Since the beginning of the year we've managed to get two races in already! Yes we've been busy! :) It's turned out that these races have been key in kick starting my butt back into "training" mode. Not that I have a ton of races planned or anything officially, but it's good to have some bit of specific running "expectations." That way I don't just always go out the door with a big question mark hanging over my head as far as distance or speed (though that had it's enjoyment for awhile as well).
The first race (in honor of the new year) we did as a family with strollers and all. Nothing like trying to run a race pushing a double stroller half the way, not to mention into coastal head winds! We had a blast though, which is most important! We even managed to finish respectably given our "stroller" challenge (How's 7:08 min miles for 4 miles?)! Really I don't know how many more races we'll be able to do with the strollers! These kids are getting so heavy!
I thinks it's kind of funny though. Everyone at the starting line was trying to make sure they were in front of us. I even heard one guy say there was no way he was going to get stuck behind us! I remember passing him even before we even hit mile one, and he became just one of the 705 people we finished in FRONT of! I think we placed like 65th overall! So there! :) We're no wussie jogggers her folks! We're hard core runners! We're wild!! :)
It was a beautiful day. Sunny and crisp! A great way to ring in a new year!
Next was a trail race.
My first official trail race. Now this wasn't some ultra marathonish, up a major mountain, extreme hard-core trail race, but even in it's "novice" trail race-ism it still completely kicked my butt! A "hilly and challenging course" with both single and double tracks. Heaven's to Betsy! I thought I was going to have a heart-attack the entire race! Here's an image of one of the many short steep hills.
There were some long steep hills, and some of these short steep ones. No I did not walk. Not once. That is what I'm most proud of. The single track lasted a few miles and was challenging. There was virtually no passing unless someone in front of you was kind of enough to step aside for a moment. Around mile 2 a few people did just that. I'm sure they were a little less than please to see that I was a girl. The single track puts a lot of pressure on you not only keep up with the guy in front of you but more so not to hold up the guy behind. It really challenged and pushed my limits.
There were definitely more than a few curse words spewn from my mouth as I pushed my body beyond what I thought it was capable of.
"Runners are wild....running is anything but civilized. Just look at the faces of the first five guys [or girls] to cross the line at any 10k. Not exactly the kind of expression you can wear to a dinner party." -PearlIzumi
Not the most attractive photo of me. The spit that I didn't have enough breath to launch further than the front of my shirt. The panting exhale of my breathing. The tension in my body. And the pain and exhaustion all over my face.
The look of a woman running the last .25 miles to her FIRST-place OVERALL women finish!
Though I don't expect to keep this overall winning standard I seem to have set for myself, it was a fun and exhilarating - not to mention, agonizing and excruciating, start to the year!
I have to mention that Justin kept up amazingly well, and finished third in his age division - the best he's ever done - even despite the two dry-heaving spells he had along the way! So dignified!
Yep running is definitely ANYTHING but civilized! Part of the reason I love it so much!
Wow! Congrats on all fronts!!! Is there any other way besides running that I
could get a physique like you? Oh darn.
Posted by: Grandmere | February 06, 2012 at 03:39 AM
Hell yeah!!! And you can add the run today in that stupid snow storm to the list!
Posted by: Amy Kyle | January 21, 2012 at 05:22 PM