Last Race for 2012

Last November 24th, The 21st Annual Presidential Road Race 5K, concluded my 2012 5K races. Just like last year, this is also my last race for the year. And with that note, I am more determined to run more races in year 2013.

This is my 2nd race for this event and the 13th 5K for this year. The first time I did it was last year with Heather but we were late. However, we did manage to finish the race to my surprise after beating a couple of walkers to the finish line. LOL

This time, I was early. And I ran alone. Heather had to work so I ran all by myself. I finished the race as bad as last year's clocking... 40:12 with 12:57 pace and placing 165th out 177 participants. It was just 7 minutes and 41 seconds less than last year. But doing a little math here, I can say that I was indeed slower compared to last year's race.

Oh well, it is what it is. I would not blame it to my lack of training or my 12 hours job or the weather. I am simply slow and I need to work on that aspect.

Photo Credit: Thanks to Maine Running Photos.

My Reasons for Running

I wasn't in a hurry to get my bu*t moving to get to the venue for today's race. Why should I? It is barely 5 miles away from home. I could even run my way to get there but that is not really an option. It was kinda cold compared to yesterdays foggy day.

There were only few people there when I arrived. I assumed they were mostly family and friends of the organizers. There were quite a few kids too which I hate because I know those little ones will surely beat me to the finish line. They always do. But I had to admit they are cute and I am jealous.

I got there about 10 minutes before the race time. I checked in and got my number but my t-shirt's size ran out. I was not really very happy about it since it was my only motivation for running. LOL. Anyway, I settled to the next size up available just to get the souvenir of this particular race.

So I got there just enough time to do to some quick stretching before we race. This race is the first ever event organized to benefit Standish Recreation Department dubbed as Running for a Reason 5k. It took the Sabago Lake route in Route 35 though we didn't really run along the lake. We were just given a glimpse of the lake in the distant view when we negotiated the steep downhill going to Windham. And yes, I almost crawled my way uphill going to the finish line.

And true enough, the kids beat me to the finish line. They were already on their second servings of pizza when I crossed the finish line. I placed 8th from the bottom list. LOL Yup, 27th out of the 34 runners. I clocked in 38 minutes and 34 seconds making it 12:28 as my pace time. Oh well, what do you expect? That's what you get when your only reason for running is - to get a free t-shirt.! hahaha

To Run or to Get Ran Over!

Finally, I was able to get back to running. This is my first race after my long vacation in the Philippines and my long pause from training.And speaking of training. I didn't have any prior to this race. It is not my alibi for coming 1st in the "walkers" list or rather 11th in my age category. [And I am not going to mention that there were 11 of us in my age category] LOL It is simply the truth.
As I have mentioned in my previous post - I didn't get a chance to run when I was home except for a couple of occasions. I didn't even have a descent training as soon as I came back from that vacation because I started working 12 hours again. And even if I can run after work, that didn't work out well too because we started to lose light in the afternoon. It is getting dark early and Hubby didn't want me to run in the dark. But still, it's not an alibi. It's the fact.

Well, the fact that I was late too is the culprit - there! Well, I need to point finger at something you know. Wink** It will never be my fault. Nevah! hahahaha

I came just in time when the "GO" was shouted out. I went running... to the registration table to get my number and my shirt. And before I can get ready they were already quarter of a mile ahead. I started running while fixing myself at the same time. My iPod gave me a hard time setting it. My hair was a mess and I had a hard time wrapping my head with a headband to keep my ears warm. It was freezing cold that morning, though beautiful. The fall weather is gorgeous especially in the orchard.

So I ran until I caught up with some walkers. Walked a bit, ran a bit, and crawled one time uphill. I finished at 46:15 and I ran to the food table to help myself with some apple cider donuts!

I signed up for this race because it is for the organization I work for. And being part of the organization I want to be a part of everything they do as well. The 5th Annual YMCA 5K Trail Run/Walk benefits our scholars so it means so much to me. And the fact that it is a trail run at the apple orchard, it made it more interesting to me. So I guess I will be running again next year. I hope I will really run.

For the Tots

I have a flight schedule to the Philippines on Monday, the 26th of June and a birthday party to plan tomorrow. It's crunch time folks but I still have one race to do before I succumbed to panic attack.

I set forth early this morning for the 2nd Annual Trot for Tots 5k at Back Cove in Portland. The place is already familiar so I don't have to set my GPS to get there. I just drove off, picked up my packets, put my number, warmed up and ran. I did pretty good beating a 7 year old kid and his Dad. LOL. I clocked in 36:19 at 11:43 pace and placed 58th among the 79 participants. Not bad. Not bad at all, huh.

Then, timely, the free massage bed was empty on my way to the parking lot and a volunteer Chiropractic came up to me and offered me a free massage. Awesome. She said my muscles are tight. I wondered why? wink*

Then, I went home to bake my very first cake pops for Brandon's birthday tomorrow and blogged this. Tomorrow... the schedule is - packing for my trip back home right after clean up. hayyyy!

Y Race?

Why do I join races? One good reason I can think of... I have to entertain myself. I need to think of a thing to do that will not involve getting bored. And I need a thing to do to stay away from food. But that is another story.

I started racing at the age of... ehemmmm... [clearing my throat here]... 46. Yeah, I'm a late bloomer.

I started joining races when I got jealous of those runners and figured out that I can do the same. And I was right. I have ran more than a dozen races to date.

The YMCA Fit Fest 5k race is another race I ran with Heather. And yes, we were not late. We came just in time. It was a fun race aside from doing a good cause for the YMCA. I work for the Y in Sanford so the affiliation is the same.

The route is awesome and picturesque. I did a great job I guess since I did not stop jogging/running through the entire race. I clocked in 36:08 at 11:21 pace placing me 461st over 701 participants. That included the walkers too. LOL.

But the best part of this race is the post race where Heather and I went antiquing. LOL we spent the rest of the day at Brunswick flea market and yard sales. I brought home some antique silver wares. Love it.

Running for the birdies and close encounter with the Walking Lady

This year, my goal is to run 2 races every month. So far, I was able to do it. I started last March when I celebrated my 1st Running Anniversary. The Snowy Egret 5k at Scarborough is my 8th race for 2012 and my 2nd race for the month of May.

This is my first "trail race" for this year [and hoping to do more]. I didn't know it until I ran the race. It was a nice nonthreatening course. Though it was a little humid, the shady trail kept us cool.

The race is a replay of my Maine Mall 5k experience in terms of "running". I ran this race again when I was passed by an elderly lady about sixty-ish years old who was just walking the whole time.

 

Let me tell you about this amazing woman. I saw this woman probably more than 5 times already since I started running. She seems to be all over the place. LOL And each time that we ran, she would just be walking the entire 5k race. She walks with grace like a royalty. She walks in a choreographed rhythm as if she was walking on air. She is fast and unstoppable. She never shows tiredness. She is relaxed and poised.

The race course had a one long straight route where we turn around at a certain point. On my way back I saw her from a distance in her signature graceful brisk walking coming my way. I continued jogging while a woman kept passing me by just like the one at the Mall race. By that time I was already contemplating to do the trick I did before but not really sure if I really want to or not.

 

After about 5 minutes of not-stop steady jogging, I realized that the walking lady caught up with me and she was walking right beside me and started talking to me when an spectator said... "good job" to us. It was then I realized that I was really jogging slow or maybe she was really fast. Well, I wasn't really threatened by her until that Maine-Mall-part-2 woman caught up with me again. Just in time, I saw that I was already almost 500 feet from the finish line. So, I sped up agian... sprinted... and ran as fast as I could passing again a couple of people on my way to the finish line.

I clocked in 36:08 at 11:38 pace and placing 181st out of the 225 participants. At the finish line I finally got the chance to talk to this amazing woman and boy, she is one of the nicest people I ever met. She even gave me advice on race walking and told me that she would gladly coach me to race walk. Her name is Debbie.

Getting Patriotic

The 3rd Annual Patriots 5k is my second race. Too bad I wasn't into running yet when they started. This race is also called "Lap around the Lake". The course is a loop around the gorgeous and breathtaking Crystal Lake in Gray, Maine. Last year the lake was covered in thick fog good thing this year we were blessed with warm sunny weather so I really enjoyed the view of the lake.

I remembered last year that I ran with an elderly woman who beat me to the finish line. This year I was looking for her but with a total of 701 runners and walkers alike, I wasn't lucky to find her and I didn't even know if she joined this year. Anyway, I love this race because the organizers are very organized. LOL. The people living around the lake are very supportive and friendly.

The race is awesome. I didn't do any extra-ordinary thing like I did in my last race at the mall because nobody threatened me. wink. So I just jogged my way to the finish line - without stopping except for 3 seconds at the water station.

I clocked in 35:15 which is 5 minutes over my last PR. hayyys. Oh well. I told you I wasn't threatened. I placed 461st our of the 701 participants at 11:12 pace. Next year, I'll try to break that record. We'll see.

I did RUN!

This race is very special to me for 2 reasons. 1. It was at the Maine Mall. [self-explanatory, lol] and 2. I ran! [needs explanation, wink]

Here's the thing. I always brag about my race. What's not to brag? I am so proud of it. As I have mentioned in my "The High-heeled Diva Page" I am not an athlete. I never ran when I was little and was always a loser in "tag-you're-it" games. I am also a self-confessed late bloomer in terms of running. And now that I am enjoying it - I am more than proud!

The Jimmy the Greek Maine Mall 5k for Lyme Disease is one of the most memorable races I had so far. It is the race that made me realized what I am capable of doing. It is the race that I had outdone myself in terms of my assumed physical limitation. And yes, I had to admit that - it is the only race that I actually "RUN"! Really, I ran because I would usually just jog and walk to the finish line.

Let me tell you a funny story. I came unprepared for the race to be honest with you. I just wanted to have some valid reason to be at the Mall. [wink] But kidding aside, I did hope that I would somehow break my PR but didn't have any plan of doing anything stu*id. I just told myself... "okay, let's try to jog the whole race without stopping even for a drink". I thought that would be a good idea... just get it done with and go shopping." So I started with a slow pace as my usual warm-up and then went onwards with my usual steady jogging pace. About half way around the race, a woman passed me and after about 20 yards, she started walking. I was okay with it, at first since I didn't have any plan of passing and outrunning anyone this time. I just wanted to get over it.


But within about a mile stretch that same woman would do the same thing over and over again. And over and over again I passed her too since she would be walking out of exhaustion after exerting all her effort to outrun me. At first I was thinking she maybe just doing an interval run. But then, I also thought, "why would I do an interval run when I am in a race?" Oh well, I just brushed the thought off and continued running. About 300 feet from the finish line I heard her footsteps again. This time, I was already irritated so when she was about a foot away from me, I sped up. I sprinted to the finish line passing 3 people ahead of me. I ran as far as I could without looking back. I crossed the finish line breaking my last PR by almost 3 minutes. I clocked in 34:57 at 11:21 pace. I placed 202th out of the 244 participants and yes... she ate my dust!

Oh boy, the crowd went crazy when they saw me speeding up and passing 3 people. They were cheering and it felt so good.

See my big smile after I sped up to the finish line, passing 3 people ahead of me and outrunning that woman who ate my dust? LOL

Yes, I ran, this time. And maybe, I would be running too [since I realized that I can really run] in all the future races I will be joining in. After all it is a running race, isn't it? How cool is that?

What's not 2 LUV?

It was a chilly early spring morning. By this time, I'm more comfortable driving down the Back Cove because this is my 5th [I guess] time I've been there. Three out of five times were races that I joined. And this time this is the 2nd time I did Luv2Run Series, which is the 1st of the 3 Series for 2012.

It was nothing very spectacular except the view. Nothing worth noting but the freezing cold weather. And nothing too special but keeping with my running routine.

The race was small, simple and uncomplicated. It was pure fun and achievable. I clocked in 37:32 with 11:14 pace. I wasn't too impressed though but hey, I did it despite the cold weather. I place 63rd out of 72 participants. And I had a blast shopping afterward. And that - is worth noting... that is spectacular and that is special, indeed. wink

One Year and 10 Races

Today... marks my very First Running Anniversary. Yes, this is the first year in my running career [if there is such a thing hahaha]...my 11th race so far since I started... and already my 4th 5K for this year.

Like any anniversaries - this is a very important event to me. It's the anniversary of my 360 degrees mental, physical and psychological turn-around. Yes, it has been one year now since I made that drastic decision to take charge of my life. It has been a year now since I ran The Great Scot Trot 5k - a decision that I never regret.

Time flies quickly. I have ran 10 5k races in a span of one year and now I am looking forward to more races and trainings.

I have braved mental torture on thinking "why am I doing those stu**d laps around the Bonney Eagle HS tracks". I have endured physical torment of weight lifting for strength training. And yes, I have psyched myself up to rationalize that all those grueling training days and nights are part of my life as a runner. Hah! It does feel good to call myself a runner though deep inside I know I just either walk or jog my way to the finish lines. wink*

 This is me last year at the Finish Line. Notice the snow on the background.

Today, is my second Great Scot Trot 5k. I walked up to the sound of rain. I walked up hoping that they cancel the race. But then I realized this is my 1st year anniversary, it should not ruin the momentum. So I ran the race in freezing rain and landed 164th on the list with a breaking record [wink* wink* and another wink*] of 35:03 PR. It was 5 minutes and 45 seconds less than my first one.

This is me on my 1st Year Running Anniversary.

And yes I wasn't 5th to the last like last year. I was 66th to the last [one huge wink*] this year. Yay! To me and to more races until - my Second Year Anniversary.

My 3rd 5k for 2012

Same time last year... I was so excited because it was my first time to join any event that has something to do with "walking and running". At first I just wanted to be a part of the team who supported Sandy Orr, one of the secretaries where I work. She lost her battle to cancer that year and in memory of her we did the Mary's Walk and Kerrymen Pub 5k at Saco, Maine, which is an event that benefits the Maine Cancer Research. That year, I planned to run but I chickened out so I just "walked" with the rest of the team.

This year, I finally got the guts to run. And this year, this event meant so much to me because early this year, I got a "cancer scare" when my Doctor found an abnormal cell in my latest pap smear. Good thing my Ob Gyne assured me that there is nothing to worry about and the abnormal cell turned out to be "normal", quite ironic. It's a long story and it has nothing to do with running. lol

 This was me last year at the Mary's Walk getting ready to "walk".

Anyway, so I finally signed up for the 5k race and became part of the pack... the last part of the pack, that is. wink* Though I thought I know everything about running after doing it for at least once every month since last year, I was still overwhelmed with the experience. It was a fine sunny day, for some reasons I cannot explain. If you live in Maine you know what I mean. It's still winter here at this time of the year.

This is me this year getting close to the Finish Line at Mary's walk.

So I did run the Mary's Walk. No elderly women passed me by this time. LOL. And my only goal is to pass by the lady in front of me whom I beat by a matter of 2 seconds. hahahaha [There she was the one in the blue shirt.] I clocked in 38:01 and ranked 921st among the close-to-a-thousand runners and I ranked 56th in my Division which has 58 runners. hahaha Well it's not bad at all considering that I did finish the race and I didn't chicken out this time.

My 2nd 5k for 2012

The weather forecast was not good this morning. According to Mallory Brooke, it will be snowy and rainy and slushy. Yeah, right!

The temp is still in the freezing point and it is still snowing and raining outside as of this writing. And as of this writing, I am having a warm bowl of shrimp wonton soup with noodles to keep me warm. I threw in some fresh veggies from my salad bag into the soup and it's a perfect after race meal.

Yes, I did the Polar Bear 5k this morning. And yes, Mallory is right... it was snowy... it was rainy... it was slushy. But one thing she didn't know... it was awesome!

I thought it was early enough when I left the house at quarter to eight. But given the wintery situation, I had to drive slowly and carefully in town so I didn't get there as I planned to. I had only 10 minutes to take a breather before the race took off.

The route was breathtaking despite the foggy scenery I had from the mixed snow and rain on my face which gave me blurry my vision of the scenic vista. Anyway, my only goal is to cross the finish line and not to do sight seeing. So I ran on my own pace not minding those people who passed me. After I gained my senses and focused on the road, 3 more people passed me at the mile 2 mark. It was then I realized that the 3 people who passed me were old ladies running on a steady pace.

I started losing control of my feet as I ascent the 100 feet elevation. It was then, I started to panic and thought of changing my plan. Earlier I planned to overtake the elderly lady in front of me since we left the start line. After 20 minutes that she was only a tiny image in my eye at a 200 yards distance, I thought I will just keep running my pace. But after those 3 old ladies passed me by, I just thought of pretending that I had an injury and will just walk limping to the finish line. hahaha

But just as I was about to walk limping... I heard the voice in the microphone saying - and here comes Ruthinian Gregoire of Standish. Then, I sped up and clocked in 39:07 making me 9th to the last. Whew, another finished race, indeed!

And just to set the record straight... I didn't do the plunge. No way! I am not that too crazy yet. Maybe someday. Wink***

My 8th 5k and 1st race for 2012

Winter this year is awesome compared to last year's. And because of this, I should have more time for training. Well, I did plan to but it didn't happen. Heather and I signed up for our first race for this year but we both didn't get the chance to training as much as we needed to because we were both busy.

This year, I plan to set a goal for myself. I plan to beat my own PR by... 1 minute. [LOL] Sounds very conservative huh. Well, I also plan to chance my strategy like - beating an old lady to the finish line. Oh no, I already learned my lesson at The Patriot 5k. Will not go that road again. This time, my goal is just to outrun the one in front of me regardless of its age, gender and gender preference, color, and size and shape. There it's a good plan, isn't it?

Well, the Scarborough Frozen 5k yesterday, January 8th was awesome. Despite the absence of snow on the ground, the temp was kinda freezing due to wind chill. I was having a hard time breathing because my nose was stuffy. My eyes were watery and my head seemed wanting to explode. But then, I still did it. I clocked it at 38:48 which placed me 5th... to the last. hahaha And yes, I finally got a photo of the race.

There are 2 reasons for why I am smiling at this photo. 1. I saw the finish line. And 2. I saw the guy with a camera. wink*

Over-all impression of the race - awesome.