Reflecting on 2013

It seems like time goes by so quickly now.  I'm sitting here reflecting on 2013 and can hardly believe how much I've changed in what seems to be such a short amount of time.  This time last year I was just beginning to train for my first half marathon.  Now I sit here with 7 races under my belt.  After having never run a race before, it's pretty amazing to think of what I've accomplished.

My first race of the year (and ever) was the Oakland Running Festival's Half Marathon in March.  That was a challenging race for me because I was in a car accident a few days prior but it was amazing to cross that finish line. 

I took some time off from running to allow myself to heal (persistent back pain) but then ran my first 5K in June at the See Jane Run event in Alameda.  It was a hot day and it was a physically challenging race because I hadn't really been running but it was fun to experience a much shorter race than a half marathon. 

In August I ran Brazen Racing's Summer Breeze 10K in San Leandro.  Loved running along the bay and experienced the success of setting a goal for myself and meeting it. 

September I ran my second half marathon at the Half Moon Bay International event.  I PRd on this race which felt good but was overall disappointed that my time on the clock wasn't my goal I set for myself, mainly because the course measured long (13.56 was what my Garmin told me after the race).  The race director did email the participants after to state that the course did measure long (so it wasn't just the way I was running it).  It was awesome having Mike and the boys support me on the course since they didn't do that during Oakland's half. 

In November Mike and I ran Berkeley's Inaugural 10 miler.  My groin strain was bothering me so I didn't run it as fast as I was hoping but I loved running a race with Mike and look forward to doing that again sometime. 

Four days after that I ran a 5K turkey trot also put on by Brazen Racing.  The boys ran the little turkey trot.  This was my first trail race with rolling hills and it was challenging but I loved it.  I look forward to doing it again next year.

I was hoping for a sub 30 5K but that didn't happen at the turkey trot (those darn hills!) so I signed up for Walnut Creek's 5K in December and finally hit my sub 30 5K. 

While a year seems to have gone by quickly I was busy running!  I look forward to what 2014 has in store for me. 

Walnut Creek 5K

Since I didn't make my sub 30 5K time goal at the turkey trot I've been searching around for another 5K where I could give it a try.  I realized that the Walnut Creek Half Marathon and 5K was coming up and signed up for it.  This was the perfect race in many ways.  It was only a few minutes away from home and the route was on a trail that I run regularly on my long runs so I knew it very well.  I knew if I was going to do a sub 30 5K that this would be it.  I was a bit hesitant to sign up because it was $55 (two weeks out from the race) but I did it anyway. 

I convinced my BFF Marisa to run it with me even though she hasn't run in a few months.  But I told her that her out of shape equals my in shape so we'd be a perfect pair!  I was really pleased with the long-sleeve tech tee - I was not expecting something that nice for a 5K.

This morning it was really cold (in the 30s) and the race started early at 7:30 so I told Mike to stay home with the boys.  Marisa and I had a plan to try to run all 3 miles at 9:30 but that ideally once I hit the two mile mark I'd go as fast as I can in order to guarantee a sub 30 finish.  The first mile went well.  We were right on target at 9:30.  My legs were cold and felt numb so it took awhile for them to warm up.  Mile 2 was hard.  I just wasn't feeling it and not sure I'd be able to sustain the 9:30 pace for 2 more miles.  Mile 2 came in around 9:52.  I began to get worried.  I got stuck up in my head at this point.  My side hurt.  I didn't think I could do it.  Marisa was awesome.  She kept telling me I was doing great, we were on target.  I really think without her doubt would have taken over.  The last bit was up a small hill but then when we hit the downhill I just gave it all I had.  I clocked in the last 1/4 mile below 9 minutes which is VERY fast for me. At one point I looked at my watch and it showed I was at 28 minutes.  I just didn't think I'd make it.  But then I told myself I'd be really pissed if I crossed in 30:XX so I knew I had to dig deep and finish strong. 

I crossed the finish line in 29:44 which was 93rd out of 410 runners and 6th of 31 in my age group (26th female out of 260).  I can't believe it.  I've only been working with my running coach for 2 months and I've already hit one of my goals.  Now it's time to drop my time down even more.  Maybe I really am a runner.