FOREWORD: About a week ago I decided I would write about what I am THANKFUL for - I have a lot... It will be a belated post, but it's ok to be thankful year-round. This post will have some THANKS built-in :) as I report on a few recent road races I completed to increase my long sleeve t-shirt collection.
When I first thought about the THANKFUL post I was up earlier than necessary getting ready to run in the Jingle Bell 5K sponsored by my former full-time employer, St. Cloud Orthopedics. The morning was A LOT chillier than I had anticipated. As I stepped outside my building I realized that my capri length tights were probably not a great choice. My capri tights end just below my knees...my lower legs were unhappy with my clothing choice, but they chose to cooperate thank goodness. I am SO THANKFUL FOR SPANDEX - more specifically, RUNNING TIGHTS. I made it through the race and finished In 25:08 and 31/268 in the female group - I was fairly pleased with this given my desire to NEVER taper for any race that is a 5K or shorter and "racing" just is not in my blood. (I'll save a lecture on fast twitch muscles vs slow twitch muscles for another day.) I did "make it hurt just a little" at the request of one of my besties, Sheena, who would not be able to join me for this year's Jingle Bell. She is the reigning women's champ - missing her lots this time of year. Anyway, I got to see several of my favorite former co-workers after the race and had a GREAT time chatting with 3 of them specifically. Mel, Amy and Lib...fantastic race this year Lib. I am always happy to be a part of it! I am THANKFUL for having the entire SCOA/OSC organization in my life.
Fast forward to Turkey Day, just 5 days later, in MUCH chillier weather and two races on my morning schedule. I am in Duluth, staying at my parents. I signed up for the Tough Turkey 1 mile race followed by the Gobble Gait 2 mile walk. I am walking with my sister and she is acting as my sherpa for the 1 mile.
Let me say a few things first, that 1-Duluth received 3-4 inches of snow the night before so my first warm-up for the race was shoveling the driveway so we could get the car out. 2-This is my 2nd 1 mile road race EVER. The first was the Proctor 1 mile in like 1995 or somewhere in the middle of that decade. I ran it in boxer shorts; that much I remember. 3-Temperature in the single digits, windchill near -3 degrees. 4-What was I thinking? The range of ages in the 1 mile race was 7-40 years.
I think about 25 of us competed in this race. My plan was to make it hurt the whole time. (If you've been following me lately, you know that "make it hurt" has been a theme over the past several weeks.) Like my friend, Kari, said to me via BBM a few days ago, 1 mile will go by so quick!
I warmed up -a much shorter warm up than originally planned and wore my Garmin so I could have record of this monumental event. I started out slower than planned, it was so damn cold. My fingers hurt SO BAD. The course was a modified out and back - with the "and back" going with the wind and slightly downhill! Whoo hoo! Most everyone started out at light-speed, including a guy that was probably twice my size (and the same height as me). As I suspected, he was walking a few minutes later. Which more importantly means, I passed him. It's all about passing people as I speed up. After I made the turn at the cone (and the race organizer dressed as a turkey) I was going with the wind and passing kids, including knocking one down. Oops, but that's what happens when 10 year olds can't run in a straight line as their pace slows. Sorry, bud. At least your dad was there to pick you up. There was one other female ahead of me (about 8 years old), but I never did catch her. A quick glance down at Garmin (my sister caught this with my camera phone) showed I could actually finish sub-8 which was my dream goal! Especially on a damn cold morning like this! Crossed the line in 7:47! Wahoo! Second female to cross the line and first in my AG. Time to jog it out and get ready (i.e. DRESSED....THANKFUL for full-length tights and fleece layers this morning) to walk the 2 mile with my sister.
The two mile walk (which I slowwww-jogged at random times) was a lot of fun for us. This race also goes through downtown Duluth (and by this time it was sunny out and perhaps raised the temp to HIGH SINGLE DIGITS!) She overheated, which is funny given the temperature and my choice of apparel over my sweaty race clothing was suiting me just fine. This race wasn't chip-timed, but Garmin told me we finished (she ran to the end - yay Christal!) in about 27 minutes or so. We stayed for the awards (PIE) and got some bagel bites (which are alone a great reason to race in Duluth) and coffee from Great Harvest/Peet's Place - major yum - and then headed home to shower and get ready for gobble gobble. This morning I was THANKFUL - as I am daily - that I have a strong set of legs and lungs that help power me to complete races like this. Christal said two or three times that morning, "this will be our new tradition!" I couldn't agree more :)
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