#9 of 13 in 2013 - Firecracker 5K Race Recap

Runners singing the National Anthem before the race!

I couldn't have asked for a better morning to run on the 4th of July at the Firecracker 5k. Well, it was all we could ask for for a July morning in Central Florida, that is.  The race was scheduled to start at 7 am to avoid the blazing heat of the sun.  Even so, the sun was already up but the humidity wasn't so bad yet (at least for me) at race time.  It surely got hotter and more humid as soon as the gun went off.

This was my first 5K for the year with my running buddy, my husband, Ralph.  The last time we raced together was at the Disney Princess Half Marathon back in February.  Princess was also his last race until today.  For me, I had been running at least one race a month since the beginning of the year but the last race I ran was the Run for the Gecko 5K on May 11.  Just like him, it felt like this was  my first race all over again.  With my excitement, I beat the alarm clock set at 5:30 by an hour!  I waited until Ralph woke up before getting out of bed.  For breakfast, I had one fried egg, two hot pandesal (Filipino bread), and a cup of piping hot green tea.  Ralph made a bowl of oatmeal with sliced banana.  We quickly took a shower, got dressed, spread on some sunscreen, grabbed our water bottles and iphones and we were out the door.

And we're off!  Photo courtesy Gloria Abad Suan

Since it was a 4th of July run, the race was held at the Liberty Bell Museum in Melbourne.  Parking was at the nearby Melbourne Auditorium which is a good half a mile from the venue.  It was a good distance to walk and warm up before the race.  After finding our friends and the mandatory photo ops, the race was on.  I hit start on the mapmyrun app  and Lady Gaga's Telephone on my iphone and I was off.  With over 1000 runners, it was a little slow at the start but we spread out in no time.  Ralph had gone ahead of me (he always does) because he wanted to beat his last race record.  I was in the middle of the pack and was maneuvering my way around the other runners.  I hit a good stride in the first mile according to the "lady" on the app.  According to "her", I was at a 10:24 min/mi pace at mile 1.  However, the official race split put it at 11:32 min/mi!  Mmmm, who's more accurate?  I guess in the end it doesn't really matter.  I still fell behind this pace after mile 1 and continued on to officially finish at 38:59 (12:44 min/mi).  Since I can never catch that elusive under 35 PR, I will just shoot for the attainable under 40 every time!  Hubby PR'd at 31:45, woohoo!!!  Not bad for a 50-year old novice runner!

Crossing the finish line!  I look like I'm swimming in my sweat!
Photo courtesy of runningzone.smugbug.com 

Ralph crossing the finishing line with a PR!!
Photo courtesy of runningzone.smugbug.com

It was a great run all around.  We got American flags, necklaces, and an array of fresh fruits after the race.  And as always, a nice cup of fruit smoothie that hits just the right spot especially on a hot race day as today.  

I can't wait to run the 10th of 13 races in 2013 race next month at the I Run for Pizza Football Kickoff 5K!  I hope to see you there.

So happy to wave the American flag marking another great race together.

With our friends, Lorna and Tony Mazza. 

Me at mid-race. Photo courtesy of runningzone.smugbug.com

Ralph at mid race .. Photo courtesy of runningzone.smugbug.com

Team Eau Gallie High School!  Photo courtesy of Natalie Marshall

WDW Marathon Training

(Photo courtesy of rundisney.com)

I can't believe it's been over a month since my last post.  Life just got in the way and writing took a back seat.  My last post was about my taking on the Runner's World Streak challenge.  Unfortunately, I had to cut it short due to illness.  I hope to try again next year.  The biggest change since my last post was the return of my running buddy and husband, Ralph, from a 6 month teaching and research stint in the Philippines.  At the same time as his return, the Florida heat and humidity arrived in full force.  Call me a wimp, but it is just so hot and humid to run out there.  So I have done what a wimp does and signed up for gym membership so that we can be active indoors.  The gym that we signed up for has an indoor track that we have used for a couple of runs.  We have also taken strength classes (Strong) and cardio exercises such as Zumba, Kickboxing and Metabolic Training.    

Another reason why we signed up for gym membership was to be able to use the facilities to train for a marathon.  Back in April, I signed us up to run the WDW full marathon on January 12, 2014.  Today is the official start of Jeff Galloway's Training Program for this race.  We are not new to Jeff Galloway's training program.  We used his training program when we ran the Princess Half Marathon back in February.  Personally, I like Jeff Galloway's training because it involves the use of run/walk intervals.  In his experience, incorporating walk breaks during long runs avoids injury.  I would not have been able to finish the half marathon if I had to run the entire race.  So, since Ralph and I have a half marathon under our belt, we decided that the 29-week training for Experienced Runners with a goal to "Finish in the Upright Position" was the best training program for us this time around.  The training program includes two maintenance runs of  30 minutes each on Tuesdays and Thursdays with long runs on Saturdays.  Long runs slowly ramp up in distance every other weekend with a final long run of 26 miles in Week 25 with a two-week taper before marathon weekend.  Jeff Galloway recommends cross training on non-run days so we will hit the gym for weight training, spinning, or Zumba.

When we ran the Princess Half Marathon, we used a run/walk interval of 45s/30s.  For the WDW Marathon, we have decided to train at 2/1 interval which is equivalent to a 12 minute/mile pace.  We will probably end up running at 1/1 interval in the first 13.1 miles and ramp it up to the 2/1 interval in the second half.  

Although we are no longer novices to the sport of running, we are quite novices as far as marathon training is concerned.  This is one journey that hubby and I are both excited and anxious to be embarking together.  I believe that we have it in us to finish the journey and cross the finish line upright.  We hope you will join us as we run, run, run to Marathon weekend 6 months from now.

Our training gear!  The inside pairs are our running shoes (Brooks Adenaline for Ralph and New Balance 890 v3 for me) and the outside pairs are our cross training shoes (Skechers for me and Nike for Ralph)

Runner's World Summer Run Streak

With the summer heat upon us, we all need motivation to keep running.  I joined in the Runner's World Summer Run Streak to run at least one mile each day starting today, Memorial Day, until Independence Day, July 4th!  

Day 1 :  3.30 miles

I am just coming out of being sick for a week and today was my first run in 7 days.  I started a little late in the morning (8:00 am) and got hit by the sun's heat as soon as I stepped out the door.  I started slow, walking for the first 10 minutes.  I set my interval timer to 2:1 interval and ran.  It was great to be running again.  I don't know if I can keep up with running this late in the morning, though.  I might have to consider waking up early, not, or just run later in the evening.  

Come streaking with me!

#8of13 races in 2013 - Run for the Gecko Hawaiian Luau 5K

I have now ran 8 races in 5 months, 7 of them 5Ks and a half marathon. This is well above the pace to reach my goal of running 13 races in 2013.  Today's run was another fun one and the last one in my race calendar until July.  To get in on the Hawaiian luau theme, I donned on a grass skirt, leis and a coconut bra.  I am really getting the hang of wearing a costume to theme races.  It is a lot of fun!  The only downside to today's race was the 5:45 am wake up time to get ready for a 7:15 am start.  I lazily pulled myself out of bed and got ready.  I usually eat an egg, toast and tea before I run a morning race.  However, with a very early wake up time, I didn't feel like cooking eggs much less eating any.  To get some fuel before the run I took 3 bites of cooked instant oatmeal and walked out the door.  I set my Jeff Galloway timer to a 2:00/1:00 run/walk interval (12 min/mi pace).  After a little glitch on the timer (wrong button pushed) I was on my way.  Having lost time reprogramming my timer, I finished at 38:09.  This is 3 minutes over my fastest at 35:43 just last month.  I am still running after a finish of under 30 minutes.  I know I will get there...in time.  For now, I will enjoy the fact that I can run and have been running injury-free.

Next race:  Firecracker 5K, July 4, Melbourne

Before and after the race.  Nice beach towel for all finishers to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Running Zone.

 

Over a thousand runners lined up behind the start line.   (Photo courtesy of Natalie Marshall)

My fellow teachers who have become running buddies!  

Race #7 of 13 - Melbourne Art Festival Flamingo 5K

I am halfway through my goal of running 13 races in 2013.  This weekend's run of the Melbourne Art Festival Flamingo 5K was race #7.   I ran it with a couple of my fellow Science teachers from our high school.  It turned out that teachers from the Math, English and Exceptional Education departments were also represented.

I can't say that I love this course because it involves running up the Melbourne causeway (bridge) twice!  When I first ran this last year, I was just new to running.  I remember thinking "why on earth do I do this to myself?" as I ran the first uphill climb up the bridge.   I hated it then, I hate it still!  I should really add hill training to my run repertoire!

As with any other run though, it felt great after!  It was even better this time because I beat last year's finish by 10 seconds!  Yay, me!  The after race festivities did not disappoint either.  There were fresh fruit, pizza, smoothies, bagels with cream cheese, donut holes, and oh yes, ice cold beer!!!

So the race countdown continues.  Next on the calendar is the Run for the Gecko Hawaiian Luau 5K.  I hope you all can join me!

Getting ready to run with fellow teachers from my school

We were all happy it was over!

First uphill climb!  Don't be fooled by the thumbs up! 

(Photo courtesy of Doug Carroll)

Outbound! 

(Photo courtesy of Michael Tapes, Leslie & John Redrup)

Pizza and beer after the race!

(Photo courtesy of Michael Tapes, Leslie & John Redrup)

Reflections on the tragedy in Boston

A week ago today, I was glued to the TV watching the network coverage of the  Boston Marathon bombings.  It was all surreal to me.  Truth be told, I have never followed any marathon until this past year.  You see, I just started running a little over a year ago.  Even then, I never really felt that I was a runner.  I just ran/walked 5K races.   It wasn't until I ran my first half marathon at Disney this past February that I finally called myself a runner.  So when I started reading tweets and facebook posts about the Boston Marathon, I began to see it with runner eyes.  I felt excited.  I started rooting for runners whom I have met virtually.  For the first time I felt a connection to the race.  I was at work during the run so I got updates online.  At first check, I read that Lelisa Desisa Benti from Ethiopia crossed the finish line first in the men's division in 2:10:22 and Rita Jeptoo from Kenya crossed it in the women's division in 2:26:25.  They ran 26.2 miles faster than I ran 13.1 miles!!!

Just before the end of the school day, I decided to check more race results and read instead breaking news of two bombs going off at the race.  Just like many others who may have first read or heard of the news, I thought this can't be true.  Unfortunately, it was.  The initial questions was, who would do such a heinous act?  Now we know.  In the aftermath, four innocent lives were lost and nearly two hundred more were injured.  My thoughts and prayers go out to those who lost their lives and their families:  Richard Martin, Lu Lingzi, Krystle Campbell, and Sean Collier.  To those who are still in the hospitals recovering from their injuries, I continue to offer my prayers.

We now wait for the suspect to speak.  Why?  This is the question that so many of us want answered.  Why did you do this?  If the media reports are true, that they may have "hated" America, why?  Why do you hate this country so much?  This county that gave you the escape from your own country's troubles?   Where is your sense of gratitude?  I, too, am an immigrant and a naturalized citizen.  I love this country as I do my country of birth.  How could you do this to innocent people, especially to the runners who have just endured running for hours.  They were all defenseless?  Why?

I cannot help but feel so proud that I have become a part of great community of runners, both in person and virtually.  The overwhelming response from runners all over this country and overseas was incredible.  In the days following the bombings, social media mobilized runners to get to the streets and do what we know best, the glue that brings us all together - run!  And we did.  I have learned that the soul of a runner cannot be destroyed.  It is strong, stubborn, resilient.  Nothing, it seems, can and will bring us down.  I learned that instead of cowering behind the safety of our houses, we go out and face the enemy head on instead.

Will I ever make it to Boston to run the marathon?  Maybe never.  I do know that I will continue to run, until I can't.

On Tuesday following the bombings, runners were encouraged to wear a race shirt to work.  I wore the race shirt for my first half marathon, Disney's Princess Half Marathon.

Wearing my virtual bib, I ran 2.62 miles in memory of the victims of the bombing.

Our local running store, The Running Zone, hosted a "Runners for Boston" run/walk event.  Over 200 runners/walkers/dogs came to participate.  

Race #6 of 13 race recap: Pirate Plunder 2-miler

For the first time since I started running, I wore a costume to run a race!  I had fun dressing up that it almost made me forget my bib and timing strap!  It was a great race because it was a short race!  There were close to 1000 runners of all ages.   The number of costumed runners were just as numerous.  This was also my first afternoon race.  The horn sounded at 5:30 pm.  It was hot during the run.  On top of it all, I ran with my hair down, head covered with a bandana and a pirate's hot on top of it.  Before I even reached the first mile marker, I wanted to rip off my bandana to cool my head down.  I fought the urge and ran on.

This was also my fastest run.  I have never run a mile in under 11 minutes.  I actually thought that I broke 11 minutes for my overall pace, but obviously I didn't do the math correctly.  This was definitely a run I will do again next year!

Had to pose beside a "pirate"

With my teacher friends

These two ladies flanking me are great runners!