Up 10K (4/24/10):

Maintaining my consistency in taking fairly bad race photos--and seemingly running with my eyes closed.

There was a torrential, but brief, rainstorm/cold front the night before, but it dawned to be a lovely, cool Saturday morning. I started off fairly slow (somewhat because of the large number of strollers and walking groups), and was pretty glad when the 5K course split off. This also meant that fewer people would see my panting face on the wicked hills to come, the wicked-est of these being a nearly-vertical three-block-long hill in the LAST MILE. I was really tempted to stop at the base and take a picture (alas, no camera). I'm sure it would have been amusing if someone had got a picture of my face--sheer terror, with a side of annoyance. However, I ran the whole way up, maintaining most of the rhythm that I had gotten into, and finished in 1:09:46. Slower than I hoped for, but it'll do (HILLS!!!). I even managed a negative split between the first and second half of the race. I then went shopping with a friend, which I regretted somewhat because my knees really started hurting. Alas, the pain of fashion.

Schlotzsky's Bun Run 5K (5/2/10):

 Oh look! Another bad photo! Though, admittedly, less bad than the previous one.

I headed down to Lady Bird Lake this morning for the Bun Run (which I ran last year with my dad). My absolute favorite thing about this? The free bottle of hot sauce I got at the packet pick up! I may or may not have gotten my timing bib activated--somehow, they decided that the timed runners were going to start in the front, and they may have turned off the mats (I always like to start towards the back). Normally, they just start everyone at the same time and leave the mats on. Hmmm. However, I think I made it. Update: They just posted the results, and I made it across the mat in time. Woohoo! Started out at a decent pace, didn't make any water stops, and picked it up a bit on the second half. My legs were feeling a little heavy, but that's probably because I was an uber-slacker this week. ;) Finished with a PR of 31:59. I'll take it! My spirits were dampened a little when I returned to find a Big Red exploded on my car (who does that?!?), but I got it washed, and also treated my self to a breakfast taco (or two...).

My March 5K was rescheduled to 5/16, but I don't think I'm going to do it; a couple of my friends are doing a duathlon the same morning, so I figured I go watch them. I'm thinking of doing a 5K next Saturday, but that'll probably be a last-minute decision.

You Want Cheese with that Whine?

Thanks for the support on my last post! It's been an interesting little journey, and one that I hope keeps on giving.

I keep wanting to start working on strength training more, but, to be honest, I just don't find it very interesting or engaging. I don't know why. It's not even the reason many women give of not-feeling-comfortable-lifting-weights-in-front-of-guys (in my mind, I'm not there to look cute, I'm there so I can look cute later. Hi-yo!). Maybe it's because I don't get the same rush I get from running and other cardio. The same feeling of immediate results. I keep meaning to try the Bodypump classes at my gym, which is a sort of group-lifting-in-rhythm (from what I can see through the class window). I'm not sure if I'm interested in a personal trainer, but that's probably because I'm not in a financially-advantaged position at the moment. I've got a couple of books that I could use (New Rules of Lifting for Women and Sculpting Her Body Perfect) sitting on my bookcase, gathering dust. So, at some point, I'm sure I'll just suck it up and cart myself into the weight room. Soon, because it'll be hot enough to swim in about a week or two, and I'm as vain as the next person in wanting to look decent in my swimsuit. But dontcha wanna hear me whine about it just a little bit more...?

So, yeah, my March race = FAIL. Last Saturday rolled around and I just decided that I didn't want to put up with running an impromptu 5K that I hadn't researched much and didn't know anyone who had done it and whose website I wasn't a huge fan of (and, and, and), so I did a 7-miler instead, then had a massive (well, a larger than usual) Tex-Mex breakfast at Juan in a Million (of Man vs. Food fame). As far as 7-milers go, it was pretty enjoyable. Nice spring weather, lots of people out, beautiful scenery...a great time had by all. I'm not feeling too guilty about the lack of a March race since I'm doing two 10Ks this month. The first one is next weekend and is more of a fun run for me. The second, two weeks later, will be a real deal. And I may even race the 5K that I originally signed up for, which has been allegedly rescheduled in May and will give me two races for that month. We shall see.

Any advice on getting oneself into the weight room and/or making it interesting?

Any good cheese-and-wine combos?

Sprrring!

So, I've come up with a little idea for myself this spring: a-race-a-month, or at-least-one-race-a-month. Just to give me something to occupy my running self (and myself, in general). Here's what I've got lined up so far:

1/24/2010: 3M Half-Marathon (done)
2/14/2010: Paramount Break-A-Leg 5K (done)
3/??/2010: ???
4/11/2010: Statesman Cap 10K
4/24/2010: Texas Round-Up 10K
5/2/2010: Schlotzsky's Bun Run 5K
6/5/2010: Taco Shack Freddie Frijole Fun Run 5K*
6/6/2010: Austin Bat Run 5K*
*the last two will be either/or--I doubt I'll do both.

I'm doing two 10Ks in April because for one (Cap 10K), I won't be really running up to speed--I'm doing it with some friends who are beginner runners and we'll probably be doing more walking than running. Thus, the Texas Round-Up 10K, which I'll probably be doing alone (and at my own speed).

I'm still trying to decide on a March race. Right now, it's a toss-up between the Trail Setter 5K (3/7/2010) and the Austin Runners Club Daisy 5K (3/27/2010). The latter is geared towards moms and families, but I'm sure they'll accept a single lady. :-p Part of me wants to do the SARR Prickly Pear 10M Trail Run in San Antonio (3/13/2010). I've never done a trail run (though I've run on trails, at Lady Bird Lake), and I haven't run longer than 6 miles since 3M, but I still think it might be fun. And it's the first weekend of spring break, so I don't think I'd have to work that Saturday. Maybe I can convince my dad to do it with me. I should probably decide soon...or maybe someone can help me decide. Any suggestions?

Not sure what will happen after early June--don't know if I'll feel like racing in the nasty hotness that is summer in central Texas. Especially if it's anything like last summer (consistent 105s, anyone?). We'll see.

If I stick to my runs for today and tomorrow, I should be at 18 for the week. Huzzah!

Allow me to Reintroduce Myself...

I'm currently in the midst of my half-marathon training, about to start week 8. This weekend, training took on the form of a 10K, specifically, the Run Austin Run 10K (there was also a half-marathon and a 5K). I'd run the 10K distance before, but not in a race, and it was only my 3rd race ever, so I was interested in the outcome. The race was slated to start at 7AM on Sunday morning, so I got up at about 5:15, got dressed, ate a banana, got my stuff together, and drove to the race site. Now, here in Central Texas, we are actually having a fall this year (which we rarely ever have--it usually just sort of stops being hot sometime in November), so it was quite chilly. Chilly enough for me to endlessly debate with myself the previous day about whether or not to wear a long sleeve shirt. After talking to my dad (the uber-runner--and running purist), I decided just to wear a short sleeve shirt, since I would definitely warm up once I got going. Once I parked my car, I sat inside for about 30 minutes because I didn't see any point in standing around being cold for an hour (it was about 55--not cold, but chilly enough for our neck of the woods). About 25 to 7, I got out, put on my race number, reluctantly took off my jacket, and walked over to the starting area.

The start of the race was to be staggered--the half-marathon would start at 7, the 10K would start at 7:10, and the 5K would start at 7:15. However, the police officers working the route ran into a few delays in securing the route, so the half didn't actually start until about 7:15. So, I actually stood outside for about 45 minutes before the 10K actually got going. I put myself towards the back since I know I'm fairly slow. For about the first half mile, my feet were kind of hurting since we had been standing so long prior to starting, but that went away after a little while. Though I started at the back, I managed to begin picking off people that started too fast, so that was kinda fun. At one point, I think I passed a girl I knew in college who was doing the half marathon. However, I really hadn't seen her in about 4 or 5 years, and only knew she had taken up running due to that great bastion of social networking known as Facebook, so I didn't really want to say anything in case she thought I was a weird stalker or something. And I didn't want to slow down and talk (I might send her a message today and mentioned that I saw her and congratulate her).

So, the first 3 miles went by pretty well. I felt good and had warmed up, so I was glad I hadn't worn long sleeves. However, at about mile 4, we got into a hillier, residential section of town. I kind of expected the hills, but didn't really think they'd be that bad. Ha. I do most of my training on relatively flat routes or on the treadmill, so I haven't really dealt with hills too much. But these definitely made me walk more than I wanted to. There was one steep downhill that my knee definitely wasn't happy about. And it didn't help that cars were zooming around us in the neighborhood. I guess they didn't appreciate having a race course on their streets. :-p But there were a few folks outside cheering, so that made up for it.

Once we exited the neighborhood and headed for the last stretch, I remembered someone saying near the race start that it was supposed to be downhill. NOT. It wasn't brutal hills like those in the neighborhood, but it was definitely a steady incline. I ended up running a good portion of the last couple of miles with a lady pushing a stroller. She mentioned she'd never run this far with a stroller, so props to her! I'm sure she would have finished way ahead of me without it. Right before she crossed the line, however, she took her kid out of the stroller and they crossed together--I assume it was adorable, but I was too busy gunning for the line to see it. :-p Overall, my pace was slower than I wanted it to be, but I'll attribute some of that to the hills, and some of it to my slacking-off-in-training (which I'll talk about later). After they cut my chip off, I went in search of water, but couldn't find any (wtf?!?). So I grabbed a random protein drink and headed to my car, since I had brought water with me. It's probably lucky that I left when I did, since it started to pour shortly after I arrived back at my apartment. Very unfortunate for the half-marathoners. I took a quick shower, dressed, and headed out to a brunch with some friends who gave me all sorts of kudos for the race. :-D Then I went home, made chili, and vegged out on the couch for the rest of the day.

I had all sorts of outcomes from this race, other than the soreness in my glutes and hamstrings from those hills. A major thing I learned is that I need to be more focused on my training. A confession: I've been slacking off a bit during the past few weeks--and it definitely showed during the race. It would have been great to been able to tackle the distance with fewer walk breaks, and consistent training definitely would have helped with that. Training has been starting to feel like a bit of a chore, but now that I have a gauge of my current fitness level, I feel excited about where the remainder of my training will take me. I now understand the importance of completing the four weekly runs in my plan (especially the long run!), and also need to work on strength and resistance in both my lower and upper body (those hills!).

I also found out that I enjoy racing. Not necessarily being competitive, but running with other people who have the same goal as me. It inspires a sort of, "We're all in this together" feeling in me, which is fun. Normally I just trudge along on my own, but it was great to be out there with other runners, and not just fitness buffs at the gym. I'm looking forward even more to RNRSA, especially to the camaraderie I'll get to experience with thousands of other runners and spectators. Running really is a community.