Sunday, March 29, 2015

AVID 5k recap


Once, there was a time when I never finished a race without two or three more on the calendar. Prior to this weekend, the last race I ran was nearly a year ago. And this one wasn't even my idea.

Eric and his coworkers decided to run a race a local high school (not the one in Serial, but very close to that one) was putting on to benefit a program they offer to students. Even though it wasn't my idea, it was just my style - maybe about 50 runners. Roll up, park ten feet from the finish line, no wait for the heated bathroom, run, and leave.

I was actually nervous about completing this race. Some of my running friends scoffed at that, but, in my experience, after having a baby none of my previous training mattered and I was building back from the ground up. Building exclusively on my nice warm treadmill. I'd run outside exactly twice since Dalton was born, and not a whole lot once the weather warmed up while I was pregnant. Also, with trying to get maximum use out of my Class Pass, I'd barely run at all in March.

But at least we tried him in the stroller for like, ten minutes.

I wasn't really prepared for a temperature of 31 feels like 23, crazy winds, actual hills (I don't touch the treadmill incline, it is probably stuck at zero for all I know), not to mention the fact that it was snowing throughout the entire race.

Race morning was different. Our top concern was figuring out how to dress Dalton to keep him warm, closely followed by pumping up our stroller tire. Since we don't have a weather shield, Eric was going to do a walk/jog with him bundled up in the car seat, in the stroller. It was a lot to push, so I thought he might want to cash in on this new trend to help his performance, but he wasn't interested. (Kidding, I would never waste that liquid gold.)

Dalton didn't even know he was outside.

On the way to the race, I realized I hadn't brought any electronics. I had no clue where my Garmin was, so I had known that was out, but headphones would have been nice. I had thrown a banana and my gloves in the bag though, so the really important stuff was covered.

I was actually really excited to start running. As soon as they said go, I "took off". I was pretty sure they forgot the first mile marker, similar to my thought process at mile 24 of a marathon. They hadn't. They also took my picture, which I'm guessing also looked similar to mile 24 of a marathon. Running outside is hard.

I think I was warmed up after that because the next two miles went faster. I had a bad feeling that the finish line clock was going to be a rude awakening, because it wasn't going to reflect the "sprinting" I felt like I was doing. I was correct. 28:16, aka about 9 minute miles, aka slower than my old marathon pace. Not quite a sprint. We'll call that a baseline.

After I regained the ability to breathe, I ran back on the course to find Eric and Dalton. A fellow stroller runner told me the tire had gone flat again right after the start. Womp womp. They'd been back at the school the whole time. I ordered another inner tube for it. Suggestions welcome.

 
I ran about 4.5 miles total. We refueled with bagels, and then it was naptime for the boys. Waiting in a school is exhausting.

We are finally sleeping with arms out at night! And by sleeping I mean not sleeping so much.

I really should have brought music because running without it gave me too much time to think. Which led to this happening.

It's ten weeks away, and I found a ten week training plan, so...
 
I even found my Garmin. Note the dust.


I can generally peer pressure others into joining me for questionable decisions so I immediately got moving on that. I met my friend Katharine in a training group. Our paces matched up naturally and we trained together for most of my first marathon. We had babies two weeks apart, and our kids started daycare on the same day, so it's a good match while we both try to fit a love of running into our new working mom life. There may be a few other special guests at the race, TBD.

Katharine, Carolyn and I before the 2010 Baltimore Marathon
The next day, I thought maybe I should try this whole outside running thing again. Also, more peer pressure when I found out my running buddy was in town.
 
 

#noexcuses

Off we go.
We ran five whole (hilly) miles and it was so much fun to catch up over a run. I forgot how much I liked it, and I wasn't as horribly slow as I expected to be (about 10:00 min miles).

It's looking like I'll have to re-introduce pitch black 5am outdoor runs into my life, and long runs, although my definition of "long" is quite different now.

Random question regarding the above linked article. Who out there has tasted breast milk (as an adult)? I did right away (like a drop, not drinking a cup) which I thought everyone did, but talking to some mom friends yesterday made me realize that isn't the case. I wanted to get a baseline in case there was ever a question about if it had gone bad. Also I was just curious. Eric won't even consider tasting it. Please share. No judgment even if you aren't a parent. We all get curious. If you think about it, it's much weirder that we drink cow's milk.
 

12 comments:

  1. I never tasted mine. I just couldn't do it.

    I also thought my 5K was missing the first mile marker. Or that someone had dropped it in the wrong spot and it was surely the two mile marker.

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  2. I've never tasted it and mike said no way in hell. Not interested.

    Mike and I ran the turkey trot at thanksgiving but that's the only race I've done or signed up for since leif was born.

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  3. I tasted mine right away and assumed everyone did. Hmm. (Sickly sweet, though, dear lord.) And yes, it's so much more gross and weird that we drink cow's milk.

    Also, congrats on the race!

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  4. Congrats on your first race back! And exciting that you bit the bullet on a 10 miler! I've never actually done a 10 miler. I'm counting down the days until I can sign up for a fall half marathon.
    I tasted my breast milk once but not until Jude was about 4 months old. I finally got curious enough. He drinks it so it can't be too gross. Joey will not try it.

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  5. Congrats on your first 5k post baby!
    I tried mine.. I thought it tasted sweet, but like you just a drop, it seemed to weird to drink it. and yet okay to drink it from a cows udder. HA!

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  6. Wow, good job! I think sub-30 is pretty badass for your first one back. I've tasted mine! Just like you said, I felt like I should know for quality assurance purposes.

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  7. As a lurker and a non-parent, I have no reason to comment on this, but here goes: I would totally taste it (says someone who would probably also change her mind on every pregnancy notion) for the same reason -- I'd want to know what it tasted like for the spoiling factor and to know how the taste compared to other things. Then again, I'm an insanely curious redhead, so who knows...

    Meanwhile, you're a badass -- congratulations on the very respectable 5k! My running buddy's daughter is almost nine months old and she has a heck of a time fitting in exercise. Working moms get my utmost respect.

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  8. I tasted it. My pumping output tanked and the kid straight up refuses the formula. I wanted to see if the milk was really that much better than the formula. I don't know if the milk is all that good, but the formula is nasty, so I can't blame him for holding out.

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  9. Congrats on the 5k! It seems like a good sign that you spent your run thinking about signing up for your next run :) I'm not sure what to do about stroller flats- does Gatorskin make stroller tires?

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  10. Hooray for your first post baby race. I know Dalton must be proud!

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  11. Don't have a baby yet, but I would totally taste mine, at least a drop. Not sure if I could get myself to drink a glass of that stuff..

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Thanks for commenting! Comments make me probably more happy than they should.