Cub's first 5k

Just like mommy!

I am so proud today! My most memorable race to date.  I finally got to run a 5k with my son, Cub.

  We'd plan on running one last fall after the Columbus Half marathon but since I was injured that was out.  It was hard to be a cheerleader when I wanted to be running it with him.  But finally I got my chance, it was a fundraiser that my running partner had organized.  It was pretty low key and I'd planned on running 9 on Saturday so I ran 6 before the race and then the 3.1 with Cub.

We showed up an hour early-which in a way was good since I got to show Cub how to do a sprint start on the track for one of his Cub Scout arrow points.  Then he got his soccer ball out and practiced running down the field and kicking goals for about 30 mins. 

When the race started, I had to hold Cub back a bit, since he wanted to sprint after the other kids who'd gone out too fast.  We managed to pass all of them in the first mile or so as they slowed down or stopped.  He was so cute since he kept wanting to look back and see where his competition was.  I told him to always look ahead and focus on the next runner.  He was such a trooper.  I think he was getting almost annoyed with me since I kept asking him how he was feeling or if he wanted to slow down.  I'm glad I had an extra water bottle so he kept hydrating since it was a hot one! 

Here were his/my splits:
1 mile:  8:06
2 mile: 8:38
3 mile : 8:56 (hill)
overall time: 26:30 for Cub
Overall:  9th overall/ 61 finishers
Age Group: 1st!

I'm so happy/proud of him.  It was so much fun running with him.  I can't wait for many more races in the future.  He wants to do a 10k next, but I think were going to wait  awhile for that.  The only training he did was soccer practice/games.

Here are some pictures from the race.  Enjoy!

  Hydrate!

Love how in sync we are in this one

Leaving mommy in the dust

Victory!

2011 Recap

Background:
  I ran in high school.  I was alright as a runner, my PR in HS was 21:50. I loved it, love the social aspect of it but never really set any goals.  I just ran as fast as I could.

After high school, I was an exchange student in Spain where I started to smoke (it pains me to even admit that now!) and continued to smoke through college.  I never ran, I am lucky that I have good skinny genes since I never had to worry about my weight.

When I got my first job, I had the opportunity to be an assistant coach for the HS xc/track team.  I remembered how much fun it was to run again.

I signed up  to run the Marine Corps Marathon in 2001.  I worked with the AIDS marathon training group in Washington, D.C.  I was in the "Alberto Salazar" 12:00 min/mile pace group.  It was a great way to get back into running.  The rest of the time I lived in the DC area, I almost always did a run/walk.  Then I had kids....and stopped running.

Once we moved to Ohio, I started doing zumba and did that for about 2 years before I started actually running again.  I decided to sign up for the Dirty Dude Girl trail run in one of the MetroParks in our area.  I did pretty well for myself (31:30 with tons of mud on the course)- I'd only been "training" for about a month.  Started to train for some local 5ks and the rest is history...

Fast forward to 2011

I'd been doing a lot of local 5ks in the fall of 2010 and continued to do more in 2011.  We had a "wellness challenge" at work where we were on teams and if we worked out a certain amount or ran local charity races we'd earn points. My team was very competitive, so any opportunity we had i.e. 5k races, we took it.  My running partner and I had decided that we were going to do the Flying Pig 10k in Cincinnati at the end of April- so we had a bigger goal.

2 races really stood out for me in the spring before "the Pig".  I ran the Harrigan's 5k in March.  It was a great day to run- freezing in a t-shirt but I had my new Saucony Kinvaras on- super light weight running shoes.  I forgot to start my watch and never saw the mile markers- so I was just going on how I was feeling.  I remember not believing the time when I rounded the final turn and saw the clock 21:40- I bet my high school pr by 10 seconds!  It was a 19 year old PR.  Awesome! Who says you get slower as you age?

The next race was kind of silly, it was our work's "Wellness Challenge 5k".  Anyone who'd been in the contest was supposed to do it.  I didn't know how we'd do but I decided that I was going to try to run again for a good time, I ended up leading the entire race and actually won it overall.  I've never won a race ever...not even in high school- I was always 2nd or 3rd.  I was pretty pumped- the best part the award for 1st place- the lovely rainbow participant ribbon.  Now I know the point was to get everyone out there and moving...but still.  Could I at least get a blue ribbon?

The Flying Pig 10k is kind of like the stepchild to the Flying Pig Half and Full marathon since it's the day before and not a many people do it.  My running partner and I had been following Hal Higdon's 10k intermediate plan and we were feeling pretty good about it.  We had perfect weather- unlike the marathoners the next day- got to love Ohio weather in the spring!  I ran 47:23, got 5th in age group, 19 overall for women.  My first 10k in 10 years and 5 minutes faster. 

After the pig, I was not sure what I wanted to do...I needed to think about a fall race just to keep the momentum going, and around this area, it's the U.S. Air Force Marathon in Dayton in September or the Columbus Marathon in mid October. 

I did both of those, which by then I started this blog so you can read about the Air Force 10k here or the Columbus 1/2 marathon here.

Both were PR's for me but since the Columbus marathon I haven't really run since PF has stopped me in my tracks.
That would be 90 days without running.  With the exception of last Saturday's quick attempt and today's/tomorrow's run (which I've already planned to spend the rest of the day off my feet since I won't be able to walk the rest of the day but hell with it, last week's run was AWESOME even if I couldn't walk later.

So, It was a good year for me and running.  PRs in the 5k, 10k, 13.1.  I can't complain.  Really, I could and you know I do, but it was a good year. Plantar Fasciitis might have me down right now but I know I will shake it- and it's just my heel- I have my overall health which is the most important.   So here's to a great 2012!

New role

Cheerleader.  Not something I usually do but I don't usually watch races, usually I'm running in them.  I found myself this past Friday cheering for my son in his first 5k ever.  We'd planned on running it together this summer when he wanted to start running with me.  I promised that after the Columbus half that I'd run it with him...I hadn't planned on not being able to run it.  I was a bit bummed to say the least. 

Earlier in the week, I'd been inspired by going to the gym and even though my heel had been hurting all day the darn treadmill called my name and I managed to run a grand total of.... 1/4 mile.  Woo hoo! Limped the whole time and called it quits after 3 minutes.  I felt like such a loser.  Some chick was doing a run on one of the other treadmills and was going at a decent clip (although I'm sure I could have run faster if I were healthy) (I can't stand that I'm so competitive) and had to walk to the bike.  Grrrr.  The bike and I are not friends.  It sucks.  Anyways, the next day my heel was hurting like crazy again, so lesson learned...I'm not going to be able to run a 5k in a few days.

Back to the race.  It was a perfect night for a run!  damn, PF sucks!  My dh was out of town and even if I could run it no one was around to watch Buster so I guess it was meant to be.  Our friend, Kevin, was going to be running it with his oldest son (and classmate to Cub) so we planned that Kevin would run with the boys.  Thanks, Kevin!  Cub had dressed up as Harry Potter in his quiddich robe/uniform, we decided that running with a broom might be problematic.  A lip pencil made a wonderful lightning bolt scar to top it off!  We got there with plenty of time to get his packet, potty break, stretch and to be in a children’s costume contest.  There were some adorable costumes- I am just not creative. That and I never give myself or the kids time to design anything!  So time to go line up, saw some of the regular locals and could guess who was going to win (and they did). 

After they started, Buster and I walked back to the finish line, and it was getting a bit chilly so we went back to the car for about 15 mins. Buster loved it since he finally got to pig out on his candy that he’d gotten from a friend at school.  I managed to munch on a few candy corns as well… must remember that I’m no longer running so no need for those calories.  I felt a little bad that we weren’t on the course but it would have been impossible to get back in time to see the end.  We headed back to the finish line after our candy fix, cheer on the first finishers and wait…Finally they show up, Cub is looking pretty tired but when he hears the music and us (I hope) that he was able to finish.  32:35.  Awesome job for a 7 year old!   They had a great spread of food for the runners after the race- good since the race was over supper time!  We hung out for a while long enough for the awards.  Cub managed to get 2^nd place in the 0-8 year old age group!  His buddy got 1^st place.  They both were super excited- no doubt both boys will continue to run for years to come!  It was bitter sweet- I wanted to run that with him but I so happy that he did such a great job! 

Now I have a goal:  Jingle Bell run, Dec. 3^rd with Cub. 

On a completely different note:  Like my new design for the blog?  I could not for the life of me get rid of the brown box that went behind my title.  I tried all the templates that were offered to see if it would go away.  Nothing seemed to work, except for putting my own picture there.  It’s huge.  Sorry about that, really don’t need a huge picture of me, but I guess it does have my boys and me after a race so it’s fitting.