Mom's Got the Runs: 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....