What I liked about this race was the medal.
race swag, sweet medal! |
For once, the meteorologist was right...but it least it wasn't raining, right?
On the road |
Coach had a pretty specific plan laid out for the run and it was indeed a training run on tap, mostly aerobic heart rate zones. So definitely just a training day for me!
Casey, on the other hand, was heading into this race with goals to beat his last 5k time.
My friend, Katelyn, was going to running too so we made plans to meet up there. She was also running as a training day too so we thought if our HR zones and pace worked out, we could run together!
Honestly, it was so cold and windy (22* and sustained winds of 20mph with gusts up to 50mph) if I had not just driven an hour here, if I did not want that cool airplane medal and if I did not have Katelyn to run with, there is NO WAY IN HECK I would have run in those conditions for a training day.
In the warmth of the car--no long warm up run would happen! |
Finally, we got out and did a little jogging, a little huddling, and a little shivering waiting for the gun to go off!! I realized that I left my iPod in the car (oh well) and was glad once again to have company to run today!
Video of the start, you can hear the wind!
The 5k and the Half starts together and then we split off in different directions. The first bit of the run was fine, the wind was to our backs and then about a mile and a half in...there it was.
WIND
Cold, bitter, hard blowing wind. Relentless...so I just watched my heart rate and adjusted my pace accordingly, keeping things in check. Once we got to the tarmac (runway) that's when things just got downright silly. The giant wall of wind was just pushing against you! My heart rate shot up to the 150's even though I was barely running a 10 minute mile. The wind was stinging my face and a couple times, it made it kind of hard to breathe!
But we just kept chugging along, I'd check with Katelyn to make sure she was in her zones and I'd check mine. We hit the part where there is a double loop to run and you pass the aid stations with water, gel and gatorade. On the second loop, I walked the aid station to get in some fluids (I can't run and drink from a cup without spilling it...I did not want spillage all over me on this freezing day) and as I WALKED up to the volunteer to get a cup, he spilled the entire cup of Gatorade down the front of me, my entire right leg soaked. AWESOME. I really, really wanted a wet leg on this cold and windy day!! ha ha ha (not really) but whatever, it's not like he did it on purpose.
Katelyn and I had a couple laughs over the weird mile markers because of the double loop (oh, mile 11 already...oh, no. Only mile 7...) and we were both pretty done with battling the cold and the wind by the time we were done with the loop and the last 2 miles did go by pretty quick.
Another friend, Mike, was there as a photographer and I got to see his smiling face on the course a couple times too. He was somewhere in that last 2 mile stretch and so Katelyn and I had to bust a move for some sweet pics! Can't wait to see those!
Finally, we could hear the PA system and cheers so we knew the finish wasn't far. I recall Katelyn saying something like "oh, it's not windy here" and I was like "shhhh, you are going to jinx us!" SURE ENOUGH. Two feet later--whammo!! more wind.
Round the corner and there it was...THE FINISH LINE. Honestly, this was an "slow and easy" run but I felt worked!! Running slow can be more painful than running fast (or at least that's how if felt on this day). I was never so happy to see a finish line and even contemplated doing cartwheels if I would not kick anyone in the head...
Awwwwsome! DONE :) |
DONE! I got my cool medal, a solar blanket and a WHOOPIE PIE!!
The company, Wicked Whoopies, donated 1,200 whoopie pies to all finishers> YUMMMMO!
two cold girls!! |
I will definitely return to this race next year and chase a new half mary PR!!
And enjoy another whoppie pie!!
HUGE CONGRATS to Mr. Small who ran his butt to another 5k PR, shaving another :33 off his time and in that wind!! 22:40 for a 7:17/pace. Nice work Casey!!
Congrats to your husband. I biked here today and the wind was pretty bad. I signed up for a tri in Maine that will have whoopie pies! Can't wait!
ReplyDeleteYYYYAAAAAAAAYYYY!!!! for Casey
ReplyDeletes PR in those kind of conditions!!!!!!
and congrats to you for NOT freezing your buns opff and semi enjoying a training run!
Hi Jen
ReplyDeleteSorry I missed you down there, it would have been nice to put a face with the Twitter feed. Casey finished just a bit behind me and I saw him and probably you a few times before and after the race, but didn't realize who you were :-) Maybe next time
Harold aka VetRunnah :-)
Casey is just kicking a$$!!! And we ran into that wind yesterday for 3 miles, but on the turn around, it wasn't at our backs. WTF?
ReplyDeleteI do not hide the fact that I am all about the Bling and Swag, and the race medal is awesome, and whoopie pies on top of it!!!! Freaking awesome!!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the race