My 7th and last 5k for this Year

Yes, you read it right. Yesterday was my 7th race for 2011 and it's the last one for this year too.

 

This is one of the most memorable races I had so far for 3 reasons.

1. This is also my second race with Heather. And yes, we were late again. hahaha. Well, if the race was held on Thanksgiving Day, we would have been early. You see, I messed up with my calendar date and thought that the race was scheduled on the morning of Thanksgiving Day. I was so ready and called up Heather early so we won't be late. But guess what? Wrong date. Instead of the 24th, it was scheduled on the 26th. hahaha And yes, on the exact date, I called her late so we arrived 10 minutes late at the venue. Runners were about a mile away already when we got there so we thought of just getting our number and freebies. And yes, the free tee was way to big for our size. That's what you get for being late, you are given with left-overs.

2. The weather is awesome. For some reason, we were happy that it felt like springtime again. It snowed the day before and we gathered around 2 inches in our town. But at Kennebunkport, it didn't snow. The place was devoid of the powdery blanket and the wind felt like spingtime. So we decided to just go for a run anyway, just to see the area and do some workout. But lo and behold, we caught up with the runners - dog runners and the walkers... that is. hahaha

3. I wasn't even the last in the list. I was 8th to the last and so proud of it! Why not? We came in 10 minutes late... caught up with the runners, well mostly walkers - dog walkers... and clocked in 47:53. It's 10 minutes over my PR. So do the math.

Well, the 20th Annual Presidential 5k is my last race for this year. I tried to find another race in December but no luck. But guess what... I already signed up for my first race in 2012. Isn't it awesome?

My 6th 5K

The dogs beat me to the finish line. Yes, you read it right.

 The Bayside Trail 5K Run is actually a dog race. Well, sort of. The 2nd Annual Bayside Trail 5K race is an event that will benefit the Bayside Trail in Portland. It was open to everyone who loves to run and their dogs [on leash]. In my case, I run alone since I don't have a dog and don't have any intention of borrowing or buying one just for the event. But on hindsight, I should have done one or the other because I would have ran faster with a dog or rather... my PR would be better if I was dragged by a dog to the finish line. LOL

Well, I clocked in 39 minutes and 54 seconds. I blamed that for my lack of preparation. First, I didn't know where to go. I am not familiar to the place and my GPS can't find the location. How, stu*id it was huh? The only good thing is that it's a Sunday. Portland is not crowded on Sundays and parking is free.

Second, I bought a new pair of running shoes for the event. I got it from Maine Running Company where my feet were assessed and evaluated for pronation [whatever that means] and got fitted for the right kind of shoes to address my needs. I forgot to wear them when I ran. How silly was that?

Third, I didn't have breakfast. I would normal have cereals and bananas before the race and since I was in a hurry to get there, I just grabbed a fruit cup that I planned to eat in the car. That didn't happen. To think that I had it next to the new pair of shoes on the passenger seat. That really is stu*id!

But then, it was indeed a fun run. I had fun even without a dog. I was able to hold myself together to the finish line even without a new pair of runners. And I was able to enjoy a lot of food samplers at the Craft Fair where I went to after the run.

Training Dilemma

I'm back in the gym. I have no choice. The weather is unfriendly and it's getting dark early now. DST is getting in my nerve so I decided to renew my gym membership so I can train and continue working-out after work. And speaking of work... I work 12 hours now. So gone are the days when I can take my sweet time in the gym and spending more time chatting with the members than working-out.

Yes, my schedule is from 6am to 6pm everyday. Then I go straight to the gym and work-out for an hour then, go home. I can only hit the road on weekends and when the weather is mild and sunny. Otherwise, I will just be spending time in front of the DVD player doing Belly Dancing Exercises and/or lifting weights. Hayyy.

But then, I also get the chance to take a walk around the school grounds with some of my kids at work. And yes, last at the trail at the Y.

My 5th 5K

A week passed and still I didn't get the chance to get back on the road to run. With my crazy schedule there is no way I can train again. I now work 12 hours and it's almost dark when I get out of work so my only option is to re-enroll in the gym. I did. But I only got the chance to work-out once and it's race time again.

We were early this time. I called Heather ahead of time so that we will not be late. And yes, I drove this time too. The McDougal Apple Orchards was the venue for my very first 5k Trail Run sponsored by Sanford Springvale YMCA, the company where I work. There were not a lot of people when we got there compared to what I used to when I get of the venue of the race. The ambiance was just like a typical apple picking weekend. We picked up our race number and shirt at the barn. I saw some familiar faces and said "hello". I even saw my boss Matt who just came running and soaked in sweet from his 3 miles warm-up run. Whew! He did join the race and was one of the top ten. At the later part of the race he cheered me on at the finished line.

The trail was gorgeous despite some unfriendly terrain. It rained the day before so it was kinda slippery because the fallen leaves on the ground were soaked in rain water and mud. The scenery was awesome and the foliage was breathtaking. The air filled my lungs with the sweet smell of the ripen apples on the trees. If I didn't twist my ankle, it was a perfect run despite with my 43minutes and 22 seconds PR. Yes, it was slow. In fact it is the lowest PR I got so far since I started running but I have an alibi.

First of all, it was my very first "trail" race. Trail running is very different from road running. It's harder, in my honest opinion. Second of all, it was slippery and I twisted my ankle. And third of all, I didn't get the chance to train again. Oh well, I was just whining as usual. But over-all experience - it was an awesome run.

My [official] 4th 5K

Okay, so my supposedly 4th 5K didn't happen and I didn't get the chance to sign up for another race for August and September. But I was able to sign up for another race this October. The only problem is... I didn't realized that I signed up for 2 races this month. Urgggg!

Here's the thing. About 3 months ago I signed up for the very First Fit at 5K sponsored by WCSH6. It's scheduled today, 8th of October, 2011. Last month out of desperation to join another race, I signed up for the YMCA 2011 5K Trail Run. So the bottom line is... I will run 2 races two Saturdays in a row. Worse thing is I didn't have the time to train. Oh well, I decided to train on the race day itself. hahaha

The Fit at 5K was awesome. I clocked in 37 minutes and 47 seconds. Very impressive compared to my previous race and definitely something to brag about considering that I have not ran for 3 weeks. But more than that, this particular race is special because this is the very first race launched by WCSH Channel 6 spearheaded by no other than Kelly LaBrecque. I got the change to see her in person because she was there the whole time. It would have been awesome if she joined up. But then, the race is not about her. It is about those people who made a crucial decision to take charge of their lives and chose to be fit and health. Majority of the runners are first-timers and it felt so good because it gave me a little confidence and edge. wink**** Kidding aside.

It really felt good when I crossed the finish line with Kelly handing me my medal.It was such a fun race. It was such a memorable run. It was such a successful event. And I got my very first race medal. Yay!

My [aborted] 4th 5k

We were scheduled to run another 5K today. Heather and I signed up for the 16th Annual Breakaway 5K in Old Orchard Beach, Maine... but we came about 2 minutes late. Urgggg.

I was kinda sad because I really want to run again. So we just decided to watch the runners and cheer them on at the finish line.

Then, we made the best out of it by running our own two-person race on the same route that the runners went.

And the best part... we spent the rest of the day lying on the beach and enjoying the sun.

Pre-5K Blues

It's 3 days to my next 5k. It has been raining since Sunday afternoon and I have not ran since Friday. I planned to run on the trail where we camp but Hubby and I were busy gold panning down the river for 2 days. Hay.

We have been camping up the mountain all weekends this summer. And I had to admit I am enjoying it not because I love it but because it is the only time I bond with Hubby. He is always busy at work and the only time we have for ourselves is the weekend.

So when I am not helping him sorting rocks out in the sluice or preparing our meal or chasing butterflies... I am running on the trail. So on the weekends, my running track is anything that is accessible by foot...

 

and it is marked so I know how far I already ran.

And guess what... I sometimes get the opportunity to meet deer and moose on the track too. How cool is that? Too bad I don't bring my camera when I run so no pictures. Hayyy.

 And yes, I ran on my aqua shoes too. hahaha

Well, I have only 3 more days to train and worse come to worse. I will just walk all the way to the finish line. hehehe

Everybody's a Winner

It was huge. It was spectacular. It was epic. That is how I describe the 14th TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race held at Cape Elizabeth, Maine.

I car pooled with another volunteer I met during the Volunteer Appreciation Party last Tuesday. We left Standish early to avoid traffic. We reached Fort William around 6:30am and the parking lots were already piling up with cars. Well, we don't expect to see a lot of people there because the race will start 10 kilometers away from the Portland Head Light. This is where the Finish Line is. So the huge crown was somewhere in Cape Elizabeth near Crescent Beach State Park on Route 77 where the race starts.

I volunteered for the Water Finish. It may seem an easy job but boy, the task did give my "biceps" a hardcore work out. We laid out 6000+ water bottles. Transferring boxes after boxes of those water bottles from the delivery truck to the tables was like doing hundreds of repetitions of biceps curl with 30-pound dumbbells.

Volunteering has it's perks and benefits. We have free t-shirts. Yey.

 Excellent spot to greet and meet the runners.

 Easy access to the porta-potties. hahaha

 And yes, a great vista of the famous landmark - the Portland Head Light.

Needless to say, the event is a 'runner's dream race', if you live in Maine. It is an important race if runners from 49 states participated in.I believe it is a very significant event when there are 6000 plus runners who signed up.

 [Photo Credit: TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race]

And it is indeed a highly-recognized event  if there are 11 countries represented in the event.

At the end of the race, we did recognize and acknowledge the winners - the oldest at 86...

the "wheel-chair bound" athletes,

the Elite runners,
the resident runners,

the just-for-fun runners,

the families,

 the supporters,

 the spectators...

 and of course, the volunteers.

At the end of the race - everybody's tired...

and yes, - everybody's a winner too!

If you can't join them... volunteer!

Right after I crossed the finish line during my very first 5k, I vowed that I will join another race. Yeah, right!

So I went straight home and searched the internet for another race. And there it was... the most prestigious race in all of Maine - the TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10k Road Race. Seriously!

Okay, I may be too overwhelmed. Really! Crazy is more like it. But yeah. I signed up for it. It was a lottery so I was hopeful that I will win. Good thing I didn't! hahaha it was only after two days that I realized that running is not as easy as I imagined it to be. It takes a lot of practice, discipline and determination. And what I only got is just determination. hahaha

Anyway, I didn't get in so I was thinking there is another way to be a part of it. You see, this race is very significant and important to me because of several reasons.

1. It is prestigious. It will be covered by our local television network and it will mean I might be featured in TV. It doesn't matter if it said - One runner crawled all the way to the lighthouse.
2. The event is the biggest in all of Maine. Participants will sum up to about close to 7 thousand-ish. It means that spectators and supporters alike wouldn't even realize how slow I was because they would be too tired cheering and congratulating the first 6,999 finishers. LOL
3. The venue meant so much to me. The Portland Head Light is where I was married 4 years ago and I have never been there again since I said "I do". I want to visit it again in full sweat. LMAO

But, yes... none of those things I mentioned above will gonna happen because I didn't get it. So where did the "determination" part go? I volunteered!

Yes, I am part of the race... not a runner but a volunteer. This is my first time to volunteer so I am excited and nervous at the same time. And yesterday... I attended our Volunteer Appreciation Day and met some of the volunteers. Yes, I partied last night. There were lots of food, drink and music. It was an awesome event.

The race will be on Saturday, the 6th of August and I will be right there in the finish line handing cold water bottles to finishers. And yes... I will be there at the Portland Head Light - in full sweat.

 

 [That's the Portland Head Light from the distant. That's where the TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10k Road Race will end. This was taken where we were having the Volunteer Party.]