2013 Road Races thus far, January 5 - June 16 (12 races)

2013 road races so far January 5 - June 16 (12)

So I came out of my last race in 2012 with a stress fracture.   I was told not to run for 10-12 weeks.  Ugh!  I wanted to cry I already had a bunch of races lined up (and paid for) for 2013.  One of which was the Never Land 5k at Disneyland, a race I had been anticipating from the day I signed up for it. Not one to let a stress fracture hold me back I decided I'd walk my races until I was cleared to run again.

The first race of 2013 was the Resolution Run 5k.  It was run as part of the New Year's Half Marathon.  It was run at night through the streets of downtown Los Angeles.  This was a fun race.  I really enjoyed it.  I walked this one.  I even walked it in real shoes.  My stress fracture did better with shoes with a thick stiff sole.  Time 46:27 with a pace of 14:57.  My goal for this race was to do this in a 15:00 pace.  Goal!

Resolution Run 5k

Never Land 5k

 Next up was the Never Land 5k.  Okay, let me just say this right up front.  This was the most fun I've ever had doing a 5k.  I have never been so disappointed to see a finish line.  The RunDisney races are expensive but they are worth it.  Disney knows how to do it right.  I walked this race, and I did it in my Vibrams.  My foot felt fine.  My time was 46:10 by my timer. Disney bills this race as a 'fun run' so they don't time it.
 
By February I was good to start running again.  So, can you guess....I turned to the Couch to 5k program to ease back into running.

My first walk/run race was the L.A. Chinatown Firecracker 5k.  I was a little disappointed in this race.  I expected more of it to be in Chinatown.  It started and ended in Chinatown, but the majority of it was not in Chinatown.  Oh well.  It got me up and going that day.  I don't think I'd do this race again. That's me in the back in the red tutu.  Couch to 5k week 3. Time 42:47 pace 13:45

LA Chinatown Firecracker 5k

Dairy Aire 5k

Next was the Dairy Aire 5k.  I think I only did this race because I liked the name.  It was a bit of a drive to get out to this race, so I'm not sure I'd do it again. Couch to 5k week 4. Time 40:19 pace 13:08.

March brought the Coaster Run 5k.  This year the race actually went through Knott's Berry Farm.  It was a much better race than last year.  I really enjoyed it this year. I even indulged in the boysenberry pie at the finish. Couch to 5k week 5. Time 39:13 pace 12:39

Coaster Run 5k

The next weekend I did the LA Big 5k.  This race was part of the LA Marathon weekend.  It started and ended at Dodger Stadium in the parking lot.  Lots of hills in this one.  Nice race, but another one I'm not sure I'd do again. Couch to 5k week 6. Time 41:07 pace 13:13.

LA Big 5k

The following weekend I ran two 5k's on the same morning. I was going to skip the Santa Anita Derby Day 5k because they didn't offer a finisher's medal. I signed up for the Walk of Fame 5k instead.  They offered a cool medal.  About a month out from the race the Santa Anita Derby Day 5k announces they'll have a finisher's medal this year. WTF! I wanted to do both.  I  quickly checked the start times and bingo! this might work.  The Walk of Fame 5k started at 6:00 a.m. and the Santa Anita Derby Day 5k started at 8:00 a.m.  The races weren't too far apart travel wise. I figured I could make this work.  I got up at the crack of dawn to be in Hollywood for the Walk of Fame 5k.  This was week 9 of Couch to 5k (the last week of the program). I was hoping to run the entire race, but my legs ran out of gas.  I finished in 39:41 with a pace of 12:48.  I got my picture taken and jumped in my car and sped off to Santa Anita.  I made it with time to spare. I was a little worn out at this point so I ended up walking more than running.  I finished this one in 43:08 with a pace of 13:52.  Yea me.  Two 5k's on the same morning.

Walk of Fame 5k

Santa Anita Derby Day 5k

Earlier in the year I lost my mind.  Even before I was cleared to run I registered for the Safari Park Half Marathon.  After I signed up I realized the race had a 3 hour time limit.  Good grief how was I going to pull this off. I knew trying to run the entire 13.1 miles was out of the question.  That would be just asking to get injured again.  I wanted to avoid that at all costs. I turned to the Penguin again (John Bingham) and used a slightly modified run/walk training program in "Marathoning for Mortals". My plan was to run the first 3 miles of the race, then I'd walk until I reached a mile maker then I'd run for 5 minutes, then walk again until the next mile marker.  I'd repeat that for the whole race.  If I walked fast enough during the walking segments I could do it in 3 hours.

The race was the day after the Kentucky Derby. May 5.  I drove down to San Diego and spent the weekend. It was a good race.  It didn't quite go as planned.  My digestive system worked against me.  (nerves?) and it seemed like forever before I reached the first port-a-potty stop.  And since it was the first stop it had a long line.  Up to that point I was a head of pace.  I lost a lot of time waiting in line.

Safari Park Half Marathon

Things were going well after that and I was actually getting back on pace when BAM! sand hill.  OMG that hill was nearly a mile.  That pushed me back on my time.  I was having a good time and enjoying the race. In the end I finished in 3:11.41 with a pace of 13:52.  Most importantly I finished. I was so worried I'd get swept off the course and wouldn't be allowed to finish.  If I hadn't needed to make that potty stop I probably would have finished in 3 hours.

After doing the half marathon I wanted the next couple of races to be fun run races so I signed up for The Color Run and the Bubble Run.

First up was The Color Run.  It was way down in Orange County.  I selected the later start time so I could sleep in that weekend.  Big mistake.  By the time of the race it was hotter than the hinges of hell.  The race was on an air field, on a hot black tarmac.   It was fun, but a little uncomfortable because of the heat.  If I do another Color Run I'll choose one closer to home and the earlier start time.  Because these are non-competitive races they aren't timed.  I had my timer with me but I forgot to start it right away so I didn't log my time for this race.  It was in the 40 minute range.

The Color Run Orange County 5k

The Bubble Run 5k

The Bubble Run was a better race. It was also in Orange County.  It was on the campus of UC Irvine.  It's a lovely campus.  I enjoyed this race.  The weather was certainly better.  I liked running through the bubbles much more than running through colored corn starch.  This was another non-competitive untimed race.  I didn't time it because I didn't want to risk damaging my Garmin watch timer.

After these two races I realized that training exclusively on my treadmill was doing me no favors.  I bit the bullet and started running outside.  I live in a very hilly little town.  Every street/block in this town has some kind of hill.  Some are gentle inclines and others, well, they suck.  As much as I hate them I also secretly like them because I know in the end they will make me a better runner.  It's been a slow go adjusting to running outside.  On my treadmill I can chug along at at 12:00 minute pace pretty comfortably.  I'm still trying to reach that on the streets.  I can do it if I run on the high school track, but it's eluded me on the hilly sidewalks.

Which brings me to my latest race.  I ran the Culver City 5k two weeks ago. I knew this was going to be a flat fast course and I was hoping to beat my best 5k time from last year.  I had hoped all my training on the streets would help me achieve my goal. This was a good race.  I really enjoyed it.  I pushed pretty hard in this race and I was totally gassed at the end.  But I did it. I beat my best time from last year.  Last year's best time was 36:41 (set in the Plymouth Rock 'n Run 5k). I ran this race in 35:28. Just missing my PR from 2005's Santa Anita Derby 5k by 24 seconds and shaving well over a minute off last year's time!  Whoo hoo. 

Culver City 5k

Okay that brings me up to date with the races I've run so far, all 40 of them.

Coaster Run 5k

Here's the bling I've collected so far this year....

Dairy Aire 5k

Culver City 5k

LA Chinatown Firecracker 5k

LA Big 5k

Never Land 5k

Resolution Run5k

Safari Park Half Marathon

Santa Anita Derby Day 5k

Walk of Fame 5k

2012 Road Races (13 total)

2012 road races (13)....

At some point in early 2012 I was ready to start running again.  So yet again, I turned to Couch to 5k to get me going.  I'm beginning to sound like a broken record.

Coaster Run 5k

Finisher's Medal Coaster Run 5k

My first race of 2012 was the Coaster Run 5k in March.  This race sounded like it should be fun as it was run at Knott's Berry Farm.  It turned out to be a bit of a disappointment.  Although it started in Knott's parking lot, we didn't get to run through the amusement park.  Most of the course was on the streets of Buena Park.  Boring!   They did give out a finisher's medal (always a plus) and at the finish you got a slice of Knott's famous boysenberry pie.  My time for this race was 40:26 with a pace of 13:03.

Next up the Santa Anita Derby Day5k in April.  This is one of my favorite races (even without a finisher's medal).  The race starts in the parking lot at Santa Anita, then it winds it's way through the Los Angeles Arboretum, then gos back to Santa Anita where you run behind the backstretch area and finally the races ends on the training track.  As a horse racing fan it's a must race every year. My time for the race was 39:36 (the first time I cracked the 40 minute mark since 2005!) with a pace of 12:44.

Santa Anita Derby Day 5k.

That's me in the green shirt.  I can't believe this was the only photo I was in.  Grrr. 

Victory for Victims 5k

Finisher's Medal Victory for Victims 5k.

Also in April I did the Victory for Victims 5k.  It was during spring break so I didn't mind getting up early too much since I had been able to sleep in every day that week.  I finished this race in 38:28 (I was getting faster) with a pace of 12:25.

Ah, back to an old favorite. In July I ran the Village Runner 4th of July 5k for the third time. This is the race that started it all.  It will always be on my racing calender.  This year the race felt I little less organized than in the past.  I can't really put a finger on why, but it just felt off.  No race photo this year, Boo!  And no finisher's medal.  This race has never had a finisher's medal.

Village Runner 4th of July 5k.

About this point I decided to start choosing races that offered a finisher's medal, or bling as it were.  No bling, no go!

Next up was the Pasadena Fitness Expo 5k.  This race was run around the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.  Hard to believe I've lived my whole life in Southern California and I had never been to the Rose Bowl.  I wasn't all that impressed with this race.  I probably won't do it again. Finish time was 40:54 with a pace of 13:11.

Pasadena Fitness Expo 5k.

iTry 5k

Then I did the iTry 5k. This was a race for women only and was part of a triathlon.  I did NOT do the triathlon.  I didn't care for this race either.  Boring, hot, hilly course, and not that well organized.  I won't do this one again.  Time was 41:58 with a pace of 13:32.

Back to another favorite.  The OC Fair 5k.  I just like this race.  It's a fun race with a nice atmosphere.  This is the race where I  started to notice women in tutu's.  Hummm, what's up with that?? Running it tutu's?  How odd!

OC Fair 5k

That's me in the yellow shirt.  At least I got a photo this year.  Last year zilch.  I looked at every photo and I wasn't in any of them.  Finish time 42:19 (I was getting slower) with a pace of 13:37

Keeping with the fun sounding races I signed up for the Awesome 80's 5k.  I grew up in the 80's.  I loved the 80's. This was going to be fun. They encouraged people to dress up. (Oh my a monster was created)!  My time for this race was 41:39 with a pace of 13:26. 

Awesome 80's 5k

LA Cancer Challenge 5k

Despite summer's end I was enjoying the 5k thing so I kept going.  My next race was the LA Cancer Challenge 5k in October.  This race marked the beginning of me 'dressing up' for my races.  This was a tough race with lots of hills.  Final time 41:58 with a pace of 13:33.

Another cool sounding race was the We Spark 5k.  This one was run at Universal Studios.  It was fun. We got to run through the park & back lot.  You'd think that some one who has worked at a movie studio for over 20 years wouldn't care about running through a movie studio.  But Universal is SO MUCH cooler than Fox.  No official race photo from this race.  Time 40:47 with a pace of 13:10

We Spark 5k

We Run the City 5k

Next up was the We Run the City 5k.  This was a UCLA vs USC themed race that was run at UCLA.  I think I choose this race simply so I could make a tutu for it. LOL and they offered a finisher's medal. I was just getting into the tutu making thing and I was looking for races that I could theme a tutu for.  I chose UCLA since that's the school my son would like to attend. Another race with no race photo. Can you believe I was the ONLY person there in a tutu?!?!  Time for this race was 37:31 (my best so far of 2012) a pace of 12:05.

Thanksgiving, a day of feasting and what better way to start it off than running a 5k in the morning! I did the Plymouth Rock 'n Run 5k on Thanksgiving morning.  I really liked this race.  It was at a lovely park and was a nice flat fast course.  I only wish it was closer to home.   I had a great run.  This was my PR race for the year!  It was also my second best race ever.  My time was 36:41 with a pace of 11:49.  I was thrilled! 

Plymouth Rock 'n Run 5k

My last race of the year was the Holiday 5k.  It was run at the Fairplex, the site of the LA County Fair.  I had hoped this would be a fun race like the OC Fair.  No such luck.  Too much of the race was run out in the parking lot. Not enough of it went through the actual fairgrounds. It was an extremely boring course.  I should have called it a year after my Thanksgiving race.  I came out of this race with a stress fracture in my left foot :(

Here are the rest of the medals (bling) I collected in 2012....

Awesome 80's

Holiday Run 5k

iTry 5k

LA Cancer Challenge 5k

OC Fair 5k

Pasadena Fitness Expo 5k

Plymouth Rock ' n Run 5k

Victory for Victims 5k

We Run the City 5k

We Spark 5k

2011 Road Races (5 total)

2011 road races (5)....

From April 2005 to July 2011 I was a slug.  After that last race in 2005 I quit doing anything active.  I'm not sure why other than I was burned out.  I made a few attempts to be active but nothing really stuck.  In the summer of 2011 I was ready to get moving again.  I started out by taking a 30 minute walk in the morning.  Gradually I started to enjoy moving again.  By July I was ready to give running a try again.  Once again I turned to the Couch to 5k program to get me going.

Village Runner 4th of July 5k

My first race was the Village Runner 4th of July 5k (of course).  I walked more than I ran. You can see how much weight I gained in those years between races..  I think at one point I was up nearly 50 lbs from my previous running years.  I finished this race in 44:24 with a pace of 14:20.  Slow, but at least I was up and moving. No finisher's medal for this race

Next up was the absolute worst 5k I've ever done.  The Caribbean Sounds 5k.  This race was a disaster.  No official timer (it was timed by hand by volunteers with stop watches), it was at a state park and they didn't bother to get permission for the race so the roads were open to traffic, no water stops, no first aid, etc.  Horrible, horrible race that I would NEVER do again. My very unofficial time by my timer was 44:36. No finisher's medal for this race.

Caribbean Sounds 5k

OC Fair 5k

In August I did the OC Fair 5k.  This sounded like a fun race that ran through and around the Orange County Fairgrounds.  It was a bit of a drive to get out there but I'm glad I did it.  This was a fun race and it has a place on my racing calendar every year.  I was on Week 3 of Couch to 5k when I did this race.  No race photo but that had a nice finisher's medal for this race. I finished in 44:17 with a pace of 14:16.

Finisher's Medal OC Fair 5k

I was having so much fun doing the 5k's that I did one the next weekend. This time it was the Jet to Jetty 5k. Another repeat race for me, having done this race in 2004. I had meant to do Week 4 of C25k but goofed and ended up doing Week 3.   I finished in  42:26.  No finisher's medal for this race.

Jet to Jetty 5k

You'll notice I'm wearing Vibram five fingers running shoes. Sometime in July I switched from traditional running shoes to Vibrams.  I LOVE my 'toe shoes'!  It took a little time to adjust to running in them.  But I'm so glad I did. 

My last race of 2011 would be the Wet 'n Wild 5k.  Another race that sounded like fun.  It was run in and around a local water park.  The attraction of this race was that a portion of the race went through the lazy river at the water park.  This was Week 6 of C25k. My time for this 44:45 with a pace of 14:26.  This race did give a finisher's medal.  It was a cheap medal with a sticker on it. Boo!

Wet 'n Wild 5k

Finisher's Medal Wet 'n Wild 5k.

The end of the summer marked the end of my racing for the year.

Being a mom means getting up early during the school year to get my kids up and off to school.  So the weekends are the only time I get to sleep in.  It takes a really special race to drag me out of bed on a weekend Sept-June.

Even though I wasn't racing I did continue with Couch to 5k.  I completed the program and was running for 30-35 minutes three to four times a week.

I think not racing the rest of the year may have attributed to the lack of enthusiasm I was having for running by the end of 2011.  Like I said in my first blog post by the time I hurt my back in December of 2011 I was more than ready to take a break from running.