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| Dairy free doesn't mean healthy in my house |
I didn't eat all that myself, I did have actual marathon runners staying with me:
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| Focused pictures are for fancy blogs |
I don't let people just stay at my house for free. I make them hold my baby as payment.
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| I remember this one, I like her. |
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| Mommy, save me! |
I took both kids to spectate at the finish line, which was way more fun for Faith than I anticipated. There were a lot of other kids at the finish and the little girls formed a kind of pack that harassed small dogs and climbed on anchors.
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| I'm wearing pink shoes again? Mommy has no style sense. |
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| Let's see what this dog looks like on the INSIDE! |
I'm not going to spoil the surprise of telling you about Kari and Alyssa's marathon since they'll write about it on their blogs, but I will tell you that Cordelia was very concerned about Kari's heart rate when she finished, or so I assume since she refused to let go of her finger:
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| Whoa, that's high. You should try training harder. |
Then Faith was concerned about Kari's waistline and insisted on eating her post-race cookie for her. What can I say? I have caring children.
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| Does this have cooties? |
Backing up a day, I did actually run this weekend instead of just watching and judging other people's pain face at the end of 26 miles. On Saturday morning I ran my first post-baby race! It was a 5K close to my house, which was ideal because I could go and race and be back before the baby got hungry again (in theory). The weather was perfect for a race (40 at the start, slight breeze) and thankfully the race started exactly on time so I didn't have to worry about running short on time and knowing the baby was hungry and waiting for me. (I had left a bottle with my husband, but that doesn't mean that she would actually drink it.)
I thought the 5K would be really small because only 30 people had checked "attending" on the Facebook event page, but there was a large crowd when I showed up. I think they had over 200 people, which is a great turn out for this area. The course was a flat out and back and from the start I tried to find a pace that felt hard, but sustainable for 3 miles. I'm not very experienced in pacing well for a 5K because I don't normally take them seriously (meaning I race them as part of a longer run).
I finished the 5K in 23:40 (Garmin time because official results are still pending) and felt like I could have run a smarter race. I think I held back too much for the first half? I don't really know, but I finished with a feeling that I could have done better. I'd really like to run a faster 5K and since I can't run longer races right now, it seems like a good time to focus on that. I plan on googling training ideas, but I think in general I just need to raise my anaerobic capacity since the thing that is slowing me down is feeling winded. The only way to do that is to do speed work and since I do so many miles on the treadmill, it should be easy to incorporate that into my running a couple of times a week. I'm going to do another 5K in May and hopefully see a time that starts with a "22"!
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| Blah, blah 5Ks are boring, blah, blah |
I didn't stay for the awards (bottle-refusing baby was waiting for me and all) but I did win a medal. One of my neighbor running friends picked it up for me. I think I won 2nd in my age group, but I haven't seen the official results yet or the medal, but let's just all assume that I'm a winner.
Anyone have any tips on cutting down 5K times? I also have a 10K next month, so speed work tips in general are welcome!
Have you ever spectated a marathon? Were you amused by the looks of pain and the penguin walks that the runners do after they finish?
you didn't much about your feelings. were you envious and did you wish you could the marathon or did you love having an excuse?
ReplyDeletecould run*
DeleteSo much deep seated anger about not running the marathon.
DeleteI spectated a marathon for the first time this winter and it was strange to be on the other side - I could look at people and totally tell they had hit the wall, or their stomach was upset, or they were still strong - just funny to be able to really identify like that.
ReplyDeleteGreat 5k, there, but I don't have any tips for speeding up: I'm so pathetically terribly bad at short distances that if I gave you advice you should do exactly the opposite.
I'm only good at training for distance, so this is all new to me too.
DeleteYay for the medal!! I've never won a damn medal l here, I swear the people here are all undercover pros and they run races for practice!!!
ReplyDeleteI just do intervals to get faster. I do them on a treadmill since it's easier (and flatter). I only do it once a week, but I've seen a difference for sure.
I have spectated one marathon. It is quite funny when they finish, like they are 147 years old, and some even walk like they need to poop. Oh and the nipple bleeding for the men. OUCH!
I only get medals because I live in the boondocks.
DeleteI like to hang out near stairs at the end of a marathon. That's probably the funnest and funniest place on earth. All those sore and sorry people trying to lift their legs up. If you're really lucky you get to see someone going into cramp mid-flight. It's awesome.
ReplyDeleteWe would have so much fun at a marathon together.
DeleteThis is good spectating strategy.
DeletePlease summarize Ricig and Alyssa's race, since their posts are probably not going to be interesting enough for me to read the whole thing.
ReplyDeleteDid they poop? or otherwise have an unfortunate bodily fluid accident? If not, then I'm not reading.
I can't say for sure, but they didn't smell fresh when they finished so maybe.
DeleteThey ran a long way and got sore and tired.
DeleteCongrats on your comeback race! I think that is awesome! Keep it up. You will hit the 22 in May...no doubt.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you'll improve your 5K time for May with some speedwork but hey, that's still great for one of your first races back! I have no clue how to do that but am hoping to attempt to get a little faster this year too. I seem to only know how to slog long, very slow miles.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great 5K! I'm sure you can get that 22:xx (and maybe even faster) with speedwork.
ReplyDeleteWe worked an aid station at the local marathon two years ago and it was very interesting. I especially liked seeing the elites, because they got special bottles. Also, when I'm in the race, I never see them because I'm always so far behind them that they've already showered and changed clothes by the time I finish.
Great job at the 5K!
ReplyDeleteI admit to loving the fact the Faith steals cookies from marathon finishers. That may make me slightly evil, but I'm okay with that.
Sweet! Cracking a 22 was on my short list last year, before I became an obese, injury-ridden baked goods-addicted hot mess. Can I live my glory days through you?
ReplyDeleteDo you like painful sprinting intervals?
Nice job on the medal.
ReplyDeleteThose are some seriously yummy looking carbs. I want some.
Also, do you watch Psych? It's my favorite show!
Kelly said they had about 298 registrants! (at your 5K)
ReplyDeleteSo my age group victory is even more impressive, perfect.
Deletethere were only two women in your age group.
DeleteYour baby looks a lot more comfortable with my sister than my baby does.. Cordelia showing up Harrison already.
ReplyDelete5k's are freaking tough. I think I would rather run a marathon any day. Shorter, faster intervals (200's, 400's) will help improve your 5k time - anything that works on faster leg turnover.
ReplyDeleteNice work on the 5k!
Yayy! Glad you were able to get your first post-Cordelia race under your belt and WTG to you for getting a medal! I completely realize that running is all about challenging yourself and doing the best you can for you, but Dude, you WON (or something similar), so I think that's worth at least half a smile? ;-)
ReplyDeleteI am AMAZED by your time! Congrats! That's really impressive. When you figure out how to get faster, please teach me :).
ReplyDeleteMy first marathon experience was working a water station at the Baltimore Marathon in high school. It was around mile 20 or so and it was downright scary. I was most startled by all the men with bleeding nipples. Maybe BodyGlide wasn't big back then :)
Such an impressive 5k pace! I have absolutely no advice, because I hate running fast. Mostly because I'm terrible at it.
ReplyDeleteI also hate spectating races. I'll do it for a friend and be all supportive, but I'm usually just bitter that I'm not running.
Congrats on your medal!! I am focusing on speed rather than distance this year so speedwork on the treadmill is my friend. You will definitely be in the 22's or less by your next one:)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE spectating. Sadly, my kids think it's the most boring event ever. Lame.
ReplyDeleteYou're the fastest 5k'er ever. Two things: 1. you can take a lesson from my 14 year old - don't train, just be young, and bust out 22 minute 5k's when you never run ever. or 2. treadmill speedwork is awesome. My favorite is tv fartleks - sprint during commercials, run easy during a show.
HAHAHA, that's awesome! 2nd place! You could have taken it up a notch by getting that 23 pushing a baby stroller and ringing a bell after every man you passed.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your race! I love how nonchalant you are about it - "ah, who needs another medal. baby's waiting at home for milk!" You're hilarious.
ReplyDeleteAnd, you absolutely should never take speed tips from me. If you want to know how to take ugly race pictures, then we can talk. :-)
Is this Faith's way of agreeing when you call Kari a fatty?
ReplyDeleteJust be glad I didn't get the crazy baby fever eyes and try to steal your child.
ReplyDeleteThe cookies look delicious. I would have carb loaded too! I've never spectated a marathon before but I'd like to at some point.
ReplyDelete