Lexington Cares 5k

As far as races go, this one was definitely a good one, and not because the cause is important and they provided free breakfast afterward.

I had gone into this race with nervous energy. I ran my last 5k on a broken toe and came in much slower than I wanted. My goal for this distance is usually to break 30 minutes, because that's always a struggle for me. I am not competitive with anyone but myself, and I am truly the epitome of a slow-and-steady runner.

Our 5k route - actually a bit longer than 5k

Today's race course took us over a rolling golf course. The course was beautiful - the morning's fog gave it an almost surreal atmosphere - and while there were some stretches of pavement along the route, the vast majority of the race was over the fairways. I train solely on road, and other than one bridge-run last week, I haven't done much training at all for hills. The last time I ran on a golf course, it was a 2 mile "fun run" during which I had to walk two or three times. So, needless to say, I was anxious.

The day was misty and overcast; humid, but not too hot. I decided to run my stopwatch so I'd be able to easily track my pace without messing with my iPod. My plan was to take the run with a slow-and-steady pace; my goal was to run the entire thing without a walk break. (As K pointed out, I always ditch my "under 30!" goal right before a 5k starts because I'm too scared to stick to it and fail. This is an attitude that has followed me since childhood and has stopped me from taking all kinds of risks. I hope to one day be rid of it.)

K and I pre-race

This course was much better kept than the last one, and despite the grass being wet, there weren't really too many potholes or slippery spots. I found myself passing people with ease, and I took a perverse pleasure in watching people sprint up ahead of me and then stop to walk within 100 yards. (I'm almost certain none of these runners were following the Galloway method.)

Anyway, around the 2-mile mark I had caught up with M, who had slowed down a bit. We finished the race within a minute of each other. Seeing that big, red clock counting up gave me the final burst of energy I needed. As it ticked to 29:20, I chanted to myself 40 seconds 40 seconds 40 seconds.

I crossed the line at 29:38. My adjusted time is 29:32. It's not a PR, but I'm very happy to have gotten in under 30. I felt the terrain challenging my every step, but it was a good and fulfilling kind of challenge to undertake. I hardly felt I was "digging deep" and really pushing myself except for at the halfway point and at the very end, yet my pace was much faster than I keep it during our weekday training runs.

M and I pre-race

K and I did about 6/10 of a mile before the race to warm up, and I think that helped my first mile, because I finished it in 9:01, which is unheard of for me. Mile 2 and 3 were both in the mid-9s.

I placed 39 of 186 women and 117 of 327 overall runners. Not too shabby!

The high point of the day was that K placed 3rd in our age group with a time in the 26s. Amazing!

Overall, it was a good race that forced me to acknowledge how far I've come. I saw a challenge, I faced it, and I overcame it! My next 5k goal is to be in the 28s, but we don't have any upcoming 5ks. Next weekend is our 10k, and my goal for that is to run the entire thing, even if my pace is 10/min or higher. Finishing in 65 minutes would be nice, too. We'll see.

ABK

PS: If you're a baseball fan, M has started a baseball blog I recommend you check out. You can find it here.

Weather

K and I took two days off this week...Tuesday because we woke up to an absolutely torrential rainstorm, and Wednesday because it's our scheduled day off and we didn't want to mess up the rest of the week. We have a race Saturday (5k), and then we're running that same evening (5 miles) to get a full long-run's worth of distance in.

Anyway, we ran a new route this morning, and while I enjoyed it immensely, I encountered an interesting phenomenon I'd never dealt with before. Usually, changes in humidity from road to road feel subtle. K or I may comment that it feels more or less humid after we've made a turn, but usually it's only just noticeable.

Not so today. Today, our run took us down two roads. It was an out-and-back, so you can imagine the roads intersect a bit like an L turned on its side. It was warm and humid this morning from the start, but manageable. As we left the first road (the straight shot up from the cars) and made a right turn onto our second road, I felt a change that was so obvious and thick, it really was like running into that proverbial wall.

Within moments we were both drenched in sweat. It felt like we were running through the heat of a summer night, instead of an autumn morning. Of course this kind of weather is challenging, and after two days of rest I had to really mentally beat myself up to keep my legs moving.

But here's the weirdest part. The first road had felt humid and warm on the way out, but when we came back to it on the return trip, turning the corner literally felt like breaking through some kind of barrier. It was as if we'd exited a stifling room to venture into the cool outdoors. The first road was downright refreshing!

I've never experienced such a pronounced change in humidity just from taking a right turn. The second road is tree-lined and only two lanes, so I think that has something to do with it. But let me tell you: the last mile of the run felt amazing. I'm so grateful for this weird phenomenon, because it really gave me the second wind I needed.

ABK

Weekly Report: Sept. 24 - Sept. 30

Wow.

Was it really only two months ago that I was trying to set the goal of 10 miles/week? Trying, struggling, and often falling short? And now...get this folks: this month I ran nearly 70 miles. When I go back through Nike+, I see a really beautiful thing. Take a look:

July Stats

Aug Stats

In July and August, I ran consistently, but my miles were much lower. When I went back to work in August, K and I began our early-morning runs, and that really helped to keep me on track. Her return from maternity leave has been, I think, the biggest influence in this progress. Who knows how long I'd have kept running 2-milers otherwise?

Sept Stats

But this week was by far the best. I know that by the time we're Half-ready, we'll be running about 35 miles a week, and now I'm truly seeing how this is plausible. As K pointed out, our long runs have begun to make her truly feel like a long-distance runner, and I agree. I can kind of see how people tackle full marathons, now. Seeing your miles go up is truly addicting and totally rewarding.

My week was so successful that DailyMile called it "epic"! Now that's saying something.

As for today's run, we finally did some bridgework. We ran a new route that made both of us happy - even ecstatic. You see, this route includes the bridge we've been talking about running. One of the benefits of the bridge, beyond the obvious, is that conquering it as part of a 4-miler (in under 40 minutes!) has completely boosted my confidence yet again. Coming off last week's disappointing runs, I couldn't be happier to have challenged myself and come out so strong!

I continue to be grateful and amazed at what my body can accomplish. And now, facing a 5k on the grass on Saturday, I know I'll be fine. I may be slower because of the terrain, and I may even have to walk some, but I know it will help boost me toward my goal regarding the Half. I am just excited to keep pushing through these challenges!

And now...onto the actual report:

Feels good!

ABK

PS: On another epic note, my sister, running her second 5k ever, came in just over 28 minutes. So exciting!!