Three Things Thursday

1. Race pictures that don't suck? Who knew it was even possible!?

2. I've had hair issues since Running Day 1 - I have a LOT of hair, it's thick, it's frizzy, it's LONG, it's dumb. On top of that, I'm a pretty irritable runner, and cannot STAND to have my hair touching me. I've tried braids, pony tails, a bun... nothing REALLY satisfied me... until I stole Mom vs Marathon's double buns! Magic. Thanks, MvM, for the inspiration!

3. I haven't run since Sunday. My knee is bugging. I think I'm perhaps too old for this nonsense.


.....and, because I like you, here's a bonus.

4. A hug is like a strangle you haven't finished yet.

Plan for the Week, and Cypress 10K Recap

I didn't do a lot last week, training wise. I over scheduled myself, and just had too much going on. It was like chaos. I love chaos. But probably not at the expense of training.

Note to self - schedule better.

What was planned vs. what happened:
Monday - Suck Less. Nope. Didn't. (Dinner with a friend)
Tuesday - 4x800's, total 4 miles. 4x800's DONE, ended just shy of 3.5 miles. (pool with friend)
Wednesday - Suck Less. Still didn't. (Dinner for work)
Thursday - 4 miles, tempo. Didn't. (TNT Winter Kick Off)
Friday - Suck Less. Didn't. (puking, see taco's below)
Saturday - 10K. Done, and dominated.
Sunday - 5 miles on the bike in 15 min, folled by slow half mile on the treadmill. Killing time before playing in the pool.

Good news is, this week is NOT jam packed with must-do's, so hopefully, I'm back on track.
Monday - Suck Less
Tuesday - 3 miles easy
Wednesday - Suck Less
Thursday - 4 miles tempo
Friday - Suck Less
Saturday - 8 miles, slow
Sunday - my FIRST tri swimming lesssons, followed by 1-2 miles easy

yep. Tri Swimming. That's happening.

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Birthday 10K

As I posted Friday, my goals for the 10K were...
Goal 1: 1:05. Lofty, but possible?
Goal 2: 1:10. Seems doable.
Goal 3: Don't die.

Obviously I didn't die (and I appreciate those of you who said it wouldn't happen).

I killed Goal 2. Killed. And came wicked close to Goal 1.

I ran by packet pick up Friday afternoon on my way home from work, and met fellow Twit @julie16750. Pick up was super easy and fast - in and out in 5 minutes. I love smaller races.

Because I'm a crack-head, I had tacos for dinner Friday night. Who does that? Crazy people. I felt like puking all night, and all morning, and it was gross.

Lesson learned: Tacos make poor pre-race meals.

Up freaking early, and out the door by 6:15, and parked by 6:40 (ahem, OUaL). There were real bathrooms, apparently somewhere else, but at the starting line, there was a line of 10 port-o's. Which ran out of paper by 7:15. Really? Really.

I was worried about the weather... it was cool and overcast when I got there, which was perfect, but it looked like the sun was starting to peek out...

and I wilt in the sun. Luckily, it stayed put behind the clouds until I hit mile 5. That, I can live with.

Hanging out at the start line before the race, I saw Operation Jack warming up, and met the lovely ChaCha. Stretched a bit... this muscle?

Whatever the hell it is, it was TIGHT. Annoying.

That's my last race picture, I was busy... racing.

Race started a few minutes late... and started 10K, 5K, and walkers all at the same time.

I don't know if you recall, but back in November I ran the Dana Point Turkey Trot and almost had to stab a kid and his dumb mother.... So, needless to say, I ran very, very carefully during the first mile until things thinned out a bit.

Oh, and also, I thought the tacos were going to make a reappearance, so that also made me consider stopping by mile 1. Effing tacos.

The course ran through some cute Cypress neighborhoods, with families hanging out outside and cheering on the runners. Some guy somewhere around mile 2 had his sprinklers on for the runners, which pissed me off when I saw it, but made me giddy when I experienced it. My ONLY real complaint about the course, was it was an almost two mile stretch on a straight road to the finish line - so you could see the finish line for-freaking-ever.

I had some asthma situation early on in mile 5, but got it under control, and finished in.....

1:06:05.

The course (for me, and ChaCha) measured almost .1 long. So, I'm calling that Goal 1 MET!

Afterwards, grabbed my popsicle, waited for the 10K results to be posted, and met (the VERY tall) Canadian Runner, who apparently... got stopped on the course to let cars pass? I would have stabbed someone. You can read her recap HERE.

Anyway, it turned out to be a great race. It took me until mile 2 or so to really warm up and feel okay, so considering, I'm ecstatic with the time. Of note for me, was I hit the 5K mark at just over 31 minutes.... which led to me stalking fall 5K's with a sub-30 goal in mind.

Refueled with a quick stop at the gas station...

The BEST way to start your birthday. Seriously - find a race on your birthday, and do it.

I am what time, circumstance, history, have made of me, certainly, but I am also, much more than that. So are we all.

I mentioned before that Gabby was selected to be the Honored Teammate for Team In Training OC/IE chapter's marathon team.

We went to the Winter Kick Off Party last night... And it was amazing. Total strangers, recognized Gab when we walked in, and were all motivated to go run a marathon in honor of her. Unreal...

This weekend, if you missed my previous billion mentions, is Birthday 10K weekend... But, if you're running the City of Cypress 5 or 10K, come find me and say hi. I'll be in a BRIGHT ASS PINK shirt, and black running skirt.

Goal 1: 1:05. Lofty, but possible?
Goal 2: 1:10. Seems doable.
Goal 3: Don't die. That always seems like a reasonable goal.