Sunday, June 20, 2010

Shame on Me

Why have I been absent from the blog world this last week? Why have I not been running much this last week? Why have I felt like I was in a funk this last week? The only answer I can come up with is my brain is melted due to it being so HOT & HUMID all the dang time!! Although I have not been running much this last week, I have been getting up in the mornings to walk(about a mile) before work. All week while walking I have been asking myself “Why are you not running this instead?” My neighborhood is crazy hilly and to be honest not sure I am ready or want to run it, but I am thinking of giving it my best shot this upcoming week. I have seen some interesting sites while walking also(I live next to a lake in a highly tree populated area so there is lots of wildlife) one morning a squirrel came running super fast only to have a cat chasing behind. The cat saw me and stopped so I chatted”Good morning Kitty, trying to catch a squirrel, Good luck!” and I patted him on the head. He graciously replied with a “MEOW!” I continued walking and he took off after that squirrel again! The very next morning I saw something up ahead and thought it was another cat, I began to wonder to myself where were all these cats coming from our neighborhood always is full of dogs not cats? But to my surprise it wasn’t a cat, it was a raccoon carrying a baby and another one following! I really wanted to chat with them but by the time I got where they were they were gone. I  really need to start bringing my camera!

Also while being absent from life this week, I realized I have never posted about my back to back races milestone.  What is wrong with me? I will make it short and sweet since now its a thing of the past.

Race #1 was last Friday night. I usually do not like night races as I don’t do as well, I am a morning racer but the hubs can do the night races. I was in HIGH hopes that it would start cooling down as it really got cloudy and looked like rain, however the sun came out super bright and super humid! We have ran this course a couple of time already so I know the course is nothing but uphill the entire first half with a decent downhill second half but I am just running not racing cause I am saving my efforts for the next days race. The hubs likes to start on the starting line, ya know up front where everyone can see you standing there waiting to start. Not me, I like being a couple maybe few rows back in the middle of the pack but on the edge. But I let him convince me to stay close.

103_1287  Me &Kaylan 103_1290   

The race began I went out slow like I wanted (so I thought) could still see hubs ahead thinking he must be going fairly slower as well. Reached the first mile marker with timer person saying 8:35…WHAT?? That is way way too fast for me, I need to slow it down by about a minute. I still felt pretty comfortable so I tried to slow my pace instead of walking. I saw the water stand ahead at 1.5m and could really start to feel the humidity hitting hard. So I grabbed a water cup and walked on thru swishing my water. The leader of the race was coming back down passing the timer person at mi 2 stating 10:18 holy cow he is fast!! I began running again much slower this time just hoping to finish it out, the sweat was really dripping by this point, it had to be close to 90 with the humidity. I could no longer see the hubs, he must have really kicked it in on the downhill, good for him!! In this course there is a concrete bridge and I hate this bridge so I walked it! I thought the finish had to be close looked at my watch still making pretty good time, but that dang humidity it totally zapped me. This by far has been the hottest race so far this year.103_1297 Hubs ended up at 26:41 and 31:06 for me. When I finally got to see the break down of age groups I ended up being 5th which made me feel better about the run!

Race#2-The very next morning I had another 5k race that is one of my “Serres” races. These races I WANT to do good in and really I WANT to place (in my age group). Once again like many race mornings this year it was raining when I got up to prepare. I knew it would stop by race time. Meet up with my running buddies chatted waiting for the start wondering where our other buddy was. She had been on vacay so I think she was still on that time cause she came “running” in just in time to start!! She told me how she was a little tired and going to be slow today, good cause I am slow from racing last night. I usually take a 5hour energy or GU before a race but opted not too this morning as my belly was feeling funny. Kinda wish I would have though. The weather was overcast&humid and we did a nice slow and steady run. Mile 1 9:30 much better than the last nights race! Twila however she is like on fire this year, she was speedy fast today!! I lost my steam about 2.5ish and began run/walk. I should have been able to complete this entire thing running as it was at our park, the one I always run at, but my legs were just tired. I did my best to sprint to the finish with a 29:45.103_1333 I really didn’t expect to place but was happy to get 3rd! Twila ended up with 24:56 and 3rd for her age group also, so glad she isn’t in my group cause I don’t think I could catch or keep up with her!! Great Job girl!!

I used windows live writer on this one hope it turns out ok!!

4 comments:

Tricia said...

great job

EricaH said...

Whew i got tired just reading that. Great job with you back to back races. :)

Raegun said...

Congrats on your races, and on placing 3rd for your group. Wow! The humidity can be difficult - good for you for not letting it beat you!
Rae
xo

RunToTheFinish said...

the hills are great for you, try the run walk approach to get used to them and you'll be powering along in no time