Skip to main content

Triple Run Saturday


NO....I did not run three races in one day.

It was just another opportunity to run strong as a family. 8k. 5k. 3k. Definitely a family affair. Three Greens out on the course. Three different races. Three different sets of smiles.

We were at the start line and I was listening to the race director gives comments and rules. At the same time, I was prepping my music and my wireless headphones. Before I knew what was happening, I heard a siren and saw people moving all around me. I finally got myself going but with no music and never started the clock on my Garmin.



Oh well.

I set out to complete 4.97 miles so I knew I'd get it done. I quickly realized that it might not be pretty but as long as it got done, it didn't matter how it got done.

Here's what crossed my mind during the run:

1. Hydrate. I received my Zooma Summer Challenge swag and noticed it included a water bottle holder. I never used a handheld water bottle during a run so I figured today was the day. Boy was I happy to have it. There was one water station that I passed two times during the race but early into the race, I knew I needed water everyone 8-9 minutes. It was blazing hot out there. My shirt was soaked within the first mile of the race. Not normal for me, but having water handy kept me hydrated throughout the 8k and after. Remember to stay hydrated!




2. Know your Route. I ran this race last year but for the life of me I couldn't remember much of it. All I knew is that it was a trail run. My oldest daughter asked if this was the course with the mud and water, I told her yes, but honestly, I didn't know. When I heard the race director mention water and a hill, I thought "Oh wow. What did I get myself into?" As much as I tend not to like loop races, having the loop in the first half of the race helped me get through the entire race. Once I knew what to expect with the water and the two fantastic hills in each loop, the rest was easy peasy. When available, get information on your route before you start.

3. Know your body. I twisted both of my ankles right around the half way mark. I could have stopped the race or even decided to to cut my route short and finish on the 5k route. Instead, I trudged along. I told myself that I was not quitting. I was not going to alter anything. I was going to finish what I started. And I did. It didn't feel good in the moment. But after I spoke to my ankles and told them we were finishing, I didn't feel any more pain. Running regularly has allowed me to get to know my body better and to know how to push my own limits. Get to know your body inside and out.



4. Finish strong. You've heard the saying. "It doesn't matter how you start, it matters how you finish." I felt like a turtle during the race. I was just moving along, putting one foot in front of the other. So many people were ahead of me and a few people passed me by. That could be discouraging but I reminded myself that the race my my race and I was not competing against anyone but myself. By the time I got to the end, I wanted to empty my tank and give the finish everything I had. I sprinted my last quarter mile and felt so good crossing that line. No matter how you feel, always finish strong.

Every race will be different but these reminders will remain the same. Find your tribe and plan your next race.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Purpose Over Pleasure

"I'm done!" Those were my thoughts multiple times during this weekend's half marathon. As I got further into the race, I told myself, I'm done! I am done with Zooma. I am done with long distance running. I am done with running race in temperatures above 70 degrees. I am DONE! At the start of the race, one of the first things I noticed was that the pacer's shirt read. Run Walk Run. I asked the pacer if that meant she would be doing intervals. Her response, " Yes, 2 minutes of running with 30 sec breaks at a 8:40 pace. " I was immediately intimidated but I figured I would give it a shot. I did not typically run intervals but these ladies had a tried and true method to get me to my goal time. So I tried it out. I was outside of my comfort zone but that is where growth starts, right?! I was running strong all the way through mile 9. Based on my mile time splits, I was inspired and moving right along the course. I was even smiling as I passed mile 5...

ReGrouping

"When you fail to plan, you plan to fail." This is sometimes the case but not always the case. I am lucky enough to know how to ReGroup4Change .  I woke up last Sunday morning thinking I would be able to go for a long run. In my mind, a long run = 10 miles or more. It's a lot, but why not?! Last Sunday, I planned to go out on a long run, but I did not put anything in place the night before. By the time I woke up and got out the house, I was already 45 minutes behind schedule. That didn't include travel time to my running spot for the day. By the time I got there I knew that I would not get 10 miles done. When the plan changes, the plan changes.  I decided to set my run timer for 1 hour. I figured I'd get in how ever many miles I could within that timeframe. I set out to run with my wireless headphones but I was so anxious to get out there that I didn't sync them with my phone before I started my timer. The headphones were disconnected. I was already ...

Making It Count

We had the absolute BEST time on Saturday! Maddison and I signed up for our first Mother-Daughter race. It was a 5K. We both just ran a 5k two weeks ago so I knew we were good to go. In spite of living here for the past ten years, neither of us had never run that particular race. We were in for a new adventure. But we weren't alone. We had each other. I was so excited for our Mother-Daughter race that I wanted us to wear matching outfits. One of the best things about a race is being in a happy place. Fun outfits make me happy when I run. And, no, they don't have to be expensive. In some cases, there might not be any cost at all. You'll notice that we are wearing the same shirt. It was a shirt we received while we volunteered for a Spartan race last year. Shirts that were just sitting in my drawer. Shirts that I was unlikely to wear again. So what did I do with them? I cut off the collar and the sleeves and made fringes on the bottom. FREE$$. The only thing the shirt...