Dancing In The Streets

...well, running in the streets.


7th Annual Shelter Island 5k

This event is one of those "must do" events. The race starts at the Shelter Island Holiday Inn and ends at Humphrey's By the Bay in the concert venue with a champagne brunch. It's very social and people are generally in a great mood. It's a flat route, mostly scenic, and can be competitive... or not -- Plenty of people opt to walk. It offers a champagne brunch alongside the bay, which is reason enough to get up very early on Sunday morning.

The thought of a champagne brunch was quite appealing to my friend Rich, who ran his first race with me, the Fire Run 4 Miler of August this year. He also talked his reluctant wife, Mayra, into joining us. This would be her first 5k. They also brought their very sleepy 2 year old daughter Alessandra.

Pre race photo op - Me, Rich, Mayra, and Ale in the stroller

Ale stretching with her mama

Me & the hubs

Ale and her daddy at brunch

It's amazing who you'll run into at some of these races! Blogger Glenn of Running Fat Guy drove down from Newport Beach for the event and, of course, any event with champagne, er, mimosas would not be complete with the day-glow green race shirts of Blogger AKA Alice of Heffer Blog and the Heffers. We also encountered several very happy* SDTC friends and members.

Glenn, Mik, AKA Alice, me & Michael

Here's the scoop:

I woke up at about 5:15 AM feeling tired. I slept, but it was anything but restful. My stomach also felt off and I was hopeful that I'd feel better after I had some coffee and a little something to eat.

Once we were at the event I felt just OK, but still not quite right. Even though I stretched and tried to warm up, my legs felt really heavy from the start. Yes, I was pushing harder than the day before, but I still felt like I my legs never warmed up for the entire race. I had no chutzpah to sprint in at the end. None. Nada. Zip. Regardless of the chutzpah-less finish, I still had a good, consistent pace and finished with a 27:59. I squeaked in under 28 minutes. One second under 28 minutes is peachy. Last year this 5k was my post-surgery comeback race, finishing at 33:30. What a difference a year makes!

The ironic thing is that the final race results match up to my GPS results, which never happens in a non-chipped race.

What my BiM GPS application recorded:
Activity: Run
Date: 11/08/09 07:58 AM
Distance: 3.15 miles
Time: 0:27:59
Speed: 6.8 mph
Pace: 8' 53 min/mile
Calories: 304

Actual race results:
403 IRENE M 208 50 6/53 F San Diego 27:59 9:01

After (sort of) a nap, I am feeling better. I think the lack of sleep really messed with me today. Next race - Silver Strand Half Marathon, November 15, 2009... next Sunday.

Yesterday's song:
Your Long Journey - Allison Krauss

PEACE

*Perhaps it was the champagne?

Self Inflicted

I had every intention of posting something yesterday but I never got around to it. A certain little boy needed some major hugs.

Last night my husband and I went out for dinner instead of our usual Thursday night date. While at dinner he started asking about fall run events. I was kind of surprised that he asked. He hasn't really run since the marathon. He was running because I did. I kept reminding him that he can run on his own, but it's usually me getting him off his butt to run. We might actually show up for a November walk/run 5k. It's one we've participated in before, and there's brunch served afterward. I had it in my head that I did not want to participate in any events, especially a 5k, unless I could run. Well, I'm still not back to running yet. I'm sure I could walk a 5k with no problem, but it would take me just shy of an hour to complete. My head is still wrapped around my pace per mile, beating my last 5k time, seeing that finish line, and running so hard to the end that I feel like throwing up. This would be the first time I would walk a 5k IF we decide to participate. This little time dilemma probably sounds stupid to most people, but my body is still healing and dealing with pain, while my mindset has not changed and is so ready to move on. I'm so impatient right now. I could always just purchase the brunch and not run or walk, and save a spot for my husband at the brunch afterward. We'll see.



Monday's song:
Knocks Me Off My Feet - Stevie Wonder - Katiefeldmom

PEACE

Our House

Last weekend was spent at the house working on the oak floors... It's amazing what a person can do with the right equipment. Saturday afternoon, hubbie rented a vibrating sander, about the size of a lawnmower and we knocked out two bedrooms, hallway, living room and dining room in one afternoon. Sheesh. I wasted time sanding part of the hallway floor with a hand held belt sander last weekend. It was still a pretty good workout, sanding the floors with that huge sander, but it was well worth the effort because the floors are smooth as silk. Hubbie and I stayed the night at the house.

Sunday we ran in the Shelter Island 5k walk/run. This is the event with the brunch afterwards. We arrived somewhat late, but with just enough time to walk to the starting area, barely any time to get our bearings, and the announcer said "runners, take your marks." I didn't hear any announcements that they were starting in a few minutes or anything like that. Perhaps I missed it, but we were off. No time for gum or throat lozenge. No time to set my stop watch. I still had my jacket on and realized it too late, so I wrapped it around my waist. I wasn't even warmed up yet and my legs felt like lead. After mile one my cell phone fell out of my mini fanny pack, which is just big enough for a cell phone and ID. I'm not sure how that happened but it did, and that slowed me down. I didn't stop for water at the water table. Before the end of the run at mile 3 I felt like barfing. I finished in 27:16. Ironically, I finished just behind the same lady I finished with last year, but I didn't realize it until after the run was over. I felt good about my time because I really didn't train for this event and I would have been happy with a 30 minute finish. Last year I finished this event about 45 seconds faster. Hubbie finished in about 33 minutes. Our whole objective to this 5K run was the brunch. We did meet a very nice couple who stumbled upon this run last year, as we did, and returned for the brunch. I also saw my cousin working the Naked Juice booth, so that was nice. I didn't realize it, but photos were being taken at this run. Since I wrapped my jacket around my waist, it covered my number, which was #336. Here's a half picture of me towards the end, next to #78. Since my number was covered there is no full picuture of me. I'll take what I can get... (I kind of like how the muscles in my leg that's pictured are popping out.)I had asked hubbie to bring his camera. He did bring the camera but he left it in the car, 3.1 miles away... OH WELL. After the brunch was over, hubbie had a soccer game to play in and I went back to the house to prep the woodb for the polyurethane. I polyed two rooms, then went back to the other house, showered and went to bed. Hubbie and I had a full day.

Monday I had my son drive me back to the house (so he could have the car to get to classes) and I worked on the floors, completeing the hallway, livingroom and part of the diningroom. Today was a day off from working on the "new" old house and stayed home to pack and do laundry. Upper body workout will happen during Dancing With The Stars.
That's it.

Peace


EDIT - 8 sets circuits, 15 reps each Bench dips, push ups, upright rows, bicep curls.