2 Runs + Some Fun

This past weekend marked the end of my two week recovery period from the OC Marathon. (Race recap on my blog 26 Point Tutu) There wasn't too much time to lounge around though because next up I have the San Francisco Marathon on July 31st! I haven't done much running over the past two weeks since the OC Marathon and have felt super lazy, but realize that I do need time to recover. Recovery time makes me so antsy! Luckily a trip for work ate up 5 days in the past two weeks (more on my blog Domo Does Boston), and with the Spring season of Girls on the Run wrapping up this weekend, I have been super busy!

 To commemorate the end of my 'rest' period and the start of some high mileage, I planned on doing two short races this past weekend. On Saturday I was running the Liver Life Walk 5K for the 2nd time, and on Sunday I ran the Bay Bridge Run (4 Mile) Run for the 1st time.

Liver Life Walk

Last year David and I ran this race after a long break in racing together. The Zoo is only a mile from my house and the race was "free" with a donation to the Liver Foundation! When we got to the race I was surprised that it was so small and unofficial and appeared to be made up mostly as walkers. David and I started out  towards the front of the pack and maintained that position through most of the race. I actually ended up coming in as the first female last year and received high fives from a liver mascot AND the Padres friar along with an announcement from the MC. Hey, that felt good!

High Five from the Liver

(Photo courtesy of ALF Pacific Coast Division)

Going into this year I had joked to David that I was out to defend my title. But honestly, who is joking?

I'm competitive and love to win. Must be because I'm an only child and I'm ALWAYS number one. haha I noticed that there were more people than last year at this race, but it appeared to be mostly a walking race. There was a start and finish line but no race bibs or a timing clock. No pressure! I set a goal on my Garmin for a 7:00 pace which would come out to  21:45 finish over 3.1 miles.

The Padres Friar!

(Photo courtesy of ALF Pacific Coast Division)

I started the race at the front of the pack and was pleased to see that I was able to hang with the front 5 guys for the first one .. wow wait, TWO miles! The course wound through the deserted zoo and we passed a lot of animals, many of who looked up in surprise as a group of runners charged by. The giraffes who perked up and then started running around in circles made me smile. :o) The course was poorly marshaled like last year and with several route options per turn it really felt like a crap shoot each time we hit an intersection. There were a lot of volunteers but they seemed bunched up. 6 people standing by one intersection but no one by another? I get it, kids want to hang out together. Still, it made navigation challenging.

At a couple points we all had to stop and decide which way to go, and towards the very end when we hit an intersection we'd been at before, the marshalls said "short way this way,  long way that way". The lead pack immediately headed towards the long way. Um wait, we were at like mile 2.5. I figured it was time for us to exit the zoo not redo a loop. I stopped and said wait, we're ready to finish. Long way like first lap? Short way to the finish? They said yes, okay go that way. I noticed the lead pack was disappearing off towards the wrong way and suddenly it was me and one other guy heading towards the exit. We looked at each other, shrugged, and kept running towards the finish. As we kept pushing at a pretty good pace (I was exhausted from running so hard at this point) the guy said to me "Hey, you know you have a chance to take this. There's no one in front of us." I looked at him like he was crazy and thought, ME? Win a race? I said um, I don't think so. About when I said that a couple guys passed us, and then the original lead pack corrected their course and darted back in front of us. (Um, cutting!)

As we approached the finish line I noticed with excitement that there were no women ahead of me. I could be first female again! And wow, not bad overall! As we held on strong through to the finish, I felt truly accomplished! I had run hard, beat the hills, and finished strong! As it turns out, I came in 1st female overall again! And 5th overall. Not too shabby! Granted the race field wasn't huge (maybe 100-200?), but I still felt great about my finish. The course came up shorter than 3.1 on my Garmin and measured at 2.87 miles. My total time was 20:56 (on an 2.87 vs 3.1 mile course) meaning I missed my goal of a 7:00 pace, but finishing with a 7:18 pace on a hilly (incline down, then up) course was just fine with me!

Mile 1: 6:49 pace
Mile 2: 7:14 pace
Mile 3: 7:55 pace

Course Elevation Profile vs Pace

Bay Bridge Run

The next day I was racing again. On Sunday I ran the Bay Bridge Run which starts downtown and goes over the Coronado Bridge. It seems like almost all of my San Diego running friends did this race last year and loved it! In addition to the coolness of running over the Coronado Bridge, each runner who completes the race also gets a free ticket to a Padres game the following weekend. What a great deal!

Bay Bridge Run Start

My goal for this race was to stick to a 7:30 pace and finish in 30:00 even. I figured that even with the slow incline up and over the bridge I'd be okay holding this pace since the course was only 4 miles long. I started out towards the front of the 10,00 person pack thinking that I was up front enough to be running with the 'serious' competitors. Wrong! I spent the first two miles dodging walkers and  baby strollers. 

Yet Another Sexy Race Photo

It was really cool to run up and over the bridge (but not as cool as running over the Golden Gate Bridge in the San Francisco Marathon!) and tons of people were stopping along the bridge to take pictures. There was a navy band playing at one point on the bridge which was pretty cool. I didn't have too much trouble pushing on the way up the incline of the bridge, and loved flying down on the other side. I totally love running downhill! I know some people complain that its hard on their knees but for some reason it doesn't bother me at all. I ended up finishing the race in 30:28 which is a 7:37 pace. Only 7 seconds off per mile? I'll take it! Maybe if I had started closer to the front and didn't have to dodge people so much I could have made my 30:00 goal. I smell a challenge for next year!

Bay Bridge Run Profile vs Pace

Mile 1: 7:46 pace

Mile 2: 8:31 pace

Mile 3: 6:59 pace

Mile 4: 7:14 pace

I looked up my results after the race and was shocked to see that I came in 10th in my division out of 900+! Granted there were a lot of walkers, I still did amazing! (Funny, but 2nd and 4th in my division were two other former GOTR coaches.) Overall I came in 233 out of 10,000. Wow!

If you are local to San Diego and are considering this race I totally recommend it. The course is great, there's a big family expo event at the finish in Coronado, getting a free Padres ticket is a total plus, there is ample parking at the convention center at the start line, and there were plenty of shuttle buses back from the finish to the start.

Cool Collapsible Water Bottle Gift

I was worried about the logistics of getting back to my car quickly (I had to be somewhere right after!) and did something I rarely did .. I ran with my phone. My big Blackberry is not my ideal running friend (how do people run with an iPhone??) but I wanted to have my phone with me at the finish just in case I was going to be really late. I put my phone, car keys, and some cash in my Spibelt (which claims to not bounce) and was impressed that this time it actually didn't bounce! I had worn it once prior in a race and put my gloves in it and that ball of contents seemed to bounce around the whole time. Maybe you need something flat inside to keep it close and tight to your body.

Spibelt with Blackberry Inside

Shoe Dog

Soon after the Bridge Run I had to jet home, shower, and then get up to Road Runner Sports for a Girls on the Run event. RR Sports was nice enough to host us in their back room and support a "Shopping Party" to help participants in our Sparkle and Shine 5K "Gear up for the 5K". Attendees of the event were given 10% off all merchandise (20% if you were VIP) and were entered into a drawing for a free pair of shoes. In addition to this we had a table with information about the GOTR program  and ..... a couple of us got to dress up as their mascot Shoe Dog!!

Shoe Dogs on the Run

Stylin' as Shoe Dog

I have always wanted to dress up as a character! (Wait, is that weird?) My first choices of course are Hello Kitty or Minnie Mouse, but a cute spotted dog is quite alright too!  

Oh No! Not my head!

Christine & Todd Came by to Conga

The costumes weren't too hot if you were just sitting around, but once we started jumping around to take pictures it became an oven inside. Fake fur doesn't breath! :oP

Hurray for Girls on the Run!

(I'm in the middle showing off my cheerleading skills. Still got them!)

Having Fun with Girls on the Run

Overall the weekend was packed with fun, new things, and I can't wait for this coming weekend! On Sunday Girls on the Run San Diego will be having their Spring 5K, the Sparkle and Shine 5K! Want to see 180 girls ages 8-13 run their hearts out in a 5K race? Details on how you can join us can be found here. Have a great weekend!

One of our Girls on the Run

(Proudly wearing a Glam Runner tutu)