Happy Thanksgiving!
This year Vince and I signed up to do the local FishHawk 5k Turkey Trot. I had a personal best time I wanted to beat: 27:55.
They gave everyone a sweat-wicking athletic shirt with the above logo in the above color. I love it!
I had been ramping up my jogging over the last month and even committed to running right after work, around work. I was feeling good! My heart rate monitor finally died (the watch part must have gotten damp and the digital display was fading) and so I had to improvise by using the stopwatch feature on my phone and wrap my phone with paper towels and tuck into my compression short's waistband. Those shorts are so tight, the phone did not even move while in there! While all this jogging was going on, I could not beat my personal best pace, so I really had no clue how I was going to do at the race.
In Florida, Thanksgiving morning was the coldest day we've had since February! It was 37 degrees when we woke up at 6am. Figures, and we are going to be running and NOT staying home under the covers or on the couch with a hot cup of tea.
I know, I know, the rest of the country was probably experiencing colder weather, but this is my blog and I will complain if I want to!
We warmed up by jogging around the parking area and doing some crossfit exercises such as high knees, walking lunges and jumping jacks. We each brought a long-sleeved shirt to wear until we started. I brought my 5k Shrug, remember that one?? Basically it was a long-sleeved t-shirt that I cut into a shrug-like garment to wear to keep arms warm but can easily be taken off and tied around the waist. Vince brought a long-sleeved t-shirt, one that we got at last year's Turkey Trot in Mass, when we visited my sis.
Vince was not going to wear it (the cold does not bother him much), and my ears were already freezing and I knew from past experience, my ears would be hurting with wind burn later if I ran with them unprotected (the cold took us by surprise and we did not properly prepare ourselves). So I rolled up Vince's t-shirt and kept the arms out and used it as an ear warmer, tied behind my neck. Hey, it worked! I ran 1/3 of the race that way. Then it warmed up a bit and was not so bad.
Speaking of being cold, my sister did her annual turkey trot in Mass, the 5 miler, and it was in the 20's! She was better prepared for it, for sure. Here is her and her dog Gonzo, warming up before the race in the car:
Gonzo does not seemed impressed. He does not like his picture taken!
Vince and I had our best times at our race. It was a chipped-timed race, meaning that they can electronically take your personal start and finish times when you run over a mat that has receivers in it. Our chip was on our bib (the paper that has your race number), which was something I has not seen before. They do this because it could take you 30sec + to actually cross over the start line due to the large number of runners participating.
I felt good during the race, but the last mile or so, I started getting a side stitch. I imagine it was from breathing the cold air, not breathing properly or whatever. I was running with people who were pretty much going at my pace and I could not really pass them. I was having a hard time with the drive to pass, because my toes were cold and legs did not want to move any faster.
I usually pick one person to follow and keep pace with throughout the race (keeps you occupied) and I chose this one gal who reminded me of my sister: shorter, short hair, wide strong shoulders and was running with a mission. Yeah, at the half-way point where we would turn to come back, she took off like a dart! I lost her. Damn it! Oh well, I was on my own after that.
I got to the final turn and then it was the homestretch. I always get a burst of energy and sprint the last little bit. I started to increase my pace and I saw the clock: 27:10...I was like, "Holy [crap] I could do this!" and I sprinted like no other. I made it at 27:20!! Whoo-hoo!
Vince then looked at the standings on the Friday after and saw our chip-times: 27:05. OMG, I don't know how I pulled that off! That is seriously cutting over 30 secs/mile off my time.
Here are some of the race stats:
- Chip Time: 27:05
- Overall Time: 27:20
- Came in runner 399 out of over 1700 participants
- In age group, 35-39, I was 15 out of 121
- In age group, the winner was 38 years old and her time was 22:31
Yea, so I won't be taking home any trophy's or medals, but I am still proud of myself!
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