Liberty 5K: All because I signed up for a race...

The Liberty by the Lake 5K is one of those races that I'll probably always do.  It holds a special place in my heart because it is a long standing tradition in my little 'burb and it was the first race I ever ran back on July 4, 2008.  I thought that it would be fun to run 5Ks, but I had no interest of going any further.  My goal was to run the whole time and I did! It took me about 34 minutes, I was wearing a cotton shirt and some bad shoes.  I was so darned proud of myself though, and I was undoubtedly hooked.  I had no idea what a life changer that day would be though and I always smile a little bit looking back at it all.  This race was also the first place that I ever placed in my age group, I earned a small eagle trophy and I think that I carried it around in my purse for a solid week.

In 2011 one of my most favorite holiday traditions was born as we hosted the first annual Waffle Party.  The idea for the Waffle Party came about as a group of us were standing around after a trail run, trying to plan another time to get together again.  A plan emerged: run the race and then everyone would head over to our place and Mr K would serve up waffles and bacon.  Life, Liberty, and Waffles is a highlight on our summer calendar and I have defined it as my "Running Thanksgiving" as it gives me a chance to look around at all of the frunner faces filling out home.

Pre-race with Fred, Marci, and Mark O (Pic: Mark O)

There was a very small group of us at the race itself as I think that most people have wised up and just head directly to the house for brunch instead of dealing with a race that starts at 8:00 am in Texas July.  I can't say that I blame them, but like I said, this is a sentimental favorite so I will probably always run it.  I was nervous heading over because 5Ks are just so darned hard.  There is no cruising or "all day pace" you just gotta hit it hard!  I wasn't sure how it would go either as I have not done any real speed work since sometime in May.  I parked just under a mile away from the start so that I could get a good warm-up before the race started.

I probably started a little too far back, but it also might have helped me pace my first mile a little bit too.  We took a left at the elementary school and the sign out front said that it was 86 degrees....okay then, it is going to be that kind of race.  I was very pleased to see the first mile come up at 8:11 - keep on going!  The race is largely through a neighborhood and folks are so nice to come out and cheer for everyone.  Some are even cool enough to turn on their water sprinklers, now if we could only get a few more trees through there.  The second mile came in at 8:01 - could I hang on for the "last one, fast one?" I was trying my best!  I love to see that turn back towards the park because I know that we are getting close to the end.  Mile 3 came in at 8:00 - hooray for negative splits!  My total time was 25:26, good enough for 1st out of 39 in my age group.

I returned from the race to a house full of friends and the smell of bacon!  I think that Mr K served up 10 lbs of bacon and a mountain of waffles.  We sure have some hungry friends because all of it was gone by the end of the day.  It all seems to go by in a blur, so quickly!  I love looking around to see a house full of friends that feel like family (and some "real" family too!).

One of my favorite scenes (Pic: Mark O)

I always try to take a moment to think of all that running has brought me over the last eight years.  It isn't always easy and those alarm clocks go off so darned early, but I take the good with the bad because it has brought all of these amazing friends into my life.  This group of people is constantly pushing me to take new challenges and be a stronger, better person.  All because I signed up for a race...

Jiggle Butt 5K: Records are made to be broken

Two small syllables can strike such fear in this runner's heart: Five K.  I run marathons and I spend hours at a time on my bike. How hard can a 3.1 mile run be?  The hardest, if you are doing it right - the phrase "verge of instant death" comes immediately to my mind!  I know that 5Ks are good for me and that I should be running them more often, but I end up only running one or two a year.  I'm sure that I could name many reasons why this is so if I really thought about it - I'd rather spend the time running longer distances, I'd rather spend the race entry budget on longer races, I'd rather run slower for a longer amount of time...you get the picture.  My 5K personal record (PR) dates way back to the Cougar Prowl in April 2012 and I was starting to think that it would be one of those records that lived forever.  I ran that 5K in 24:22 on a pancake flat course on a wonderfully cool morning.  I have come close a few times, but just have not been able to break through that plateau.

I have been running so strong since Redman 70.3 and at one point in December I decided that I should try a 5K again sometime soon.  My interval workouts and tempo runs were going so well and I had a great run at the Dallas Marathon Half, the moment was right.  It worked out perfectly that one of our favorite races, the Jiggle Butt 5K, was coming up on January 9.  I ran this race with my friends in 2014 and we had a great time.  I remembered that it was a good course and I had a pretty strong run that day too, one of my faster 5Ks at the time.  Looks like the stage was set - game on.

Irene, Mama C, Drum, and Me (Photo: Mama C)

I began to wonder, though, as my car was blowing all over the road on the way to the race - wind is not my favorite and it was high! Run hard and see what happens - that became my plan for the day.  I met Drum, Mama C, and Irene shortly before the race which was held on the University of Arlington campus.  There was a good crowd there and lots of positive energy - the magic of race day! I ran a super short warm-up and it was time to go. Gulp. Run hard. See what happens.

 I decided to only check my pace when the miles beeped and to watch my heart rate to insure that I was working hard enough.  I also decided that when I passed someone I would work my hardest not to let them re-pass me.  The wind was coming strong from the north and the course was not super hilly, but it wasn't flat either.  My strategy was to run harder when I was running downhill and/or the wind was at my back.

Traditional A-Frame Hug - who knew we would both PR?! (Photo: Mama C)

Before the race I heard someone say that they'd run the course during their warm-up and that it was long.  I was not excited to hear this, but what can you do?  My mind was put at ease a bit when the mile 1 marker came up before my watch chimed a mile.  This was the case throughout the race so I knew that it wasn't going to be as long as I feared it would be.  Oh well, better to PR on a long course than a short one - right?  My watch chimed and when I looked at it I saw 7:38, right on pace!

My other plan was to get to mile 2 and try to maintain my pace before making a push in mile 3.  I'm not sure how this actually played out, but I kept that steady effort during mile 2 and was rewarded with a 7:39 split.  Consistent to the very end, that is how I roll.  We were turning in and out of the wind and the course was rolling a bit so I felt very pleased to see this progress so far.

This snowman needs a cheeseburger or two (Photo: Mama C)

I prepared myself for mile 3 - just keep pushing, MK, you are on pace for that long desired PR!  The spectators were few in number but big in spirit and I appreciated the occasional distraction that they provided.  The Jiggle Butt is an all-women's race that raises money for victims of domestic violence at the Safe House so many of the volunteers and course guides were men.  Funny guys, let me tell you.

I headed south and on a street parallel with the finish when a spectator told me that there were only about 4 blocks to go.  How could it be sooo faaarrrrrr? I could hear the timing mat beeping and that was a good sound in my ears.  We turned a corner and headed north, into the wind and directly to the finish line - maybe a quarter mile to go!  I focused on the finish line and pretended that it was pulling me towards it like a laser beam.  I glanced at the time on my watch and knew that it would be so close, but totally in reach.  Run hard, MK!  Somewhere in this home stretch I caught a glimpse of Drum on the sidelines and she screamed "use your arms!" Oh wow - I forgot that I had arms!!  They really helped in that final push too. Hello finish line!!  My final mile came in at 7:40 and my final time was 24:05 - I got that PR by nearly 20 seconds!

Cool down shenanigans with Drum (Photo: Mama C)

I got a bottle of water and walked down the sideline as the feeling of imminent death slowly began to leave my body.  Dang, that felt good.  I found Drum and we got a couple of cool down miles and found Mama C and Irene.  Drum told me that she came in 2nd overall and also got a new PR herself (so speedy, that one!).  I thought that I might have placed, but I had no idea until I checked the results and found that I was first in my age group.  Icing on the cake, for sure!  I had just raced a nearly 4 year younger me....and I won!

Photo: Mama C

I credit much of this new PR to the different approach to training that came with my Redman 70.3 training, but I credit an even bigger part of it with my renewed mental game.  My mantra for the new year has been "fearless" and I think that is showing up in my training and my racing.  It was so reaffirming to start the year off with a new PR - I can't wait to see what happens next!

I Couldn't Believe My Eyes!

The Dallas Running Club is one of the oldest and biggest running clubs in the nation. It was founded by Tal Morrison in 1967-patterned after the New York City Running Club-and had 20 members with dues set at $3.00 a person. Fast forward to 2012 and the DRC has over 4,300 members and while dues have gone up, it is still a good value for the money. A great perk of membership in the Dallas Running Club is that there is typically a free club race on the first Saturday of each month and Saturday, April 7 brought the Tal Morrison 5K/15K -- named in honor of the DRC Founder. I love DRC Club Races because 1. Hello--Free!! and 2. It is a laid back and friendly atmosphere--kinda like an extended running family.


Hanging out with Mark & son Cairo

I was excited about the chance to try another 15K, it is a favorite distance for me and I have raced two of them already this year. I know that my fast racing days are numbered around here with the summer heat looming, so I feel a little bit of pressure each spring to get "one more" good shot at various distances before the heat sets in. Fact is I have to slow down in the summer, I don't like it one bit--but that is just how it goes for me. I told Erik that I was just going to go run as hard as I could and would see what happened on the other side. The weather was not the best but certainly more bearable than some recent mornings had been.


Cairo delivers the knock-out punch!

We got there early enough to score a close parking spot and were able to hang out around the car until time for the race to start. It was a smallish race by DRC standards, I'm guessing about 500 runners were there for both of the races with most people running the 15K. After the Star Spangled Banner (I love that part of DRC races) we were off...and running! I felt great at the start, but knew that maintaining that pace would take alot of work. The aide stations were few and far between for this race (3 total) and I was so glad when I finally made it to the first one just before mile 4. The course was an out and back, which sometimes I think is harder than just looping the lake (one loop of White Rock is almost a perfect 15K) and the turn around did not give me the same mental boost that it usually does. I was closer to an "oh man, I have to run all that way back" whiny sort of mental state. I feel like I was the most tired in the 2nd 5K of this race although my splits do not reflect that at all. I wanted to just slow down and walk so badly, but I knew that my pace was on target for that PR goal, so I kept on pushing. My mantra being "do you want to be fast or do you want to be comfortable--because you can't be both at the same time."


Erik and I enjoy the view

I knew that the big hill by the spillway would be coming near the end of mile 7 and I tried to keep an even pace for the mile leading up to it. That hill never gets any easier and it always comes near the end of a race--but I got to the top and focused on running strong all the way until the end. I knew that the PR would be close, but I gave it everything I had once the finish line was in sight. Annnddd....at 1:20:00 I fell about 30 seconds short. Dang. I will be quite honest, I felt pretty disappointed at first because I knew just how close I had come and how hard it had felt. I tried to remind myself that my PR came on a perfectly cold January day in which I had an epic battle with Erik at the finish line. I couldn't mope around for too long, there were too many frunners to see, pictures to be taken, cheering to be done. Erik and I talked with his friend and his family for a while before we headed back up to the camphouse to check the results and look for more friends. When we went inside I checked the results on the wall....blinked twice....and looked again...somehow I had managed to win 1st place in my age group! I jumped up and down and rushed off to find Erik so that he could verify what I saw. I have placed in a few 5Ks before, but never anything longer and nothing above 2nd place. I simply could not believe my eyes, I really thought that there must have been a mistake with the timing--no way that just happened!! I claimed my medal with a huge smile on my face,and you know....I suddenly felt alot better about that missed PR.