Sunday, December 26, 2010

2010: 12 Months and 11 Races

I suppose I could have it as 12 months and 12 races, but if my next starts at 11:59, wouldn't it be more of a 2011 race? With 2010 coming to a close I thought I'd take a look back at the races I ran in 2010. There have been awesome moments and a few bad moments ... but overall it was a really great year! So come along with me, if you will, and let's travel around together in a running skirt and Nike's. Don't forget to grab your Garmin - and your iPod (unless you are Lesley and you never run with music!). Now let's hit the road!

First up in 2010 was the ultimate goal I had originally set for myself. It was my 2nd race ever, and set in sunny (yet chilly!) Walt Disney World. I signed up for the Royal Family 5K and took my mom along for the ride, as my cheerleader and moral support team. I set a goal of running the entire thing without stopping. I had never done it before even in training. I wanted it more than anything! To reward myself, ONLY if I succeeded, I would gift myself some delicious perfume from the Norway pavilion. Guess what - I earned that perfume!

I met up with old friends at this race, as well as met a new one. The whole atmosphere was so much fun. A great vibe and energy filled the entire weekend. I met and talked to so many fellow runners when I was in the parks. They were all so nice and positive - it really helped get me hooked.  I felt like even though I couldn't do the half marathon, they still treated me as one of the group. It was that weekend that I knew I would be running in the half marathon in 2011!



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Coming off the high of the Royal Family 5K, I was anxious to sign up for another 5K right away. I had my eyes on some bigger runs later in the year, but I had to get out there and do another race. The next on the list would take me north to Springfield, Oregon for my first trail race. I didn't know what to expect at all. I was being chip timed for the first time (which now I try to ONLY do chip timed races). My mom was again my cheerleader, and even brought along her Mickey clappers from Florida! This was the Lucky Clover 5K. It was great! There were bagpipes on the course, dogs, the river, filbert orchards, people in green body paint. I had such a wonderful time and was already looking forward to my future as a frequent racer! Also, I completed this without ever walking even once, which really helped to boost my confidence!

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May 2nd brought me to Eugene, Oregon (this time all alone) for the 5K race of the Eugene Marathon weekend. I was really excited, yet nervous. This was my first race without my mom and I wasn't sure where to go. Construction on the road affected my driving plans, which only led to stress. To make sure I was in the right place when I parked, I turned to ask the first person I could see.... And that is how I met Sushi Guy! The race was pretty large with around 700 people, but I wasn't worried about it. They said the course was as flat as a pancake. Oh really? Well then how do they explain that huge hill at the 1K mark? I impressed myself by running non-stop up that hill, passing many people on my way to get the PR that would stay in place for the majority of the year!

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My "I want my mommy!" moment.
Feeling amazing, and looking forward to my next race in May, I went out for a longish run after that 5K. Big mistake. Welcome, Hip Bursitis! I spent most of May barely able to walk, but I was not going to let that hinder me from my first 10K, the Ridgeline Ramble 10K - another trail race.  I knew it would be challenging with the distance, but overall it was downhill.  Apparently I read wrong. I am pretty sure we went up and down two mountains. There was mud, beautiful pine trees, fields, wet and jagged rocks, narrow and steep parts, huge holes in the earth, no on course spectators cheering us on. It was 6.2 miles of total Hell!! I think I did pretty good. I had to walk up some of the steep parts, and I didn't let it bother me that I was 3rd from last through the entire thing. The 20K racers would blow by me, but still cheer me on when they saw me struggling. At one point I said, "I want my mommy!" -however she was home enjoying the summer day by the river. But I did it. I completed the hardest race I have ever done in my life. Will I do it in 2011? Absolutely not! I was very under-prepared, but it was a great learning experience. People came through the finish line covered in blood and mud - it was awesome!

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After that difficult race it was time for something fun, silly, sweaty and at moments ridiculous! In June my friend and I covered nearly 7 miles while competing in the Great Urban Race in Portland, Oregon. If you have a chance to do this, DO IT!! Basically we were on a timed scavenger hunt that would have us sample pizza, pick up craw fish, count bottles of liquor, jump rope, find street performers and tons more. It was a total blast! I saw parts of Portland I had never been to and I got to do it all with one of my best friends. Our team name was Leave it to the Beavers - although we were in the jerseys of two former Beavers, but whatever. So. Much. Fun.!! We didn't win anything. We didn't place anywhere near the top. But we had a fabulous time and are already working on our strategy, costumes and name for 2011!

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The Fourth of July found me in my second 10K race, the Butte to Butte in Eugene. Everything went wrong leading up to the race, but once I was in the starting area I think I calmed down a bit.  The first mile is all uphill. And not any puny hill at that. Mile two was all downhill, and my favorite part of the race. The last 4 miles were flat, yet hot. I did okay but struggled at times. Mostly that would probably be due to my terrible habit of fueling before a race, or lack thereof. Shade was not to be found anywhere on the course so I was experiencing non-stop heat which I had been avoiding as much as possible up until then. The crowd support was amazing! And coming in to that finish I saw myself cross about 3 minutes faster than my prior 10K! This is still the race that holds my PR for that distance! (About 1 hour and 12 minutes) I know that next year my times are going to greatly improve and I can't wait!


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The Skirt Chaser 5K was a race I looked forward to most, but gave my absolute worst performance! It was in the 80s with a 5pm start time. I was mentally ready, but my body was NOT wanting to adapt to the heat, late time and lack of hydration I had given it. The course was cool. We ran along the Columbia River (I was in Vancouver, Washington looking across the water to Portland). Jessica came to cheer me on so I was really looking forward to the friendly face waiting for me at the finish line. Finishing with my slowest chip timed race to date, I barely had the chip removed before I was dry heaving. The after party was so much fun. There was a band, fashion show, giveaways, shopping, free beer, food .... it was a blast! And I caught some socks that were tossed to the crowd and won a gift certificate all for being number 1069! Woohoo!  The swag was A-freaking-MAZING!! Seriously I loaded up at the race. I can't wait for 2011 so I can do it again and redeem myself race-wise!

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I'm going long - I'll try to speed things up. This next race, in September, will not shock you when I tell you in its own way it was my favorite and  meant the most. This was the Prefontaine Memorial 10K. Right in Pre's home town of Coos Bay, Oregon, we ran one of his old training routes and by his childhood home. This race was no joke! The hills were crazy! The rain was crazy! I was soaked before even getting to the start line. But I didn't care. It was all in memory of my #1 running inspiration, Steve Prefontaine. I crossed the finish line on the track of his old high school in about an hour and 13 minutes. Sadly this wasn't chip timed, but I will still do it again. My time wasn't fast, but I felt like given the insane difficulty of the course, I really did a great job! I pushed myself until the very end and will certainly make this an annual race for myself!

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The fall came and it was time to round out the year with some fun 5K races. Up first, the Monster Mash 5K. They encouraged costumes, so naturally I pulled out one of my favorites ... Malice in Horrorland. I opted to skip the bloody arms and morbid face, however. My mom was once again my cheerleader for this one and we had a great time looking at the costumes on the people AND dogs! The start line was chaos. Absolute chaos. I couldn't hear the directions, I was being rolled over by strollers, dogs were trying to walk through with their parents. Once the gun went off I went for it! I was neck and neck with a woman the entire way until I ditched her and went flying to the end to get what was then a new PR! I was so excited, I squealed and soared into the air at the finish line!

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And then there was the spontaneous run that I was bullied persuaded into running. The Run to Stay Warm 5K. This is the race where I got to meet some fellow bloggers and see old friends. I was getting over a cold and not expecting much of anything. At most I thought it would just be fun to meet people and have a November race, again in Eugene.  The people I was around were fast! Really fast, and I tried to keep up - not on purpose, but my ego didn't want to be passed by everyone.  Nearing mile 3 I had to walk a few paces twice. Oh what if?? What if I didn't??  I looked down and saw I was at 29:56 as I came close to the 3 mile mark. Dammit! My sub 30 race was so close!  But I pushed it as hard as I could and got my current PR of 30:35!! Sub 10 minute miles, FINALLY!

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And last, but not least, the Jingle Bells Run 5K! 3.1 miles of wet, cold, silly Christmas costumes, racing against myself, the clock and a 24 year old girl. I wanted an age group award, and I wanted it BAD! I eye balled the competition and thought at best I could be in the top 3 of my age group. I wasn't going for a PR. I went to this race just intending for it to be a regular run as part of the half marathon training I had just started. But competition took over. I wanted that award and I was going to be certain to get it. Crossing at 31:11, I knew I didn't PR and I didn't care. All I wanted to see was if anyone my age finished before me. I thought there was one (who turned out to be 24), but wasn't positive. At the awards ceremony I literally jumped for joy when I went up to have Santa Claus put my FIRST PLACE age award medal around my neck!





So that's it for 2010! I will be back with a new, fresh race report on January 1, 2011!
And since we saw a snippet from each 2010 race, let's look back at my first, in December 2009!  The Beaver 5K Fun Run!

Remember that crazy Prefontaine course I told you about? Here are my Garmin results of the elevation!


15 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness, I love recap blogs. What a great review of your year! You've come a long way, baby. And, I'll try not to bully you too much in Twenty11, unless you need a friendly push here and there. Sooooo looking forward to running the Eugene Half "with" you in May.

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  2. Love the recap!! :) You had a great year of running!

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  3. I hadn't heard about a lot of those. Love the recaps!!

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  4. AWESOME recap! Great year of running!

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  5. I like the summary!! Posts with lots of pics make me happy!

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  6. What a great running year! Thanks for sharing!

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  7. I did Butte to Butte too! It was my 10K PR. I did it in 1:11:14

    We were probably right around each other the whole time!! :)

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  8. Nice! Oregon has got to be racing paradise, eh? And yes, I took all those snow pictures in Crested Butte, Colorado..beauty, eh? Although, I went Sunset High in Portland for my Junior and Senior years..

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  9. Wow - lots of great races! Congrats and may 2011 be even more fruitful!

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  10. What a great "run" through the year. It should be very motivating to see all that you have accomplished :)

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  11. That was fun to read! Next year you will to recap all those 1/2's you have planned!! I think the best part of racing is creating all the memories. It's so fun to look back and see what crazy things happen at each race.

    It sounds like you have some awesome runs around you. The runs around here seem to be boring. That's why I'm so excited for Disney, something different!!!

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  12. What a recap!! A very raceful 2010! :) Looking forward to lots of race recaps in 2011!

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  13. Wow! You rock! What do you mean you don't feel legit enough for Hood To Coast?! This is so fun!

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  14. Nice recap! I love that you have so many great race pics.

    Happy new year!

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  15. Looks like you had an awesome year. I can't wait to read aabout what you accomplish in 2011.

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Thanks for reading my little blog, your comments rock my compression socks!! ºoº