The holidays are in full force around my house. That includes a counter covered in stuff to make gift bags, packages to wrap, & stockings to stuff. But I didn’t want to get too far out from my recent race, without blogging about it first. Actually, a blog about a series of three races was overdue.
It’s no secret that I am a lover of my little city, & while there are certainly things to not like about Norfolk, there is plenty of good to adore. When I read that Mettle Events would incorporate the Heart of Ghent 10K {link here from when I had run it once before in 2014} with the Tacky Sweater 5K, as well as a 3rd new event, I quickly signed up for the series—called the Best of Norfolk Series. I am a huge fan of running through the quaint neighborhoods of Norfolk, uneven pavement & all!
The quote that popped into my head last night, which I think best describes this past weekend, is: “When the stars align perfectly, MAGIC can happen”.
But more about that, in a few! First, a quick recap of the first 2 races of the series—the Heart of Ghent 10K & the inaugural Wards Corner 10K. I promise to keep my thoughts concise—since I do have all of that Christmas prep awaiting me… & I am sure my readers & friends do too! Happy Holidays, everyone!!
We are never any good at family pics…. especially when Santa is around, HA!
Back in September, I was just a few days back from the DC Ragnar weekend when I ran the Heart of Ghent 10K. Fall training hadn’t really kicked into high gear yet & it was a blazing hot day, with the dew point at 70. I never intended to race that day, but my heart rate monitor showed otherwise. It is always a blast to run the fast & flat course, through the streets of Ghent! Ultimately, I ran a nice summertime tempo pace, finishing in 49:54 {8:02/mile}. I crossed the line as 35th female overall, & 6th in my age group.
Next up in the Best of Norfolk Series was supposed to be an October race, but thanks to a hurricane, this race was postponed until December 3rd. The newest race of the three, the Wards Corner 10K, definitely ranks up there as one of my new favorite local races! I mean, what is not to love about a race where you can run to the start as your warm-up miles?! Not to mention fresh & yummy pizza at the finish! The route itself is a very nostalgic one for me, as I pushed my boys around those same streets a few years back, during our double stroller running days; as well as when we attended Stroller Strides. It was easy to find motivation to push myself during that particular race! In fact, all of my “push” came from internal forces & not from the Garmin. I chose to heed the advice of a fellow running friend & I ignored the watch all together {well, until the final half mile, if I must be honest, ha!}. In the end, I came up slightly short of a PR, but I was very happy with this race. A few friends to cheer on at the finish line & chat with afterwards {looking at you, Erin & Whitney!!}, was definitely the highlight of my race morning! Sweaty cold hugs for the win!! Official time, 47:20 {7:37/mile}—good enough for 6th female overall & 3rd in my age group!
Whitney, sandwiched between myself & Erin, just ADORES hugs. #allthesweatyhugs
Now, back to that MAGIC!
The final race in the series was the Tacky Sweater 5K. I had raced this one in 2015, so I was familiar with the course through Ocean View. Originally, a few friends would be running this one too, so I was happy to have friends to chase both on the course, & chat with after. But life happens & they couldn’t run it after all. However, I did have the cutest little duo {+one} cheering me on at the finish line. No offence to friends, but I will take the screams of my boys ANYDAY over the cheers of good friends! I wish the twins & my husband could attend more races, but many times, that just isn’t in the cards; so when they can be there, I take full advantage & savor their support!!
My cheering squad at the Tacky Sweater 5K. Love them dearly!
Leading up to the race, the stars were aligning just perfectly, as I mentioned in my quote. I had plotted out my monthly marathon training massages & by pure coincidence, one fell in the week prior to the 5K. The massage was originally 3 days prior, but due to life, I had to change it to the day before. I was leery about this, fearful it would make me too sore, but ultimately decided I would just go with the flow & hope for the best. It worked! Another star aligning was being in an “off” week from work, so my sleep had become regular leading up to the 5K & I wasn’t in my usual sleep-deprivation mode. Score! The next star, which is a bit TMI for the guys, but honestly, I think more female runners should be in-tune with it, was where exactly I was at in my monthly cycle. This is HUGE for me personally, as it relates to heart rate—I can always predict by HR whether I am dehydrated, tired, ovulating, on my cycle, or feeling great {or a mixture of more than one}. This past Saturday, was a feeling great kind of day! Lastly, the weather—probably the BIGGEST star aligning of them all, it was perfect. Yes, I know, super cold, but this is my ideal racing weather! I loved it. I warmed up with my tank top + shorts, with a long-sleeve top & tights over top; but when it was time to race, 32 degrees & all, I wore just the shorts & tank. Never once did I feel hot; well, except for my hands—which I tossed my gloves to fix that problem! My only complaint with Saturday was the wind, but even compared to recent easy training runs, it was mild.
As for the actual race itself, I went into it with only 1 goal…PR. My old 5K PR {22:47} was from March of 2015, a time that was long overdue to be broken. To be honest, I hadn’t raced a 5K in ideal conditions since that point. Plenty of summer 5Ks, but those just suck. No way I can PR in those icky, humid conditions! The night before, I calculated a few scenarios & settled on a goal pace of 7:15/mile, which would put my finishing time at 22:31, with plenty of cushion for a PR. Never in my dreams could I have imagined running faster than that. But that is the beauty in perfectly aligned stars.
After a 2 mile warm-up, I relaxed in my car before the 5K started. I felt great. I decided to eat 2 Honey Stinger chews, just to hold me over for the race. I have been dealing with hunger during races, & I didn’t want that to slow me down today. Almost immediately, my stomach turned—but not in a good way. Oh no, I thought, I’ve messed it all up now. But that quickly passed with a few sips of water & I headed to the start. As I was walking, I saw a penny “on heads”. I picked it up & put it into my pocket. This superstition had worked at one other race, resulting in a PR, so I thought why not try it again. That penny is staying in my car for good luck until Shamrock!! I lined up close to the front & we were quickly off! Of course the first quarter mile was way too fast, but then the pace settled out. I was happy to see how good 7 flat felt during that first mile! I tried to slow, but my body felt so “light” & just glided so easily. This was a big change from all of my other recent races where my legs/body feel so heavy—I do believe the massage is to thank for that improvement! At a turn around, I was able to see some of the leaders, which is always a big motivator; as well as count that I was 6th female. I was never passed by another female, nor did I pass any other chicks; thus finishing as 6th female overall. In my age group, I ended up 2nd!! The mile splits were something I am very proud of, since I never “let off the gas” & slowed too much—7:02, 7:11, 7:14; final 0.12 miles at 6:35 average pace. Although the splits were “positive”, even my slowest mile was faster than the average pace I originally planned to run! And, that 7:02 is only 8 seconds from my fastest mile ever. Pretty sure I could have beaten that 6:54 mile on race day… if I was only running 1 mile total! Ha! Official time, 22:13 {7:09/mile}.
I have looked at the Garmin file for that 5K probably 20 times since Saturday. To say I am shocked at the result is an understatement!! Did I really run that fast?! Whoa. Holy mackerel. It just goes to show, you can do anything you put your mind to—with the right amount of hard work, dedication, patience, & internal push. Oh, & perfectly aligned stars!!
Thanks for reading—and next year, go sign up for the Best of Norfolk Series by Mettle Events!!
Next Up For The Running Blonde: Tidewater Striders Distance Series, after the New Year. Racing for 2016 is complete!!
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