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...

Liberty By The Lake....errr....Furniture Mart

The Liberty by the Lake 5K holds a special place in my heart for many reasons.  This was the first race that I ever ran back on July 4, 2008.  I had no intention of ever running more than a 5K and I felt so proud of myself when I finished!  My goal was to run the whole time and I finished in about 34 minutes wearing a cotton shirt and some terrible shoes. I was so ridiculously proud of myself; however, I had no idea what a life changer the decision to run that day would be.  I reached another milestone in 2010 as I earned my first ever age group award by finishing 2nd in my age group.  I was so proud of that small eagle trophy that I carried it around in my purse for a solid week.

Life changing stuff right here, y'all.

And in 2011 one of my most favorite holiday traditions was born as we hosted the first annual Waffle Party.  The idea for waffle party came about when a group of us were standing around after a trail run, trying to plan a good time to get together again.  A plan emerged: run the race then everyone would head over to our place and Mr K would serve up delicious waffles and bacon (so much 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 my home.

The traditional group photo (pic: Mama C)

Texas is a place of extremes and we ended our record setting drought with record setting floods.  This has played havoc on the summer racing schedule around here causing many cancellations and postponements.  Lake Lewisville is still at least ten feet above normal and Stewart's Creek Park, home of the Liberty by the Lake, is completely under water. Fortunately for us, the new Grandscape/Nebraska Furniture Mart development could accommodate the 30th Liberty by the Lake 5K/10K on July 4.  The perimeter road for the store is almost exactly 3.1 miles around - not the most exciting 5K/10K ever but way better than a total cancellation.  I'm sure that the race staff was especially thankful as this was the 30th anniversary of the race.  Pretty cool!

Pretty sure I might die right about here....(Pic: Byron)

I found myself super nervous as I made my way over to the furniture mart for the race.  The 5K is an especially tough race distance because it is all out for the entire 3.1 miles.  No cruising or finding that "all day" pace - it is go time, y'all.  I think that I'd rather run a half marathon that a 5K, I find them to be that uncomfortable....which is exactly why I need to run more of them.  I had a couple of successful 5Ks during the spring as a part of my triathlons, but I had not done any speed work since I started training for my Half Ironman in early June.  My runs have all been based off of heart rate and have been very slow and steady.

A handsome man with a tray of bacon, doesn't get better than that!

It was crazy easy to find everyone and after some pre-race chats and the usual photographs it was time to run.  It was especially cool to see my friend Ray.  Ray and I went to college together at Sam Houston, but other than cheering for him as he ran by in a recent half marathon, I haven't seen him since I finished college many just a few years ago!  Ray has made a commitment to fitness and recently finished his first century ride.  I was honored that he joined us for the race and for the waffles.

Look y'all - I found Ray!

I took off hard with the plan of holding on as long as I could, but also not knowing what to expect.  My first mile came in at a speedy 8:11.  I didn't think that I could hold this for two more miles, especially with a slight hill ahead, but I kept pushing finding it to be as much as a mental game as anything.  The second mile was probably the most challenging - it had the slightest hill, the breeze was at our backs, and the sun was beating down so hot.  I ran a much more realistic 8:29.  There was a slight out and back in the beginning of the 3rd mile and it was a welcome distraction to search the crowd for friendly faces.  Like a horse to the barn, I dug deep and cranked out a consistent 8:27 for the last mile.  So thankful to see the finish line, I was certain that I might die! A check of the results showed that I ran it in 25:21 and was second place in my age group.  Not bad at all!

It is always a thrill when they call my name! (Pic: Mama C)

After the race we headed back to the house for the aforementioned waffles and bacon - and they did not disappoint!  Mr K outdid himself this year, I was amazed when I realized that we destroyed 6 pounds of bacon!  I absolutely love looking around the house and seeing it filled with so many frunners.

These faces!!

I always try to take a moment to reflect upon all that running has brought me in the last seven years.  It hasn't always been easy or fun, but I will take the good with the bad because it has brought all of these amazing friends into my life.  I am very lucky to count myself amongst such an extraordinary group of people.  They are constantly pushing me to take on new challenges and to be a stronger, better person.  July 4th is one of my favorite days of the year, all because I took a step outside of my comfort zone and signed up for a race....

Liberty 5K: My Running Thanksgiving

In the words of the great Ferris Bueller: Life moves pretty fast.  If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. I try to make a conscious effort to take a moment and acknowledge milestones along the way, just because I don't want to miss a thing.  One of my favorites happens to occur each year on Independence Day.  On July 4, 2008 I ran in my very first race ever - the Liberty by the Lake 5K.  I was such a rookie that day - wearing my cotton race shirt and aspiring to finish the whole race without walking.  It was tough, but I finished in 34 minutes and I felt so darned proud of myself!  I made it a plan to always run this race because it was in my own town and because it marked my Runnerversary.

Pre Race with the newest frunner, Baby P (photo: Mama C)

As I look back over the past several years, I certainly consider this a life changing event.  Fast forward to 2011 and yet another tradition is born: the waffle party.  The idea was born as a group of us frunners were standing around after a trail run, trying to decide when we could get together next. A plan emerged: run the race then come on over to our place and Mr K would serve up delicious waffles and bacon (so much 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 my home.

The Host With The Most - Mr Sir

I was not feeling super ambitious about the race itself.  I had run it really well the last two years as I was already a couple of weeks into marathon training at that point and had been doing consistent speedwork.  I ran over 100 miles in June, but not many of them were speed specific.  I had slipped into the "summer is a real son of a gun in Texas and I just need to survive the miles without worrying about speed" mode.  I was more concerned with getting my long run miles in for El Scorcho 25K the following weekend.  When the starting gun sounded, I made a deal with myself to simply run hard the entire way. I think that 5Ks are so hard and I don't race them very often, give me a half marathon any day!  Yet every time I run one, I think "wow, these are so good for me - I should be running more of them." I might have started a little too far back as I had to navigate around many slower people in the first half mile or so, but I also felt like it helped me to not go out too fast.  Things started to settle in more during the second mile, I tried not to think about how much further I had to go.  The third mile of a 5K is such an impossible spot and I tried to keep on pushing through.  I could feel my will and energy lagging a bit, especially when I turned the corner near just before the 3 mile marker and saw the false flat heading back into the park.  Of course, it felt like a mountain at that point!  One final push to the finish and thank heavens that was done!

A few of us before the race - it was impossible to gather everyone! (photo: Mark O)

According to my watch, the mile splits were: 8:28, 8:02, 8:27 - not as consistent as I would like, but certainly some of the fastest miles that I have run all summer. My time was 26:30 - 4th in my age group and 36th amongst women.  I felt especially proud of my age group finish when I heard that it was a record setting crowd for the race with 1,500 runners.

We all cheered for Drum as she picked up her award - she was third overall female and scored a sweet PR for herself.  Who PRs in July?! Her hard work is paying off. The run itself was only a small part of the day.  We all headed back to the house for the feast of waffles and bacon - so much bacon. It really is such an honor to have so many friends in our home and I hope that it is a tradition that we can carry on for many years to come.

Liberty 5K: With Liberty & Waffles for All!

Once upon a time, I signed up for a 5K on the 4th of July and it changed my life forever.  The Liberty by the Lake 5K is my Runnerversary and has become my unofficial Running Thanksgiving.  I ran this race for the first time five years ago--a wide-eyed running rookie who just wanted to run the entire 3.1 miles without walking.  I showed up in the cotton race shirt with non-running shoes and I gave it my all.  I had no idea how life changing those 3.1 miles would be. I ran that first race in 34:41 and was ridiculously proud of myself.  A few years later, this race was my first age group award and it has become the prelude to Life, Liberty, and Waffles--the post race party that Mr K and I host at our house each year.  You can see why it holds a special place in my running heart.

Traditional Pre-Race Group Shot (pic by Mama C)

We caught a little bit of a break with the heat as it was somewhere around 75 degrees at race time.  I know better than to hope for a PR during the summer months, but I was hoping that I could beat my time from last year and at least get a course PR. Boy do 5Ks make me nervous, give me a half marathon any day! I had been in a bit of a running funk since Cow Creek and wasn't feeling very confident in my abilities.  I set out with the plan to run hard and try to keep my mile splits just under 8:00.  I was able to get a pretty decent start and began to focus on locking down a pace.  The first mile really wasn't so bad and my watch chimed a 7:50.  Perfect....everything was going according to plan.  The second mile felt harder, but I began to see Mr K ahead of me and steadily caught up with him.  My watch chimed 7:47 for the second mile...dang, this is not getting any easier.  I think that the third mile of a 5K is one of the hardest things ever.  At this point I am feeling tired, both mentally and physically, and everything in my body wants me to stop.  There is alot of self talk: you've come too far to quit now, if you slow down all the energy that you have invested so far will be wasted, and let's just get this finished.  I knew that I was running a great race and that I was right on target with my goals....my watch chimed 7:50 for the third mile, time to turn on the jets.  It was all happening too fast for me to know how close to my PR I was, but I knew that I was on track to come in under 25:00.  I gave it all that I had for a strong finish and was very pleased when I saw the time on my watch -- 24:36.  This was good enough for a new course record and I only missed my PR by 14 seconds. I was over the moon thrilled with my race execution.  Nope, it wasn't that dreamed of PR, but it was my most well run 5K to date. I consider consistency to be a cornerstone of my training, and the splits don't get much more consistent than that.  It was just what I needed to help me snap my funk and start to find my running mojo again.  I missed an AG award by 12 seconds, but felt very pleased to come in 4th out of 31 women in my age bracket, 21st amongst all women, and 88th overall.

Marci, Daniel, Me, Brian L, Mama C, and Fred (pic by Mama C)

After the race and the awards we made our way back to our house for waffles, bacon, mimosas, and frunners.  It is our third year to host this shindig and I'm fairly certain that our house set a PR for the number of people within its walls.

The Waffle Chef (pic by Mama C)

Mr K has perfected his waffle timing and we even had Fred frying up bacon out on the grill.  My cup overfloweth, y'all.  I love to pause and look around at all the faces here and realize that running has brought them into my life. 

The nice weather even allowed us to use the patio

I am very lucky to count myself amongst such an extraordinary group of friends.  They push me to take on new challenges and to be a stronger, better person.  July 4th has become one of my favorite days of the year....all because I took a step outside of my comfort zone and signed up for a race five years ago.