WEEK 12. This is the week I've been looking forward to for a long time, over a year in fact. This Saturday I will run in the Greenville News 5k, a downtown run featuring over 1,500 participants. Last year, at this very moment, I sat on the sideline, deterred by a calcaneous stress fracture. This year, I get to play. I will give it my all with my goal being to have a 5k PR and win my age group. Last year there were 120 women in the 25-29yr. old division. Even more exciting is that my mom is entered as well. My mom taught me to give everything 120% in life, to live life passionately and fully. I will leave it all out on the course. This will be substituted in training as our sprint workout. After this race, it is back to the track for the remaining 6 weeks of never ending circles. On Saturday, I will be like a caged animal that has been released, fiery eyed and fierce, excited and eager as I hunt down and capture my prey.
I also will proudly wear my HEADSTRONG team kit which I am AWESOMELY excited about!! There is nothing like race day, pulling up your race kit, pinning on your number, and priming your watch as you approach the start line with nervous excitement.
1/19 TEMPO RUN- After completing an 18 miler, aka 72 laps of crazy circles at the track on Sunday, Danette and I showed up at the track again for our tempo day. Still sore from Sunday, we put aside our watches, paces, and heartrate monitors and opted instead to have a FUN DAY! It is important to have an occasional fun day so you don't get burned out. The rigorous demands of training for a marathon can drill the best athlete into a hole. Sure, I could have forged thru and held the paces, but a fun day was good not only physically, but also good for the psyche as well. What a great day of running however fast we wanted and as long as we wanted. Post day 1 mile swim also helped us loosen up. We will be ready for the 5k race on Saturday.
DISTANCE: 5 miles
I also will proudly wear my HEADSTRONG team kit which I am AWESOMELY excited about!! There is nothing like race day, pulling up your race kit, pinning on your number, and priming your watch as you approach the start line with nervous excitement.
1/19 TEMPO RUN- After completing an 18 miler, aka 72 laps of crazy circles at the track on Sunday, Danette and I showed up at the track again for our tempo day. Still sore from Sunday, we put aside our watches, paces, and heartrate monitors and opted instead to have a FUN DAY! It is important to have an occasional fun day so you don't get burned out. The rigorous demands of training for a marathon can drill the best athlete into a hole. Sure, I could have forged thru and held the paces, but a fun day was good not only physically, but also good for the psyche as well. What a great day of running however fast we wanted and as long as we wanted. Post day 1 mile swim also helped us loosen up. We will be ready for the 5k race on Saturday.
DISTANCE: 5 miles
1/22 GREENVILLE NEWS 5k RACE!
0715
Danette, my mom, and I carpooled to downtown G-vegas for the Greenville News 5k, which boasts roughly 2,000 participants. Even with 32 degree weather, the runners thronged to the start line, clad in the most unfashionable attire that only runners can get away with. This course danced thru the streets of downtown and featured undulating terrain. 
BLAST, we were off, chasing a Chick-Fil-A cow that had a 3 minute head start. You catch the cow, you get freebies at the restaurant. I never caught site of the cow, and I udder to say, I didn't really even care. I was on a mission, to win my age group. I started out fast, probably too fast as I topped out at 204bpm on the Garmin. I thought truly this was an error or a spike in data caused by picking up the signal of another runner, but this was me. I didn't know this HR in the run because I don't stare at my watch. I run solely off of perceived exertion. We made a rectangular box on our route. I passed a lot of runners on the uphills but swarms of runners weaved there way by me on the downhills. How do you run down a hill? I still don't know. Seems like gravity should take you. Eventually, I rounded the last right hand corner of our box and could see site of the finish line banner, finishing you off at the Greenville News Plaza.
I crossed the line with a new PR of 21:11, placing 2nd in my age group out of 124 women. I won even though I didn't win. I left everything I had on the course. I hit a 204 HR, something I hadn't seen, or even come close to since college, and those dreaded, make-you-puke, 2k erg tests. I instantly got an ear ache after crossing the line, something that those darn 2k tests did to me as well.
Pictured left is an awesome group shot of Danette, my mom, and I as we stood under the silver mushroom. This mushroom was a portable heater that I should have carried during the 5k. It was toasty warm when you looked up into its billowing tower.
Other than my mom, the biggest champion at the race was Evelyn Tripp who set a NATIONAL record for her age. She conquered the 5k course in 50 minutes at 95yrs. young. I hope I am "living" like she is at 95yrs. old!
My mom, placed #3 today in her age bracket!
Danette ran a personal best of 23:12, putting her right on target to Boston Qualify.
Afterwards, all three of us went to Starbucks to warm up followed by Whole Foods pizza party. What an amazing day with even more amazing people.
DISTANCE: 3.12
Avg. PACE: 6:47
Avg. HR: 173
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