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By kilax, November 2, 2008 12:10 pm

5K #3 – The Red Ribbon Race in Lake Forest, IL.

This race supports LEAD (Linking Efforts Against Drugs) – a local area “organization dedicated to parents and other adults and their role in the promotion of healthy family relationships and the prevention of alcohol and other drug use and risky behavior by youth.”

Our sweaty “after race” faces!

I just realized I never tell you guys what the races we run are actually benefiting. Honestly – and this is going to sound really, really bad – I usually run them to benefit me, and my health. The fact that my entry fee goes to support something else is basically a plus. There have been a few races that support causes I really wanted to run, but haven’t worked out with my schedule.

There is one race that I am really excited about though – the wondergirl 5K sponsored by Girls on the Run, on November 15 in Bridgeview, IL. This organization supports running for girls. Check out this description from their website:

The bi-annual WonderGirl 5k is the culmination of the Girls on the Run-Chicago 10-week season each spring and fall. More than 1000 young girls aged 8-13 will celebrate their “girl power” by running 3.1 miles together with their parents, teachers, and community members.

Girls on the Run-Chicago is a non-profit after school program for 3rd through 8th grade girls. We use running to help prepare girls for a lifetime of self respect and healthy living. The character-building program focuses on building self-esteem, confidence and improving physical and emotional health. Over the course of a 12-week season our volunteer coaches teach life-skills lesson such as handling bullies, dealing with body image and the media, making healthy decisions and contributing to the community. Along the way, the girls train together to run in a 5k (3.1 mile) run, the WonderGirl 5k.

I read about this in a magazine and wanted to look up when the organization was racing in Chicago, and forgot about it until today – there was a flier for it in our race packet! The race sounds like it will be crazy, but a lot of fun. I love the idea of running a race that supports a group like this. If I had a daughter (or a son!), I like to think we would run it together. I am wondering if I can convince a fellow blogger to run this with me… (yeah, diane, I am talking to you! Maybe we can convince Tori to join us?)

I’m surprised I am even thinking about another 5K right now. Today’s was not so great for me. Steven did very well. He finished in under 26:00 minutes. We will have to look up his time when the scores go up this week (can you believe he didn’t look when he crossed the line?!). I finished at 27:04, 4 seconds slower than last time.

We did a great first mile – an 8-minute mile! I kept repeating in my head “You feel good. You feel good. You feel good.” And I generally did feel good, I just can’t figure out my breathing lately.

About half way through, I started to get a really bad stomach pain, like I was going to throw up. “You feel good” turned into “Keep running, you can do this!” and “Ignore the pain.” I didn’t have the watery taste in my mouth (that one you get before throwing up), but my stomach just didn’t feel right.

Steven went ahead of me (obviously) and I am happy he did. I could see him up ahead and I was thinking about how proud I was of him for running so hard. It didn’t bother me that we split. I don’t think we would split up on a longer race, but on a 5K it’s no big deal.

I sprinted the last .1 mile to try to beat my last time, but it just didn’t happen. Oh well. Now I just want to figure out why I have this stomach pain. My stomach still hurts right now, as I am typing.

If you want my body and you think I’m sexy… JUST KIDDING!

I don’t think the pain is any big deal. I just want to figure my body out – what to eat before a race, how to breathe, how to pace myself. Blah blah blah. I signed us up for a subscription to Runner’s World. There are a lot of good tips in there. I think I will be doing a lot of searching on the internet too.

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By kilax, October 18, 2008 11:30 pm

Today was 5K #2, in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The conditions were much different than the last 5K we ran – this race had two hills, and it was foggy and only about 45° (Oh yeah, and we had two blabbering idiots running behind us for the first mile. It’s cool to talk to someone when you are running, but not like you’re a valley girl who works in a salon.  [sorry, that’s the best analogy I could come up with. Steven said the girls sounded like Sarah Palin – is that any better?]).

Notice how I am checking my watch right before the finish line?

Even though this race was “rougher,” we finished with a time of 27:00! (It’s weird how this time also ended on an exact minute. Hmm.) I am contributing this 2-minute-faster-than-last-time finish to the fact that it was so cold… and that we both weigh less than we did at the last race.

We have some weird mist or frost in our hair!

My aunt, mom, and sister came to watch us. It’s always nice to have someone cheering your name when you cross the finish line!

My aunt, me, mom and sister

This is going to sound awful, but when I was running up the first hill, I was thinking, “How could I ever run a marathon?! This hill is wearing me out! I don’t think I can run more than a 5K!”

That’s so pathetic, especially since when I was done, I felt great, like I could do it all over again.

I’ve been wanting to train for a longer distance run. I really think Steven and I could run 10Ks. I’m just not sure if we should focus on decreasing our 5K time, running longer, or both. Probably both.

Right now, I am still loving running. I want to keep it that way – I want to keep it varied so we don’t lose our interest in it. We have been on and off running plenty of times. I want this to be the time we stick with it!

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By kilax, September 20, 2008 9:35 pm

Today was our 5K!

Before the race…

… and after!

Our neighbors came to cheer us on and took a few photos. It’s always nice to have someone there to cheer you on through the finish line! (And I should write an entire post about how wonderful these neighbors are – a husband, wife and daughter. They actually live in our neighborhood, not next door.)

Two of our neighbors and us

We’ve been running in the dark, most weeknights, around 8:00. It’s the earliest we can get outside to run. I was thinking this race would be easier than our night runs – we would actually be able to see where we were running. BUT, it was a lot hotter than when we’ve been running, since we’ve been running at night. It was about 80 degrees, and I think it is normally 65 (or less!) when we practice. I had a hard time breathing. I am kind of disappointed in that. I am happy Steven was there to push me and keep me going.

Oh well. Our finish time was 29:00! That’s encouraging enough that we may sign up for a few more 5Ks in September/October, or maybe even train for a 10K!

Quite a few people showed up for the race! It’s always fun with a lot of people there!

Running up the last hill. Check out my… “muscular” legs.

I always try to sprint the end!

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By kilax, August 27, 2008 5:48 am

Did you hear about the Chicago-area woman who held a “Battle of the Bridesmaids” 5K to decide on the bridesmaids for her wedding? (Article here)

The race, and her wedding, were both last Saturday. Seventy-five people (men and women) showed up for the race. The top three female finishers got to be bridesmaids – they were fitted for their dresses on the spot. Surprisingly, the bride knew the three women from other races.

My two thoughts were: Why would this woman want strangers in her wedding party? and Why would a woman want to be a bridesmaids in a stranger’s wedding? But hey, to each their own! It was an interesting story.

Steven and I signed up for a 5K in September – but we don’t have to be in a stranger’s wedding if we place in one of the top three spots (ha!).

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By kilax, January 14, 2008 5:50 am

Hanging my 5K runner’s bibs tags on my closet wall was supposed to make me feel proud and motivate me…

… so why haven’t I run one since April 19th?

Of course, as soon as I started working, I stopped running. I wake up at 5:15 am each weekday, and REFUSE to wake up earlier than that to run! And when I get home around 7:30 pm or later, and still have to eat dinner, I don’t feel like running on a full stomach or getting my heart rate back up right before I go to bed.

But lately, with everyone talking about losing weight and staring to exercise again, I am starting to feel motivated. More importantly than that, I am missing how much I enjoy running and how good it makes me feel.

I want to go for it again. I am just afraid of not sticking with it. Again. I’m afraid of failure.