As you may or may not have noticed, I took a blogging break/mini social media break. It was a rough month’s end (April) and I needed some recoup time. I’m feeling a lot better, but I do want to catch you all up to speed.
A Trophy
In early April I snagged my new 5k Pr (and broke 22 minutes!). I ended up placing 2nd in my Age group which was a complete surprise to me, especially since it was 30-39, a wider spread than the usual 30-34. I received an e-mail that I would be awarded at an Arizona Diamondbacks! Free tickets in addition to the award!
My husband and I decided to make it a date night and it was just so much fun!
Cheesin’ real hard 😀
The trophy was really fancy and I got to go down to the field and everything! (And even make a jumbotron appearance 😀 )
Missing the Century Mark
I finished April with 99.64 miles. I did not care about being .36 off 100.
A Humbling Half
The last day of April had me running a much anticipated half marathon. The She Power Half is an inaugural race that happened to take place in my city. I was really looking forward to this race since I first signed up for it last year. I thought maybe it could be a PR race. But after Phoenix Marathon, I didn’t feel as up for it as I had hoped. I also felt tired, which isn’t a surprise considering the year I’ve had. When I talked to my coach about She Power, she agreed that it wasn’t an ideal race for me to attempt a half PR and instead, gave me a race plan that was still challenging enough to make it fun for me (because I like making my life difficult).
But from the get-go I knew my coach’s plan wasn’t happening. The first mile was fine, a little fast. My husband and kids surprised me right before the mile mark and it was my best mile of the race.
My favorite cheerleaders ❤
It was all downhill from there (and not in the good race downhill way). My BQ training buddy Ashley was with me and I told her at mile 4 that things were not looking good for me and to go on on her own. The rest of the way had me trying in vain to keep her in my sight.
At mile 10, the cramps came as well as defeat. I knew my family would be at our neighborhood entrance after the mile marker and when I saw them, I came to a complete stop. I was done. I chatted with my husband for a bit and thought about waiting a little longer for some friends before I decided to just finish the race. It was about a 4-5 minute stop.
Exactly what I needed at that moment ❤
I saw a girl around the last mile of the race who looked like she was on a mission. I asked her what her goal was and she said 1:55. I told her that we had it and to “Let’s go!”
After the race I felt like I’d been hit by a train. My entire body was so sore and I knew that I was battling some dehydration. I hung out with friends for a while afterward (which really made this race into a WIN) and when I went home, I immediately went to bed.
The race did not go at all according to plan and instead, it left me in more pain than my last two marathons combined. There’s an ache specifically in my right foot that I’m getting checked out this afternoon. With official BQ training approaching, I want to make sure I can start on the right foot (see what I did there?).
Even though She Power wasn’t a race to remember time-wise, I can’t help but think how far I’ve come in my running when a 1:55 isn’t a “good” race. I remember training for that time. Now looking back, I’m glad the race went the way it did, because it has really helped me reflect on my journey and appreciate every race for what it is. Of course I know that not every race can be a PR, this one wasn’t even meant to be, but sometimes you need a reminder that there are waaaay more things that make a race “good”. My friends are what made this race and it’s those memories that I’ll look back on the most.
My Moms Run This Town family ❤
Beer. Yes.
Cheers!!!
Such a fun race 🙂
That medal tho.
–How was your April? Would you have completed .36 to make 100 miles?
–Are you ready for summer running?
I would have just said, you know what? I’m sure that I got the other .36 mi in there but damn GPS didn’t pick it up!
So cool that you got to go to the game, be on the field–what an amazing experience! You had every right to be cheesin!
You are so freaking right!
We all have races where we’re off.
I would have done the other .36 miles, but it’s because I’m anal and can’t stand numbers not ending in a 0 or a 5 (sometimes I run a mile on Garmin and Strava says, nope, it was .99. ARGH!!!).
I’m never ready for summer running. I hate humidity with a passion.
Yeah, humidity sucks. Like, a lot. 😦
Congrats on that awesome experience and the trophy. We all have those terrible races and I actually think they serve a really important purpose. If we don’t have them now, how will we know how to handle and push through when it really matters? You know now how it feels to have a really crappy race, and you know that you can survive.
Exactly! You always have the perfect words ❤
She does!
All your thoughts about ShePower mirror mine. As you know that was a horrible race for me, but ultimately, my finish time at that race would have THRILLED me at the first of the year. Seeing you guys at the end and hanging out after was the best part of the whole morning. 💜💙
Right??!! It’s funny how our perspective on “good” and “bad” changes as we improve, lol! I love that you’ve been having fun running and it’s been so inspiring seeing you improve! ❤
This pretty much could have been my next blog post too, minus the award at the Diamondbacks game and the race specifics. I had a lower mileage month after I changed my marathon plans, had a decent run at the Seahawks 12K and finished with an absolutely miserable half marathon in Reno on April 30th…I likely will only give it a passing mention when I catch up on the blog. But, May is a new month and I have a huge training month in store as I resume the final month of the Hansons plan to get ready for my next marathon in early June. Hope the foot is ok and you are ready to go for your next training cycle. 99.64 though….hmmm, not sure I could have slept 🙂
I thought about giving the half a passing mention but I couldn’t. It was actually a really fun race and I would’ve liked to have written more about that–the pre and post party was a blast!
I’m excited for your marathon and your thoughts on the HAnson’s plan. I really want to get this foot healed quickly so that I can begin my own marathon training; I’m excited to start, lol!!
You know, a while back I would’ve done the .36 to get to 100. But now for some reason, I just don’t care, LOL!!!!
Congrats on that award–and how cool that you got to do down on the field?! I hope that the issue with your foot is minor and that you can get back to training ASAP!
It was so unexpected but SO COOL.
And thank you!! I’m hoping to get it quick before it gets worse
Congrats on your age group award! Presenting the awards at a game is a really fun idea.
Sorry your half didn’t go as planned, I know how frustrating that can be. On the plus side, 1:55 is not a bad time at all, especially with a break to visit your adorable cheerleaders.
Right?!? I had to think about that–I stopped for a good 5 minutes and still had a sub 2 half. Sometimes runners don’t look at the positive side of things, lol!
Honestly, I probably would’ve completed the .36 to make 100 miles, lol. I’m just that crazy I guess. Congratulations on receiving your trophy at the game and on the half marathon. Even if the half didn’t go your way, you stuck it out and finished on a rough day and that shows a lot of character- I’m really proud of you. Hope your foot is OK and you can get back soon!
A while ago, I would’ve done it too, but now, for some reason, I just don’t care LOL!!! Thank you so much for your kind words–I tried dry needling for the first time yesterday so hoping that does the trick! 🙂
See, I would have done 10.36 to make it 110.36 just to be cheeky, and to piss the universe off. I’m glad you’re self aware enough to know when to take a step back from social media and all that stuff! And that you’re feeling better now. It’s easy to get burnt out and to just keep going and then end up in worse situations. Nothing wrong with that race, either. We all have them, and you’re so spot on when you say you’ve come a long way fitness-wise to be able to say that a 1:55 is now a “bad race” time!!! Nice job. I hope your foot issue settles down, STAT. Helly has a BQ to do.
Oh man, I hope so. I feel like that BQ is freaking me out and causing these aches, lol, not my actual running!
Glad to see you’re back. Congrats on your 5K PR and AG award! Sorry to hear your half didn’t go well for you but you have a good attitude about it.
Thank you!! Yeah, it’s crazy how your perspective on what a “good” or “bad” race is as you improve. I had to kick myself a few times afterward for thinking 1:55 was “bad” LOL. Plus, it actually was a really fun race. The pre and post party was a blast 🙂
Congrats on the 5K PR!
Yeah, those just-not-feeling-it races happen. If I’m in decent shape I usually run around a 1:40 half, but while I was marathon training last spring, I woke up the day of a tune-up half feeling utterly exhausted and worked super hard for a 1:52. You’ll feel better once you’re rested!