*dusts blog off*

Holy guacamole it’s been awhile.

So the last, oh, five months of life can be summed up with: I got a career break (a good one), ran another marathon (2 1/2 min PR, no Garmin, hyperventilated last two miles and was still boss enough to drive nine hours home afterward), and got engaged. Yup.

There really isn’t much else to say other than life has been great lately. Sure, my work hours suck (anyone want my 70-hour workweek?) and my house has been a perpetual mess. But it’s been good.

As far as running goes, I know what I did wrong in the marathon. It was Eugene – b-e-a-uuuutiful course, perfect running weather, but my garmin was 480 miles away where it didn’t belong. That slightly psyched me out, because I had to run completely by feel. I’ve not done that in who knows how long. I had a fantastic first 18 miles; 19 to finish went straight to hell. And not because I ran it wrong, but because there was a big gaping void in my training that became obvious at mile 18, in terms of how I run my long runs. If that gap didn’t exist, it would have been a pretty epic race.

In the background tabs, and as I type, I am going on the summer/fall registration bonanza. So far one marathon, a 10-miler, a 10K and a 5K with a few more on the list to go. Career break will be breaking and the 70-hour weeks should hopefully be gone soon, which means moar running. And moar sleeping. Especially sleeping.

Happy running, and one love.

 

race report: shamrock’n 13.1 (and better late than never)

What an incredibly tardy race report. Blaming it squarely on the awesome turn of events that my life has been lately. No sarcasm in that statement – things have truly taken a turn for the better, and it’s about time.

 

I swore off this race after last year, mostly because of the incredibly horrendously awful parking situation which was completely unforgivable. Then I relented, and as registration time came, I thought “well, downtown isn’t that far away, I can park there…” Boom, registration done.

 

And …. Sadly, logistically, nothing changed from last year.

 

I made it and parked on time (this time in Old Sacramento, 3/4 of a mile away)… check. Got my gear ready… check. Now, mind you, in the morning hours I’d not only dealt with daylight savings (yuck to the lost hour of sleep) and a random breakfast mishap in the wee hours that set me back over 20 minutes while getting ready, I had to deal with a random road closure and the subsequent detour on the way there. The morning was NOT going smoothly. Never mind though, Perky Me was ready to run!… Except for the g.d. bathroom line.

 

Rather than stand in the one line that snaked around the building inside the Raley Field stadium, I opted to risk the porta-potties outside. Except where all 7 of them were last year, this year… there were none. One lone handicap-colored porta-potty stood alone, way off in the distance, sort of by where the start line was last year. I jogged over and stood in line with ten minutes – and five people – to go. Apparently, this was the “I have to go #2” porta-potty… as it took seven minutes for three people to go. I asked politely to the men ahead (who were all in Wave 2) if I could go ahead, it was just a quick pee… the one guy that was first in line said he was dancing (pretty sure it was his girlfriend in the porta-potty at the time, too); other guy said sure, no problem. When two more minutes passed and the chick still hadn’t come out, I said great but no thanks and RAN to the corral.

 

Here’s where frustration began: I got in the corral in the nick of time. I made it up to between the 8:00 and 9:00 pace sign. Again… people seeding themselves where they don’t belong. I say this because they were loudly and openly talking about walking the entire 13 miles. Someone needs to hit these people over the head with a copy of the Runners Etiquette Bible – there was no reason in hell they should have been in Wave 1, if they were truly walking the whole thing. Wave 1 is sub-2hr time or better, not walkers. Lucky me, they were shoulder to shoulder too and I was stuck behind them. Cue bullhorn.

 

Bad start to a half: sprinting and weaving. I did just that for over three miles, feeling super irritated the whole way, dodging walkers and just getting around the people I had fully intended on being ahead of to begin with, as I had gone into Sunday hoping to be alongside the 1:40 pacer and not chasing down the 1:50 instead like I was currently doing. My early miles were all mid-7’s, and I don’t have the splits handy, but I went out only about 40-someodd seconds slower than my 10K just two weeks ago. Beyond the 10K point, I reminded myself this was NOT a race, this was merely a training run to see how I felt holding 8:00 marathon pace.  And 8:00 pace, surprisingly, isn’t that painful.

 

Somewhere around mile 7-8, it runs alongside I-5 on the trail, and while cruising with a small pack we all heard screeeeech-POP-scrreeeeeeccchh-POP-POP-POP-screeeeeeeeech-POP…. Pretty major wreck on the freeway. As if they were fireworks, we all went, “ohhhhhh, no, oh my God!!” and couldn’t help but look over at the wreckage. That was honestly the most exciting thing that happened on the trail portion of the race – outside of that, it was pretty bland, and I just zoned out to music.

 

Mile 10, I was noticeably oxygen deprived so gave myself permission to slow down for the mile, and told myself I’d pick back up at Mile 11. My tangents sucked from dodging people, but I was trying to forget about that and just keep running. Again, no splits handy (you just have to take my word for it) but mile 10 was the slowest, and mile 11 picked back up. Once the course wrapped back around through downtown and over Tower Bridge, I opened up and sprinted with what I had left.

 

1:43:27 / 3:48 PR.

 

I’m happy – logistically, that race SUCKED, my tangents sucked, the crowds sucked, everything sucked (largest 13.1 in Sacramento!?) and I ran the whole damn thing on a full bladder. It could have been faster, but it is what it is and I have some new PR ground moving forward.

Do I want to sign up next year? Not really.

Will I? Probably.

The race *is* organized extremely well (and this was my first real experience with corral starts). They have grab bags of snacks for finishers. The tech tee is … meh … but it’s a tech tee. And the organizers, sorry, but I must stay loyal to them because of CIM roots.

The porta-potty situation was shitty (no pun intended). It’s hard to park 6,000+ people in a construction zone… realizing this after two years of running the race. But I’m glad they moved the course off the construction, it didn’t run as horrendously long as it did last year, and most of all, I got to run the dang thing. I almost sat out this year. Thank you, Mr, for making it happen.

…

So I’m not too willing to discuss what’s next, but not a lot is left for my “spring” season. I have a couple more races before my big race, and then a nice, long break to let the legs heal and not stress about training. Two weeks until my first guaranteed PR. Heh. Good luck guessing that one…

 

winning!

so i won a race on sunday…

 

and i have had zero time to absorb it. well, in all fairness, i haven’t allowed myself to really dwell on it too much, mostly because i don’t want it to go to my head, but also because there hasn’t been time. but here’s what was really friggin cool about it.

 

* the pace biker. she was THE best. it was an out-and-back course, and when she passed me after she’d gone through the turnaround she called out, “second female! second place!” which caught me completely off guard. i was just out there for some pace miles, not racing — whuuuut?

i wound up catching and passing the first place woman, who was wearing a boston tee (righteous nod there) and gave a congrats as i went past. she was in a different age group, and very sweet. once past her and going back up the trail, the pace biker did a double take. “i was looking for a blue tee, not pink arm warmers!” she said. kind of how the 3:45 pace guy nudged me on at CIM, she nudged me on in the final mile when i was barely, barely hanging on. 47:11 = over a minute and a half PR from November, and definitely faster than what i was on pace for at halfway. negative split race. not bad.

 

*there is no feeling in the world like rounding the last corner, hearing the announcer say your name and “first place female” and then hearing the applause. ladies and gents, i am HOOKED. nor is there any feeling like the pace biker weaving a path for you through the 5K walker crowds (rare for that to happen) and say the whole time, “lead 10K woman coming through!” i literally have not been so cheered on, ever, in my life.

 

…that said, I feel like the victory was by virtue of numbers. small race (700 or so people), and my time wasn’t exceptionally phenomenal. BUT it was a PR and it was pretty dang fast compared to even a year ago, so i am both happy and hungry for more. but nothing beats that feeling on the home stretch…

 

 

that said. my PSA for the week:

don’t undertake a protein-only diet in the middle of a training block. you WILL hate life.

race report: running school fun run 13.1

A few days delayed, but the mental profanity from running hills on what was described as a “flat and fast” course, had to be washed from my system first.

I actually didn’t sign up for this until the day before – there were a lot of factors preventing me that ended up working themselves out just before race day. I picked it because it was small, local (it’s about 15 minutes from home), and had decent swag for a small race. I honestly thought the course was more “road” and less of a trail run…

First, it was VERY small, about 200 half marathoners in all. So small, we wandered around trying to find the start line because we weren’t sure if we were supposed to be in the courtyard with the one six-foot timing strip, or on the other side of the complex where the multiple timing strips and the big inflatables were. (it was the former.)

Anyhow. Countdown and we were off… And for about one mile, I was within sight of the pace biker. It was strange to see that and think “I’m going that fast?” 6:40′s. I crashed and burned by mile 2. Biker guy vanished and a handful of people passed me.

It wasn’t til about 3 miles I noticed the hills. We were on one constant rolling uphill. The course site said it would go up to the turnaround and then come down to the finish, so I tried to keep that in mind. At mile 4, the course goes off the paved trail onto gravel for about half a mile, which I also knew of and was slightly dreading (fear of mud… I’m a pavement princess.. It had been raining all weekend) but it wasn’t that bad.

At mile 7, it seemed like the worst was over in terms of my crash-and-burn but WHERE THE HELL WAS MY DOWNHILL!? It just kept going up, and up, and up. It was like LN4B and my tutu, but without the tutu and uphill the whole way. My quads and glutes were killing me…

Mile 8/8.5ish, it peaks out elevation-wise and drops. Much, much needed break! The combo of hills and speed were killing me, but a second wind was beginning and I was doing the backwards math: hold 8′s and I could at least stay under 1:50. Not a PR, but this was by NO means a “flat and fast” or PR course, and I’d paced it all wrong.

In the final mile, I was away from any packs and had no clue where I was time-wise; I just gave it all I had left. When I crossed I heard them say my name, then something fuzzy and “winner”. I didn’t think much of it, but decided to check awards just in case while chomping down a banana. Third in my age group, whaaa!? Apparently 1:50 is good enough to place. 11th or 12th woman, 51st overall. Considering the circumstances, I’ll take it!

everything (mostly) not related to running

Hello, World!

School starts in three short days, and the break has honestly flown by. Glad to say most of it has been spent running, working, sleeping, eating, and reading. Good stuff.

 

2012 has been more than just a new leaf, it’s a whole different tree altogether. I don’t want to blither on about too much, so some highlights:

*Race registration bonanza has occurred/is still happening. I’m signing up now through about May, then will register for more down the line since no fall races are open yet. It will be a busy but fun year.

*Branching from that, my big 2012 goal that won’t happen: triathlons. There’s just too much else happening between work, home, school, and running as it is. Maybe when school is no longer on the plate, I may undertake a 70.3 (that was the goal). But for now, this gives time to build up my running (which was my weak leg of the triathlon, anyway).

*But one thing that IS happening: I’m signing up for a local running club. As soon as I get off my pokey, wine-drinking duff and go through the old paper-and-postage signup procedure, that is.

*I’m getting the itch to go artsy again. There’s an old Deviantart page I have that’s dormant, and it seems like lately has been provoking some random desire to be art-inspired. So that may or may not happen. As in, you may just see more than text and things on here.

*My sole mate: Asics Nimbus 13′s. Close (VERY close) runner-up: Brooks Launch. Yep, my injury shoe.

*I’m also finally taking the plunge and stretching my lobes. Been meaning to for years, and am finally doing it.

 

That’s all for now. Laundry and bed beckons. Later, gators.

 

2012

Why not title it 2011, when that’s the point of discussion? Because the past is done. No point in dwelling on it too far, other than to use it as a launching point for what’s ahead.

Race goals

Did I meet them? Yes and no. As you may or may not recall:
5K goal: 22:00
10K goal: 46:00
13.1 goal: 1:40:00
26.2 goal: 3:50:00

I ran a 22:16 in April (where I bombed from going out too hard and having no mental edge at the end), a 48:49 in November (again, went out WAY too fast and tanked, plus being only 4 weeks removed from injury), a 1:45ish/1:47/1:38 (course short)/2:01 13.1, and then proceeded to split 1:53′s at CIM. I obliterated my marathon goal, running a 3:44. As mentioned before, my 2012 goals are being kept to self; at the end of 2012, I’ll discuss what they were and how I fared. But they’re steep, and they’re steep because I learned from the mistakes I made this year.

Training

At our final get-together/party for the CIM training group, the coach’s husband offered one piece of advice: run consistently. That was one thing I don’t feel I did most of the year, despite feeling like I poured hours upon hours of sweat and life into my running. The numbers confirmed this: for the whole year, I only averaged about 20 miles per week. No doubt in part to injury (I ran about 5 miles a week for a month) and being very inconsistent the first few months – looking back, my pattern was on/off/on/off/off/on/off/on/on/off/off/off/on/off/off/on/on/off/off…. My days run vs. not run was about 50/50. Still managing to pull down the PR’s I did this year is impressive, but if I don’t up my training game, the times will stagnate. They are already.

Moving ahead to 2012, I’ve made a couple resolutions about training. I will blog more about those as they happen. Suffice to say, being with a group taught me a lot.

Races

I want to race everything. If I could do it every weekend, I would.

That being said, I am still eyeballing the 2012 race agenda I made early last year and amending it. It’s pretty much a living document at this point. I don’t think it will be as jam-packed as I’d initially wanted, but that’s because I did learn this year that despite doing everything I love, I can’t do it all. There has to be a happy medium. If I do everything on that list + school + work + train + family (most important after this past year), I will go insane. I almost lost my shit last year as it was.

2012 will be a bit more strategic, less about filling my medal collection, more about consistency and building my foundation, one race at a time. There are (as of now) three “A” races, a handful of “B” races (or “where am I at with my training” races), and some smaller “C” races. I’ll happily blog about them all when they’re over and done… which leads to the next point.

Blogging

Moving forward, I will probably only blog about once a month.

I love reading – and admire those – blogs that are updated daily, or every other day, or even weekly. It’s hard to find the time to commit to writing, it’s harder yet to keep a single-topic blog fresh with entries. I can’t do it, admittedly. I can’t beat the dead horse of a topic that running can be, I rarely have time anymore, and when I do write, I want it to be “good.” Not half-assed because I don’t want it to get dusty or forgotten. The past two semesters have been rife with lack of time; I’m not gonna promise going forward that I can keep up on this thing more than once a month. On the bright side, my posts will be thick with content. I won’t be dumping redundant questions on you, or talking about something completely mundane just to keep myself high up on the list in someone’s Google Reader. And if you’re really dying to know what I’m up to, saunter over to my Dailymile page (link above, look for the icon) or Twitter (@legsmcflaily).

 

It is high time for a drink, some family time, and the countdown to 2012.

<3

post-CIM race thoughts

I’ve thought and thought about “how” to recap CIM all week. Reading everyone else’s race reports, it dawned on me… I can’t.

 

Running that race went beyond numbers. It was more than what my Garmin said, more than just being one of thousands pursuing a like-minded goal, more than just another (very big) accomplishment. It transcends what can be put in any race report, and is well beyond what I can put into words.

 

People here read about this training or those paces. They didn’t know about the times I cried in the shower after those runs, questioning whether I could keep going.

 

There was plenty of talk about my training. Races in-between. Nothing about the voices of the doubters. I’ll never forget the person that I overheard coming from behind me… a very concerned voice. “It hurts her to go downhill… That’s not good.” That was in week three.

 

Nor will I forget the person in Week 14 who said my running was purely a selfish venture and was ruining my home life. I’ll remember that every time I cross a finish line, because every finish line means I’m that much happier than they are.

 

I spent hours beyond hours not documented anywhere rehabbing my wounded leg, with the one little light at the end of the tunnel being that if it healed up okay, I could keep going. I could prove to everyone, and myself, that I could overcome death, scheduling, injury, all of it…

 

I’ll never forget the cloud of doubt over my head on the first “long” run – a 17-miler run on September 4, just hours before the Mr’s dad passed away. It was the calm before the storm.

 

Nor will I forget the Yasso 800′s I ran with my team on September 7th, trying to escape the mental anguish I was in. I was on fire that day. I wanted to run in many, many ways… not just physically.

 

I’ll never forget being questioned whether I could run a marathon. Especially four weeks out from one I’d essentially been training for all year.

 

I’ll never forget listening to the national anthem at the marathon, tearing up and feeling two things at once. I’m here. I made it… Now it’s time to run like hell.

 

 

It was more than just making 26 miles in a given time. BQ was out the window; PR was an ideal goal. I had an expectation, but no idea what to expect. And I didn’t care. You know why? Because I considered just being able to toe the start line, as an accomplishment.

 

In the 16 weeks prior to December 4th, I was tested in ways that no words or blog can adequately express. It may all seem melodramatic; I reassure you, as the first person who will dress up in a rainbow tutu and run a half-marathon in an attempt to stay lighthearted outside while grieving inside, it isn’t. I was in a very dark place mentally. I doubted myself when I shouldn’t have. But I never once let others’ doubt cloud my judgment. I never once let others’ standards define me. I never succumbed to the pressure. There were many times in those weeks where it really felt like my whole world was crashing around me.

 

That’s why the highlight of CIM wasn’t the numbers, wasn’t the medal… it was just so far beyond that. The numbers, the time, the medal, was all icing on the cake. I made it.

 

All I can do now in hindsight is be so, so grateful for how it turned out. It was an excellent race on paper. It was an experience I can’t really describe. I felt like so much more of a person running that course than I did in 2010, as a newbie runner deciding just eight weeks out, “hey, a marathon sounds fun…”

 

 

At this point, I owe a big, big thank you to the Mister. He has been there every “step” of the way. He’s supported, listened, and believed in me when I felt like others had lost faith. There is no thank you big enough to express my gratuity for being the one person that believed in me when others were doubting me, even myself. There was a reason I ran that race; it was for his dad. He raised one hell of a great man. I’m so lucky to be his special someone. If you read this babe, thank you.

 

My (sort of) CA Int’l Marathon Race Recap

So… CIM. Geez, where to begin. 3:44:05, 43-minute PR. (Closer to 44 minutes.)

 

Following the race, I had to immediately swap hats and take off my runner hat (literally) and put on my family/school/work hat. It’s finals week, I’m going back to fulltime hours at work, and family is pretty self-explanatory. So it’s been bonkers since Sunday, but I’m glad the race is behind me, I’m proud of how I ran, and I am VERY excited about the future.

 

Rather than itemize and go all long-winded, I’ll ESPN highlight it.

• It could have been faster had I not been injured. My 2011 goal time was 3:50… I did obliterate that. My actual CIM goal was much faster, pre-injury. Back to work now; I’m already registered for the next one…
• Almost a negative split…. 1:52:00/1:52:05. It would have been sub-3:40 and a big negative split had I not tanked at mile 21. I know what I did wrong and how to not do that in the future.
• The 3:45 pace guy that I passed at mile 25… I owe him the biggest thank you ever. He high-fived me and gave me the last nudge needed to break 3:45. I’d been chasing him down for several miles, too, and wasn’t sure I’d pass him.
• The race was a total blur. It felt SO much faster than last year.
• The jedi mind tricks I’d adopted the last couple weeks before, worked brilliant. Now to implement for future races, especially at the end…
• I came away from it with ZERO injury pain. No achilles issue, no ITB issue, no hip/glute pain, nothing. Sore, yes, but no injuries. This is HUGE. Basically my “off” time, I’m cutting a third of it off and will use it to train very, very lightly to get back into running even faster.
• I love CIM and plan on running it whenever possible. The organization is top-notch, the supporters are awesome, the medals this year did not disappoint, everything just ran so smoothly. Helps that 95% of the course is all super-familiar turf; I drive Fair Oaks frequently, and it’s still littered with throwaway gloves even now. I know where the hills are, the landmarks, mile markers, timing mats, everything. That level of familiarity is SO helpful.
• I’ve laid out a map of what and where I want to be for 2012. I’ll post more once it’s actually done and committed, but CIM was kind of a pivotal race, and helped to decide what would be done with my sports habits for the near future.

That’s all for now, time to go turn in a final and grab a bite. May post my “long” recap, but not sure – still deciding.

songs, songs, songs!! – a sample of my playlist

With CIM just over a week away, it’s that time again where I need to sit down and sift through my iTunes, and compose a playlist that will work for both a 3:40 marathon and a 6-hour adventure. (Prepare for the worst, and hope for the best.)

It seems like each time, the same 20-30 songs get cycled through. These are my diehard go-to favorites; their opening notes get me juiced no matter how dead-legged I’m feeling.

Behold, my Top Twenty Race Playlist Songs:

Rihanna, “Umbrella”

This is the most appropriate song for this year. Hopefully it rains.

Deadmau5, “Sofi Needs a Ladder”

Just try to not listen to the line “There is no way you’re gonna win this race,” because SOFI isn’t talking about you, don’t worry.

Evanescence, “Going Under”

A fighter song. Evanescence is a bit overrated, IMO (plus I swore off the other 99% of this album for personal reasons), but the song is a good motivating song.

Muse, “Uprising”

This was actually the last song that played when I finished CIM last  year, and was an add by my friend Katie. (She actually gave a LOT of good songs, of which will also be on this year’s playlist.) This is a good “rally up the troops and bring it home” song, when your legs feel like hell but the end is in sight. — Note, this is not the official video. Up yours, Youtube, for not allowing embedding on such a good song.

Rihanna, “Only Girl (In The World)”

(Have I sold myself out completely liking Rihanna’s songs so much?)

Rihanna runs through a field. Little House on the Prairie comes to mind. My road isn’t filled with dry grass or flowers, or a hot girl in a dress frolicking and singing, but we can all wish. Good beat.

Sia, “Clap Your Hands”

This one takes the crown as the Most Played song on my iTunes, with 138 plays. No idea how that is even remotely possible, but it is and I made it happen somehow. Listen and enjoy. How can you NOT like this song? It’s upbeat, it’s catchy, and the hook stays in your head for hours.

Deadmau5, “One Trick Pony”

She is PISSED. That’s all that needs to be said.

Lady Gaga, “Scheibe”

“When I’m on a mission, I rebuke my condition, if you’re a strong female, you don’t need permission… I wish I could dance on a single prayer, I wish I could be strong without somebody there.”

“Scheibe” (minus the fancy “B” my keyboard can’t do) is rough German translation for “shit.” Only Lady Gaga can name a song “shit” and have it be awesome.

Speaking of…

Lady Gaga, “The Edge of Glory”

This song became a favorite about halfway through summer. It’s … just… good. I can’t explain it. If you’re not a Mother Monster fan, keep reading.

Ellie Goulding, “Under the Sheets (Jakwob Remix)”

This is a good warmup song more than it is a racing song, but since the dubstep genre and I are having a pretty open and torrid love affair, it’s on the list. Speaking of dubstep…

Flux Pavilion, “Bass Cannon”

Wanna get pumped pre-race, or need to wake up in the morning? Here you go. Combine with one part race jitters, and one cup of coffee. You’re welcome. This is actually a new one to my repertoire, but it will be a permanent fixture for sure.

Skrillex, “Kill Everybody”

No more dubstep after this (and in my defense, this isn’t even the “wubwub” dub that’s becoming so rampant)… It’s a good “push push push” song, more like.

Katy Perry, “E.T.”

146 million views can’t be wrong. I may be responsible for 20 or so of them.

Queen, “I Want It All/We Will Rock You” Mashup

Puts two equally awesome songs together, with a ribbon of hip-hop. If you can overlook the cheesy rap, it’s a good song.

Led Zeppelin, “Kashmir” – as done by eScala.

Must. Fight. Urge… (I’ve sworn off use of the word “epic” for a while, due to its rampant misuse in mainstream.)

Wolfgang Gartner, “Illmerica”

A recent add (I’ve only had this one on the last two half marathons I’ve run in), but it’s just got that progressive house beat to it that gets your legs moving.

Justice, “Waters of Nazareth”

An unlikely song, but it’s got a gritty feel that helps around halfway through hard runs. The BPM is a tad slow for my taste, but it’s the vibe that makes it onto the list.

Way Out West, “Apollo (General Midi Mix)”

(Bonus points if you want the video after a few glasses of your poison of choice.)

Unless you own the album this was on, you probably haven’t heard it. This has made all but one race playlist, the one it wasn’t on being my second-slowest half marathon to date. I blame that time squarely on my 800lb costume and this song being missing.

AC/DC, “Back in Black”

No explanation necessary.

Bon Jovi, “Livin’ on a Prayer”

Again, no explanation necessary. You can’t knock classics, and half the time in a marathon, you’re pretty much living on a prayer for real, aren’t you?

race recap: davis turkey trot

Yeah, it’s …. um, 2 days late. Who’s looking?

I went into Saturday with a few things in mind:
-this would most likely be a PR run.
-this was NOT a ‘race’.
-I needed to run fast and have fun.

A few of those things happened. I’ve been a complete turd and haven’t synced my Garmin to get the details, but I do know the race began VERY quickly (as in, sub-7 minute pace the majority of the first 1.5-2 miles), and tanked just as quickly (8-minute miles were a fight from miles 3-6). I looked down at 5K and saw I was only about 15 seconds off from my 5K PR. Whuh?

There were nothing but good points, though. I bumped into a teammate (we were both running the race on the down low), and she ran a GREAT race. The weather was absolutely perfect for running – cool, crisp, slight breeze. The crowds were good, the race was as long as advertised and the leg didn’t hurt!! 48:49, 11th AG, included a good solid 90 seconds of “mental exercise” (aka me thinking to self, “push, push, push, push, push” through the last 1/3 of a mile – right when legs felt like hell).

***
I’ve found my sole mate. That is a post that is in the works for another day.