Essence of Freedom 5K Race Recap

Total Time: 26:00 (8:23/mile pace)
Age Group: 2/25
Women: 3/102
Overall: 37/220

**in which I raced on Day 2 of my period (that along deserves a medal IMHO) 

& where I confirmed that I absolutely suck running in the heat**

My dad is an Army veteran and my little sister serves in the Navy.  So, when I saw this race, I definitely felt like I had to run it to support them and the other servicemen and servicewomen who have sacrificed their lives to help keep us safe.

Leading Up to the Race:

I convinced my little brother to run it with me as well, so I didn't have to run it alone.  We had a great time!  He also took second in his age group with a time of 27:46.  This is super awesome, especially because he hasn't run much at all.

Packet pickup was super easy, with three days and on-site pickup (for a $5 fee).  My bibs weren't ready when I picked them up Saturday since I registered earlier that morning.  The women running the packet pickup at Essence Pilates were very helpful and assigned bibs to my brother and me.

I liked that they had a selection of goodies that you could choose from instead of pre-selected items.  When I raced competitively a few years ago, I always ended up with items that I've never use and wound up throwing away or into a drawer somewhere.

However, I wasn't feeling it leading up to the race.  On Saturday night, I had the chills, a massive headache and some nausea.  I'm not sure if it was because I spent time in the sun and wasn't hydrated enough.  Or, perhaps I ate something that didn't agree with me at brunch.  Either way, I felt like shit.  Thankfully, it went away after I slept it off.

That wasn't the end of my physical woes.  On Sunday night, I got my monthly gift.  I mean, seriously.  Could it have come at a worse time?  Ugh.  I immediately began re-adjusting my goals for this race.  Also, the temps at the start (7:45 AM) were projected to be in the low 60s.  Yuck.  That's too hot for me.  I'm such a baby about the heat.  I love racing in the 30s to 40s with mid 50s as my max.  Oh, and overcast of course!

However, I didn't want to let my little brother down or my $40 entry fee go to waste.  And, I'm glad that I powered through and managed to perform relatively well despite the weather conditions and my monthly gift.

RACE DAY:

The women at packet pickup recommended that we get there by 7:15.  My little brother and I rolled out the of house a bit late and showed up around 7:25.  Luckily, we snagged parking by the church and didn't have to park at the Metra train station.  I had just enough time to use the bathroom before the beginning of the race announcements and National Anthem.  Perhaps I would have shown up earlier, but I liked that we didn't have to wait so long for the race to begin.

As per usual, I didn't know where to line myself up at the starting line.  However, this race was chip-timed!  *does happy dance*  Chip-timed races are the best and so much more accurate.  I still had to dodge my way around slower runners before I could establish my pace.  In a sense, maybe that's good for me since I won't be tempted to blast out the gate too fast.

Results below - official and Fitbit

Top 5 dominated by 13 year olds! :o

Timing fail

I had problems with my Fitbit during this race.  I didn't start it as I crossed the line.  I also didn't have my Fitbit App open on my phone so it didn't calculate the beginning bits of the race.  Grrr.  Oh well.

The course was pretty nice and takes you through a residential area in Deerfield.  Overall, the course was nice, and I liked that they had two water stations.  Parts of the road, especially near the sidewalks, were a bit uneven, and I kind of rolled my foot in some spots.  Nothing enough to go down, but that definitely got me paying attention to where I was stepping.

Shade was lacking in certain spots, which only made it worse since the temps rose as the race went on.  The other downside was that I did not see any mile markers posted.  Perhaps there were volunteers calling out the times, but I had my headphones on and didn't hear anything.

Source

Mentally, I wasn't feeling this one like I was the 5k that I ran a month ago.  I'm not sure if the high temperatures and having my period demoralized me and sent me into a funk.  Normally, when people pass me, I like to give them some chase... or at least stick around long enough and pass them at the finish.  But nope, not this morning.  People blew past me and I'd just let them.

Source

Source

 Toward the end, I felt like I could have run with the man who passed me.  I ran with him for a bit, but quickly fell behind.  Thankfully, no one was close enough to me to give me chase at the finish.  I had enough in the tank to sprint it in and run through the finish line.

As I was finishing, I heard the announcer say "Third woman - 309."  I was shocked.  I didn't think my performance was good enough for any type of award - let alone third place woman.  I was pleased nonetheless.  My time was up 33 seconds from last month's 5k.  The temperatures were easily 20 degrees warmer.  So, overall, not bad at all.

I caught my brother's finish.  He didn't see where it ended and started slowing down before the finish. I made sure to tease him about that, since that's what big sisters do.

After the race, we had about an hour to go until the awards ceremony.  My calves, the right one especially, were killing me after the race, so I got a free massage.  The massage worked wonders and I felt a lot better afterward.

We chilled out for a bit in a park area before heading back for the awards ceremony.  We were both surprised when we heard his name called for an age group award.  This was his first time placing in a race!  I was so proud of him!  Hopefully we can run more races in the future.  I'll have to keep my eye out on him in case he comes to pass me.  Plus, he likes running in the heat!

After the race, my brother and I had breakfast at Walker Bros in Lincolnshire.  We had a great time catching up.  Before I left, he told me that he was glad that he participated.  I'm glad he did!  I told him we should find a race that we can run with my parents and make a family thing out of it like we did in the past.  So, we'll see.  I'll keep an eye out for upcoming races.

But, part of me wants to be a big baby, avoid the heat and race in the fall when the temperatures will hopefully be cooler!

Things I'd Change:

• Implement proper usage of Fitbit during the race for accurate results.
• Don't let the heat demoralize me.
• Maybe only wear one earbud so I can hear what's going on around me.

Training Leading Up to the Race:

• Friday: 2:29 miles in 19:58 (outside)
• Wednesday: ? miles.  Interval workout on treadmill at work.  Speed 6.0 to 7.5 mph with a 1.0 incline.
• Monday: 1.5 miles in 13:xx (treadmill at work)

As of now, the goal of a 10K by the end of the year still stands.  I'll have to pick one and work backwards with my training.  In the meantime, I'll have to start gradually upping my mileage and getting used to running outdoors when it's hot outside.  After all, it may still be hot in the fall.

In closing, I leave you with this beauty below:

Source

So excited for Season 5, which returns tomorrow!

Did you run a race over the holiday weekend?  If so, how was it?  How do you handle running in the heat?  Any tips to keep sane?

1st Race Since 2013 - Loop the Lakes 5K Recap

Total Time: 25:27.5 (8:13 pace)

Age Group (30-39): 2/26

Overall: 24/151

Women: 4/89

The medal that I earned at the end of this race will be one that I'm proud of for a long time.  The medal represents my efforts to return to the fold (see post below) after a long period of inactivity.  I was able to put my mind into it and consistently train, without overdoing it or injuring myself.

I was so happy to have finished the race well under my goal time (sub-9 minute pace).  I remembered how much fun it is to run races, even though it was windy & cold.  I met some great women and enjoyed the race atmosphere again.

I was nervous leading up to the race.  The weather leading up to the race didn't look good - cold and rainy.  I really didn't want to have to deal with running in the rain, so I'm glad that the rain held off until later in the afternoon.  Also, I haven't run a race since 2013.  Would I even know how to put a bib on?  It's like riding a bicycle, right?

Worse of all, I didn't have any moral support with me.  My parents and little brother couldn't run the race.  My fiance had an appointment in the morning.  It was the first race that I've done by myself, so I was proud of myself for showing up without any support.  However, in my opinion, it's more fun to participate in races with people you know.

I was off the day before so I went to park to see where to park and to find the start and finish area.  I walked around a little to, trying to figure out where the miles would be.  The course map showed the kilometers, which I found a bit odd, since most race maps I've seen either show the miles only or both the miles/kilometers.  The new route is certified.  Unfortunately, they didn't do away with the rolling hills.  Me no likey hills of any kind.  Thankfully, we didn't have to run up the big sled hill because that would have just been cruel and unusual punishment and entirely unnecessary.

  

The Course (Source)

The race started at 9:00 AM so I woke up at 7:00, ate a Belvita breakfast bar and drank 15 ounces of water.  The night before, I made sure to lay off fiber-rich foods and I also didn't indulge in my usual sweets before bed.  I ate lemon chicken tacos and white rice.  Super boring, but I didn't have any tummy trouble during the race, so there's that.

Packet pick up was at 7:45, so I wanted to make sure I left early enough to snag a spot in the parking lot closest to the starting line.  Technically, I could have walked to the race since the park is close to my house.  However, I wasn't about ready to walk in temps that were in the upper 30s/lower 40s.  Nope.  No dice.

I got there with plenty of time to spare and chilled in my car for a little bit.  I managed to put my bib on correctly and only pricked myself once.  I forced myself outside to get adjusted to the elements.  While I was waiting, I met T.  This race would be T's first and she was walking it.  Her family didn't want to come, so she was also alone.  We chatted for a bit before we started and took a picture together.

Results from FitBit

Mile 1: 8:13

I wasn't really sure where to place myself at the starting line.  I didn't want to go too far up front since I'm not that speedy, but I didn't want to go too far back and have to run past a lot of slower runners.  Plus, this race isn't chip timed, hence the five second differential from my FitBit time and my official time.  No biggie, but still.  I prefer chip timing, but this is a small local race, so I don't expect it.

Portions of the path are a little narrow, so I had to make sure I wasn't cutting anyone off when I tried to pass.  The downside of wearing headphones is that you can't really hear what's going on around you.  I don't think I cut anyone off though, which is good.  I don't want to be *that* runner.

Here are some pictures of the lake, which I took the day before.

Thankfully the rolling hills happen early in the course, so I'm still feeling pretty good as I approach them.

Mile 2: 8:13

I'm beginning to suspect that my FitBit is a dirty liar!  I don't think I've ever run the same time for the first two miles in any race ever.  *raises eyebrows*  Interesting.  Perhaps I've learnt how to pace myself?  Haha... yeah right.

Along the way, I see two women in front of me.  One is wearing a bright yellow jacket and she looks out of range, unless I book it.  I manage to catch the other woman and pass her.  I make a mental note of her in case she passes me.  A little boy is in front of me.  I definitely want to pass him, but for now, I trail behind him.  When I raced a lot, I *never* wanted to let an old man, old woman or child pass me.  It's a pride thing, I think.  So yes, *must pass the boy*... at some point.

I'm bothered by not being able to see mile markers either.  No way in hell can I do the mental math to convert kilometers to miles.  

Source

Also, the course isn't point-to-point so you pass the 4km marker before you've run 4km.  No biggie though.  

Mile 3: 8:08

Am I actually going to run a negative split for this race?!  It looks like it's possible so long as the wheels don't fall off the bus.

Physically, I'm feeling fine - a little tired, but not hurting.  I'm still trying to be a little conservative as to not kill myself, but I definitely want to start passing people, if I can.

On the way to the 4th kilometer, I'm passed by the woman I passed earlier and a man.  Shit.  It's gut check time.  Problem with me is that when a few people pass me, I get demoralized.  That just means that more people pass me and I get more demoralized.  'Tis an evil cycle.

Time to pull my head out of my ass, turn on my turbo boosters and finish strong.

Source

With 0.4 left to go, I figure it's now or never.  Also, I took a look behind me as we turned to run around the back of the sled hell.  A shitload of people are behind me.  Meaning, more people to pass me if I don't hurry up!

I overtake the man and the boy.  Woo hoo!  The woman is in striking distance.  Though, I want to time it right.  As we approach the 5KM mark, I go for it.

Problem is, she starts sprinting too.  Ummm... yeah... wasn't expecting that.  We round the corner, run down some pavement before we have a sprint finish on the grass.

Unfortunately, she surges ahead of me.  I try to catch up, but it's too late.  She finished a second ahead of me.

After the race, I came up to her and told her, "Good job!"  She thanked me for pushing her to a strong finish.  We chatted for a bit before going our separate ways.  I'll have to keep an eye out for her during races.  I'll get you next time!

0.10 7:32 pace

The only hill in Vernon Hills.  We finished in front of it.

Holy crap!  This may be the first race that I've run where I've run a negative split!  I always blast it out of the gate in the first mile.  I fade a little in Mile 2, fade significantly in Mile 3 and hang on for the rest of the ride.  Perhaps the long layoff has made me change my ways??

After the race, I hung around, mainly to get my official results and see if I placed.  I also caught T.'s finish and chatted with her post-race.

I'm not sure what happened during the awards ceremony, but I didn't hear my name called.  I thought I may have placed since the woman who won the race ran it just a little faster than me.  I saw the woman who out-sprinted me inquiring about the results.  Low and behold, I placed second in my age group.  Go me!

My Winnings

Gear:

• Wore: running tights, short-sleeved top, long-sleeved top, light jacket, hat and gloves.  I got a touch hot toward the end and shed the hat and gloves.  Perhaps capris would have been the better thing to wear.
• Wireless headphones.  My fiance gave me these beauties for my birthday this year.  What a different running without cords makes!  Highly recommended!

Rowkin Wireless Headphones

Overall, I was very pleased with my performance, and I'm even more proud of myself for running it solo!

So, what's next?

As of right now, I don't have any races on the agenda.  I may try to run another 5K later in the month and am trying to decide which one.  As always, location and price are two key factors.  I kind of balk if I see a $40-$50 price tag for a 5K.  I can just run one for free outside.  Granted, the more expensive the race, the better the quality (hopefully anyway)... chip timing, start corrals, etc. etc.

Long term, I'd like to race a 10K before the year ends.  So I've got to boost my mileage.  But, I think it's a totally reasonable goal.  If not, I can always race more 5Ks if I'm not ready for the 10K.  There are some great fall races that I'd like to run if able.  We shall see!

But for now, I'm comfortably back on the boat and hoping to stay on for good!

Run for the Cops 5K Race Recap: A New Personal Worst

Time: 25:26 (8:11 average pace)
Overall: 72/337
Age Group: 2/22
Sex: 17/180

Little Bro, Dad (3rd in AG) & Me
I ran with my sunglasses on my head the whole time.
Talk about running outfit FAIL.

 I achieved a new personal worst in the 5K Sunday morning.  However, my efforts were enough to snag second in my age group.  This is the second 5K in a row where this has happened to me.

Shirt & Medal

The race didn't go as well as I would have liked, but I was pleased with myself for completing it despite the rising temperatures at the end of the race.

I ate a a Chinese buffet the night before, which didn't sit too well with my stomach in the morning.  Chinese buffets are now on the do not do list prior to long runs or races.  Thankfully I was able to take care of business in the morning so my stomach was good during the race.

I also decided to be eco-friendly and walk to the race since the start was only a mile and a half from home.  However, I left a little later then I intended so I had to do a run/walk to get there on time.  I brought a bag with items I wanted post-race.  I probably should have skipped it, but I really didn't want to wear my shoes and sweaty shirt after the race.

I met my family while I was walking and we arrived at the race site a little bit past 7:40, which still gave us plenty of time to go through our pre-race routines.  My mom tagged along, but she opted to run around on her own since she didn't want to pay to run the race.  She would regret not registering later on (more on that later).

The theme for the race is run from the cops and members of various police academies in the area participate in the race.  They line up at the very back.  I noticed some guys carrying plastic billy clubs.  There was another guy who ran the race with an Army colored backpack.  That had to be uncomfortable.

Mile 1 - 7:54: A sub-8 split?!  Woo hoo!  I must have been excited to be running on my home course.  The little bro and I started together, but he pulled away from me early on.  I kept him in my sights and watched as he weaved in and out of other runners to get ahead.  Eventually I caught up to him and passed him.

Mile 2 - 8:09: The little bro caught up to me around a mile an a half as we entered in a newer subdivision with huge (and expensive) homes.  We started to run together and we both were struggling a bit with the heat.  There was not a lot of shade either.  I took a look at my watch and watched the pace on my Garmin climb up.  We got to mile 2 a little over 16.  At that point, I knew it would be hard for me to break 25 since I was fading.

Mile 3 - 8:21: I definitely faded from mile 2 to 3 hence the jump in pace.  Thankfully my brother was beside me so it gave me the motivation I needed not to start slowing down more or start walking.  People began to pass us and I didn't have any desire to chase after them.  The bro, on the other hand, was feeling it so he sprinted it in and managed to pick off another runner.  He finished in 25:14 which was a PR from his previous 5K time of 26:29.  I was super proud of him!  Oh, and in other news, he ran 6 miles, which is the furthest he has ever run.  He'll have to work harder to get to double digit runs so he can complete the marathon, but I think he can do it.

We hung around for the awards ceremony since my dad and I both placed.  The announcer said my last name right, which shocked me.  My mom would have gotten second in her age group if she signed up for the race.

I was touched watching all the younger kids collect their medals.  They were so proud of themselves.  On the way home from errands later that evening, I noticed one of the young boys who had won an age group award sprinting down the street.  He still had his medal and race shirt on.  I felt super proud of him too.  Hopefully he continues to run and earning medals can be very addicting.

Overall, I had a good time at the race and I may consider running it again depending on my training schedule next year.  It is in July, which isn't preferred, but it's only a 5K so it is doable.

Congrats to everyone who ran the Chicago Rock and Roll Half Marathon yesterday!  You are all amazing for being able to power through the heat!  Hopefully this week is less humid so I can get my weekly runs in outdoors!

Northshore Half Marathon and 5K Race Recap - Dad's First Half Marathon!

My parents and I absolutely adore this race.  The course is really beautiful and the 5k takes place in a residential area in Highland Park.  Also, today is a special day since it's my Dad's first half marathon.

Let me just tell you about my Dad for a little bit.  He's super freaking awesome and I am SO PROUD of him for running his first marathon at the age of 65 (!).  The fact that he's still able to run 3 days a week consistently and run races and bet people way younger than him just amazes me.  I can only hope to still be running when I'm his age!  He can run a 5k under 30 (if he's having a good day), which is better than some people my age!

I posted a picture of Dad and his medal on Facebook and so many of our family and friends have commented on it.  He finished in 2:41:01.  He wanted to run a 2:30, but he started to feel cramps and had a tough time from the 10 mile marker onward.  But, he finished!

Anyway, I decided to run the 5K despite my ITB acting funky.  I had my mom tape it beforehand.  The KT tape works wonders!  I didn't feel it pulling at all either.  I figured that I'd start conservatively and try to just go under 27.  Ideally, I wanted to go sub 25, but with the heat that might not be possible.

I finished in 24:32.  I was the 5th person out of 91 in my age group, the 80th overall and the 22nd woman out of 610.  I'm a little bummed that I missed an age group prize - especially since I know I could have run faster if it wasn't so hot!  But, at least I broke 25!

Mile 1: 7:39!  The start line was moved up a bit so I felt like we ran around the residential area more before we approached my arch enemy.  Mr. Hill.  There is this sweet downhill on the way to mile one where you can really let it fly.  I "fly" conservatively because again, I didn't want my ITB to snap up on me.  I pick off some people who don't know how to take advantage of downhills.

Soon, I'm at the hill on Egandale Road and thankfully I've seen this hill before so it's not new.  People are walking around me and I'm able to pick off some people who have decided to trot and walk up the hill.  For some reason, I do really well until we are almost at the top.  At the top, I start to lose it, but I'm still moving along at a good pace and most importantly, I'm feeling awesome!

Mile 2: 7:52.  I get to mile two at about 15:30 and I'm pleased.  I know that I can so sub 25 for sure and now, I'm thinking about sub 24.  My course record is a 23:01, which was run last year when the weather was cloudy and in the 60s.  I doubt this will happen now, but so long as I can go sub 25:15 (my last 5k disaster) then I will be happy.

Mile 3: 7:40!  Almost negative splits!  I start to pick it up a bit and try to pick out people in front of me that I can pass up.  I can see packs of people in front of me and I try my best to catch up to them.  There is also a little incline in the last mile, which isn't fun especially when you're tired!!

I could have sworn that I broke 24, but the official results don't lie. I was incredibly pleased with my effort.

I went back to find my Mom and we sat in the shade and ate for a while before we went to Starbucks.  We went back and sat under a tent and made some new friends while waiting for my dad.  I talked to a woman who is in her 60s and has been running since 1981.  She was waiting for her husband, a lawyer, who once ran a marathon in 3:23, but now just runs to finish since he's been injured so many times.  Again, I was in awe of her because at 60, she finished her 5k in about 27/28 minutes.  If only I can be that good at that age!!

I made friends w/ a young man wearing Vibrams and toting a really cute Dachshund Chiuaua mix named Rosie.  He was waiting for his girlfriend who was running her first half marathon.  He was going to run it too, but he didn't feel trained enough and didn't want to risk injuring himself since he teaches dance for a living.

Mom met a friend and we hung out by the road leading to the finish.  Dad texted my mom to tell her that his legs were cramping so he was walking it out, but had less than a mile to go.  We finally see him coming up the way and he was walking, but he was able to trot it into the finish.  He got his medal and we met him to chat for a while.  Again, I was SUPER proud of him!

Gear: Red Nike legend short sleeved tee, black tempo track shorts with red side piping, white Asics socks and white RAM racing hat.
Shoes: Brooks Pure Flow Black & Blue shoes

On Tuesday, I get my ITB looked at.  Hopefully it's not too bad and I can do a little rehab and still run at home with the help of KT tape.  I really want to go to my first long run of the marathon training if I can make it.  But, we shall see.

Happy running to all and hope you are having a great weekend!  Take advantage of the sunny day and get out there!

2012 Jubilee Jog 5k Race Recap

Oh boy.  This one was a bad one.  Yep.  It was a bad race for me indeed.  

I wound up finishing with a time of 25:15, which is my worst time for a 5K since I started racing again in 2010.  That's an 8:08 mile pace, but still.  I thought I could at least go sub-8 minute miles for this race, but the heat got to me.  It got me good.

But, I got to run in Wilmette, which is new for me.  The course is pretty good - fairly flat and residential.  The race was organized - we didn't start right at 8:00, but that's alright.  The post race refreshments were good and the raffle prizes at the end were awesome.

They gave away a bunch of $120 gift certificates to the new running store, Road Runner Sports, which is off the Edens Plaza, a bunch of gift certificates for Road ID, $25 gift certificates for Corner Bakery, a $120 paddle boating thing in Chicago and a Lululemon yoga stater kit.  

My dad won a RoadID gift certificate which was super awesome.  So yeah, if you do this race, definitely stick around for the raffle!  What's the worst that can happen?  Plus, if you can get a prize, they are pretty sweet.  I definitely was sad that I didn't get the gift certificate or the shoes especially because one of the numbers that were called was 105 or so - so close yet so far!

So close yet so far basically would be a good sum up for my performance at the race.  I actually timed it with my running app (Endomondo) so I could my splits.  My app told me that I did in in 25:09, but race time was 25:15.  Nevertheless.  Still a crappy time.

Mile 1:  I figure that I will start out "conservatively" as to have gas in the tank left for the finish.  Ha.  Like that happened.  Evidently "conservatively" to me means go ahead and run a 7:34 mile dummy.  Whoops. I was trying to shoot for an 8 minute mile... I'm serious.  Oh well.

Mile 2: I do a little mental math and figure that if I can run at that same pace and come in around 15:00 for mile 2 then I have a shot at breaking 24.  I get to Mile 2 a little over at 15:42 for an 8:08 mile.  Much slower and getting to that 8 minute mile point.  I'm pleased and figure if I can really kick it in during the last mile (or at least the last half mile) then I will make my goal.

Mile 3:  Failure.  I start losing it from mile 2.5 to 3.1.  The heat started to get to me and the long straightaways which I usually look forward to and excel at started to just look like never-ending stretches of road.  I could see people in front of me and I was trying to pick people I could maybe pick off, but it never happened.  I just started to fade away.

We round a corner and I can see the cop cars, which were there when we started so I know that the sprint is near.  But of course, I'm running out of gas so I can't really sprint it in.  I finally round the corner into the parking lot of the school and I "sprint" it in as best as I can.

I look at the clock and it is now in the 25s.  I shake my head and walk to get water feeling pretty defeated, but hey, it was like 80 degrees when we were running so I'll give myself a pat on the back for finishing and at least it was an under 8:30 performance.

I wait for my dad and we hang around for a while.  And, the consensus between the two of us is that we enjoyed the race and we liked the course.  And, most importantly, we know we could have run better had it not been so damn hot.

Bottom line: Would run it again (especially to smash that 25:15 time).

Pros:

- Flat, residential course

- Good refreshments post race & great raffle prizes

- Organized course 

- Relatively friendly people and the runners that turn out are pretty fast (dude who won was in the 17s and woman was in the 19s)

Cons:

- Worst time ever for a 5K ever sine I started racing in 2010, but it was hot so that's ok.

2012 Loop the Lakes 5K Race Recap

Running season in Chicagoland typically begins in March with the Shamrock Shuffle 8K in Chicago.  However, my official running season begins with the Loop the Lakes 5K in VH.

For some reason, I haven't been able to make it to March in fairly decent running shape.  In 2011, I was out for a few months with the blood clot.  In 2012, I just didn't feel physically ready since I was kind of slacking with the training during the winter months.

So, I start with Loop the Lakes.  It's right in my backyard and I know that I can perform well since it's not very crowded and I have won the women's race in 2010 and 2012 and won my age group in 2011.  And, let's be honest all you runners out there...

You know you have that race.  You have that race that you do because you can do well there and it's your confidence booster.  It's the race that gets you fired up for the rest of the season since you can run well there.  Well, that is what Loop the Lakes is for me.

The race went pretty well and improvements were made to the course due to the creation of a walkway over the lake area by the sled hill.  The rolling hills, which were not included in 2011's course were now in 2012's course.  Yay... NOT.  Like other runners, I do not enjoy any type of a hill at all.

The weather for the day sucked - it was about 35-40 with rain.  But, that's the perfect running conditions for me.  I ran in running tights, a long sleeved top and a light running jacket over it and that worked out well.  Though, after the race, I was pretty cold.

The first mile went by too quickly (as it always does with me) and I posted a time in the low 7:00s - like under 7:10 (that low).  Oops.  I guess I was excited.  Oh well.  That's sort of my "strategy" - book it in the first mile, go a little slower in the second and just hang on in the 3rd.  I can't seem to run negative splits at all for any distance - even my training runs are similar to my races in that I start too fast and peter out significantly toward the end.

Mile 2 is a little slower and I'm feeling pretty good, but not looking forward to the rolling hills toward the end.  I also have a man in my sights who I'm still tailing behind at this point.  I think I can maybe pass him up if I can give it a little more gas in the end.

Mile 2.5 to Mile 3: Trouble starts brewing and I'm starting to fall off the pace.  I know that I'm the first woman so I figure that I can definitely win that so long as no other women come up behind me.  I start doing the look behind me thing since I'm all along at this point.  The man in front of me has now taken off like a bat out of hell and he even passed up the person in front of him.  Gulp.

I see a pack of people behind me and I see the woman since she's easy to stop with her bright yellow running jacket.  She's a bit behind still so I figure that I can get this still so long as I don't crap out, but let's be real here - I'm totally fading.

Mile 3 to Mile 3.1: The hardest part for me - I can see the finish line and I know I need to sprint, but I'm so tired and I really just want to stop running and call it a day and go home into my warm bed, but no... I need to keep going.  I get passed by a little boy on the sprint, which sucks, but I still am able to haul it in and finish as the first place woman.  Whew.

I won a trophy and a $50 dollar gift certificate to Dick's Sporting Goods.  Overall, it was a great race.  I finished with a 23:17, which is way off the PR, but good and a PR for the new course and I went sub 24 which always is the goal for a 5k.