Beginners and Beyond

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**Updated with results in OP** This girl is on fire! (5k RR w/ pics and a PR) (Read 689 times)


@runjerseygirl

    UPDATE:

    88/199 overall

    32/103 women

    11/49 age group (WOW!  Almost in the top 10!)

     

    The short version: 29:23 (PR)

     

    The long version:

     

    Mercerville Fire House Mistletoe 5k

    (12.15.12)

     

    I love race day!

     

    Ready, baby!

     

    Pre-race: All I could think about coming up to this race was “I hope I don’t get another migraine.”  So, I spent yesterday and this morning drinking water, and made sure to have my morning cup of coffee, after a friend/forumite suggested that I was going through caffeine withdrawal.  I also had a bowl of cereal in the morning, and a peanut butter sandwich about 2 hours before the race.

     

    As of yesterday, I didn’t have anyone to run with.  This morning, I had four people to meet up with.  Two I met through a local “Moms Run This Town” chapter, but had never met in person.  Two others were friends of a friend, who I had never met either.  But we all met up, introduced ourselves, and traded running stories.

     

    It was a little chilly, about 44 degrees when we got there.  But the sun was shining and it felt great.  The weather couldn’t have been better for race day.  I was a little surprised at the size of the crowd.  To be honest, I don’t know what I was expecting, but it was a very small crowd.  I started to get worried about coming in DFL.  But my new girlfriends assured me that there would be plenty of walkers, run/walkers, and slow runners.

     

    The race director ushered us all to the start line, and Santa was at the back of the pack on an antique fire truck to trail behind us.  Someone started talking on a bullhorn, and before I new it, the gun went off.  Literally.

     

    Mile 1: We take off, and I try my hardest to pace myself.  I feel comfortable, and kind of fall in with the flow of the group.  We round the first corner and head out on the longest straightaway of the course.  It isn’t closed to traffic, but they have it marked for the runners, so we have our own lane.  It’s a little narrow, and being so close to the start line, everyone is a little crowded in.  I move up onto the sidewalk to pass a few people.  About halfway through the straightaway, I realize I’m on my own.  I see a large crowd ahead of me, but I know there are plenty of people behind me.  I take the moment to sink into my “active meditation” and focus on nothing but my breathing and my next step.  This is where I like to be.

     

    Mile 2:  I start catching up to the crowd ahead of me, which has actually thinned out quite a bit.  There are lots of people standing outside of their houses cheering us on.  One family even set up a little water station, and was handing out cups.  I pass a few people, and fall back into my headspace.

     

    Mile 3:  I hit the 2-mile marker and know I’m in the home stretch.  I decide to pick up the pace, but not go all out yet.  I’m only a mile away from the finish, and I don’t want to burn out right at the end.  We round a few more corners, and I start passing a lot of people.  I chick a couple of guys and secretly smile to myself because I know it will make some of my RA friends laugh.

     

    We hit the last turn and we’re on the last straightaway, and I see the finish.  Time to kick it into gear.  I fire on all cylinders, and pass a bunch of people.   One of my new friends is standing on the sidelines and she’s cheering me on. Two guys I chicked earlier pass me in an all out sprint, and finish ahead of me.  I’m right on their tail, and the clock reads 29:18 when I cross the finish line.  RunKeeper has me at 29:23.

     

    Woah, mama!

     

    Post-race: I catch up with the two girls that already finished, and we wait for the other two.  We all have some water, share a few laughs, compare notes, and snap a picture.  A few of us have PR’d.  Fantastic!  We all have kids, so we split shortly after we finish to get home.

     

     

    As I’m waiting in line at Starbucks to recaffeinate, I get a text that one of the girls in our group not only PR’d, and finished 36th overall, but also won 1st in our age group.  So exciting!

     

    It was awesome to meet so many new girlfriends.  This was also the first small, local race I’ve ever done, and I have to say, I loved it.  It was very casual, and the timing/finish tracking seemed very rudimentary, but I feel like it was a fantastically managed race.  They called this the “First Annual Mistletoe 5k” and if they continue it next year, I’ll definitely run it again.

     

    Migraine status: I popped some ibuprofen a few hours before the race.  I had a bottle of water immediately after the race, then hit Starbucks for some caffeine.  After that, I stop at 7-11 to grab some Gatorade and two bananas.  So far I’ve had a 16 oz bottle of water, about 20 oz of Gatorade, a grande somethingorother from Starbucks, a banana, more ibuprofen, and a hot shower.  It’s been almost 3 hours since I finished, and I have just a little hint of a headache.  Nothing noticeable unless I think about it.  If I can keep it under control, I’ll be so happy.  I have another two hour before I can take more ibuprofen, and I’ll be watching the clock and drinking more Gatorade.

     

    Overall, I feel fantastic!

    Do you even run?

    Docket_Rocket


      Congratulations, Kay!  That is awesome especially on a race at a weird time of day.

       

      As to the migraines, I was sidelined with one yesterday, I feel you.  Do you feel caffeine helps?

      Damaris

       

      As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.

      Fundraising Page


      @runjerseygirl

        I never even thought about it until LRB suggested it.  It seems to be helping today.

        Do you even run?

        RunTomRun


        Wickedly Average

          Way to go, Kay! Nice run there! You're SMOKIN'!!

           

          I've had that happen a few times - pass someone towards the end of the race, only to have them outkick me in the last tenth.

          Tom (formerly known as PhotogTom)

          5K - 25:16, 10K - 55:31,  15K - 1:20:55,   HM - 1:54:54

          Awood_Runner


          Smaller By The Day

            HELL YEAH!!!  IT'S 5K PR SATURDAY!!!  CHEERS!!!

             

            First drink's on me!

            Improvements

            Weight 100 pounds lost

            5K 31:02 Sept. 2012 / 23:36 Sept. 2013 (Same Course)

            10K 48:59 April 2013

            HM 2:03:56 Nov. 2012 / 1:46:50 March 2013

            MARATHON 3:57:33 Nov. 2013

            kitteh


              Nice work, Kay! Way to start out conservatively and then turbo-charge across the line. That's always the best way to finish, IMO. Passing people near the end feels amazing!

              Running for two!

              Pre-Preggo PRs--5k 23:00, 10k 49:07, HM 1:57:40

              Post-Preggo PRs--5k TBD, 10k 54:45, HM 2:28:05


              ...listen to the thunder

                Nice going!

                Run, Eat, Repeat.


                not lazy, just tired

                  Congratulations!

                  Not if it makes sense.

                  Coastal


                    Congratulations on the Race!  Excellent report.  You are really coming along.  Keep up the work!

                     

                    Caffeine and migraine:  I used to live with a lady who had horrible hemiplegic migraines.  Her doctor had her using caffeine with her migraine meds to improve the effect.  Seemed to help quite a bit.

                      Congratulations on your PR and 1st place age group! Great race report and great race. You are awesome! Good lookin' group of runners ya got there too.

                      Huh?

                      Docket_Rocket


                        Thanks for mentioning it.  I drank coffee yesterday but it didn't help.  Maybe I needed more shots from Starbucks?

                        Damaris

                         

                        As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.

                        Fundraising Page

                        kristin10185


                        Skirt Runner

                          Wow Kay!!! Awesome RR congrats on that PR....sub 30 woot woot! Smile (dancing banana would go here)

                           

                          You really did have a beautiful day today. I went to pick up my race packet today for the race I'm running tomorrow in NYC, for which rain rain rain is forecasted, wishing I had been racing today instead.

                           

                          I'm glad you found some friends to run with too!

                           

                          Thanks for sharing, glad you had such a great race. Hope you stay migraine free!

                          PRs:   5K- 28:16 (5/5/13)      10K- 1:00:13 (10/27/13)    4M- 41:43 (9/7/13)   15K- 1:34:25  (8/17/13)    10M- 1:56:30 (4/6/14)     HM- 2:20:16 (4/13/14)     Full- 5:55:33 (11/1/15)

                           

                          I started a blog about running :) Check it out if you care to


                          Ball of Fury

                            Congrats Kay on the pr and running a great race!

                            PRs:  5K 22:59, 10K 46:54,HM: 1:51:15


                            Shakedown Street

                              See, by yourself is not bad.

                               

                              PS, I like the new photo in the avatar. You were Debbie Downer in the former photo.

                              Started-5/12, RWOL refugee,5k-24:23 (1/12/13),10K-55:37(9/15/12),HM-1:52:59(3/24/13)

                              Robert31320


                              Team TJ

                                That's what I'm talkin about!!  Great job, Kay.  All your hard work is paying off for you...and, it looks like you're sticking with it ;-)

                                Running for TJ because he can't.

                                 

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