Daniel Defense Pooler 5K Recap

Official Time: 29:53
My GPS Watch Time: 29:01

Proof! ...Of my fastest 5K for 2012, so far...

So I stopped my watch well after I crossed the finish line. I didn't even notice the small time clock at the end. I just sprinted my way to the finish. It was not a chip timed race, so the clock started when the gun went off – not when I crossed under the starting archway. Also, the course was a bit more than a 5K, my watch registered 3.19 miles. My goal was to get a sub-29 5K time... which I JUST MISSED by 2 seconds (by my watch...LOL), oh well, maybe next time!

Beginning of the race, waving to Liam

About to cross the finish line... I totally sprinted past this one gal I was trailing the last quarter mile... sneaky!

It was a hot race. It started at 8am, not the ideal time to run in these parts. I definitely started out too fast, but tired to slow it down... it's hard in a race setting. I guess it's something I need to mentally train myself to do, but the only way to do that is to enter races! On my training runs, I usually keep a steady pace throughout the run until the very end where I try to kick it up a notch to the finish because I have that saved up energy (which I have learned is not good for my knees, lol, but I have toned it down). I probably could have pushed myself just a bit faster at the end, but I was pretty wiped. That mask didn't help either!

There was a costume contest for "Most Patriotic" male and female runner. I ran in a silly costume that I put together the day before the race. I made the cape from an old race T-shirt that was too big for me, and I spray painted the star on it, as well as the red stripes onto the white shirt. I bought a cheap mask and spray painted part of that too and bought the star "race legs" from Team Sparkle! I wore my awesome blue MRTT Bondi Band to represent my mommas and my awesome pair of red Aspaeris Pivot compression shorts! Turns out I was pretty much one of the only few people in costume! I wasn't expecting to win, but after seeing the lack of patriotic costumes, I was pretty sure I had a good chance... and well, I did win!! Too bad it wasn't a cash prize! :)

A few of my fellow mommas from MRTT ran this race and so did about half of my CREW training group (our group long run that morning was actually cancelled due to low participation). It was a great small race that wasn't super crowded, but still had a great turnout. I think about 600 runners participated. The race proceeds went to the Warrior Transition Unit at Fort Stewart where wounded soldiers go to heal. They raised $20,000 for them!!! Woohoo!

Me and fellow CREW mate, Janet

Liam and Mom (me) running the Kids race! Notice the matching capes!

This was also a special race because it was Liam's FIRST race!! They had a kiddie run right before the actual race started. I ran alongside Liam and he was doing AWESOME! He ran ALMOST the entire distance until he tripped and fell right before the finish line! :( It was so pitiful, but cute... he of course cried when he fell. I dusted him off and asked if he still wanted to run, but he shook his head, still crying. I held his hand and asked if he still wanted to finish and he nodded. So we walked into the finish line with everyone cheering him on! It was a pretty awesome feeling, even though he had a little fall -- I'm sure part of the crying was due to embarrassment. But I am glad he wanted to finish because that's what it's all about -- getting back up after you fall and NOT QUITTING what you start! I was so proud of him! :)

Me and Jen

Thanks to Jen at Running Our Way for my free entry into this race!

Jen's 12-year old son Morgan ran the 5K in 21:27!! He got FIRST in his age group! He's such a talented young runner! The MRTT moms are very proud of him!!

Katie also had her first table set up for MRTT at the race which was pretty awesome. We are trying to attract more members... so if happen to be reading this, are a mom (even to furbabies), live in the Savannah area and want to join an AWESOME, free running group, come check us out!! http://savannahmrtt.wordpress.com/

Oh, I also want to thank my husband JOEL for watching Liam and carrying my purse while I ran. :D

Awesome MRTT Running Moms!

Up next: the LoCo Motion 10-miler on the 29th. Woohoo!!

First 5k Race of the Fall!

Tomorrow morning is the 3rd annual Daniel Defense Pooler 5K - my first time doing this race – all thanks to the awesome Jen!

I'm really excited about this race for many reasons:

1.
It's the first official race of the new race season! I've got lots of races planned for the rest of the year. Check out my Upcoming Races page for more info.

2.
It's the first 5K race during my half training, so I am really curious as to how much faster I can run 3.1 miles after conditioning myself to run longer. I hope to make this a 2012 PR (my all time 5K PR is 27:49 – back in 2009 – I don't think I can ever beat that) – so in order to do that I have to run faster than a 29:06. I really hope I can. I would like to see a "28" on the race clock when I finish! I'm thinking I will be able to do it because the last time I did a sub-29 5K was in 2009... RIGHT AFTER I trained my body for running 10Ks (ableit not my fastest 10Ks - I think I can actually run faster 10Ks now). So I am confident that the half training will not fail me! :)

3.
And the last reason... I'll be wearing a costume!! Not anything really elaborate, but hopefully I'll stand out enough to get some good photos taken of my crazy running outfit. ;) It's a patriotic theme, so I'll be donning the red, white and blue!

Race report coming soon!

New Kicks and 10 More Weeks Until my First Half!!

Dailymile says I've logged 318 miles this year so far - which means that I am WAY overdue on getting a new pair of shoes. I only have ONE pair of running shoes in my inventory - my trusty Brooks Adrenalines. I got my last pair back in {looks back in blog...} OMG... July 2011!!!! Holy moly, I AM way past due!!! I wasn't running as much, but I'm sure I got at least 40 miles on those shoes in 2011. They say you should change your shoes out when they reach 300-400 miles, but closer to the 300 mile mark for smaller runners. Check out the wear and tear on these "old soles":

Pretty FLAT

Inner heel of my right shoe

So after my 7-miler this weekend, I decided I was going to buy a new pair of shoes. I was originally going to wait until the Fleet Feet CREW sale on the 8th, but I don't think my feet can wait that long... I have an 8-mile training run (as well as shorter training runs) and a 5K race before then! I tried on some other (cool) flashy shoes that are similar in style to my Adrenalines - a pretty sea green Mizuno pair (can't remember the model!) and a dark grey/bright magenta pair of Asics 2160 (I think...). Damn, I wish I took a pic of them (oh wait, I couldn't because a kid by the name of Liam was playing with my phone the whole time!) The latter of those I think I will try to save up for when the CREW sale actually happens. I really, REALLY want pretty bright shoes (and a second pair of shoes to train in)!! Neither of the other 2 I tried were as flashy and bright as I would have liked, but better than the subdued Brooks colors. I ended up getting a pair of the new model Adrenalines - in a half size smaller than I usually wear (my older ones had a little too much toe space). They are quite pretty, actually:

After watching me try on shoes, Liam wanted to try some on...although they didn't have any his size. :( But the sales associate was nice enough to put some big shoes on him to make him happy. He also found some smaller kids shoes he decided to try on himself...

Oh wait, here's a  photo of the Sea Green Mizunos (on Liam)....Pink is his favorite color!

Oh, we also picked up my free pair of YurBuds that I won in the Fleet Feet Savannah FB trivia contest a couple weeks ago!! I let Joel pick some out and get fitted because I don't use headphones/music much while running these days. I did try them on, though, and they felt pretty cool.

Speaking of winning stuff, I won a free race entry into the Daniel Defense Pooler 5k on September 8!!! This was all thanks to my great friend and fellow running mama Jen of Running, Our Way!! Thanks so much girl!!! Yeah, Woohoo!!! I actually found out that I won the race entry AND the earbuds on the same day!! I felt so lucky!! :)

I was going to blog more about this being the halfway point in my half training, but I think this is enough for now... I need to eat breakfast...

Happy running!