Toeing the Line

I don’t race many 10k races….or at least I haven’t done so in the past 5 years. I ran many of them in the late 90’s. Yet, as I have now been sticking to longer distances, the 10k race has kinda fallen away from my radar. Since the beginning of the year, or at least since February, I’ve made more of an effort to work on speed. I’ve done some work here, but honestly nothing too intense or rigorous. Running the longer distances has a way of making me feel really slooooow. Granted, some of this is probably because I don’t vary the training enough. Anyways…i’ve tried to make an effort to increase speed to a level that is satisfactory. So far this year, I ran a 5 miler and a 15k, both with finishes I was pleased with. The 15k was run at 9:13 pace and the 5 miler at 8:46 pace.  I wanted to get in another short race so I signed up for a local 10k in Marin County.

I ran the course last weekend so that I would be familiar come race day. I had been in the general area before, but not too much. Running the course gave me the opportunity to see the gorgeous surroundings….basically the first 3-4 miles are all through Kentfield and Ross, which are 2 of the most beautiful (and expensive areas) in the Bay Area. Quiet, lovely streets with huge trees all around. (The trees would provide much needed shade on a warm race day morning.)

 

After this area, the course popped onto the College of Marin Campus and onto a paved path that travels the outskirts of the campus for a mile and then basically loops back through Larkspur and ends with a 3/4 lap around the college track. Very Cool Finish!

So, race morning came and I figured the crowd would be full of some very fast runners. Man, was I correct! This was actually a Championship Race for Pacific-Association USA Track and Field and there were some nice monetary awards for the best club teams as well as top individuals. So, it was no surprise when I showed up in the parking area and was feeling a bit intimidated by the array of people in their Club Tanks…Tamalpa Runners, West Marin Track Club, etc… This was NOT your typical local 10k. Everyone looked super fit. Anyhow…soon we were off and I was just trying to stay focused on my personal goal which was to finish between 56-57 minutes. My running in the last month (since the 5 mile race) has not been a lot. I did a lot of short runs and only ran 6 miles once, which was last weekend. I was running 3-5 mile stints at about 8:45-9:15 pace but i wasn’t sure what I could do on race day.

Off we went and the first 2 miles felt fast. I ran 1st at 8:40 and 2nd at 8:48 and HR felt pretty high. I knew I couldn’t sustain this pace and kept telling myself to slow down. But, I didn’t. Mile 3 was 8:48 also. Again, I told myself to slow down or else I might not have enough come mile 5 etc… So, I did. I also carried my own water, which was needed as there were only 2 water stops and honestly, I have NO idea how people ran this race at those fast paces with not much water. It was pretty warm.  I actually stopped for about 20 seconds after mile 3 just to get my HR down a bit. Keeping on, I was in a nice groove and around 4 other runners and we were all running together. A slight shift ahead for one of us and then the other. It was fun to be in this mini race within a race. The jockeying and surveying….3 women and 2 men. The 2nd half of the race, I slowed down. My pace was 9:25 but the 5 of us kept hanging together. Until the last 3/4 miles…I pulled ahead and thought i was in the clear to the finish. At about 1/4 mile to go, one of the other women passed me and I could not catch her. She ran well. I did rev it up for the last bit, I was just not able to stay with her. As I crossed the finish line and put my hands on my knees, hunched over, I thought: ” i could not have pushed any harder.” And that was my truth at that moment. As I write this now, hours later, recovered and all, I can’t help but wonder: “could I have? Could I have pushed harder and at what point could I have done so?”

I think that’s what we do…that’s what runners do…we wonder and we question. We beg to know what we are capable of on any given day. Or at least, I am!

But, for today, Yes…I am satisfied with my effort & the result. I pushed my body hard and enjoyed the challenge, both externally and internally.

Watch Finish Time: 6.3 miles/56:47/8:59 pace

Official Chip Time: 6.2 miles/56:45/9:08 pace

I prefer the watch finish time, but oh well!

 

 

So, what’s next???

 

 

 

Races, Data…

I ran another short race this past Sunday. A very short 5 miler in the town where I live. I love traveling for races, but it was actually nice to have zero stress about anything related to logistics…nice to run something local for fun and the money all went to one of the local high school’s track programs.

It was an interesting choice for me in that I really didn’t like the course. It is almost entirely run on a narrow path around a marsh and then a park. The marsh part of the path is fine, with packed dirt, but the park part is all on loose gravel. This might just be my LEAST favorite type of surface to run on…I just don’t feel like I get an traction with each step. It’s a peaceful, beautiful path…and nice to walk, but for me, the running on it is just not idea.

However, I sucked it up and signed up…for fun and to test my “speed.”

It was a nice, cool morning. Good enough for shorts and my long sleeve Under Armour technical shirt. I was also pretty happy to be sportin my new ON-RUNNING kicks! These are super cool shoes, my 2nd pair by the company. I will write more on them later. A good gathering of the local peeps and at 8:30am, off we went on our Sunday Test.

I thought I would do no better than 45 minutes, actually. 9:00 pace. I was excited and ready to see what was possible. I had no water, no music. nothing. felt so free. Except for the fact that I really needed some water and the 1st place to get it was not until 3 mile mark. I am just one of those people who need water at least 1x/mile, especially if I am pushing it, which I was. We went though parking lots, over to the marsh and then onto the loose rock path. 1st mile was 8:27 but it didn’t feel that fast so I wasn’t too worried about the pace, but i also didn’t want to have a severe drop off come mile 4. Mile 2 was a bit slower, about 8:45 pace. I would have liked to have had my heart rate info, but something is not working with it. I even bought a new battery and it still is not synching with my Suunto watch…so no HR info for now. Anyways, by now I was really looking for the water stops and it wasn’t until another mile. I grabbed some and walked a few steps. Mile 3 was about 9:15. Got more water around mile 4 so that slowed me a bit too, 9:12. I guess this last mile I just took off because the data show mile 5 at 8:10 pace. Wow. Didn’t really know that til looking at my watch stats. Pretty cool. I can tell you I was not smiling as I ran that last mile, especially the last 1/2 mile. I was pushing hard and even as I crossed the finish line, no smiles. Painful.

THEN, the smiles came! WOOT WOOT! Very happy with this result and even came in 4th place in my age group.

 

So, I think it’s important to give some data on the race stats to give some perspective to the result. Of course, I’m happy. but i also realize the TOTAL number of runners at a race like this is NOT HUGE.  Then again, 4th is 4th. 🙂

Here’s the breakdown:

Age Group: F 40-44.  40 runners.  4th place

All Females: 259 total / me  27th place

All Runners: 394 total / me  101st place

I also want to share the stat breakdown from the Portland 15k race I did a month ago.

Age Group: F 40-44  681 runners. 163rd place

All Females: 4518 total; me  1126th

All Runners: 8826 total; me  3507th

 

Before I started running marathons in 2000, I was faster at the shorter distances. Of course, I was also younger. 🙂

Regardless, I know I have more gears I can tap into to get faster. So….what’s next???

Day 3 in Portland; The Main Event

My 3rd and final day in Portland was the day of The Main Event; The Adidas Shamrock 15k Race.
My morning began at 5:30am. Made hotel coffee, and ate my customary Clif Bar and banana. I sat and looked outside my hotel window and the still darkened sky, the streets so delicate in their Sunday morning quiet….those same streets would soon be lit up and come upon by 35,000 runners participating in either 5k, 8k, or 15k mile distances. This gray, overcast morning would soon be adorned with bodies of all shapes, sizes, ages, and color wearing their traditional Green race shirts!
Time to get on with the party.

I walked the short 3/4 mile from hotel to starting line and it was a tad chilly. I wore nothing to keep me warm as I figured as soon as I began running, I would be fine. This was true, however the 30 minute wait until the starting line popped open was chilly. Thankfully, the gathering crowd of excited runners and the beauty of the morning along the Willamette River distracted me from being cold. These are the moments that are so fun and if you have ever done a road race or any race, you know what I mean….I love just taking it all in, absorbing the moment, and watching the congregating of a bunch of strangers on a street to go run their hearts out. Absolutely love it.
I looked across the river to the east side and smiled at the grayish-bluish sky emerging from the darkness. There is nothing quite like the beauty of a morning, is there?? I think that is why I am an early riser…I hate missing it!

The combination of the walk to starting line and some time warming up along the rivers pathway, I felt loose and ready to go. I was actually gonna RACE, not just go for a run! My goal was to have a finish sometime between 1:26-1:28 which would be an average pace of 9:15-9:28 per mile. Obviously, I was hoping to be closer to the 1:26 finish. I thought my chance was good if all went well, so we were about to see!
The first mile is headed south and flat, going in the opposite direction of downtown where race began. After mile 1, you make a left turn and head back towards downtown and it’s basically straight & flat for the next 2-3 miles. The crowds were sparse in the beginning but there were some festive folks out…a few fellas playing the bagpipes and another band I think. On the north side of downtown, the small climb started as we ran next to Portland State University and then up more to pass Oregon Health & Science laboratory and Marquam Park. These were miles 3.5-6 approximately and they were a steady incline along wide windy roads. Beautiful and serene atop the higher areas. I was doing well on time. My first 2 miles were actually less than 9 minutes each and I made a conscious decision to slow down or else I might have nothing left in the later miles. The total ascent was only 550-600 feet, but I could feel it as I have run nothing but flat in preparation. I did some repeat hill sessions, but nothing major. Anyways, I was feeling good as I was watching my time and passing the mile markers. I was taking a gel every 2 miles and this was perfect. I was pushing throughout, but as the descent started to occur I really took off and pushed harder. I had lost some time on the climb and I wanted to make sure to beat my goal since I was now so close !!
Heart pounding, legs aching….absolute total focus. I was single-minded and out of my crazy mind and nothing else mattered except my strides, one after the other….keep going you are doing good, you are gonna make it, you are gonna make it…. (hey, nice legs 🙂 

 
Breathe. Push. Keep going! I was aware of everything and nothing. Such a cool, amazing feeling.
Running the last mile, it was a straightaway and I could see the finish line. I never let up…push, push, push Ang…

Finish time 1:25:46
Average pace per mile: 9:13

Very freaking happy with this. It shows my training has paid off. Everything came together on this particular morning. I was happy and delighted and proud of my efforts!

Another cool thing in addition to the race shirts I received was this unique race “medal”…a bottle opener! i love it. 

I happily walked back to hotel and spent the rest of my morning/afternoon back in the Pearl District. Enjoyed a delicious breakfast at Cafe Isabel and then roamed around with my travel pack before heading to the airport and home. 

A fun and full weekend in this Pacific Northwest city I have been wanting to visit! Thank you, Portland!!

What’s next…….

Still here

Hello there – still here. Life has just been real busy and it’s been hard finding time and energy to write. However, I am working on some future posts that will tell what I hope to be a good running “story”. It will be about THE PEACHTREE ROAD RACE. I got in this year and will run the 10k race on July 4, 2013 in Atlanta.  The first time I ran the race was back in 1998 and there were no blogs around at that time. So, of course, I will need to give you some background on why THAT race. Stay tuned….

Also, hoping to run a half marathon in June. Haven’t signed up just yet….

Run Happy. Run Strong.

Palmetto

Sometimes, a race, or even a training run, is simply about finishing. Yesterday, was one of those days.

Since my last race a couple of weeks ago in Clemson, SC, I had only run 5 days, with no run over 4 miles. Also since that time, I had traveled to the bay area and have been super stressed out from work. This was all not a good combination, but I took a gamble anyway and signed up for the Palmetto Half-Marathon in Columbia, SC.  I knew that my performance would be suspect given the circumstances outlined above. What I didn’t know is that it would be even more suspect given some extra circumstances;

1) I forgot my running shoes….my ROAD RUNNING shoes. (if you have seen my vast shoe collection, i’m sure you cannot imagine how I could have forgot the shoes, but i did. Instead of bringing any 1 of my many pairs of KSWISS running shoes, I ran in the only shoes I had. THESE TRAIL RUNNING SHOES

2) We left the hotel at 6:30am to get to the race start . Race started at 7am and I had totally miscalculated how long it would take to arrive at start line. I’m not sure why that happened. I woke up at 5:30am and my buddies were up too. I just fu&*&ed up. We get to the start at about 6:55am. I jump out of car while they go find a place to park. I get to start line, someone says a prayer and sings the National Anthem and we are off. No time to stretch, warm-up or nothing. I even had to scrounge around for a 2nd bobby-pin so i could attach my BIB # to my shirt. (i had only had 1 and an older gentlemen kindly gave me 1 of his, so at least bib was in tact w/ 2 bobby-pins)

And we are off….What was strange about the race was that the course was NOT held in downtown Columbia, which is so pretty and showcases the Capital, etc…The course was about 15 miles from there in a suburb. The route went along a couple of busy roads and then all neighborhoods. The course was almost entirely up/down small hills. A few flat sections. By as early as Mile 2, I knew this was not going to be a good day. My legs felt so heavy…likes someone had attached 50 pound weights to them and I felt incredibly lackluster, as If I had no energy at all. This could have been because

3) I did not eat enough the night before. All I ate at Outback was a small salad and a baked potato.

I saw my buddies at Mile 4 and ran over to their side of the street and told them i felt like crap (i really wanted to stop and just go to breakfast) but I said; “well, I’m just gonna see how it goes. maybe walk/run the rest of the course.”

I kept going. Slowly. Up/down/up/down. I thought to myself. “just make it to mile 6 and see how you feel.” Passed Mile 6. By this time, I had sucked down a GU Energy Gel and felt a little better. “Ok, just see how you feel by mile 9.” By 9.5 miles, I was back to seeing my buddies and I said, “Well, I will see you at the finish line.”

But, those last 3.6 miles were NOT easy. The race director must be sadistic. After a rolling course, they add in a STEEP, LONG HILL at Mile 10. Geez. THANKS. Then, some flat land until Mile 11. Another steep hill UP the freeway exit ramp. Ouch. Then some flat > downhill to the finish line.

For those of you who might recall, at my last race 2 weeks ago, my finish time was 2:02:08. Yesterday at Palmetto was 2:11: 21.

That might not seem like a big difference, but it is and even given the circumstances, I was disappointed. I was disappointed for many reasons, especially because most of what went wrong was me not taking care of myself. And so…I learn.

The good news is that I stuck it out. I could have had a shitty attitude and stopped but I didn’t and I am glad for it. Tasting Life. Still.

Hungry. Still.

Onward.

I’m thankful to Sharon and Parker who were there to cheer me on and cheer me up. Thanks, ladies!

Gear Worn:

Shoes: La Sportiva Trail Shoes ***by accident**

Shorts: Under Armour

Shirt: Nike Livestrong

Yellow Bandana

Watch: Origo Granite Peak

Will run for Snickers

How-dee!

So…i’ve been trying to decide what race(s) to do. BIG decisions, you know. What race(s). Where. When. How much to travel to and fro. Terrain. Distance. You know…all the important criteria when trying to decide. I think in an earlier post I mentioned I might sign up for Atlanta(Publix) Half-Marathon on March 20th. I was all set to do so, quite reluctantly, I might add, when I changed my mind. Why the reluctance in the first place? Because it’s HERE…in the place I live…on the streets i always run on…and I have already run it before….and I wasn’t crazy about the race….and i didn’t feel like shelling out $100 bucks to run a local race that I wasn’t excited about. So. I changed my mind.

Instead, I decided to run the…..SNICKERS HALF-MARATHON on March 5th in Albany, GA. Albany is South of Atlanta, about a 3.5 hour drive. I plan to leave work about noon or so on Friday and go on my little road trip.

In case you were wondering about the title sponsor of the race (SNICKERS) The MARS Company has several plants in the US. The plant in Albany, GA produces the SNICKERS^®MARATHON Energy Bar

(among other products, but not the regular SNICKERS or even the bite sized Snickers. The regular one is made in WACO, TX & the bite sized is made in CHICAGO, IL. (ok. now you know some potential trivia knowledge. remember me if you win big)

So, I’m excited to run my first race of 2011. In terms of my running mileage so far this year, here it is:

January: 77 miles

February: 66 miles

These are definitely LOW mileage months, but I’m ok with that because I feel they have been more quality miles. The course this Saturday is flat and fast and many people who are running the FULL MARATHON use it as a Boston Qualifier. Even though I feel my miles have been of better quality as of late, I’m not sure I can break the 2 hour mark this time. I have not been too concerned with this goal right now cuz I have a lot of other things on my plate, but I definitely still want it! I’m just glad to have picked a race and will be glad to run in some new territory.

p.s. there is a 5-10% chance I will not be able to run the race due to a possible work commitment, so I will keep u posted.

Does anyone notice anything different about me in this picture? If you get the answer right, I’ll send you a SNICKERS.

Cheers. Run Smart. Run Strong.

the last of the 30’s…

Last weekend I went into the Big Peach running store and in my excitement about all things running, I signed up for a race today; The Buckhead Sizzler 10k. I signed up for a few reasons. 1) cuz i like to support Big Peach & local races 2) i thought it would be good to mix in a race before the 40 miler on 9/25. 3) to get in one more 10k before turning 40 years old.

So, this morning, alarm clock went off at 6am and i had to hope outta bed or else I would have just kept sleeping. I had my customary coffee, clif bar & water & sat on my carpet, in quiet, while watching the darkness outside in the distance. There is something so serene & calming about just sitting in the morning darkness, looking out, while most others are sleeping. A comforting quiet. As I sat there, I started to become a little emotional…just thinking of the passage of time and the all races I have done, all the preparation, and of course, this upcoming adventure next Saturday.

My calmness quickly turned to a little chaos as i realized i was running behind in actually getting to the race start. I put on my running clothes and hit the door. I arrived at the race start with about 1.5 minutes to spare. I had to um…go to the bathroom, but i had to forego that and get going.

I started at the back and made my way along passing people here and there but I definitely did not want to “race” or push as hard as I could. I knew the course very well. It basically is all on Peachtree Rd (from Chamblee Marta to Buckhead) on a stretch that I run on quite a bit because it’s a great flat stretch (which is unheard of in Atlanta.)

At mile 2, I checked my watch and was on 9 min/mile pace. all good. Grabbed some water at about mile 2.5. Now, I get really thirsty while running…probably much more than the average runner, so by mile 4, I was looking for more water. None. I started feeling not so great by mile 4.5, was dehydrated and some minor stomach issues. Still no other water stop in sight. Finally, as we are approaching just past mile 5 (outside my office in buckhead) i see water stop. Hallelujiah! By this time my pace had slowed to about 9:15 min/mile – which is faster than all my long run paces. It was good to move my legs faster, but I could definitely feel the difference as I approached the 6 mile marker. I rounded the last corner and went through the finish line. My final 10k of being in my 30’s. 57:33/9:16 pace per mile. I can’t focus on that result cuz it was more of a training run. (for reference, I ran this race in 2005 and finished in 52:41/8:30 pace per mile.)

I grabbed my new technical Saucony shirt, a banana & some water and stretched a bit. This was a point to point race so I had to take the Marta train back to Chamblee station where I parked. However, instead of getting on at the nearest station, I walked about 1.5 miles to the Brookhaven station. Honestly, I just wanted more time on my feet and more time just outside moving! The great part about my walk was that I got to see those people who were coming in at the very end and i got to cheer them on. About 15 people passed me and I cheered on every one of them and they all smiled and thanked me. We all need cheering. Whether you are first, middle, or last. We are all out there doing our best on any given day and I cheer for that, for the effort. It is not always easy to get out the door, but once you do, it feels freaking GREAT!

the pros, the kids, and me

One of the athletes I admire and have been inspired by is Craig Alexander. For anyone who may not know, he is the 2 yr reining champion of Ironman Championships in Kona. I have followed his career for a while and have read and watched interviews. He has always seemed kinda soft spoken, humorous, and dedicated to his sport. his job. He has also appeared to be a pretty classy guy. confident, yet humble. So…i had seen where he along with 2 pro women triathletes, Heather Gollnick & Mirinda Carfrae, were going to be in Atlanta for a fundraiser for 2 local kids’ charities. Of course, i had to go. The event was held at Piedmont Park on a hot, sticky evening last Tuesday. The athletes showed up and everyone was just kinda mulling about at first. I went up to talk to Craig. I told him how inspired i was by him and then asked him some stuff about his training plans, etc.. So easy to talk to. Very unassuming, humble, and damn handsome. oh, and probably not one ounce of fat on his body. Amazingly lean! The large group split up in 3 groups for a short run. I was in the group with Craig and it was pretty neat to run right beside him — he was good natured with everyone. I didn’t have much interaction with the female athletes, but i saw that Heather was full of spunk and energy and Mirinda was on the quieter side.

All the proceeds from the event (entry fee, silent auction, & raffle) went to two local kids’ charities; East Atlanta Kids Club & Tri Kids Inc. Both organizations are involved in getting kids to be active and healthy and there were many kids at the event. I absolutely love seeing this kind of stuff and being a part of it.

Saturday, I ran a 5k race put on by Southeastern Brain Tumor Foundation. I ran this local race 2 years ago and this year, it was substantially larger! There were approx 1000 runners for 5k and about 600 for 2k. $250k was raised for brain tumor research! Amazing. One of the things a speaker said at the end was that it was great so many people came out for event and all the money raised, but it would also be wonderful to not HAVE to host such an event. Amen to that!

This year, I participated as a way to show support for a client who had lost her husband to a tumor. I was honored that she asked me to be a part of her team. She did not run, but was a volunteer at event (and is also involved with SBTF) She was at the Wall of Heroes which was a place where families and friends could post photos and stories, etc…of loved ones lost to this disease. It was not a sad event. It was an event of celebration and determination to beat something that takes so many lives.

I pushed kinda hard in the run. Temperatures were 80 degrees with 85% humidity, so it was far from easy, even for a short distance. As I ran, I thought about my client and her husband of many years and got strength and focus from those thoughts. There were many kids out running, too, which i love to see!

i placed 2nd in my age group and got a very cool medal w/ a butterfly on it…the symbol of hope the foundation uses. While waiting for awards to be given out, I walked around and found a table where we could color in these pictures of butterflies. A lady asked me if i wanted to color, and i said yes. I got some crayons and colored in my butterfly. I was thrilled. This might not seem like a big deal, but to me, it was. I rarely do things like that — maybe because i don’t have kids and am rarely around them…whatever, it was neat. It cracks me up to look at the photos cause I look pretty serious. HAHA

Sunday’s long run began about 6:50am outside. I ran for  4 mile and thought, this (weather) is ridiculous. i’m going INSIDE to run on the freaking treadmill. And, so I did. I ran another 10.5 miles on treadmill for a total of 14.5 for morning run. Later that evening, I went back to treadmill for another 4 for 18.5 total on Sunday …i think treadmill and I are no longer dating; we are in a full blown relationship. i think those 10.5 miles might be the longest I have ever run on treadmill at one time. Why do i have a feeling that is a number that will be surpassed very soon…

The donations for the My Stuff Bags Foundation are coming in and I’m thrilled. Thank you to all who have contributed. Truly Appreciated!!

Overall, feeling ok. Did a couple of other shorter runs mid week. Body has been kinda out of sorts lately, but I cannot dwell on any one thing. I just gotta trust that some days are good days, some days not so good. I’m running on my 2 legs and 2 feet and a whole lot of heart. What else do i need?

Well…maybe some crayons…

spontaneous adjustments

“Each of us is faced with the same challenge; to put on our shorts and shoes and get out the door” – D.E.

Earlier in the week, a co-worker mentioned he had an extra 10k race entry if I wanted it for today, Saturday. I accepted. I got up this morning, with full intentions on running the 10k race called The Possum Trot.

Morning began with a BAD cup of coffee. Yesterday, I shopped at Dekalb Farmers Market. That is THE place for cheap, healthy, organic food. It is NOT the place to buy coffee beans. I learned the hard way. 😦    (In 3 weeks, I will travel to LA and get some damn PEETS, THANK GOODNESS)

So, i dumped out the coffee and had a little green tea along with my Clif Bar. Then, i looked at the clock & it was 6:50am. YIKES. Race start was at 7:30am and I had at least a 20 min drive.

Well, off I went. Drove up to Roswell in search of race location. I found the area but then had to get re-routed because some roads were blocked off. By the time I found the parking lot, it was already a few minutes past 7:30am and I still couldn’t even see the starting line or anything.

So…i decided to just leave and go run somewhere else. My friend was also not running the race so I was not leaving him in the lurch or anything.

While driving back into Atlanta, I remembered that some people would be out running the traditional “Peachtree Prep Run” and so I figured I would join in somewhere along Peachtree. In case you DON’T KNOW, The PEACHTREE ROAD RACE is held annually on 4th of July in Atlanta. It is the largest 10k in the United States. 55,000 people. Running on July 4th in the Atlanta heat & humidity. The prep run is done a couple of saturdays in succession prior to race day. It’s pretty cool to go out and see so many people running along Peachtree as they gear up for the race.

I parked about 1.5 miles into the race route and started running. It was 80 degrees & 80 percent humidity by this time, 8:00am. Still, I was happy to find some people out there even if I said no words to anyone. I do most runs solo, by choice, but it’s always good to mix it up a bit. I ran along the course for 2.5 miles, incorporating the biggest hill leading up to Piedmont Hospital & then turned around and went back…this way, i would get the longer hill back to where my car was parked. I ended up only running 4.5 miles but since it was this particular route, i was fine with the outcome. It was brutal out there, but i still managed less than 10 min mile pace even with the hills. I added another mile walking around a neighborhood I had never encountered before.

One of the coolest things about the Peachtree Road Race that I was reminded of today is that ANYONE & EVERYONE participates; elite runners, casual runners, people who are overweight or obese are out there walking/running, military folks dressed in all their gear & boots, wheelchair racers, children, people who have never run before, people who run everyday…it’s a race for everyone…running does not discriminate.

Whoever you are, I support you to get your sneaks on and get those feet movin’. Get that blood pumpin’. This is life, baby! THIS IS LIFE!!