To support my assertion that runners love to talk about their sport, this week brings you two posts on running from me. This is the boring one. So, to add interest, a picture! Saturday was the St. Louis Science Center's annual Run for the Stars fundraiser, my second 5k "race."
I'm very slow. But I transitioned from walking to running just a month ago and I'm already jogging 3 miles pretty consistently. My longer weekend runs are about 4 miles.
Here's my completely unscientific week-before-the-race preparation schedule:
- Saturday (7 days out): practice run of the (hilly!) race course, with NO WALKING. This lets me know what to expect on race day and also gives me a ton of confidence. I know I can do this, no matter how hard it feels in the moment, because I've done it before. . .
- Sunday (6 days out): four mile run. Ouch.
- Monday (5 days out): no running! Jillian Michaels video with hand weights.
- Tuesday (4 days out): jogging on the mini tramp to coddle feet and knees, again with the mini dumbells.
- Wednesday (3 days out): rest
- Thursday (2 days out): 2.5 mile run (and walk)
- Friday (1 day out): rest
Saturday was also the girls' first half mile fun run. They did so great! Some of the other dads carried their little ones to keep up with the crowd but our girls did the whole half mile under their own steam. I am so proud of them! (Here you see them inside the Planetarium, warming up. Ada loves her "running skirt.")My parents - longtime runners and enthusiasts of the sport - came down to cheer for all of us. Paul and a friend ran the 10k while my dad and I did the 5k - the two races started and ended together, which was fun. My mom and my friend Elizabeth watched the kids during the adult races. The girls had a blast in the inflatable obstacle course and bouncy house. After running I had a few minutes to catch my breath and slurp down some fluids, then it was time to line up for the kids' race. Fortunately, they allowed "pacers" on the course, so I ran with Ada while Paul encouraged Ellie along.
And after that: off to Ellie's last soccer game of the season.
Awesome day.
(Paul snapped the top photo with his phone shortly before the races started. Runners were beginning to file down to the starting line. I'm chatting with my mom, Ellie beside me. Ada is talking to my dad, who's sitting on the curb.)
8 comments:
I am in awe of people who set goals like these and make them!
I'm not much good with goals (except NaNoWriMo, I guess, though my work and I promptly die on December 1st).
I'm considering making a real running goal. My father's strongly encouraging me to run the Chicago Marathon with him October 2011. I'm resisting. Because I'm SANE.
Good for you! Judging from that picture, you no longer look like someone who could be mistakenly thought to be pregnant.
You *should* try the Chicago marathon! I'd love to meet you. Keep in mind that you'd need to register by early next spring--the slots fill up fast. The marathon course has only the gentlest hills, and very few of them.
Orange, there I'm enjoying the camouflaging properties of a paper number. I still carry weight in my lower abdomen and probably always will. Alas! But at least "when are you due?" has been replaced by an inquisitive look. So that's nice. ;-)
After running hilly Forest Park, my (Chicagoan) Dad's been selling me on the flatness of his favorite city. And Paul tried to register too late this year so we know we need to get in early. I imagine we'd be an Opportunity Enterprises fundraising team, and they hold extra slots open longer (http://www.oppent.org/). But . . . running 26.2 miles in a row? Six hours straight?! Daunting! My fear of porta potties alone nearly cripples me.
Have you done it? I'd love to meet you, too, of course.
Great accomplishment, Sarahlynn! Keep up the good work!
Thanks! I alternate between "this is fun!" and "I'm only doing this until I'm back in shape, then I'll only move my body from the couch enough to maintain."
congrats on the run! looks like you guys all had a great time...we ran the zoo race the following day and could hardly stand the heat/humidity. :)
We'd love to have you at our race next year: http://www.tpnanews.com/TPNANEWS/2010_TPNA_5K_Run.html. First Saturday in June each year. Also a free fun run for the kids (prizes for all kids) and free snow cones for all! We just finished and had a great time (also again could hardly stand the heat/humidity, though!!).
Good luck with the running this summer!!
The Science Center run was a blast! (hah hah, b/c it was a run for the stars, rocket on the t-shirts, etc.)
Wish we could have done the zoo, too, but Saturday was hot enough.
I added the TPNA 5k to my 2011 calendar!
We're spending some time in cooler climes this summer (Michigan and Wyoming) but in up in the Rockies I'll have altitude challenges to my running. Looking forward to the trips, though!
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