Azalea Trail Race

Let me first begin by saying that I am enjoying racing again.  I am NOWHERE close to where I was nor where I want to be even where I can be; but I feel I am improving.  Having struggled with some knee problems in the last one and half months, it is getting better.  Let me tell you...laying off of doing something you really love is very hard. 

I signed up for the Azalea Trail 10k thinking at the time that it would be a breeze and I would be on the way to better times...no knee issues in the picture at the time.  BUT...it wasn't quite that way.  My knee continued to have a twinge of pain here and there the week of the race.  So, I decided to lay off of it two days before the race and wear my knee straps in the race. 

It was a pretty cool morning but really good for running.  My goal for this race was to run it entirely with no aches and pains.  I felt great, ran as good as I could and had no issues.  It felt great and I was excited that my goal was accomplished.  This is the first 6 miles I'd run since the first of the month.  My brain plays games with me trying its hardest to bring me down and send negative thoughts in my run.  This crazy thing has been powerful for way too long!!  This time, it was overcome with patience, endurance and positive affirmations.  Knowing that there was no way I was going to place in my age group this year, I was able to win over.  This was the first time since 2009 that I hadn't placed in my age group. 

My friend, Tim, caught me on the course.  Thanks so much, friend!!  Yes, this pic shows how happy I was...it was not a pose!  I've not been able to retrieve the photos taken by the ATR Photographer yet. 

Kent did great, as usual.  He came in 3rd in his age group.  Folks, to place in this race is an amazing feat!!  There were 3500 racers total.  I ranked so much better than I ever thought I could. 

I love this race!!  It is always the one I look forward to every year.  It is a super course and one to shoot for a PR every year.  This year was more special than the others.  I realized before going that there would be several friends from different locations that I knew would be there, then there were even more I had forgotten about.  It was like going to a running party where you've invited all your friends.  So cool!  I really miss my Gulf Coast Running Club friends.  It had been quite a while since I had seen them.  Didn't realize how much until I saw and talked with them.  It was good catching up on what was going on.  Also, my friends from the Jones County area. 

I am learning to live day by day in order to fight any discouragement that may try to take over.  I know I can overcome these negative things, physical and mental, and come out a winner.  No matter what things you are going against today, remember you can do it...now, go

Run 4 It

Circle K 5k - Pensacola Beach

Boy, was it cold first thing.  37 degrees with a wind chill of 31!!  So, on goes a double layer of clothing for the Circle K 5k Race at Pensacola Beach.  The sun was out and it was a beautiful day!!  We went to pick up our packet and shirts and they gave us a swag bag.  This was no flimsy bag, mind you...you had to hold it with BOTH hands!!!  It was not only full but heavy.  There were 3 bottles, large Dasani water, an extra shirt with Florida Lottery on it, key chains, all kinds of candy bars, 5-Hour Energy drink, Twizzlers, earphones...I mean there were so much stuff in that bag, you can't imagine. 

This course is flat and is an easy one to run; also, the roads are good to run on.  As I neared the first mile, I realized that my right knee was going to make me walk as it was hurting.  I had stayed off of it the past two days hoping that would help.  Oddly, my knee never hurts when I'm not running; it will swell [and it has been] but it doesn't really hurt.  I finished my first mile running and proceeded to take the pressure off my knee by walking some.  Unfortunately, I had to walk a good bit of the race.  Running short stints followed by walking was the way it went.  Oh, well...what can you say.  I finished and don't feel like I damaged or hurt my knee further.  Will ice it and wrap it the next few days. 

After running Lulu's 10k last Sunday, I knew my knee was going to give me problems.  So, I walked 5 miles Monday and Tuesday in my neighborhood.  The weather prevented me from getting outside some but was okay with that since I had walked some...all the time thinking the 5k coming up wouldn't be affected.  Well, that just wasn't the case.  I had not run any since last Sunday's race! 

I am proud of my fellow runners for securing good race times.  Mo won Sr. Grand Master and Irene got first place in her age group.  They are both getting stronger and stronger.  Jane also received first place in her age group as walker.  Congrats, ladies!! 

Kent finished first place in his age group as well.  He received a nice cap, large plastic bottle with straw and a $10 Circle K card. 

When we crossed the Finish Line, there were bottles of water, oranges, different flavors of Danishes and different flavors of bagels.  THEN...we crossed the street where the real post race event was and boy was it something else!!  Not only did they have many, many different drinks to choose from [as well as a high-end chocolate milk] but they had red beans and rice and many kinds of Subway sandwiches.  Also, on the tables were different kinds of jerky, large chocolate and M&M cookies, more Danishes, gummy worms and gummy bears, packages of trail mix and a cooler full of 4 different high-end ice cream bars on a stick.  There was a double peanut butter, Thin Mint sandwich, cherry covered chocolate and another kind that slips my mind right now.  There were so much, I'm sure I left out something. 

I was going to share a picture of what we got in our swag bags, then another of what we got at the post race but when I laid it out on the bed, it was so enormous, I figured I'd include it all.  They even gave us a large canvas tote and were giving out extra race shirts.  These were tech and we definitely got another one...yippie!  The first pic is of everything followed by close up's in four pictures.  Here goes:

Can you believe all of this??  Oh, and I forgot to mention that we were given free Florida lottery tickets every time we went in and out of the area.  How cool??  Well, all I can say is that it made my bad race feel real good afterward, ha!   

Hope you've had a good run today or better yet a good race...after all, no race or run is bad unless you don't do it.  Keep up the good work and I'll see you later when I will

Run 4 It

Sweetheart 5k & Gulf Coast Lulu's 10k

This will be a double post.  Getting "behind" because of waiting for pics from the Double Bridge 15k and running most every weekend since...well, it is what it is.  Thankfully, these two races can be combined into one post because there's not a ton of stuff to say individually. 

Let's get going...

Sweetheart 5k
Getting back into the racing mode, I feel the excitement coming from the environment.  People stretching, talking about how they feel and what they hope to run and just plain old adrenaline flowing all over the place.  It was a gorgeous, sunny and blue skies kind of day with one exception: the wind!  It gusted 25-30 mph through the race and made it t.o.u.g.h.!!!  Check out that red warning flag flying straight out.  Even the palm branches were leaning! 

While stretching, I met a sweet, young lady that was here from Tennessee visiting her Mom.  Shana was excited, too.  Kent was getting in line for the racewalkers which started later than the 5k race.  This race also was combined with the Sea Turtle Half Marathon and I hope to do it next year.  I wanted to this year but it just didn't work out. 

I had hoped I could run this without walking but run as hard as I could [at this time].  As it turned out, I ran it all and felt great.  It was not my norm by any means, but getting back into the circuit felt great. 

Here is a good shot of Kent coming in to the Finish Line.  Also, one of my friend, Tim...who takes many, many pics.  Gotcha!!

When I finished, I found a friend from Mississippi and got a pic with him.  Good to see you, Tim and JoAnn.  Glad you had a good race. 

Kent won First Place in his age group.  He's a really good racewalker and it is good to see "real" racewalkers out there...not those that choose to run and walk.  Congrats, Sweetie! 

And, one final pic of us...compliments of Tim.

Gulf Coast Lulu's 10k
My challenge increases as I aim to run this 6.2 miles.  I haven't run solid that far yet.  Again, my goal is to do my best whether it is all running or run and walk it.  Having done this race before as a half marathon, I knew I had a huge challenge before me...crossing that Intercostal Waterway Bridge over AND back.  This is the first year for the 10k.  It is a tough bridge and with my knee giving me so many problems lately, I wondered if I would be able to accomplish this goal of solid running.  It's all good regardless...unless I hurt my knee further!  Also, since I saw the banner at the Expo at the Double Bridge race, I knew I had to show up as Adam told me I could pick it up after the race.  Guess that was my main motivator, ha!! 

I have been going to trekking for a while.  Kent had stopped because he began having some knee issues just before the Double Bridge...and knowing this was going to be a tough 2-bridge race, he stopped going.  He's better now.  I felt it helped me in that race so I continued to go.  But just before the Sweetheart 5k my right knee began bothering me.  I searched for my knee straps to wear at that race but couldn't find them.  There are some things that haven't been unpacked yet and they must be in one of those totes.  The kicker?  Trying to find another one.  The only ones I could find were by Ace which are not as strong as Mueller, which I love!!  We decided to go to Dick's to search there.  Well......they had neither.  The one they had was Shock Doctor and cost TWICE as much!  I wore it the first time at this race hoping I wouldn't have problems with it.  It did great...thank goodness.  I'd hate to find that it didn't work and had spent that kind of money! 

The race started at 7:30 and it was so yucky.  It was a good temp but overcast and misty rain.  I met up with my friend, Marsha.  It was good to see her.  She wasn't feeling well and I wished her a good race. 

I saw another woman that had a sign on her back.  She just happened to get in one of the pictures and I wanted to share it with you.  Wished her a good race, too.  This was her third half this year.  She was trying to make today the 13th.  In case you can't read this, it read:  "13th time running 13.1 miles.  Doing it on 3/1 because....it's my birthday".  Isn't this cool? 

As it turned out, it was perfect.  By the time your body got good and warmed up the cool mist cooled you off.  I had no problem with that, ha! 

At the 10k turnaround, I saw Shana!  I had forgotten that she was going to do this race.  So, I knew we had to get our picture together afterward.  She was heading back home to Memphis the following day. 

As usual, the Gulf Coast Group gave out those great bottle opener finisher's medals. 

The overall winner of the 10k was from the coast, Amber W.  She was fantastic.  Think she came in 5 minutes ahead of everyone!!  Shana received the Masters Award and did great, too!  Also, Dallas S. ran the half and did it in 1:42.  He's an amazing 8 year old to say the least!! 

I hung around to get pics of a couple of friends that did the half, Marsha and Mo.  They did a great job, too.  Mo placed in her age group.  She's a beast! 

I was able to run the entire race, even up and over that bridge.  I felt good and strong coming in to the Finish Line, too.  My knee never hurt...yay!  As it turned out, I was awarded the Grand Masters 10k winner!!  So happy with this as it will probably be the last GM I will receive before heading into another age group this year.  This is definitely a keeper! 

AND...I got it!!  Yep, the banner!  I am so excited about this and can't wait to get it on my wall in my crafting/sports room.  Woo-hoo!! 

One last thing.  When we returned to our vehicle to leave, there was a flyer on it for a race in ... you guessed it our home town area, Hattiesburg.  Heather, thought you would like this.  She is the one who originated this race.  You got good peeps everywhere looking out for your race.  Hope it's a good one. 

Well, here I am at the end of another post.  It's been a good two weeks of racing.  I'm looking forward to more races this spring.  Hope you are, too.  See you on the road...so go

Run 4 It

Double Bridge 15k

To begin with, this is a little late getting written.  I was waiting on the race photographer's pics.  Well........they were terrible.  The subject [me] made bad ones indeed.  So...let me recount this race to the best of my memory ability. 

Several friends came from the Jones County area to participate in this race.  Most of them were there first the time.  That excited me because I remember how much I fell in love with this race that first time.  Personally, I don't know if they enjoyed it as much as I did but I hope to do this one every year, if possible. 

When Kent and I went to packet pickup we walked through the Expo.  We came up on a booth advertising the Gulf Coast Half Marathon at Lulu's.  I love their races and have done this one before.  Our friends, Gary and Anna, walked up and I began talking with them.  Kent directed my attention to a floor length banner advertising the Lulu's Half.  It had an action picture in the background and what do you know...Deleica and I were in it!!  I was sooooo excited.  Adam is over the Gulf Coast Half Marathon Series and I told him that I was in the picture and asked if I could have it when he was finished advertising the Lulu's race.  Also, a picture of the banner was on the post cards advertising the Lulu's and Pensacola Half's!!  Wow...we were everywhere!!  He said sure to get with him after the Lulu's Race.  I could hardly wait.  I mean, how many people can say they have a banner with their picture on it. 

Moving on down the line...about the only thing I usually purchase at this Expo is a package or two of Veronica's Health Crunch.  Man, that stuff is good!  She is a triathlete and began making this granola of sort and selling it.  It is the best thing ever and everything in it is natural and good for you.  Yummm!! 

My running has suffered so much [as you already know if you've read past posts].  The most I had run solid up to this race was 4-5 miles.  The goal this year was to "do it" however I can.  This year my aim is to get my strength back and stay injury free.  Not looking at my watch for anything other than distance really took the pressure off of me. 

I love the way they print your name on your bib if you sign up early enough.  I know...I'm easily amused. 

Here is a picture of us before we got on the shuttle going to the Starting Line. 

One of the reasons I love this race so much is that it starts early and you always enjoy the sunrise over the water.  Though we got on the last bus and missed its beauty, someone caught a shot of how beautiful it was that morning.  No one can capture God's beauty and He shares it for the world to see...all free!!

Being in several corrals, it took me a few minutes to get to the Starting Line.  My friend, Tim, got me before I headed out on my first bridge. 

I want to post the next few pictures of the bridges themselves.  Yes, they are steep but, to me, they are a challenge I love to take on.  The first pic shows the first bridge in a distance...taunting you, ha!  Following that are a few more pics of the first bridge.  P.S. This is NOT the "big" bridge.  Here goes...

After crossing the overpass in Gulf Breeze...which is pretty tough in itself, we approach the Big Daddy of all bridges.  They had signs on the bridge that made you smile.  Here's one of them. 

And, to try to get the "feel" of that hilly bridge, here are more pics...

As I stated above, my goal was to "do it"...walk or whatever.  As it turned out, I walked .10 mile twice and .15 going up the second bridge.  Basically, I was able to run most all of it and was very proud that I did.  Of course, I was NOT interested in "time" in this race. 

After finishing, Tim caught me again as I waited for Kent to finish his 5k which started 1.5 hours after we did.  Thanks, Tim!!

I love the shirt we got.  It is a medium/dark blue, long sleeve tech shirt.  This is the first year for tech shirts but I still always like them.  They've been bright and happy colored.  The sleeves are a little long but that might come in handy when it's a cold run.  15k'ers, also, received a Headsweats visor.  And, as usual, I love the medal.  They are always nice.  The beach ball water tower rotates...cool! 

All in all, this race was a success.  My goal is to get back into racing.  I am pleased and looking forward to more races soon.  Until my next post [which will be soon since I'm behind on posting], go

Run 4 It