Post 5k (by a couple weeks!) and more traction

April 3 was the 5k  April Fools event.  This is one of the funnest and best races I've participated in. First, this race director has plenty of emails and Facebook notices about an event (but not too many, you know what I mean?).  He also has a great staging area of the Start, food/tents, and Finish lines.

Let's take the Start line.  He has it set up with a nice inflatable banner, plenty of "minute" corral areas and, this is to me one of the best things, speakers all the way back down the corral area. This means, if you're a walker or a 13 minute runner, you can still hear what's being announced and hear the national anthem too!

I got out to the race site about 45 minutes early. The day was still chilly, but not near as windy as Saturday, the original event day, was.  Saturday had wind gusts up to 50mph, and I think a few may have been faster than that.  The race director was able to work with the venue (state park), food venues and portapotty people to have the event on Sunday instead. This in and of itself is a huge feat. Not many cities or race directors would be able to arrange that!  I got a parking spot about midway between the start and finish/staging area.  My main reason in getting there early was to get a good parking spot, and to be able to get a race shirt at 8:30, when those of us who registered too late could get a t-shirt.  HOT PINK :-)    There were a few hundred people I guess, who weren't able to make the race on Sunday, but there were over seven hundred people who were happy it got rescheduled!  The race director is awesome. Any other city/race probably would have resulted in a flat out cancellation.

I started walking back to the Starting area about 8:45.  I didn't want to stand out in the breeze any more than necessary, even though I had on a Mizuno thermal shirt, a loose winter Adidas over that, and my Saucony running jacket. On the bottom half I messed up and wore Athleta knee pants, with Nike winter run pants over that.  I should have worn full length tights and then the Nike over it.  My calves were ccccold!  

Not these type of calves!  

I stayed on the side of the corral until the near end and then tucked in to cross the start line.  I was sure I was going to have the same issue as I do with running--going out too fast in "turbo" fashion.  I think I was doing well for the start and then did pick it up a little to stay with a couple other walkers who were near me. My back was a little 'ick' from the twisting of the hips as I walked, but it wasn't too bad. I was walking faster than I do on the treadmill and could tell that.  About three-fourths of a mile in the right lower back was a sore spot. This had happened before, since the accident, on the treadmill and was a "knock it down" signal to me.  I tried to slow up the walking but it didn't seem to help on this day.  I took my thumb and pushed it into that area to try and loosen it up.

The course is sort of an out and back with a side loop about a mile in.  While I usually see the lead racers on the side loop, today walking this course, I saw them much earlier on the course and it freaked me out! Made me think I must be reallllllly slow and then I realized, 'yeah, I am slow today. I am a walker!'  One of the up and coming runners is a young thing, and it was great to see him out there keeping pace with the leaders. (He's 8).  Some people are shocked to see someone 'so young' out there, but it's really about finding an interest that the person like and loves and he loves running and being fast.

That side loop is almost another mile as well, so it's not a straight line out and back and there is some scenic change to enjoy as well!   On this side loop is where I slowed down and was massaging the right mid back several times.  I got to where I walked with it just barely making its presence known, so it wasn't painful, but wasn't gone either.  Just 'noticeable'.  

The rest of the event, last mile or so, I slowed down a bit more too.  I was loving the beautiful day, with the chilly breeze, even though I'd rather have been running the event. I tried not to let the need to walk get me down, but it was definitely frustrating not to go faster, and having to slow a walk.

I finished with a little over 55 minutes, so definitely faster than I have been on the treadmill, but with the low back twitching and hurting, I just don't know how I could go any faster. [I thought it was funny that we always run in races faster than in training and the same held true for walking--even though I didn't expect it to happen].  I wanted to hang out for the finish, but the cool breeze was at work cooling me down too much. I got my results sheet, chocolate milk, banana and popcorn and headed back to the car.  I was trying to remember if this is the race where the race director has a door prize drawing and I couldn't remember, then I decided it didn't matter. I wanted to get warm!


I had my second traction therapy last week on Wednesday and didn't notice any difference, unlike the first one the prior week.  I hurt going into it and I still hurt after the traction and heat + stim.

Friday I felt a lot better. I got on the treadmill and did another 5K.... at my slower pace 57 minutes.  A couple miles into walking I decided to bump the treadmill up to 5mph and try running. I did get further until the pain kicked in, and then cut it back to walking speed.  A whole 30 seconds I ran.  WOW. I **should** be impressed with myself.  

This week I missed traction.  Essentially, I got a whole two hours of sleep on Tuesday night, waking up at midnight "wide awake" for the day. I grabbed the kindle and read on the couch for a bit.  Later in the morning we had our new bed and couch delivered. I feel like a princess having to climb up into the giant bed (with memory foam padding!).  Last night I slept solidly (probably because I realllly needed the sleep) and today I got busy with closet cleaning and laundry.  My wrist pain shot up with all the activity and back pain was steady. About 11am I get a call from the car dealer that I missed my brake appointment. Thankfully I was still able to take my car in. Unfortunately, it meant I also missed my therapy (traction) appointment this morning.  I called to reschedule and they were surprised to realize they had missed me not checking in and rescheduled for the first available on Monday.  I was surprised that they hadn't called me after missing my 9am appointment.

In cleaning out the closet today, I found my bright pair of Brooks Ravenna 6 shoes that I won at last year's Marine Corps Marathon. I'm 'saving' those for when I'm able to get back to running!  I have three old pairs of running shoes I can use for walking and therapy.

Here's to a beautiful weather week ahead!  

Cold and blustery day. . . must be spring! April 5K

Fools 5k put on by the fabulous Trekman Racing crew --he has great races, great organization, great after race goodies (food, awards, music, massages, and MORE!)  If you haven't heard of Trekman, maybe you've read of Park to Park in Runner's World magazine?  

This was Trekman's first event with his new combined chip timing/bib process.  When we picked up our bibs the day before, we weren't assigned a number until we logged onto the system. Then the volunteers [awesome volunteers] scanned the bib we would be assigned.  A disposable chip was on the back of the bib--to remain there.  I normally wear the bibs on my pant leg, so it doesn't crinkle and my thumbs won't attack it during a run.  However, Trekman said we needed to wear the bibs front and center on our shirts [though now i wonder what those guys who race shirtless did, hmm].  

Pic of logo on my bib

The weather had been beautiful, though a bit chilly and I decided to ride my bike over the race as a great warmup. It was a fairly uneventful ride in terms fo interruptions (no trains, no cars, etc).  I managed to scare up a doe and her fawn in the first mile, along with a bluebird.    The only problems I encountered were with the glaciers left from the previous snow fall.  I completely forgot about the layers of snow compacting as a result of the bridges above being cleaned.  I'm neither good enough of a rider, nor brave enough, to attempt to cross the ice patch.  As I came to the entrance to the state park, I came across two larger glacier fields, one with a bright red cardinal sitting atop showing off his splendid colors.  I managed to scare up a few more deer as well--surprising they were out so late but realizing they had probably been nestled down in the last days of cold weather.

The first glacier to cross on my ol' Voodoo  

 The energy from a thousand plus people was amazing.  Everyone was standing around in the sun, and trying to stay out of the breeze, and enjoying the beautiful day for a run. The parking lot where the finish festivities were staged was not the start line.  We had to walk a half mile or so to the start line.  Many races I've been to --other than Trekman's-- have signs for those who are under ten minute/mile runners and only speakers near the front.  Not Trekman!  He places speakers all along the participant lineup area, along with signage for runners of all abilities and walkers.  The Fools, taking place at a state park, is relatively flat. I don't mean in the "there's a rise of X and a descent of X so it's considered flat".  I mean in the "there are only a few inclines along the way with a gentle grade and maybe a foot increase is elevation. 

Before we started, Trekman's crew played America's song  and then we were off. . . Now, if you've never raced before you'll learn quite quickly that everyone goes off faster than what their normal pace is.  This is part of the excitement, energy, and adrenaline that racers feel. 

The gun went off, people started a slow run and then we came to a stop. . . one must love that aspect of races ;-)   I tried to stay on the edge, in case I decided to take a walk break. Since I'm just getting into running again after a few months off I figured this would be wise--and then I leave the middle for those folks who want to go really fast and zip here and there, this way and that way.   There was the woman I nicknamed the Gazelle. She was in a high-stepping run, and then she turned around and ran backward to cheer on other people in her group!  Then there was the mother/daughter combo, so cute to see the mom and daughter (about 8) running hand in hand along the course.  There were those dressed in costumes--it IS a FOOLS race after all! There was Thing 1 and Thing 2, bathing suit runners, those with tutus and a cowboy complete with hat, checkered shirt and jeggings!  (I'm still not sure where he found ones long enough for his legs!).  I've never dressed up for this race, but it's fun to see people who get completely into--and who can get their friends and families to get in on the action.  The favorite for me was the Mad Hatter--part of the Alice in Wonderland crew.  He ran with a gigantic hat upon his top! 

There I was, running along near the edge so I could maneuver around people if the occasion arose. All of a sudden a preteen who was walking in the center of roadway decided to start running and moved over the shoulder and then just stopped right in front of me!  This is one of the reasons I never let myself get "so in the zone" of running--always be  on the lookout for people who don't quite obey the rules of the roadway.  I did get around the young girl, although I almost plowed into her.  :-(   

We ran an out and back course with a side lollypop portion.  It was fun doing the lollypop, as then we were able to see the lead runners on their way back, then finishing the out and back let us see the rest of the racing community who was out there.  On the way to the finish line and around the small curves I just ran a straight line, or "ran the tangent" if you want to get all technical on the geometry names.  Plenty of racers think they need to run the complete curves and stay to the outside, but that's only true when you're training and don't want to get run over by a car.  In races, the course is certified, which means that you can run the shortest tangents and still end up doing the total race mileage. It's the reason that you run a half marathon and come up with running 14 miles on your GPS device.  

I finished in a respectable time, though my GPS thought I had gone further than I had, probably because it couldn't tell what I did on the lollypop area. 

After the finish with my "mardi gras'" beads

Here I am after the finish and after my face became slightly less red.  My time did improve from the March 5K, which is expected since there were no hills on this course, nor any street corner turns. 

Larger glacier field

If you want a fabulous race atmosphere and have time in September, think of joining Iowa for Trekman Racing's  Park to Park Half-marathon, 10K or 5K event!