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Monday, May 3, 2010

Red lipstick and smiles make it all worthwhile.


So, the first of the big races of 2010 has come and gone, and it was a-freakin-mazing.


For those not in the know, I have been training with a wonderful group of ladies -a group known as STARS (She Trains And Runs Strong)- of all ages, backgrounds and pace levels for the last 4 months. As a group we spent the winter training for half marathons in the spring, which were run this past weekend and the one before. We get out there in all the crazy weather to train, vent, laugh, and cry...while we shine and show off our fab selves with red lipstick.


After not nearly enough sleep, we met up at the fairgrounds with our fab outfits consisting of STARS shirts and running skirts/shorts, adorned with face tattoos, star-shaped earrings and the all-important red lipstick. Even with a race start time of 6:30 am, we don't skip that. It would just be wrong. Once we had everyone present and accounted for, we all made our way over to the start and were off.


It was definitely warmer than most mornings, but it didn't bother me...my concern was my asthma and the humidity. My goal pace was 11:30/mile, but I wasn't going to flip out if I couldn't keep it. Off I went through the start...and surprisingly enough, my pace at mile 1 was 10:45. Super happy about it, but I also knew that was pretty unreasonable to maintain so I pulled it back to where I could be comfortable and 'run happy." With all of the preparation for heat, I had consumed more fluid than a fish on Saturday and knew that no good could come from that. All was going just peachy until I hit the water stop around mile 4 and knew that I would have to give in and pause for a potty the next time I saw one.


Cue mile 6, where I was lucky for a short wait of about 5 minutes. Not short when you are losing minutes in a race, but much better than the longer lines I'd already passed. Obviously, there was no way I was making up that much time in the last 7 miles...so I just kept on running happy and comfortable.


We were pretty lucky during the first half of the run before the sun really came out, but by the time I got between 9 and 10, it was shining pretty hardcore without a bit of shade in sight. Just kept throwing back the water and Powerade (nasty regular fruit punch Powerade, no less) and just kept moving the best I could. By the time I got to mile 11, I had never wanted to stop running so badly in my ENTIRE life...but that was just not happening. That hateful Jillian Michaels quote I like to throw around kept nagging me.


"If you're not puking, fainting, or dying - KEEP GOING!"


I was not puking or fainting, and judging by a heart rate over 180 I wasn't dying, so I kept going. See, when I ran Baltimore last October...I couldn't run the whole thing because of cramps in my legs and feet. My major goal for Frederick was to run the entire thing. I had time goals, but they weren't as important - I just didn't want to walk. And so I didn't. Fueled by Eminem, Metallica, Garbage and Westside Connection...I ran those last 2 miles like someone was chasing me. I made it up that last hill -who puts the finish line up a hill?- and through to the finish line...and I couldn't have been prouder of myself or my teammates who were in various stages of the race around me. We are AWESOME. And, best of all...we all still had our red lipstick on at the end.


Original goal time 2:35:00

Clock time 2:41:22

Chip time 2:38:21 (Probably would have made it if not for the potty, but you gotta do what you gotta do.)

1 comments:

Melanie said...

GREAT JOB! Love the red lipstick, how fun!

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