Run for the Paws 5k

It's been awhile since I've raced a 5k; it's been even longer since I truly trained for one. I signed up for this race months ago when I made the decision to focus on short distances and speed.

I was a little nervous getting ready this morning. Since running 20 last weekend, my left foot has been a nuisance. It doesn't hurt when I stand on it, but lifting it hurts. The pain is on the soft, outside part. Anyway, I didn't run all week, and my foot was feeling mostly better during the day, but every evening after being on my feet all day at work, it would start to ache again.

I decided that if my foot really bothered me during the race, I'd give up on running the full in February so that I could truly rest it.

I originally went in with no goals because of the pain, but was secretly hoping that I'd be able to break 30, which is always my fallback goal.

47 degrees at 7:30. Thank you, Florida. 

Matt and I got to the race about 45 minutes before it began, which was more than enough time to pick up our bibs, use the bathroom, and walk to the start line. I have to say, I'd forgotten how low-stress 5ks are! No fueling to worry about, no need to carry a million things. I knew that even if it hurt, it would be over quickly, and that was a great feeling.

The staging area was packed with dogs; they all got special bandanas to run in. It was very cute!

The race began at 8am, which I originally thought would be too late, but ended up being perfect because we've still got winter weather here! After a pretty unorganized lineup and very little warning for the countdown, we were off!

I took off pretty quickly in the first mile, and .25 in I realized I was pushing a 9:06 pace. I back off marginally; I felt good, but I didn't want to burn out. My foot was uncomfortable but not painful. In a way, it felt like I was stretching the tender spot, which felt nice.

The course was a simple out-and-back around the airport grounds. Around 1.5 miles in, I started to see the leaders coming back. I was impressed to see my pace staying steadily in the 9:30s; I didn't feel like I was really pushing it much, but I didn't know how hard I could really go without burning out, so I stayed there.

My finishing sprint was in the 8:50s.

The 9:30s ended up being comfortable and just challenging enough; I could have probably done the last mile in the low 9s, but because I'm out of practice with 5ks, I didn't want to take the risk. Considering I've been in the 10s and 11s for awhile now, I was really pleased with my performance.

The volunteers were really great. We've had a lot of rain and flooding, and they made sure to point us toward the dry parts of the paths when necessary.

The finish snuck up on me. I finally pushed the pace and passed a girl I'd been watching the entire race with a quarter mile to go, but still didn't really dig in for a sprint until the last tenth or so.

Matt got a couple pictures at the finish.

Matt had finished ahead of me in 25:37 (his chip got messed up and at first clocked him at 30:11, but we got it fixed) and met me at the finish. My time was 29:37. I was really pleased to have felt strong and consistent the entire race and to finish in under 30.

Originally the results said I placed 8th, but Matt's wasn't the only chip to get messed up. These are the official results. It's no top 10, but it's not too shabby!

Because this was a 10-year anniversary race, they had finishers medals! I used to be a little bit of a snob about medals for 5ks, but I've gotten over it; in fact, one reason I chose this race was because of the promise of bling!

My first medal of 2016!

I'm happy I ran it, and I reminded me how much I do love shorter races! I'm excited to do more this year; this one will serve as a baseline for the rest.

Finally, depending on how my foot feels, I'll be continuing a normal taper for A1A (15 miles this Sunday and 8-10 next Sunday). Fingers crossed. I'd like to have the choice - I don't want an injury to make the decision for me.

PS: As of Sunday morning, I've skipped that 15-miler. My foot feels almost normal; I think a couple extra days rest is called for, and then maybe it'll be totally normal this week!

When's the last time you ran a 5k?
Do like races that allow dogs?

ABK

International Holocaust Remembrance Day (Or: Why I Teach)

Florida has many faults, especially when it comes to education, but I am proud to work in one of five US states that has mandatory Holocaust education built into the curriculum.

From Wikipedia. Here is our very wordy "standard" for teaching the Holocaust. For once, Florida got it right.

Every January, I scrounge the news for new things to add. There's always something: an aged Nazi, discovered after all these years, that people feel conflicted about putting on trial; graffiti on a Jewish cemetery; rising anti-Semitism in Europe. There are feel-good stories, too, but only on days like today - International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

I undertake this unit with the gravity it's due, and I am never disappointed in the change I see in my students afterward. This year, I had my friend Brittany (who has worked for a decade with refugees in war-torn countries and who has studied the Holocaust and visited the death camps in Poland) come speak to my students to help introduce the unit.

We walked through the timeline of events. We discussed how and why Hitler was able to obtain power. And we took our annual visit to the local Holocaust Museum. We are very lucky - old people retire to Florida, and those old people include survivors of the Holocaust. The museum was started by 7th grade students as a project, and now it's filled to bursting with genuine artifacts and photos donated by those survivors. Many of them come to speak to visiting classes.

Students listening to the toured section of their trip to the museum.

Every year, we hear at least one survivor speak. In 2014, a survivor named Abe Price shared his testimony with us (he was truly the gutsiest man I've met - his story of escape and survival is awe-inspiring), and he passed away two weeks later.

We were the last school he ever spoke to.

My students, grief-stricken, organized themselves, convinced their parents, and - without my knowledge - attended his funeral. They did it on their own. I still choke up thinking about it. They made me so proud.

You can read about Abe's story here. It's truly amazing.

This year, my kids had the chance to hear two speakers: Jacques and Sabine van Dam, who were both children in hiding at the time of the war. Jacques avoided capture; Sabine and her family were discovered and sent to a transit camp. From there, her parents were sent to Auschwitz, and then on to Bergen-Belsen, where they did not survive.

Here is Jacques's story.

And here is Sabine's.

It's hard to look at 8th grade students and know if something has impacted them. They usually initially hide any emotions with bravado and off-color jokes. The day after the trip, I gave them ten minutes to write a reflection of their visit to the Holocaust Museum, and I allotted twenty minutes to discuss questions and reactions.

In all my blocks, we spent our entire 90 minutes talking.

This is why I teach. I see the dawning realization in these young people that the world is cruel, and that they have the power and responsibility to fix it. To make it better for the future. Their absolute confusion about how people can be so ignorant and hateful is refreshing.

All of this is a lead-up to our reading Elie Wiesel's Night and watching various survivor testimonies. All of the instruction is linked to reading, but it's about so much more than that. It's about helping students to become empathetic, tolerant citizens.

I see it everyday. It makes me realize the world isn't all bad.

I know we see so many terrible things in the news these days, and we're facing a terrifying election season this year, but I truly believe our young generations are so accepting and progressive that we really do have a bright future. So the silver-lining of teaching about such a difficult, painful topic? I get the satisfaction of watching them learn and grow and think and question, and I get to see the hope for our future right in front of me every single day.

It truly is a gift.

ABK

Am I Marathon-Training?

Elizabeth's original goal, once she started running with me more frequently, was to run 10 miles. Then, she learned her brother had once run a half, so then her goal became 13.1. But she actually wants to run longer than her brother, so she's revised the goal to 15...because 14 isn't good enough.

She'd like to run fifteen miles...just because. (I'm still trying to convince her to run a race with me.) I tried to explain to her that running such a long distance without a reason is crazy.

But then I went out and ran twenty miles today and I haven't really decided if I have a reason, so who am I to talk?

This week, after suffering some ankle, shin, and quad cramps last week, I only did two weekday runs and I kept them shorter. The weather has been gorgeous - cold and dry (when it's not storming...I mean, maybe not dry, but not humid!) - so my paces have been picking up, but this week felt like a rest week. I knew I had a possible 20-miler on my schedule, but I literally played it by ear until I woke up Sunday morning and realized I was going to really do it.

Spoiler alert: I did 20. Also, this is my highest-mileage January ever.

This was new for me. For all my previous very-long-runs, I mentally prepared all week. Training builds me up to the distance so that I'm flirting with the idea of 20 for ages before it happens. Not this time; this time, I barely thought about my weekend run until Montana made it to town Saturday evening and sealed the deal.

I had to actually breakout cold-weather gear for this run: gloves, capris, long sleeves to layer, and a hat. For the first ten miles, all that was absolutely perfect. I ditched my top layer after that point and was able to take off my gloves and hat by mile 15. I was sure it was in the 70s by the end, but it was only 52! Funny how our bodies warm up and play tricks on us.

Mile 6.5 - chilly and loving it!

Anyway, the run went well. Montana and I kept a steady pace (we aimed for 12:15 but both felt comfortable in the 11s) for the first half and only took brief walk breaks to fuel. I actually didn't eat or drink anything in the first eight miles. I tried UCAN for the first time this morning and it worked very well; I had steady energy the entire run and never felt like my hunger got out of control or distracting.

Okay, this stuff is THICK and not the tastiest, but it's not bad. And most importantly, it seems to do what it says: provides sustained energy without any crashes. I didn't crave a Coke at the end of this run because I didn't need the sugar!

I also fueled with Glukos blocks and gels this time around because Gu has been giving me heartburn. I liked the results!

I didn't use "auto-pause" this time, so bathroom and fuel breaks show up (mile 6 specifically). I like the honesty.

At mile 10, Montana traded places with Elizabeth. She and I continued on. At mile 11 or so, Kristin came out to greet us, but despite being dressed to run, she bowed out. Too cold!

Montana and I at mile 10. Does anyone look good in a beanie?!

We had to pause at mile 15 for a bathroom break; I didn't stop my GPS so that mile's split is an outlier, but at least it's honest. At this point, I was developing a pain in my left arch/outer foot. I decided to press on because we'd already turned around and there was nowhere to go but back to the car anyway.

Another extended stop at mile 15; you can see I was struggling at the end. It was all about my foot - my energy felt fine. PS: even without auto-pause turned on, this was my fastest 20 yet.

Around 16 we began taking short walk breaks every .75 or so. My foot was killing me and my hips weren't happy either. Maybe I jumped up to 20 too quickly, but now I'm tapering - or something - so I have time to let it all heal.

Success!

Of course, no long run is complete without a fantastic breakfast. Montana and I went to Skillets afterward; I had chocolate milk, coffee, a GF chocolate-chip and blueberry waffle, cheesy eggs, and bacon.

Now that I've done another 20 (which, if I'm being honest, I had my doubts that I would actually do), I can make a better decision about A1A; the choice won't be made for me by lack of training, anyway. So now I'm tapering for a marathon, or I'm continuing training for a half. For me, that boils down to six-of-one, half-dozen-of-the-other.

My mind is there for a marathon, and my body feels like it can do it, although there was pain today, but I'm not sure if my heart is there yet. Part of me is scared. I don't want a repeat of BDR. Part of me just realizes that marathons hurt and I'm not sure how badly I want to go through that again so soon.

There's no rush to decide, but now that this long run is done, I have a feeling I'll be thinking it over. A lot.

Any tips for treating soft tissue pain on the outside of my foot? It feels bruised and hurts to walk.
Do you need to mentally prep for long runs?
When you're not training for something, do you still run long-long (not just long)?

ABK