The Results Are In!

Okay, I know I know, it's been two weeks and maybe we were expecting a quicker update- well the sponsors put pictures up on their website that are taken during the race, so I was waiting to see if we'd have any winners for photographic accompaniment. My running face is less attractive than we might have hoped though, and so we're going to post on circulating those any further. So instead you just get the afters: 

Mary and I with the giant inflatable hot chocolate mug

And of course- showing off our muscles 

All right, so I will recap the day- we leave Mary's house at 6:00 AM (special shout out thank you to her lovely housemate Megan, who woke up at 5:45 on a Sunday morning to drive us there so we could avoid public transportation!). We arrived at the museum (where the race began) at about 6:20 and determined why it was that the freebie was a fleece and not a t-shirt...because the fact that it is Spring means nothing to the weather makers, so we had to stand out in I believe 39 degree cloudiness until start time at 7:15. (Fortunately we found refuge in the merchandise tent where we warmed up while waiting for the race to start and only moved to the concourse at 7:05. GREAT CALL!)

Five minutes before the race begins I turn to Mary and I say, "Okay. Goals: finish in less time than my last race, and don't walk a single step." She replies, "Goals: Keep breathing, survive, and finish the race". [Mary falsely led me to believe that this run would be a challenge to her...LIES!] Standing in place waiting, music goes into my ears, and we're off. 

Now, I have no internal pacer- in that I think some people have this ability where without a watch or timed music or any gauge they still know their general pace. For me, that's not the case. I couldn't tell you if I'm running a 10 minute pace or a 15 minute pace. People are passing you and you're passing others. I always wait to the first mile and check my time to see if I'm on track. 

Now at this particular race, they released the runners in waves to help spread out the runners. So they released a new wave every 3 mins. And we were in the fourth wave. So, one of the happiest and then suddenly worst moments of the race is as follows: this course is one where you run half the distance and then turn around and run back the other half (not a loop in other words). So we're running along, I've lost track of time, I'm listening to music and reminding myself to breathe steadily and not go too hard in the first mile. I have no idea how far we've gone when all of a sudden a quick stream of runners is whooshing by us in the other direction. Now, when I see people going in the other direction, my thought is always, "they've turned around! That means we must be almost halfway!" And then the reality follows a few seconds later- they were released 9 minutes before us and are keeping a 6 minute/mile pace. Aka- we've got a *long* way to go. 

But, despite the colder-than-I-prefer-to-run-in weather, and an earlier-than-I-prefer-to-run start time, and a chocolate fondue finishers mug when I've given up chocolate for lent- the race really was wonderful. The course stretched along the river so we had a beautiful view. It was really, maybe my favorite race to date (not just because of the great company!). Oh and for the results: well, I didn't take a single step of walking during this 3.1 mile excursion. So check mark for that goal. And below is my updated overall list or races and results:

DATE                                                     RACE                      TIME

7/4/2013				Firecracker 5k		39'32"
7/14/2013				Biggest Loser 5k		37'36"
9/7/2013				9-11 Memorial 5k		36'33"
10/12/2013				Amnesty 5k		34'30"
4/6/2014				Hot Chocolate 5k		32'18"

So all goals were met. Who knew that that's actually something that can happen? 

Until next time, 

Rachel 

Run Forrest, Run.

One of the first "real runners" I ever came to know was a woman who I babysat for who lived down the street. I remember one time when I was in high school she called me up to see if I could come over and watch her kids for an hour so she could go for a "quick jog". She had precious kids, and of course I said yes. So we played and hung out for exactly an hour, after which the mom came into the front of the house, sat down on the floor a sweaty mess, huffing and puffing and says, "ugh. Only seven miles today." 

Only?... SEVEN?!?!?!  Sorry, what? Let's be real people, what sort of psycho casually runs 7 miles after a full day, and then feels bad about it? And in an hour? This is a world I did not understand, and wanted no part in...

I don't know why or where it came from, but last summer I got the idea that I wanted to run a 5k. In fact, I wanted to run multiple 5ks- I wanted to improve from each 5k to the next, and I wanted to get to the point where there would be absolutely *no* walking during the race. Just a straight 5k run (3.1 miles, in case you were unaware). And so last July, the 5ks began...

And here are the results to date: 

DATE 7/4/2013				RACE Firecracker 5k		TIME 39'32"
7/14/2013				Biggest Loser 5k		37'36"
9/7/2013				9-11 Memorial 5k		36'33"
10/12/2013				Amnesty 5k		34'30"

You may note that it has been many moons since a race has happened...well, that's because I don't like running and I don't like the cold- so the chances of me running in the cold are slim to none. [Closer to the "none"]. But my friends, that all will change this weekend, when yours truly goes up to Philadelphia to run the hot chocolate 5k with Mary. For the past month or so I've been putting a lot of effort into running, so we shall see if that pays off. 

It's funny. I've always been someone who hates running. To me running has always kind of been one of those things that really seems to highlight and lay out all of my insecurities in public display. Like "hey, I'm slow, and weak, I'm out of shape and I'm going to quit- so now everyone watch while I do it!" I mean really, what grace or joy is there in running a short distance only to find that your lungs are near a point of explosion, your muscles have exhausted and you're probably sheer moments from cardiac arrest? 

Well, it's probably slightly less excruciating for those in better shape than I am, but I think I'm starting to be on to something. I probably run outdoors about 2-3 times a week in distances that range from 1 mile up to 2.5 miles just depending on how I'm feeling and how much I want to push it. And regardless of the distance or my pace I'd say the first 5-7 minutes suck. Every single run. They suck and I want to stop. It's that same feeling- my legs feel tired when I've barely begun and my lungs feel like they're begging for more air and my heart really picks up the pace. For those first 5-7 minutes I feel like my whole body is yelling at me and begging me to stop. It throws every punch it's got to make me abandon the run and just walk. And for those 5-7 minutes all I can think is, "I have to stop. This sucks. I'm quitting. I'm walking home. I'm done." But for the past month or so, I've done this crazy thing where I don't quit after seven minutes. I feel the tiredness in my muscles and I feel my lungs and heart working in overdrive and I keep going anyhow. And after those 7 minutes all of a sudden something happens- I don't mean that metaphorically. Something physically changes in my body- my muscles stop feeling tired my heart rate steadies and my breathing, while quickened, becomes controlled. And my mind stops begging me to stop. It's as if all of a sudden my brain and body simultaneously say, "Oh, you weren't kidding? We're doing this? Okay then, let's go." And then I go for another mile and a half. And the feeling you get from continuing long after every part of you has wanted to quit- the feeling of overcoming your own self-doubts- well to me, that's the runner's high that everyone seems to rave about. Now, I don't think I can be classified as someone who loves to run- but hey, maybe I'm on my way?

Even if not, I'm on my way to Philly to run again, with two main goals in mind- to not walk at all during this race, and to beat that 34'30" time. So wish me luck and I'll report back next week!

~Rachel~