Shamrock 5K/10K Recap

See that title up there? Ya know the part about 5K/10K? Well, I ran it/survived it/didn't die on stairs. (More on that later....)

And I ran my first 10K ever, my first race of 2014, and finished 2nd in the Females 20-29 age group!

(Now before you start thinking I'm an elite-runner, medaling and stuff, just know there were two in my age group. But still, I placed. In something. Ha! And received a fancy water bottle ta-boot!)

Today was fun! After an up and down week of emotions, it was great to not only great to get outside, set a new (and fastest) pace post-knee surgery, and finally get back into race-mode. Part of the run used a trail that skirts the river through the gorge that divides the city of Richmond. It was wonderful to be outdoors running the 6.2 miles set out in front of me, and to breathe fresh air. My, it was wonderful.

(And thank God the turn in to the gorge fell at mile 5. I needed a change of scenery, and the trail was perfect-ish. There were hills. And stairs. It was iffy. And ugly. Still more on that...)

The race started out as a combination of both 5K and 10K runners/walkers, starting at the local high school's football field, snaking out down the southside of town on to one of the main country roads. We ran, for what seemed like forever, down to mile 3/turn around point (in to the wind). I will say I didn't see my first water station until mile 3, which was a bit of a downer, and had only two during the entire 6.2 mile course. It wasn't the greatest, and I believe I'm feeling the effects a bit of slight dehydration due to it. (Or my own unpreparedness. I didn't have a belt or water with me: just gloves, my iPhone, and a pack of Honey Stinger Energy Chews to down at mile 4 - my bad.)

As we turned back to head towards Richmond, we ran forever, again, on the country road, however the wind finally to my back. Heading out was rough (though the wind wasn't as bad or as cold as previous runs this year), but coming back was wonderful. As we headed in to town, we split off to the right on to Test Road, and then down a valley away from Abington Pike, where we just came from.

My first thought, as I'm sprinting down this massive hill was, "Um, hey Ash. Ya know we're going to have to get back up some how, right? What goes down, must come up."

At first I thought, "you've got to be kidding me, that at mile 4+, you're going to make me run up this monster hill ahead of me?" But nope! Thankfully, at mile 5, the route took you to the left and in to the gorge along the paved trail.

(Side note: I now officially know why you shouldn't run in the gorge alone if you're female. I was in a pack of other female runners, 3 or 4 total, and one male runner, as we approached a total creeper just hanging out. Alone. EEEEK. I won't be running without Mr. K there any time soon...)

As we approached 5.5 miles, things started to turn up hill. And this is where the, "You've got to be kidding me," cursing that makes a hockey player blush started. I knew it couldn't be that much further, but this is where I figured out how we're getting out of the gorge and back to the finish line on the high school's track...

Up.

After one hellish hill I NEVER thought I'd survive, there were stairs.

Stairs. STAIRS.

Who in their psychotic offroad-running mind puts a set of stairs at the end of a 10K?

I wanted to die.

After putting some distance between another female runner who I kept trading leads with, and a couple that was hot on my heels, I kicked in to high gear. For the first flight. The second? Ha! Nope.

But I made it up both, ran across the parking lot, across the street, down the sidewalk, rounded the gate to the left, and BAM! Finish line!

My official gun time was 1 hour, 12 minutes, 13 seconds, breaking down to 11:36/mile - improving significantly while in a race setting from last Saturday's 12:05/mile/5 miler.

I'll take it!

After an emotionally-wrecking week, it was nice to be able to get back to a bit of normalcy, while knowing my mother in law was smiling down on me today. I said a few prayers while out running, mostly to get me through and to remind myself never to give up, but it was much-needed fun, and another great race to get me ready for the Mini in May.

Here are some more pictures from the day, from Mr. K or Speedy-Feet.com:

(Sorry for the last few grainy/blurry/crappy photos. But still, proof I survived! And didn't die! Who woulda thunk it?)

My Happy Place

First of all, I hate it when I'm driving to work, thinking about the PERFECT blog post, even what it wants to say, sounds good in my mind, then sit down to actually write it and totally forget. That's me, folks.

I'm almost finished with this semester with the holidays fast-approach. (Can we get an amen?!) It's been a trying one; one I didn't think would really be that bad in the beginning. The course that I thought would totally suck doesn't (I'm carrying a 99%...for now...), and the class that I didn't think would suck (and it doesn't) but would be super-fun, has been my most trying. It's the course that focuses on what I want to do when I grow up, just in the business sense, not sports. But even with it being my most challenging, it's pushed me. I love the professor, and the class has been great, but it has honestly stressed me out to no end. (Which means I eat everything in sight. I'm a stress-eater AND a study-eater, so it's rough.)

Anyway, I'm getting off topic (per usual).

Happy Gilmore is still a movie that makes me laugh every time I watch it, one that never gets old. And last night during a thought process while chatting with a classmate who runs halfs (he's been running since high school; we discovered we have running in common, then the typical running conversation ensued). But during this conversation, I used the completely cheesy, "I've found my Happy Place," line, referencing Happy, to kind of describe my end result of (at least) where I'm at now from start to current.

(Ok, you can stop giggling now. It really is cheesy, I know.)

But I think I'm finally there. Or at least as happy as I've been for a while.

The last few posts I've made haven't been very positive, but I haven't been feeling very positive. It's ups and downs, and it's daily at times, however even with the downs with the ups, I still try to reflect on the journey as a whole, not just the day-in, day-out focus.

With the holidays approaching, I've also found myself reflecting on the past year quite a bit. It's been a huge change from January 1 until now. January 1, 2013 (just after midnight), I was fighting to open a Kit Kat chocolate bar after successfully completing No Chocolates December. (Who does that during Christmas?!) How I ever survived that, I'm still scratching my head. But I did. And it really boosted my confidence in my own personal will-power.

Weight loss journey-wise, I've dropped more pounds and inches, ultimately hitting my goal weight, and officially entering "maintenance." (One of the coolest me-to-me birthday presents I could ever give myself.)

 (This makes a three pound gain put into perspective. Fast. Down 31 since 11/22/2012.)

Professionally, I feel like I've been making strides, too. I got the promotion I had hoped for through my primary place of employment, and somehow found myself involved with an online radio show that mixes my two loves, racing and hockey, all through connections in Social Media. (Who knew?) But not only becoming involved with the show, I've become really good friends with the host/founder, as well as attended and reported on my first two events ever, one being at a track I consider the "Holy Grail." It's been nuts, but in a good way. I can honestly say I've been very blessed this year.

School has been school. I've had fits, but I've had triumphs, all the while eating garbage during late night study sessions. I still look at it as "feedback," and try to change for the next. But I still get hungry when I study. That won't change until I'm a graduate, but see the previous paragraph. I'm working towards my dreams, and I can't complain.

...and who would've thought I'd actually ever utter the words, "I love running!" I completed my first 5k before my scheduled 5k, which was all kinds of crazy all in itself. The training kept me disciplined and on plan, and I rapidly found a new love for something I've hated for 20-ish years. It served as such a great form of stress relief, and that I also found myself more at ease while able to eat that cookie or a "reward" without having to sweat it. (Well, I had to sweat FOR it.) And despite now having to face surgery most likely from pushing myself too hard, I'm really looking forward to the future, and what 2014 will hold. Recovery will suck, and yes, I'm may have to start Couch to 5k all over again just to make sure I don't injure myself further, but I'm already goal setting for 2014, running and fitness-wise. I have races on my mind, as well as potentially scratching a big one off of my bucket list. But, that's another post all in itself, one that I'm working on for later in December.

I found this quote the other day via Pinterest, and as a hockey fan, it seemed to sum up everything I've been thinking lately about regarding my future hopes, dreams, and goals:

Always, always have a goal, no matter how big or how small. It gives you something to work hard for. And the reward? The satisfaction of knowing you can do anything you put your mind to. :)


(And I'm saving the best for last: I can't thank Mr. K enough for all of the support he's given me throughout the year, and throughout the journey. He still may think I'm crazy and eating "hippie food," but I love him and he's never wavered his support of what makes me happy. I am truly grateful to have him in my life, and he will always be a main staple in my Happy Place.)