Warm Your Heart 5K Race Recap

I signed up for the Chicago Indoor Warm Your Heart 5K on a whim.  Basically active.com sent me a coupon so I signed up!  I mean dangle a coupon in front of me for a race and I'm there! 

Packet pickup was at Sports Authority on Clark St just a few blocks from my apartment.  Score!  T-shirt is a long sleeve orange tech shirt, but it's men's size and it's huge so I'll never wear it. 

I asked for a medium.  I never know what size shirt to get!  Men's shirts in general don't fit me that well at all because I have hips and boobs!  But a lot of women's sized shirts at some of these races fit really small!   Anyone else have trouble picking the right race shirt size??

The race started at 9 a.m. all the way down at McCormick Place.  On site parking was $21 bucks so I took the train! 

But that meant I had to leave my house by 7:30.  It took about an hour to get to the race site and I packed pretzels so I could fuel some more.  I've really noticed that my racing is directly affected by the calories that I consume about 30 minutes before race time.

I decided to make an oatmeal smoothie for breakfast: quick oats, almond butter, cinnamon, banana and water.  I would have used milk but I didn't have any :(  I made so much that it ended up being a recovery smoothie as well!  I don't know how much I like the oatmeal smoothies though.  Maybe I shouldn't have added almond butter?

Anyways, the race!

I wasn't sure what to expect, I have never run an indoor 5K nor have I ever been to McCormick place.  This was the first time I had to use gear check because duh! we were indoors and obviously I didn't need my long winter coat on!  I had to wait in line to check my bag but it went pretty quickly and before I knew it they were calling us to move towards the start.

I was in a bit of a panic because with the hour long train ride I REALLY NEEDED TO PEE!!!   With less than 15 minutes until the start of the race I figured I was screwed!  Well imagine my surprise when I walked into the bathroom and there was no line!  Awesome!  I think there were a ton of restrooms around McCormick Place and this really helped as I didn't have to wait in line after the race either! 

I decided to line up with 10:00 pace corral.  Just a few months ago this would have seemed overly ambitious and maybe my PR of 29:08 was a fluke but I really wanted to run 10 minute miles!  Each pace group was sent off in 2 minute intervals.  Basically the entire 2.1 miles was set up between two big rooms.  This meant a lot of twists and turns but it was cool because you literally always were in view of a bunch of other runners.  In fact when I got to the 2nd room the first few runners were crossing the finish line and I got to see it! 

The twists and turns probably slowed me down a bit as it was hard to maneuver the turns and not run into the other people that were also turning.  For the most part I was never running alone as there were others running around my same pace as well as the others that were still zig-zagging through the course. 

This was the first 5K I ran that didn't make me feel awful and since I didn't have my GPS I never really knew exactly how I was doing.  I didn't end up beating my PR from New Year's Eve but I'm quite happy with how I did.

At the finish line there were a ton of free samples as well as bananas and bottles of water.  I drank a bit of water and then stuffed the rest in my bag.  I don't usually eat protein bars but I'm kind of excited to try the Cookie Dough Performance Energy Bar!

THE RESULTS:

Finish Time: 29:57
Pace: 9:40
Overall: 491/1438
Age Group: 33/153

Rudolph Ramble 8K Recap

The Rudolph Ramble 8K was put on by Fleet Feet sports on Sunday.  The race started in Lincoln Park and then basically ran the same route that I run every Saturday with my half marathon training group.  It was a simple out and back course, but I didn't mind.

Jenny and I were both running late so when she got to my apt we decided to take a cab the mere 1.4 miles it took to get to the start line.  We got there with just enough time to check Jenny's bag and then find our own pairs of reindeer antlers.  

Jenny is a faster runner than me and I was hoping with her pacing me that I'd be able to bust out 10ish minute miles.  But I had gone out the night before and hadn't gotten much sleep, so when I started struggling with 10:30 min miles I knew I wouldn't finish as fast as I first hoped.  Jenny had suggested our goal be to finish in 45 minutes but soon we were hoping to just get it done in 55 minutes!

Results show that there were 1596 finishers and it felt like a steady stream the whole time.  Usually by the time I hit the turn around there aren't that many people that I pass in the other direction.  This race since it was more family oriented seemed to have a widespread variety of skill levels.

If my schedule works out for next year I'd do it again and this time dress up for the Holidays!  

Results:
54:06 finish
10:54 pace

The Marathon Training begins!

Less than 17 weeks until the Illinois Marathon!!!  I went into a little bit of a panic because over the holidays I totally missed the actual 18 week start to training.  Between the holidays/races and driving back to Chicago yesterday I totally did NOT actually follow my training program.  

Here's a lil recap of the last week and a half.

Friday Dec 21st:  Went to work like normal, raced home to grab my dog and finish loading my car and then HIT THE ROAD!!!  I didn't want to stop at a hotel because I had a 5 p.m. 5K to make on the 22nd!  Took over an hour just to get out of Chicago traffic and into Indiana!  Before I knew it I'd already hit the Eastern Time Zone and I still had way too many hours to go.  Pulled over few a naps along the way, GPS made me go through Baltimore (don't think this saved time just some toll money) and FINALLY got to my mom's house by 1 p.m.

Saturday Dec 22nd: Just arrived at my mom's at 1 p.m. and was horrified to realize that my leg had SWELLED on the drive.  I was panicking but my mom was calm because she said the same thing happens to her on long drives.  Well that's great and all but I don't want the same health ailments as my 60 year old other!!!  So my mother told me to either go to the ER or just go and run my race.  And hell I'd just spent the last 18 or so hours on the road so where do you think I went?  Day After 5K

Sunday Dec 23rd: On a whim signed up the Pretzel City Sports 5K.  Loved the vibe of the race organizers!

Monday Dec 24th: Decided to check out the trails of White Clay Creek State Park.  But it took me almost 4 miles to just get there from my house!  So ran around the park for 5 plus miles then started to head back.  My energy died by mile 10.  I'd only brought enough GU Chomps and water to last me for like 8 miles tops.  According to Garmin average elapsed pace was 12:40 but moving pace was 12:05 (had to stop for a few stop lights). 

Tuesday Dec 25th: Merry Christmas!!  (No Running!!)

Wednesday Dec 26th: Didn't run this day either not sure what my excuse was.

Thursday Dec 27th: Did two miles outside but the cold got to me so went to the gym.  Did 5 miles on the treadmill, 60 minutes elliptical while reading Notorious Nineteen on my Kindle.  I even did a lil leg strength training!

Friday Dec 28th: Off  Went to doctor to see about my leg.  Ended up getting a doppler on my veins, X-ray and even an ultrasound.  The Doppler lady says my veins look great!  No time to run afterwards as I had my FAMILY CHRISTMAS PARTY!!!  Secret Santa got me two new running tops!  In our version of the White Elephant Grab Bag I got a Singing Fish!!  Can't wait to hang him on my wall in my office!!

Saturday Dec 29th: Had the great idea of attempting my scheduled 9 mile long run in the freshly falling snow.  EPIC FAIL.  I couldn't even keep 13 minute miles, snow was flying into my face and I didn't even make it 5 miles.

Sunday Dec 30th: Another Pretzel City Sports event Kris Kringle 5 Miler, this one was about 2 miles on the road up a major hill and 3 miles through the SNOW on a trail.  It was TOUGH.

Monday Dec 31st:  Rehoboth Beach Race into the New Year 5K  MAJOR PR!!  29:08!!

Tuesday Jan 1st: Bethany Beach Hair of the Dog 10K Another PR!!   1:03:51!!!

Tuesday Jan 2nd: OFF/Drive back to Chicago! 

Wednesday Jan 3rd: Back in Chicago, dead tired, napped until my MARATHON TRAINING KICK OFF!!  We did a 3 mile fun run 10:28 mile pace!  Then got our plan for the upcoming weeks until our marathon!!

I'm going to train with the 11 minute milers for the Saturday Long Runs.  I want to try to keep my mid runs 10:30-11 minute miles.  I really want to sub 5 hours in my 1st Marathon but honestly I don't know if that is going to be a tough goal or not.  I've been surprised that these last few races I was running faster than I have before. 

Unfortunately I think that I have to cut out drinking in order to really focus on my goals.  I'm going to start juicing more and if I do go out, I'm going to have a single glass of wine if anything at all.  I'm thinking lots of orange juice, pineapple juice and cranberry juice in my future!!!!