Aloha run 5k - September 7, 2013

Medal Options. Hula Girl or Tiki

The only reason I did this race was because I wanted the medal.  They were giving you the choice of a hula girl or tiki finisher's medal.  I thought the hula girl was adorable and wanted it.

The race was in San Diego.  This is the third race I've done this year in San Diego.  I got up at 4:00 a.m. to make the 2 hour drive down to Tecolote Shores Park.

I started having an 'ut oh' feeling when I saw the start line.  Humm, this didn't look good. It had a disorganized feel to it.  The start line was on a grassy hill in the middle of the park.   I was starting to flash back to the Wet N Wild 5k.

Oh well. I drove 2 hours to get there so I figured I'd just make the best of it.

They had three waves of runners.  The 7:30 a.m. wave was for the fastest runners.  Runners who could maintain a 10:00 minute mile pace.  LOL That's not me.  The 8:00 a.m. wave was for other runners and the 8:30 a.m. wave was for runner/walkers.  I was in the 8:00 a.m. wave.

Color coded bibs for the wave starts.

The race started on time.  Right away there were problems.  There was a block of people just standing at the start line when the race started (I think they may have been 8:30 runners).  They just stood there blocking the way for the 8:00 a.m. runners.

I cleared the road block and was off and running.  The course took us to the walking path through the park.  Problem being it was way too narrow for the number of runners on it.  Also it was open to everyone.  So not only was it over crowded with runners it was being used by non race participants.  That means folks out walking their dogs, people out taking a morning stroll, etc.  Yee gads, it was a mess.  Then to top it all off the race doubled back on itself so some of the runners from the earlier wave were running the opposite direction towards the finish line.

Course map.

Looking at the course map you wouldn't have known this was going to be a major flustercluck.

To top it all off it was hot and humid. I was sweating buckets and the sweat started to run into my eyes.  OUCH!  That stings.  I had to stop several times to wipe my eyes and face.  (Time to look for a good sweat band).  I ended up walking parts of the race.  I'm not happy about that.

I finished in 40:12.  I finished 836th of 1,263 runners and I was 55th of 86 in my age division.  Not one of my better races.

My cute finisher's medal.

But I got my medal!

Crossing the finish line.

Four hours in the car for a 40 minute race.  I must be crazy!

Ugh. A small set back.

I've suffered a small set back. All last week my legs had been feeling a wee bit dead.  I had some general soreness in them.  Nothing awful just enough to let me know my legs weren't happy.

I had planned to run some hill repeats on Saturday, but after Friday's long run, I decided it wasn't in my best interest to run them.

 While looking at Facebook Saturday morning a report of seven Blue-footed Boobies popped up on  the Los Angeles Country RBA (rare bird alert) group.  Blue-footed Booby would be a life bird for me. The birds were on the breakwater in Playa Del Rey.  I hopped in my car and hustled out there.  I had to walk to the very end of the jetty.  Most of the jetty is a nice walking path.  Towards the end the path becomes rocks.  Rocks that appear to have had cement dumped on them.  It's not level and you really have to watch were you put your feet.  To get to the very end requires a bit more rock climbing.  I've done this before, but after Friday's long run my legs were wobbly when I reached the end point.  I got my lifer.  As you can see the breakwater is some distance from the end of the jetty.  My photos of the birds aren't the best, but the are the best I could do given the circumstances.

Playa Del Rey jetty

Blue-footed Booby

I woke up Sunday and my quads were screaming at me. I hobbled around all day Sunday.  I pulled out my foam roller and rolled my poor aching legs.

Monday is a run day for me, but my legs were still sore so I skipped my run.  I rolled my legs again.  I do love my foam roller. 

Areas of soreness

The soreness is mainly in my lower quads.  It is the most painful when going up or down stairs.  It's DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) and will resolve itself in a few days.  The good news is when it does my legs will be stronger.  The bad news is I'm missing my runs until then. 

My legs are feeling much better today.  I'm going to give them one more day to recover then I'll hit the streets again tomorrow.

This is just a minor set back and shouldn't effect my Tinkerbell training too much.  If I have to have a set back I'd rather it be now than later. 

Disneyland Family Fun Run 5k and expo - August 31, 2013

Sparkle Skirt Princesses Photo Meet-up

Every runDisney race has a race expo.  You must attend the expo to pick-up your bib and t-shirt.

I was super excited for the expo.  I knew Sparkle Skirts was going to have a booth and I was looking forward to buying some new Sparkle Skirts. I think I may have been just as excited to go to the expo as I was to do the race.

New Sparkle Tech Skirts bought at the expo.

Earlier I wrote a review on my first Sparkle Skirt.  Well I'm addicted to them now.  They are the best thing ever.  I'm head over heels crazy for them!
     
I met up with my friends Christi and her husband Don at the expo.  This was their first runDisney race.  The expo is huge and chaotic and it can be a bit overwhelming the first time.

Don, Christi and I at the expo.

RACE DAY!!

I got up at 2:30 a.m. to drive out to Disneyland to meet Christi and Don for this race.  The race started at 5:30 a.m.  Th runDisney races start early so that they can open the park to the public on time.

We met up at the start line around 5:00 a.m.  It was warm and humid.  I was sweating just standing around waiting for the run to start.

Disney bills their 5k's as 'fun runs' so they are not timed races. The plan for this race was just to have fun and enjoy the company of my friends.  We did a lot of walking and some running here and there.  Don was our pacer.  He'd take off running and Christi and I would run after him.  LOL
 

The 5k Finish Line

We finished the race in 44:33 minutes.
 
I'm glad I did the Neverland 5k first.  Had this been my first runDisney race I wouldn't have been as excited as I was after the first one.  This race seemed to be lacking in the energy and enthusiasm that was palpable at the Neverland 5k.   Perhaps it was the heat. But the crowd for this race was really blah.

 The theme for the 5k this year was Alice in  Wonderland so I went as the Queen of Hearts.

Having a good time!

Christi and Me after the race.

Me, Christi and Don after the finish with our medals!

Finisher's photo.

Wet N Wild 5k - August 24, 2013

I did this race in 2011.  I recall the course being hot and boring.  Most of the course was out on the sunny (no shade) streets of Irvine and the last part of the course went through the Wild Rivers Waterpark, the highlight of the race was getting to "run" through the lazy river.  The medal (bling) was a cheap Party City-ish medal with a sticker on it.  Yuck.

Crappy little medal from 2011

I signed up for the race last year.  It was to be run at Knott's Soak City.  I was too tired to drag myself out of bed on race day and I didn't go.

This year's race was at SPLASH in La Mirada and the race course was through La Mirada Park.  That sounded a whole lot better than running on some hot boring streets, so I signed up again.

After I signed up I discovered the Wet N Wild 5k was the same day as the Awesome 80's 5k.  The races were to far apart to be able to do them both.  I debated back and forth about blowing off Wet N Wild and doing the Awesome 80's instead.  I knew the bling this year at Awesome 80's was really cool.  In the end I decided to stay with Wet N Wild.

I have mixed feelings about today's race.  There were lots of happy volunteers and the event seemed pretty well organized. They even had two water stations on course.  Most 5k's only have one at about the half way point.

Course map.

I guess my biggest issue was with the course.  I looked at the course map and I knew it wound it's was through La Mirada Park.  I had even read in the course description that this was a grassy course.  I guess I didn't realize just how grassy.  The majority of the course was on the grass at the park.  I really don't like running over grass.  It's uneven, and sometimes it can be deep and soul sucking.  You have to watch where and how you put your feet down because it's very easy to step in a hole or turn an ankle.  Gah, I just don't like it.  There were lots of hills in this race.  At times we were running on the slant of the hill.  Oh and right at the start of the race was a steep incline.  Ugh.  I ended up walking parts of this race.  Even though I know running on the grass is good training (it works different muscles) I was not a happy camper.

Concentrating on running up a hill!

The best part of the race was just before the finish when we got to run through the lazy river.  By then I was all hot and sweaty so the cool water was a welcome relief.

Just out of the lazy river.

All my whining aside I would do this race again next year if it's at a different location. Hopefully it won't be on the same day as the Awesome 80's 5k.

Oh, and they improved the bling since 2011.  They gave out a nice medal this year.

Much improved medal this year.

After the race they have a photo op.  You stand in front of a green screen and they take your picture.  They print it out right there.  It's only $5.00.  It's not the best quality photo, but it's cool.

$5.00 post race photo op

At home after the race.