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| Thorny cactus or penis with stubble? |
I found Adam's blog "The Boring Runner" fairly quickly when I first started my journey into blog land last summer. And for anyone not familiar, you need to know that he is anything BUT boring. And his love of running is borderline crazy. So he decided to host another year of "Freeze Your Thorns Off" - a real and virtual race.
He's even promised some prizes. While I am never crazy enough to think I can really win a prize for being fast (that is more Adam's expertise), I have come to love virtual races and the way they scoot me out the door on days I'd rather sit in the recliner and read a book (which I also managed to squeeze in).
So I managed to find 45 minutes (I told you I'm no speed demon) to go out and knock this thing out. It wasn't all that freezing even though we got a slight dusting of snow last night. Truthfully, it was 40° and sunny - but there was some wind that kind of sucked. Funny how you don't feel that helping you on the way out nearly as much as you feel it working against you on the way back. My daughter was happily playing with a friend and my husband and son had just returned from a morning of hauling wood for a friend and other errands. He agreed to stand watch over the kids so I could git'r done!
I tried to run longer stretches and walk shorter ones, but the last few days have found me feeling super sore even though there have been NO workouts. I felt beat up by the foam roller, the massage therapist who worked some wicked deep moves on my back and hips and thoroughly defeated after going to the pool last night only to find it closed for makeup swim lessons. I was so hoping to loosen up with that swim. Never mind the super disappointed 7 year old in my backseat.
I made it to the turn around in about 20 minutes, but it took all I had to get back in another 25 (in order to keep my word at only being gone 45 minutes). The big ass hill on the way back was certainly a factor - as was the wind and me just getting more tired. But as my house came into view, I could see I was just barely going to do this thing in 45 minutes so I tried to pick up the pace in the final stretch.
Once I got home, my husband took off again for errands he didn't want to drag a kid along for. I got my daughter to take this picture of me with my "race bib". I like that Adam made us all number 1. Maybe someone will mix up my pace/completion time with some of the speedier participants. Check out that blue sky! We don't usually get so many of these in the winter months (same with 40° days). We've been very blessed this winter! Of course, you can also see the wind in my hair.
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| FYTO 5K (3.34 mi in 45:30) |
What about races is so motivating? Just knowing that you don't want to be left out? I'm not sure. Do you like racing? Have you done any virtual races? Not nearly as fun as a real race or doing it with someone else, but I just couldn't get up the nerve to do the early morning group run with the JCRRC. I'm still embarrassed by my crazy slow pace. Maybe another day.
Nice job getting out there! I hate running in the wind when it's cold.
ReplyDeleteYou should think about hitting up the running club runs. I bet you're not the only one who runs at your pace, and I was really surprised by how many much faster people were willing to go out and run with me. The thing is, I think a lot of people remember what it was like to be starting out running, and nobody cares as much about your pace as YOU do, you know? They're just happy for you that you're finding running too. At least, that's been my experience, and I say that as a person who has spent most of her group runs at the back of the pack. :)
Hey nice job out there today! It was fun virtually running with you :-).
ReplyDeleteYea, if you are ever out this way, give SuperKate or I a shout. We are actually across the river Edwardsville, IL but SuperKate runs and rides the trails in Missouri quite often. If you want to get in to mountain biking too, check out Team Rev http://www.teamrev.org/.
I love Adams blog!! Hes so hilarious!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat job on the run!!!!
Nothing like setting a time limit to make one pick up the pace!
ReplyDeleteNice job! I haven't actually done a virtual race yet, but I really should.
ReplyDeleteYour pace is absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about - ever. 9:12/mile is just fine and bound to get faster. And also 9:12 minutes faster than what, 95% of the people in America?
ReplyDeleteI think your math is a bit off. I'm doing 13:37/mile. I know this is better than the 17+ min/mile I was doing last summer, but I'm definitely embarrassed to be so slow. I know I will improve eventually. And I do know that I need to run more if I want to improve. And yes, it is faster than all the folks that sat on the couch.
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ReplyDeleteI'm so slow, too. I was never a fast runner, even when I played college lacrosse, but now it's downright sad. But the only thing you can do is keep getting out there and trying to go a little faster a bit at a time!
ReplyDeleteGreat job getting out there! The time doesn't matter, it's more that you got out the door and did it! Well done! And 2 years ago I was almost having cardiac arrest doing 2 miles @ 12:30 pace....and this year I knocked off a half sub-10!
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