Mothers For Clean Air (Earth Day) 5K

Ah yes, the PR streak ended today, but I still had a good run.

Probably the last time we'll have cool weather for a race till October (if we're lucky) so for that I was thankful. A nice 50 degrees at the start.

I loved the new course! Except for the fact that the last 800m was on the trail, and I'm sorry but that surface just slows me down. You have to work a bit harder to push off of the gravel and it really sucked.

Official time: 28:47

Splits:
Mile 1: 8:53
Mile 2: 9:19
Mile 3: 9:17

7th in AG, not sure of overall at this point; will have to wait till results are posted online.

I don't know...I was just a bit lethargic this morning, and even the warm up didnt help me feel like my legs were going to cooperate today. They did better than I thought, and I really didnt think that I was moving at that pace in the 2nd mile and I did show it to be a bit long, total distance on the Garmin being 3.17, but that seems to be the norm these days, at least the last 2 races that is; and I am always careful not to weave and to hug the turns so I dont know why the longer distance than what the race is supposed to be, but you take the course as it is I guess. And accept the time thats posted.

As I said, the last 800m were on the gravel path and thats the only thing I didnt like. Best part was picking off one by one the people in front of me and 'chicking' this one guy in the last 40 yards or so. I saw the clock time and all I know is that I passed him at what felt like 90 to nothin'. I heard Leno off to the side yelling at me...and right now I can't remember what he said but I remember at the time, that it made me smile. At least on the inside because honestly there was no smiling going on as I made my final kick to the end. I just wanted sub-29 again today.

Its all I cared about really.

I also now know this one woman who is always right there with me. I only know this because in all my race photos, I see her. Behind me. But close.

Today as we were coming up on the 1st water stop I heard a voice close behind me say "are you stopping for water?" I knew why she was asking. Before she said that, I had thought about taking water on the run, but knowing it would slow me down by a few seconds, it would also give her the opportunity to pass me if I did.

"No way" was my response.

I think she was disappointed. Thats when she was right next to me, I looked over and I recognized her.

See ya later alligator, I gotta get a move on now.. ;o) I never saw her again until I was running a cool down, we passed each other, said our nicey nicey's and went on our merry, albeit separate, ways.

Definitely will continue to do this race if they keep the course the same that is. Good stuff.

Peace.

Flying Owls 5K

I went into this morning just hoping for a decent time, not thinking a PR was in the cards today due to the course. As I mentioned previously it had 20 turns in it, and not only that but once I got there to get my number I found out the first mile was being run on the runner/walker path there around Rice, where we had to manuever the casual Saturday runners/walkers. And the path is only about 4.5 feet wide I would guess.

I was not happy. As a matter of fact, I almost bailed at that point. But I didnt, and boy am I glad I didnt.

At mile 2.5 I knew I had another PR in my sights. I just didnt know how much of a one I had.

Thats a :58 PR over last weeks chip time of 28:52 (and a SUB 28!!!). The course was a bit long, so the 'recorded' time for the course/race was 28:32 which is still a 20 second PR over last week at Bellaire Trolley 5K!!

The best part was as I was coming up on the final turn, there was Sam...waiting. I had no idea he had come over after the KW long run this morning, so I was excited to know he was there for this today. It was an awesome feeling.

There were no frills with this race, not even water anywhere on the course, so you just had to dig in and hope you had had enough hydration prior. They did have some awesome food and drink (including beer; which I didnt partake in because I knew I was running an additional 3 miles after). They only gave awards 1 deep in AG, and I thought I might have a shot, but I didnt. The girl who won our AG wasnt even there. I still dont know how I did in AG, but will once they send out the official sheet with times.

Splits were:
8:56
8:59
8:49

All freakin' sub 9's dawg!!!!

So I did my 3 miles after, averaging about 10 min miles even, so I again was surprised I still had gas in my tank.

Now its shower time, and I am off to see Mom, and spend the night with her. By the way, she got out of the hospital a week ago, and seems to be a-ok. Took 4 weeks to rid her completely of the staph.

Brooke ride those 100 miles today girl!! I will be thinking of you all day!! I had a blast last night!!

Bellaire Trolley Run 5K **UPDATED**

Well...well...well...

As previously posted, sub 30 went out the window today. I kinda figured I was going to get my 29:30 today...

But I knew from about 2.75 something else was going to happen. I couldn't be entirely sure...but just before I hit the 3 mile mark and I wasnt even at 28 min yet...

And then, there...the pace caller belted out at the 3 mile mark 28 minutes...Holy shit is what I thought.

So in the next .1 I hit it in 52 seconds.

I would like to say that I ran till I thought I was going to puke today, but honestly...I didnt feel like I was going to puke. Well till about 1 minute after I finished. Then I thought I might puke.

The splits:

Mile 1: 8:53
Mile 2: 9:02
Mile 3: 9:29
.1: :52

3.1: 28:52 A huge PR for me today...HUGE

Now I know...I wish I could have that Mile 3 back, but unlike the Resurrection Run...I opted to slow it back a bit in the first 800m, so that I had something at the end. And it worked out.

You know, in my bathroom, there on my mirror is a sticky note. Its been taped there for about 8 weeks now. On it, it simple says : 28:30

Now as I said, I was always going to be happy if I hit 29:30 but secretly...yeah, I wanted that 28:30 by June 1.

Will I get it? I dont know.

But I tell you one thing... I CERTAINLY didnt think I was going to go sub 29 today. No way. No how. I wasn't even contemplating it. Not even a little. But man o man...how happy was I? You have no idea.

So was it the shoes? At the most they would maybe take 8-10 sec off per mile ... I think it was a combination of hard work, determination, perserverance, training my ass off...and the will to get it done.

Its amazing what a person can do when they set their mind to it...

******************************************************

What really sucks....Eh, you know never mind...It really doesn't matter. It just really doesn't matter.

You know, like in the movie....'things are never really what they seem..'

Boy ain't that the truth...

Its pointless really...pointless. Fighting a losing battle... eh, like I said....just anxious to get back to the running and the training...

Resurrection Run - Clear Lake - 29:47 (PR)

Of course, as usual, I was apprehensive this morning before the run. Of course the 29:30 was my goal, but really just another sub-30 and I would have been fine, even 29:59 and I would have been happy.

Now that I have that first sub-30 I don't want to go back ya know?

This was another non-chip timed event, and with so few people there, it was easy to just be up front and go without worrying about getting in anyones way.

I won't go into a mile by mile synopsis, other than the fact that at the first 1/2 mile I was at 4:06 and I was like oh hells bells. Then somewhere towards the end of mile 3 I was at something like 27:30 and I knew I had it, unless I just fell apart. I did a bit, but held on for yet another 5K PR. It was only 5 seconds off the Conoco Rodeo Run (29:52), but another PR just the same.

I had a couple of other goals, which I did indeed hit, so overall I am very pleased with today's race. I hate that hairpin turn at the end, and of course as you can see, my watch shows 3.22, which a couple of other people also said they ended up with 3.2 but you know, its all relative I guess.

Here are the splits:

Mile 1: 8:55
Mile 2: 9:34
Mile 3: 9:27
and because somehow I jacked my Garmin to where it shows speed now, instead of pace, I only know that the last bit was covered at a 7.5 mph pace. Not bad. Not bad at all.

I wanted to just try and go faster the first mile, and the one mistake I made in the 3rd mile, was to go faster the first 800m instead of the last. Well, maybe not a mistake, as my intent was to put some more room in between myself and a couple of other runners that I knew were behind me ;o)

I am pretty excited about this: 4th in my age group...94th overall...and 26th overall female, as it stands now. But given what I said below, that would put me really at 91st overall and 25th female if OTR corrects the results page.

I have 2 weeks before Bellaire, where hopefully the 29:30 or better will surface. I am more than likely going to skip Law Week 8K, and run long with Kenyan instead and work on my speed and losing these last 4 lbs in prep for Bellaire.

Peace.

p.s. Only a 1/2 mile warm up and a mile cool down in addition to the race itself today. Also the results site shows me at 30 flat, but what happened was that after crossing the finish, I stopped and 3 people went in front of me and had their tags pulled before me. Even after both Sam and I told the guy that, he didn't correct the slips, but hopefully an email to OTR will correct that.

Bayou City Classic 10K aka The Race That Almost Wasn't

Temps: low 40's
Winds: 5mph (thank God they calmed down from yesterday!!)

Time: 1:02:35 (Garmin time)
Last 10K time was 1:08:52

PR difference: 6 minutes, 17 seconds
Average pace: 10:05

Splits:
Mile 1: 10:15
Mile 2: 9:52
Mile 3: 9:34; at this point, there was a water station just past the 3 mile marker and I took Powerade and walked to drink it
Mile 4: 10:16
Mile 5: 10:01
Mile 6: 9:53
.2... whatever it is to make it to 1:02:35

The splits I had to lap on my watch as for the first mile there was no signal, and it never caught up either, as my distance on the watch only comes in at 5.84 miles. I am not completely sure the splits are right on, but they are within seconds I know that.

I was shooting for 10:30's and well as you can see I managed to blow that out of the water, with my average pace being 10:05 for the 6.2 miles. At the Park to Park which was a 5 mile race I averaged 10:01, so I am damn happy about this race.

And as scared as I was about the route, with the rolling 'hills' I have to say that once you are on it, running, its not that bad. The worst part really is that last hill as you approach the 6 mile marker.

It certainly helped that it was so, so cold out there. I just run so much better when its cold. I shed the gloves by the 2nd mile, handing them off to Sam's brother, Rob, who ran with me the first 2 miles, before I dropped him ;o) and went on my merry way.

Congrats to Coach (Sean Wade) again, for a 1st place overall, and to Sam on yet another age group win, plaque, 16th overall and a 10K PR!!! And congrats to Rob on his first 10K, but I still beat him ;o)

Like I said, I'm on a roll it would seem.

Next up: Law Week 8K, last weekend in March. We'll see if I can PR that, as I have run that race the past 2 years. I PR'd it last year, so I'm shooting for another one.

Conoco Rodeo Run 5K

Well so much for overcast and humid. What we did have were sunny skies, 70+ deg temps, and not so much on the humidity side.

The challenge to trying to PR at the 5K with this particular race is because well, its a 5K/10K which start together, and there are approximately 9,000 runners. And of course you know no one lines up where they should according to pace and whether or not they are walking. So going into it I knew I had to get as close to the front as I could, making sure that I didn't get in anyones way. It was apparent from the Start that I made the right choice, and I was never in anyones way (nor was anyone in mine) as I stayed to the right.

Sam and I ran from mi casa to the Start (1.5 m), got his chip (the 5K has no chip), and just waited around for a bit for the start.

I was worried due to the heat factor, but I was bound and determined to do what I could to PR. I don't do well in the warmer temps. I didnt have a signal on the Garmin for about the first 1.5 miles, but at the mile 1 marker I hit the lap button and it was 9:37. At the second mile marker I hit the lap button but it says something crazy like 7:? and I know thats not right but the girl calling the splits said 19:5? and I was like AWESOME!! 1.1 more to go...1.1 more to go.

At what I figured was about 800m left to go, I again reached back to the 800m repeats 2 weeks ago, and just ran as fast as I could without collapsing (the heat was getting to me now)...

Final time?

29:52!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Finally the ever elusive sub :30!!! And in not so great conditions. Hot, and the course with a LOT of turns which usually will slow a person down, especially when its really crowded. Since it wasnt chip timed all I have for proof is a picture from the Garmin.

What's even sweeter is that Sam won 2nd in his age group for the 10K, and those trophies are schweeet! I was so excited to see his name on the list (even if he missed it), because I know how badly he wanted to place today. I couldn't be more happy about it!!! Keep chasing down those on that list of yours... :o)

I tell ya, no way would I have survived that 10K today, the route is much harder and the weather would have killed me, so to everyone that did it, whether you placed or not kudos to you!!! Rough stuff man. Rough stuff. Oh and Coach SW, of course, won overall male in the 10K with a time of 31:24!!!

Woohoo! I am supercalifragilisticexpealidocious happy happy!!

Next up: Bayou City Classic 10K next Saturday. Maybe...I HATE the 10K...and its not an easy course. I'm going to be a wimp and wait till mid-week to see how the weather is supposed to be ;o)

Park to Park 5 Miler

The last time I ran an official 5 mile race was 2 years ago.

My time then? 62:10

Today?

50:07; Average pace was 10:01

Um, yeah, a 12 minute PR is one that I will definitely take!

Last March, in the Law Week 8K which is 4.9 miles my time was: 53:23

So again, a PR even off a distance that was less than today by over 3 minutes.

My goal was to go sub :50 and to just have that average at under 10. Of course my mindset right now is if I hadnt stopped for water at the 3 mile mark. But I can't think like that. The last 800m I thought about the 800m repeats this past Wednesday and drew off of that, but the kick that I did have at the end just wasn't enough.

But don't get me wrong, I am pleased as peaches that I did so well.

The mile markers were off up till mile 4; as at the 3 mile mark they called out a 27+ and thats when I knew for sure they were off by about 1/4 mile. When I hit the 4 mile mark it seemed only to be off by a 1/10, and when I stopped my watch it read EXACTLY 5.00. That never happens!

Here are the splits:

Mile 1: 9:58
Mile 2: 10:11
Mile 3: 10:31
Mile 4: 10:01
Mile 5: 9:23

Again, exactly what I wanted to do. Negative splits and have a strong 5th mile.

I can't ask for anything more than that!!

Next up: Rodeo Run 5K next Saturday.