2011 Races

**Originally started writing this post in Aug 2011**

Hi.

Have I mentioned that I hate running?  Well, I do.  I hate it.  The only thing that makes me actually do it is when I have to train for a race.  I hate the training.  I dread the training.  But come race day, I am all excitement.  And once I cross that finish line?  ELATION.  I feel so awesome!  And I immediately think, "I bet if I trained harder, I would have done better."  And then that leads to me thinking of what my next race should be.

I've had some pretty annoying set-backs this year in training, working out, and completing my races.  Here's a quick recap of all of my 2011 races:


Crystal City 5k Fridays


This is the picture of me struggling to get through the first 5k in April (I signed up for 5; each Friday in April).  This was also my first official race of 2011.  I REALLY hurt my knee during this race, which I blame on my having to run for my life from crazy trail lady a few weeks before.  I think that must have been where I tweaked it.  As I was running this first 5k, my knee was extremely painful and I couldn't walk after I crossed the finish line.  It was also SUPER cold!  Not the most flattering of photos, but it documents that I actually did it:

I had never had knee pain before, so I was pretty annoyed.  I iced it.  I applied Epsom salt compresses.  I drugged myself.  I bought a knee brace.  2 days later, I participated in the..

Cherry Blossom 10 Miler

Despite my injury, this race was AWESOME!!  This is my 2nd favorite road race (after my half marathon) that I've participated in.  The cherry blossoms were just absolutely gorgeous, and the weather was perfect (a bit on the too cold side, but at least VERY sunny!).  I have lots of pictures to share with this one.  Even though I was in pain the entire time and had to stop and walk pretty often after reaching the 5 mile mark, I was all smiles as I took in the beauty of the cherry blossoms.  I can't even describe in words the happy feeling I had running along Hains Point in a canopy of puffy white & pink flowers.  I would LOVE to run this race again!

In the wee hours of the morning, before the sun was fully up, my friend Michelle (she flew out for her spring break!) and I made our way to the starting line:

Not sure why I stood so crooked

Yeah, it was cold

Getting ready to start

Coming back across the memorial bridge toward Lincoln  

About half-way through

Scenic pictures that Michelle took while she waited for me to finish:

Random runners on the final hill before the finish line

Nearing the finish!

FINISH!

Me & Michelle enjoying the after-race high

**Continuing with the writing of this post March 2012**

Crystal City 5k Fridays 

I had to take a few weeks off after the Cherry Blossom race to let my knee heal up before I could attempt another race.  So I missed the 2nd & 3rd 5k Fridays and jumped back in on the 4th 5k with my sisters, Julie & Tami!  This was their VERY FIRST RACE!  I was so super excited for them both.  It was less than ideal race conditions as it was really cold and rainy.  Tami had flown in from Germany for sisters' weekend and Julie drove down from WV to join in on the race.  My knee was acting up, Tami's knee was acting up, and Julie was sick with what she found out later was strep throat.  None of us were at the top of our game, but we did our best and had a lot of fun, which was the most important part!  Tami got us matching purple sweatbands and we sported some purple clothing of our own just for kicks.

Some pics pre-race:

At my house

Game Face

We took shelter inside the bldg across the street from start line

The only decent official race-day photo:

Tami crosses the finish line

The three of us post-race:

And the final 5k Friday:

Next up in June...

Run Amuck 5k 

This was a fun I-don't-care-what-my-time-is race for me, as I'd never done an obstacle course race before. It was a mud run that took place on the Marine Base down in Quantico.  You run through the course and complete certain tasks before you can continue on.  It was a lot of fun and challenging at times.  I even lost my shoe in the mud at one point!

Tulip & Me making our way to the start

Me & Stacy

Stacy, Tulip & Me waiting for our wave to start

Got the hang of it by stretching my
short legs to reach the next tire

Awkwardly making my way
through the tires

Flailing my arms like a girl

Found my lost shoe!

Triumphant with my shoe in hand

The result after cleaning off in the forceful water from the firetruck

A week later, I competed in the 

Washington DC Triathlon Sprint

I wasn't really happy with my performance in this race, as I was stuck in the mode of comparing myself to others, which is never a great thing to do.  Overall, I averaged a better swim, bike, run, AND transition time than my first triathlon, and the distances were slightly longer.  So I really had no reason to be so hard on myself.  The run was REALLY tough for me, though.  It was mentally draining, as we passed the finish line 4-5 times before we could actually cross it.  That definitely wore me down.  But, in the end, I DID finish, and I got a medal.  Awesome.

My official race profile picture; taken at the expo 2 days before the race

All my gear

Mandatory bike racking & body marking; day before race

Tip: don't sleep on white sheets when you have
permanent marker all over your body 

Woke up to my race numbers
stamped in to my sheets

Taken on my cell phone as I made my way to transition area about 3:30AM

Transition area opened at 4AM

*****SWIM*****

View of swim start from afar

Swim done.  Coming up the ramp in the back

Happy to be done with the swim

Getting myself to transition

*****BIKE*****

No actual pictures of me on my bike, so I paused the video and got some still shots

Rounding the corner

About to cross Memorial Bridge toward Arlington Cemetery 

We would then turn around and head back toward Lincoln

*****RUN*****

Girl in front is much happier than I

Struggling to even pull a smile for the camera

Finally able to turn the corner and cross the finish after passing it tons of times!

YES!

*****FINISH*****

Me & my boss, Ted at the finish

Cindy (Ted's wife), Ted, Juan (their neighbor) & Me proudly wearing our medals

Obvious champions

Being tough

Last finisher's pose

Took a break from racing for a few months until November, as I tweaked my Achilles in August to the point of not being able to walk.  Stupid injuries.

Veteran's Day 10K

I almost didn't run this one because I had slacked off on my training, spent all of the day before playing tourist around DC and then attending a hockey game; didn't get home until late that night, etc.  But I forced myself out of bed that morning and did it.  Not my best race by far, but at least a beautiful day!

Coming around the last turn

Sprinting to the finish

Ta-Da! DONE!

Turkey Trot 5k

This was a really fun race!  I seemed to find my zone and ended up getting one of my best 5k race times!  Plus, I got to race it with my sister Julie and my brother Todd!  Todd's family came in to town from St. Louis for Thanksgiving.  This was Todd's first race ever.  He pretty much hated it, but I think if he got the gumption to try another race with a working iPod, he would have a better experience.  No official race day photos, but some cell pics before and after.

Before the race.  Me, Julie, Todd

Me prancing to the finish line!

Post race we are all smiles!

That is the end of my 2011 race season.  While there WOULD have been one more race in December with Julie to round out the year - a 15k for me, 5k for her - it was a complete and utter disaster:

 Hot Chocolate 15k & 5k 

I don't feel like going in to all the details of why this race totally bit the big one and was a MAJOR disappointment.  But you can click HERE to read an article in the DCist, or HERE to read an article in the Washingtonian, or HERE to read an article in the Washington Post.  Needless to say, I was furious and fuming for days afterward.  

Julie and I still got our chocolate, and actually got a cute official race photo as well, even though neither of us were able to run our race.

We're good fakers.  ;)

 My 2012 race season starts in 3 days!  For the next 8 weekends in a row I have a race scheduled.  First a 4-Miler, then an 8k, a 5k, the Cherry Blossom 10-Miler (Yes! I made the lottery again to run it!!), then the 5k Fridays in April.  Crossing my fingers for no injuries!  I will try to update my blog more regularly with news of my new life with Team Z - the triathlon club I joined mid-December.  First Triathlon of the season is in mid-May!  Yay!