Emerald Mountain 7.4 Mile Warrior Challenge

This was the most awesome race.  Several reasons why.  The biggest reason is because we are in the middle of the hottest summer ever and I was worried we would all die, but I got in the car and it was a nice 70 degrees outside for the 6:30am start.

I followed traffic into the neighborhood - thank goodness! I thought I knew where I was going but found out quickly that I would have been very wrong! LOL, anyways, when I got there I saw a co-worker right off the bat, went to packet pickup, and got in the potty line. And waited. And waited. And waited...another co-worker found me and talked for a while...while they did the announcements...and while they said the prayer...and gave thanks to the military....and through the pledge of allegiance...and the national anthem...and I was still standing there when everyone lined up for the race... and just made it out when they started.   Thankfully it was a narrow path with a couple hundred runners so I was able to run down to the start line right at the back of the pack.

The first couple of miles were really difficult!  Heart Attack Hill was the worst. I had a hard time walking up it!  There was a couple more steep ones too...I only ran up one of them.  I ran downhills and flats. I spotted my co-worker around mile 3.5 and walked/jogged the rest of the way in with him since he was having a rough time (normally he is way faster than me).  The course was really shaded on the course.  It was beautiful.  and the company was nice too.  I liked not having to kill myself.  We finished the 7.4 in 1:21:25 unofficially.

The fruit and snacks at the end were great <3.  Everyone was super nice.  There was drinks about every  half a mile.  I got lucky and didnt have to go to the bathroom again, the only complaint I had was the shortage of restrooms at the beginning/end and during the race course (I only saw 1 portable potty on the course).

I was only a wee bit sore for the rest of the day :)   Pics to follow.

Hurricane Hustle 5K

Sat, Jun 16, 2012 7:30 AM

My boy volunteered for this one, so he road with me out to the Ted Whitlow Community Center where the race was being held.  We got there really early, Jeanine wasn't far behind us.  It was a nice morning, warm but not wretched. I'm trying to remember if we took any pictures.  I dont think so... hmmm.  Slacking.

Jeanine did really well and took 3rd place in our age group.  I was 4th, but about 5 minutes behind her. 

31:25 was my garmin time.   They did this race the old fashioned way, where you put your name and time on a card, this way of recording is before my time....I found it very interesting!! 

J and I followed the race up with a mile jog just to get in 4 miles.  I was pretty proud of that, just because it was so voluntary. :) 

Eye of the Dragon 10K

Feb. 25, 2012, 7:30pm
CC (Time) 1:14:09.5 (Pace) 11:57 

Boy volunteered today and I ran the 10K with my friend J and her neighbor. I felt pretty good in the morning. I started taking Advocare products this week (a cleanse) that started 2 days ago, but that wasnt an issue this morning. I had brought some Spark (energy drink by that same company) to really give me a spark during the run since I have not properly trained for 6 miles.  I found in the first mile that I could not run the pace that J is running now,  so she ran ahead and I hung behind with her neighbor which was perfectly fine with me.   Except the newby runner neighbor was kind of kicking my arse too. We went out and back on Pineapple Ave, the 5K mark was around the start line, there is where I saw Boy handing out drinks. He's so cute and I felt better for a little while. :) 

The first cross of the bridge was not a problem, but the way back I start getting a pretty bad headache. I thought that it is either dehydration from the cleanse (even though I drank plenty) or too much caffeine / taurine from the new drink. We didn't stay long after the race; Boyce was still at the finish line and by the time I was finished, he was done. I came home to nurse my headache, but ended up keeping it for 3 weeks,  until I was in the hospital to figure out what was wrong. Looks like another long recovery. Unfortunately no pictures were taken at this event.

Melbourne Music and Beaches 2012

On Saturday, I went to the expo early in the afternoon. I couldn't help but snap a picture of the venue on the way in. Mel. Beach is so pretty! The expo could use a couple more signs - there are people there to direct you, but who wants to stop and ask directions when an arrow would do the trick! The bib pickup is SUPER EASY with SHORT LINES...but fighting to get to the goodie bag is challenging! I think they do it on purpose so you have to pass by all this stuff to get to the bag!

So... Here's my loot! I joined Space Coast Running Club for the hats on the left; the visor was bought, The state farm bag, the publix bag, the tech shirt, mel beach hat, sunscreen, lip balm, pens, pencils and clif bar were some of my freebies (not to mention all of the free samples I enjoyed at the expo and coupons in my bag!)  The gecko is a gift for signing up for Eye of the Dragon 10K and Space Coast Walk of Fame 8K.  We (me and the girl) also got the bondi bands and Mila.

I cheated the night before the race and took an Ambien because I knew that I wouldn't sleep. Sure enough, it was only strong enough to last 4 hours and then I was wide awake from 3am til I gave it up at 4:45. Which was fine, because I was, indeed, WIDE awake! I jumped into the clothes I set out and tossed my water and stuff into my bag, penned on my bib and waited for J to get here at 5:40. No coffee, no food - trying to control IBS (didn't work). Jill was riding shotgun when they arrived and we chatted all the way to downtown. Lively folks that early in the morning! Parking wasn't all J dreamed about, but honestly it wasn't bad (at 6:15 when we got there... ). We only had to walk a block to the race start.

Before the race started I was feeling really good! Oh, there is nothing I hate worse than standing around freezing before a race starts! We walked over to the happening spot, waited in an extremely long but fast potty line, found Suezette, lost Suezette, found her again. The music was going but wasn't BOOMING like it has in the years past. It was WARM! I was in heat gear tights, shorts and the race short sleeve tech shirt and I was warm just standing around. (ut-oh! I see trouble ahead!)

Right before we took off I met the legendary Dave Mari and we got our pic taken with him! YEH!! Ok, so the first 2 miles were great, at 2.5 I was thinking it is going to be a LONG run! The water view was just so awesome on US-1, I love that view but dang, that bridge looked so far away! Now, as far as the causeways go --- oh, I rocked them! Plowed right up Eau Gallie! It was around this time (mi 6) that I realize I'm getting a rash, so I took several moments at mile 7 to adjust (no TMI here!). I was really struggling before we stopped and Suezette passed us around now! J said after the break that I looked like I had cooled off some and wasn't beet red anymore. But still I had to slow down, take more walk breaks for the remainder of the race. I really wanted to catch up with Suez, but I just couldn't pull it out of me today. Riverside drive was killing my knees and feet. I told J to go ahead and she refused! She just stayed with me and coached me all the way to the end! (Awwwah, I know! So sweet!) My walk breaks were pretty much co-in siding with water stops, except for The break I took at the end of mile 11, right before the Melbourne causeway. Which (BTW) I commanded!! A mile later, at the base of the other side, (I was dying) one more walk break at the fuel station on mile marker 12. And then it was all in from there! oh wait... It was suppose to be and then there popped up another fuel station I had to take advantage of. I'm sorry peeps, but it was flippin hot (did I mention that?). It was a short little pit-stop and THEN it was all in the rest of the way. We finished strong and spent, and that is what it is all about!

Here we are in the finish shoot, right before we hit the post-race festivities! Pizza and beer before 10am never tasted so good! The race was really done extremely well; there were water stations around every corner - I think they were closer together the farther we went (maybe it was just me?!) The port-a-potties were plentiful...The music was good. And the bling...ohhh...

THE BLING IS FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!

Overall time: 2:31:40 A new personal worst! But, considering I had back surgery 4 months ago AND I really haven't ran but 5-6 times in 10 months...coupled with the suckish heat and humidity today, I think this is not too shabby! I'm very proud of myself for finishing.

World of Beer 5K

On Sunday, January 15th my brother in law picked me up and we headed off to get his friend and run the WOB 5K. If you knew my BIL, you would realize that he was 100% behind this effort to raise money for the WOB charity fund. I had told him I wanted to go the Wednesday before....while it was warm! We had a cold front come though this weekend and I was no longer interested in getting up early and having my nose run along with my feet. Sigh, what to do? I decided that if my super spastic BIL forgot I said anything, that I would happily not remind him. But he did, and showed up at the house looking like he just crawled out of bed - bare feet and all! (I later found out he did indeed just jump out of the bed!).

We got to WOB about 30-45 minutes before the race started. I was dressed in a tank, long sleeve shirt, and light jacket, along with long thicker running tights and my Ghost 4s, and my black running cap! When we started the run, it was a bit snug weaving through the crowd to find space for a pace. I was behind the two I came with for the first mile, just jogging/getting warmed up. At Mile 1, my BIL's friend walked for her first walk to catch a breath and he stayed with her, but I ran ahead feeling pretty good. I ran the entire 5K literally holding the stupid earphones in my ear. I borrowed them from my boy on the way out the door because I couldn't find mine. They SUCKED! But I was determined to listen to my tunes after I stayed up late to install Google Music and setting up my running playlist!

The run was pretty, the course started and ended at The Shoppes and was an out and back to the big square fountain. You would have to know the area to understand the course and how pretty it was. There was a good turn out for it, people on every corner to direct traffic, lots of cheering. I haven't ran a 5K in a while, and it seemed really short to me. You know what that means! haha -- I haven't ran hard enough :P

A full breakfast was catered and handed out at the home base beginning at 10am (the race started at 9), and the free beer line was hopping when I finished the race - I am sure it started up when the first runner came back in 18 minutes after the start! Wow, that is fast. Just a quick word at this point, it was extremely congested at the beer line/food line/result posting area. Hopefully a lesson was learned this year and if we are lucky enough for this awesome race to be repeated, these 3 major areas of post race popularity will be separated in the future.

So, my time ended up being not my greatest time ever, but met my goal of beating the time from my last 5K which was actually running/walking injured. WOB5K time: 31:47.8 10:15

Makin' Waves 5K

RACE DATE: MAY 8, 2011 (Mother's Day)

I have planned to run this 5K for a couple of months because Holly and Sueann have planned and directed this entire race to benefit Leukemia through Team in Training.  All of the profits will go directly to their pledge.  Not only that, but the entire run is on the hard packed sand of New Smyrna Beach and I get to see my NSB running peeps! <3

Snag......my sciatic nerve has been giving me fits lately and I've been told not to run at all until my back is straightened out.  I find out later not only do I have degeneration, but also a herniated disc, a bulging disc, stenosis and arthritis.  I decided that I would walk it; it's a great cause and....

As an added bonus, I have guilted M, B, and H to run with me as a Mother's Day gift.  I must be the HAPPIEST MOMMY on the earth this day because I cannot imagine being more proud of my family! We woke up early, drove to NSB and got signed up.   These girls were doing a jam up job running the registration and packet pickup early this morning! The only negative is that the city never came to open the bathrooms that were there, so we had to cross the road and borrow the one at 7-eleven, which wasn't so bad.   The awesome things that Holly and Sueann had at this race (besides the perfect location!) was a great photographer,  a water stop at 1/3 and 2/3 the way, and lots and lots of door prizes at the end of the race - H won a poster of the race logo and I won a free year of Road ID!

The race itself was great!   There was an official race clock, but no chip timing, which was completely fine because it was a small manageable (and laid back!) race!  The first mile was pretty slow, but then M & B started to jog a little....and I was raring to go as well.  But H...not so much!  She did good for almost a mile and then she sat in the sand and said she was quitting.   B offered to stay with her and M & I jogged on.  We actually jogged for the rest of the race, even though I wasn't suppose to! It just felt so good to me :)   It was so much fun!!!!

So, after we crossed the finish line, we were headed to the pavilion to get...something...next thing I know, people are yelling at me that B&H are crossing the finish line.   I missed it! But the photographer got a fantastic pic of them!  I am so proud of both of them.  I am proud of my boy for being patient with his sister and coaching her to the finish line. I am so proud of my girl for running her first 5K :)   I dont remember our exact times, I think that M & I had a time of about 36 minutes and B & H was around 38ish, I think.

It was such a wonderful day for me.  The fact that they woke up before the crack of dawn, and spent the morning doing something that wouldn't be listed on their top 10 things to do this morning, just warms my heart more than I can explain.

After the race, we hung out for a while while they were drawing the prizes and chatted with a few friends that I know from sparkpeople.com.   This is what the end of the race looked like.  

Iron Girl Half Marathon - Clearwater

RACE DATE: SUNDAY APRIL 10, 2011

This race is something that I signed up for on New Year's Day because it was only $35. Who can pass that up!!?! I thought at the very least I could drive over the morning of, to save me the cost of a room... Or Matt and I could make a weekend of it... Or I could find someone to split the cost of the room with me.

As luck would have it, Holly and Sueann split the room with me and Holly was kind enough to make all of the arrangements. On the day of the expo/packet pickup, I met them in downtown Clearwater where traffic sucked! The expo kind of lacked, in my opinion -- Holly and Sueann were able to get their Rock Tape applied, but other than that, there was limited amount of clothing (that i needed) which was surprising since the main sponsor was Athletica. It was hot and there was a small tent for juice samples on the far end of the park that we didnt know about... But if you were looking for a headband you were in luck. I wasnt. After getting a little sun and being a lot thirsty we left for the hotel.

We had our choice of 1st floor with a 'pool view' or 9th floor with no view. We chose the pool view. First, she told us the wrong room - our key didnt fit - then when we did get in our room, our 'pool view' ended up being a 'shrub view' with a pool behind the shrubs, then someone else was trying to break into out room because they gave them the wrong room number too... and then, there was an awesome wedding and party that lasted all night - on the first floor - right around the corner from our room :(

During the evening we went to have dinner with friends that I met of Holly and Sueann's. We had Italian and I had a very large calzone.  I only ate half of it and a salad.  Then Melissa and her daughter Katie came to hour hotel to hang out after dinner.  I was sooo sleepy, kind of a party pooper. 

Race Start

 We decided to walk to the race start when we found out that, even though this was a host hotel for the race, there was no tram/trolley providing transportation to and from the race.   The biggest issue was the large bridge between the hotel and the start/finish line.   It was a lovely walk over.  The morning temp/humidity was very nice.   We were all pretty pumped I think.   Here are a few picture of the race start and us hanging out pre-race.

 

Holly, Suezette, Me (CC) and Sueann

Everybody.

Our matching tattoos

  

Holly, Sueann, Suezette and me started together, and when Holly and Sueann walked for their first 4:1, Suezette and I pulled away. We ran the first 4-5 miles together. Suezette just got out of her air cast, so she needed to stop for an interval at that point, where I trudged on feeling fantastic. The bridges, neighborhoods, etc was beautiful. I haven't really been running like I should (but I have been working out) and I was just feeling spry and ready to GO! I did really well until around mile 7.5-8 where my toes started really screaming at me after the decline on the second bridge. It felt like I was slamming a car door on my foot with each step and by mile 9 I had shed my new Mizunos and was running the course barefoot. Somewhere between mile 12-13 my toes started bleeding and were hurting like hell but I knew there was only 1 mile left! I wasn't so bad off that I didn't pause at the top of the last bridge and take in the beautiful experience. That I am fit enough to run a half marathon, without training, and didn't quit even after I lost my shoes. I got a lil choked up but not too bad since people were looking at me and offering me their shoes. On the last mile I kept thinking the pain is temporary but the pride of finishing would last forever. And I did finish, in about the same time that I finished Disney in January. Honestly, it was harder to finish in January.

I felt very strong finishing the Iron Girl today!
I stood outside the shoot and waited on my girls to finish. 

I'm DONE!  With no shoes :)

Bib: 499 Age Group:

(

F35-39) Placement:

777/1635   Time:

2:25:49   Pace:

11:03