Thanksgiving Day Run 2008

LOVE these! They're the bamboo and wool socks from Feetures. They are soft, sturdy and comfortable!

I hope everyone had a fantastic and fulfilling Thanksgiving! What was your favorite dish or your favorite part of your Thanksgiving Day? You can comment and let me know, if you'd like!

I started my Thanksgiving at 6:30AM--woke up and had a small cup of yogurt. I took a hot shower to loosen up and got ready for the Iroquois Hill Runners Thanksgiving Day 5 Mile Run! I had a little trouble getting DBF out of bed, and I can't blame him! I decided to drive because he didn't feel like driving and I was pretty much wide awake! When we pulled into Iroquois Park, I almost immediately saw Tom and Joe in front of the Ampitheater! We did a quick ~1 mile warmup together and enjoyed the music that was being played near the playground area. I had a little pain in my legs but I ran through it because I knew I needed to warm up to get past that discomfort so that I could run a good race.

Eventually, mom showed up and she, Joey, Tom, Joe and I hung out for a bit which made for a relaxing and fun time prior to the race. I waited in a long bathroom line (not many people but for some reason, these fools were slow IN the bathroom!) but talked to a couple of women--both who had run this race before. I actually ran past one of the women around mile 3 and tried to get her and her friend to pick up the pace but they were tired!

The race itself was one of my favorite because of the entertainment. Rounding the turn on Rundill Road (where Iroquois Park Rd meets) there was a group of men wearing kilts and playing bagpipes! Then, at the turn onto Uphill Road, there was a group of young cheerleaders--they were EXCELLENT and so energetic! There was a super friendly and excited gentleman volunteering just after that--equipped with a radio blasting tunes for us! Then at the first lookout, there were a few folks singing for us! It was so much fun and such a nice distraction during the run! Race directors, take note!

At mile one, I was just at 11:55. I was a little disappointed but I knew that (as usual) I was running a conservative (read: slow) start and I typically speed up. I actually did try to speed up just a little bit and I started to pass people slowly. By the second mile, I was just over 23 minutes. Honestly, I think that point was where I was feeling pretty crappy. I wasn't in a zone, I felt tired and I just kept thinking about how I wanted it to end. Luckily though, things turned around. There were a lot of cool people running and I just started chatting with the folks around me. I stayed with a couple of women and we discussed food and how it effecs our running! Eventually, I told myself that I was going to have to let go and RUN hard. It was a hard run, I definitely pulled something out of myself to push as hard as I did.

Honestly, I don't remember the time at the 3 mile mark. I just remember grabbing the water right around there and feeling like crap. I also remember the side stiches I was getting and how miserable I felt--it's been a long time since I had those. I tried to slow down a bit and breathe differently until they disappeared.

During my training leading up to the race, I always tried to make the first lookout on the way BACK DOWN by 35:00. Normally, it was tough but I could do it. During the race, though, I surpassed that goal without even realizing it. I started heading downhill and thought I should check my watch...I was pretty happy about that and that gave me enough motivation to keep pushing, in spite of the discomfort I was feeling.

At mile 4, I was shocked because I was just over 41 minutes--I knew then that either something was WRONG or that I was running faster than normal. I HONESTLY did not know which was correct. At that point, I am typically around the 44 minute mark--so I kept pushing because I was a little anxious that I was running poorly. I ran strong downhill, around the corner and back toward the finish. It was HARD for me, but I kept running as fast as I could.

On the way to the finish, I didn't look at my watch, I just remembered the conversation I had with Tom about how that portion of the run is ALWAYS the most mentally challenging for me, and I just tried to fight it. That last 1/2 mile was probably the most horrible for me. I felt SO tired, my legs ached. But I knew I was giving it my all and I couldn't stop pushing. I ended up crossing the finish line at 51:xx. My watch shows 51:20, from the time my body actually crossed the finish line to the time my body crossed the finish. NEW PR!!!!!! I ran my last 5 mile race at Bernheim just one month and two days prior and my time was almost 2 minutes slower then--but it was the fastest minute per mile pace I've kept since I "re-started."

Using my "unofficial" time of 51:20 from the Thanksgiving Race, that puts my average pace at 10:16 per mile! That's amazing for me!!!! That's nearly 25 seconds faster per mile than last month's race of the same distance!!

Overall, it was a beautiful day, decent weather and I felt that race was very well organized and executed. Definitely a winner!

I also want to add--I don't want to beat a dead horse but I absolutely love Tom and Joe, my friends from Run the Ville. They are supportive and nice and just AWESOME! If you all are reading this, I'm not trying to kiss up but I am just so thankful to have met you all! I appreciate you both very much and all that you all are doing for me and for our local running community! Coincidentally, apparently they both PR'd at the race too. We must have the winning formula, I tell ya!!!!

Looking at tomorrow, I'm hoping to get in a good 9 miles--wish me luck!