Race Recap: Denver Broncos Back to Football 7K

Something weird happened over the last few years. I started wearing more orange. I began paying attention when my husband was watching our local NFL team games. I found myself yelling at the refs for making shit calls against our guys, and screaming for joy when they won. Somehow, I became a football fan. You may have heard of my team, they won the Superbowl last year.

hat

My new Broncos hat. I can’t wait until it’s cold enough to wear!

My family is just as mystified as I am at this development. It’s something I can’t explain or  make sense of myself. But, it’s happened, and so when I found out that the Broncos host a 7k (all hail John Elway) AND that the medal is pretty sweet, I invited a bunch of friends to join my team, the Happy Hoofers!

bibs

We’ve got our bibs!

Waiting in our corral with a ton of other fans in the shadow of the storied Mile High Stadium was definitely a unique experience. We were #UnitedinOrange! It took a while for our corral to go as they were releasing waves every five minutes. We waited over an hour to start and were already pretty hot and thirsty by the time we got going at 9:30-ish. Still, we were excited to be part of the energy.start Collage

When we got the the first water station at mile 1, we were so happy! Until we were so sad. They had run out of cups, and we didn’t have bottles with us. We’d have to wait until mile 3.something for the next aid station. We really hoped they had cups! The course took us through the old Victorian neighborhood that surrounds Sports Authority Field (us natives will always and forever call it Mile High Stadium). I was too thirsty to get pictures. :-p Then we did a half circle along Sloans Lake before turning back toward the stadium to run onto the field!

collage2

Running into the stadium through the Bronco head and being on the jumbotron was awesome but I wish they’d let us snap a few photos before they pushed us through. How often do I get to be on the 50 yard line of my teams home field. NEVER. That’s how often.

finish collage

jumbocollage

Me and my sister on the JumboTron!

 

My goal with this race was to get some folks who might not ever consider “running” a race to try it out. I think for those who have never been to any kind of running race have preconceived notions about what level of fitness you need to participate, and how far a 5k (or 7k) really is. My friends where surprised that it wasn’t quite what they expected and they had more fun than they thought they would. Once folks realize they can do it at a pace they are comfortable with, they enjoy it. Not everyone has to be fast!

bite

They’re real!

I’m not sure I’ll do this one again. As much as I love my team, I felt the race organization could be better. The race didn’t start until 8:30 so it was pretty warm and it took quite a while for us to start. Not to mention, the water station ran out of cups before all the runners had left their corrals, and I saw far too many people cutting the course and cheating. It’s 4.3 miles for Pete’s sake, does one really need to cheat???  I call shenanigans!

It was a success, though, because my group tried something out of their comfort zone and they had fun! They are all so proud of their medals and of themselves! My sister-in-law had such a good time, she’s already signed up for a Christmas 5k, and I hope this is the start of a new hobby for her. I couldn’t be more proud of her! Kudos, Toni!! <3

All photos courtesy of my wonderful husband. Thanks, Honey!

 

What Fall races do you have planned? Who’s your team? I want to know below!

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Race Recap – Vacation Races Elk Double at Rocky Mountain Nat’l Park

I want to let you know that this will mostly be a picture post, because this race is just sooooo pretty. Also, I want to formally declare my love for Vacation Races, and this event in particular. VR, I LOVE YOU. If you’re reading this, pleeeeeeeease let me be an ambassador for your race series. Since I live within driving distance of  six out of nine of your events, I would make an excellent representative because I plan to run them all in the near future. But my first love for your race series will always be the Rocky Mountain Half Marathon.

This was the second year I’ve run the #RMHalf. They even added an extra special challenge this year, the Elk Double, which consisted of a 5k on Friday night, followed by the half marathon on Saturday morning. Three medals for two races means I. AM. IN. Many of my fellow Skirt Sports Ambassador Sisters were also running the races, and created a team. Team WTF? Where’s the Finish? I was so stoked to run with a team; I usually run races all by my lonesome.

packing

Packing for the big weekend and Coach Lily the Pug approves of my outfit selections.

In the interest of transparency, I want to state that in my (limited) half marathon experience, this group puts on the best races with the BEST Medals. Dare I say it, even better than runDisney.

I dared and said it. I retract nothing.

For proof, they had free smores and hammocks at the race expo. They had water, electrolyte drink, and Honey Stinger Gels at EVERY half marathon aid station, and at three of those stations, they also had bananas, orange slices, and porta potties.  VR really takes care of their runners!

smores

I was excited to try my new Skirt Sports skirt with bib magnets built in for the 5k. I was expecting to have to adjust my bib as I ran, but nope! The magnets kept it perfectly in place and I didn’t have to put safety pin holes in my new skirt. I was winning at life!

flat5k

5K Outfit: Skirt Sports Race Magnet Skirt, Electric Tank, Injinji socks, NB Shoes

5kstart

At the 5k Start

anglersrunners

Spirit of the Rockies: Anglers, Canadian Geese, and runners share the natural beauty!

Geese

Even the geese were cheering for us!

Here in Colorado, they don’t give out medals for 5ks. They just don’t. Not sure why, but maybe it has something to do with the commonly seen “140” oval stickers on cars. I guess folks here don’t really get behind the 5k distance. So, I’m VERY proud of my first and only 5k medal!

5kmedal

Ummm, so on a “related to the Rockies” note…my high school BFF lives a half a mile from the start line for the races, which was awesome, because I stayed at her house and walked to the 5k start. What wasn’t as fun was navigating the bear in the tree a few houses down from said friend’s house. I think he was sleeping, and he had the cutest bear butt. As long as that butt stayed in that tree.

bearbutt

You can see a casually hanging paw and adorable tail.

I found out later that team WTF? finished in FIRST PLACE for the 5k!!!! No thanks to my slow arse which finished in 38 minutes, but yeah! So I got 2, 5k medals and I cannot even. I had to get the gold 1st place medal from my WTF? team mates the next day, but I was stoked!!  Then it was time to rest, fuel, sleep, and get up at 4:30 for the half marathon!

flathalf

Flat Me for the Half: Skirt Sports Eclipse top, Cougar (Lioness) skirt in Free Love print, two pairs of socks; Injinji toe and PROcompression.

halfstart

I only smile this early in the morning on race days. Trust.

mist

Mountain valley mist rising as the sun rises in Estes Park

halfriver

The weather was perfect, and the course is so gorgeous!

bullelk

I saw an Elk whilst doing the Elk Double! Life is complete!

I always love seeing mile marker 6 because it means I’m almost halfway done!

mile6

In the middle of the dreaded looooooong (3.5 miles-ish) low grade hill.

gorgeous

*heart eyes*

thatviewtho

This view is worth the altitude.

stanley

The course takes you right past the most haunted hotel in America!

lakefinish

Coming up on the finish

finishsupport

dog

The cutest!

finish1

Just a few more steps!

finish2

Team WTF? Where's The Finish

Team WTF? Where’s The Finish

bling

That bling, tho!

Done

This was my big event for the season and there was no doubt in my mind that I’d enjoy the race, but the fact is I came away with a lot more than I expected. My goal was to push myself and I did. I shaved five minutes off my time from last year. But the best part by far was I got to know my Skirt Sisters better, and together, we placed in the race. That’s because #REALwomenmove. Especially together.

What is/was your big race this season? Do you runs with a team at races? Did you visit a National Park this summer? Let’s discuss below!

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Spring Time is Trail Time!

This week, I needed an injection of motivation in my runs. I’m training for the Skirt Sports 13er in June, and I’m super excited for the race. Not so much the training. After talking to Mer about how I don’t take advantage of where I live nearly enough, I decided that it’s finally time to start trail running in earnest. I have every hope that will invigorate me to get in a training groove. I know a lot of you run trails. I see your gorgeous photos on Instagram and am so inspired by the gentle rolling hills and flat, heavily treed forests you run through. I wanted that to be me.

NCAR

NCAR TRAIL

I checked out this trail and put it on the to do list.

So I struck out this week. I chose a pretty famous trail in Boulder, the Chautauqua (pronounced sha-talk-wa) Flatirons Trail, for my first foray. That is when I realized I was sadly unprepared for what I was about to tackle. Here are my lessons learned.

The goal is the top of those pointy things.

The best part of my trail run (read hike) was that everyone was smiling and friendly and happy. In general, people are pretty friendly where I live. We smile at each other as we pass on the street. We hold doors open for one another. We say please and thank you to strangers. But the folks I saw on the trail that day weren’t just wearing polite smiles for the sake of being pleasant. No, no, they were positively radiating happiness. Their smiles said “it’s a gorgeous day and we’re alive and we’re free and LOOK AT WHERE WE LIVE. I love everyone I see!!!” It was marvelous! Nature heals everyone’s spirit. I’m not sure about you, but I can always use more of that kind of energy in my life.

north

Just because I’m a native doesn’t mean I’m a natural. I forgot what “trail” can mean here in Colorado. What some folks might call a trail, others would call a hiking path. Emphasis on hiking. I was out of breath less than a quarter mile into the trail. I’d looked at the trail on a map before heading out, but I didn’t pay too much attention to the elevation change. My bad, lungs.

Oh hai, rocks.

Oh hai, rocks.

Looking at my FitBit later, it said I’d climbed 48 flights, and I didn’t even make it close to the top of the mountain. I realized I’m not at the fitness level I thought I was. It was hard.

elevation

 

That’s when I wondered if I should stick to flat trails on the plains, at least until I get stronger. My rugged pioneer blood deceived me into thinking the hike was no big deal and I could handle it because I’m from this place. My blood lied.  Also, I needed water, which I didn’t bring. That brings me to …

Always wear your CamelPak. Everyone on the trail, errr, hiking path, had a backpack of some sort. Not far in I was wishing I had brought mine, too. Once I was surrounded by trees, the wind died off and I was hot. Having water and a place to store my pullover would have been awesome. In this area, seeing a black bear or a mountain lion is not uncommon. So in the future, maybe some bear spray or a change of underwear in my pack might be helpful. Just saying.  And don’t forget the sunscreen!

carin

Dress Appropriately. Duh. The day I went it was in the mid 60’s and overcast. The mild wind held a crisp bite to it, though, which is typical this time of year at our elevation. I was wearing capris, a tank, a long sleeve tech shirt, and a fleece pullover. Rule numero uno about living in Colorado, dress in layers. The chilly wind was giving me ear aches and I really needed a beanie. I went back to the car for a hoodie I could cover my ears with and then I was sweltering. There was no winning with the gear I had. It was cold in the open spaces and hot in the forest, so layers are uber important.

Brrrrrrrrr!

Brrrrrrrrr!

Be a Good Steward of the Trail I saw lots of baggies of dog poo lying next to the trail. This is great in that people are cleaning up after their dogs, but hopefully they remember to pick their baggie up on the way back down the mountain and toss it in the trash. I read another trail runner say she always tries to pick up at least one piece of litter while on her run. I love this idea. I will be packing a grocery sack in my CamelPack for this purpose in the future!

 

Looking back over Boulder

Looking back over Boulder

There is Nothing more Calming to the Soul than Nature’s White Noise It is essential that when you’re out there, pounding your feet on the soft dirt, that you to actually stop and take a moment to be present. There is an indescribable sound you only hear in the forest of the Rockies. It’s the sound of the wind whispering through the tops of the ponderosa pines, the hum of a hummingbird as it speeds by, the sound of aspen leaves quaking, combined with the rushing swoosh of a distant creek or river. There is the calm stillness in the forest. A place where technology and obligation are far removed from the fallen tree you find yourself sitting on.  Don’t forget to sit. Take big deep breaths. Look around. Be grateful for this time to connect with our environment. You will leave with a more grateful heart and calm center.

tree

Do you run trails? Where? Which are your favorites? What do you like about trail running that you don’t get out of road running? Tell me all about it in the comments!

 

Race Recap: Rocky Mountain Half Marathon

On Saturday, I participated in the 2015 Rocky Mountain Half Marathon presented by Vacation Races, who, in case you aren’t familiar, hosts races at various national park locales across the country. I was super excited to register for this one because the Rocky Mountain National Park is celebrating 100 years this year, and as a proud native of Colorado, I really wanted the commemorative medal!

Got my bib and my shirt!

Got my bib and my shirt!

I’ve been to the location of the race, Estes Park (pronounced Estis) many times, but I’d never gotten up at 3:45 on a Saturday morning to get there before. The race started promptly at 6:00 am, and we arrived at about 5:35 with plenty of time to park and walk to the start. My saint of a husband came with me and brought his camera. He’s a keeper for sure!

Not quite awake but I'm ready to run!

Not quite awake but I’m ready to run!

Sunrise over Lake Estes

Sunrise over Lake Estes

The race entry was limited to 1500, and 1329 raced. I felt this was a perfect number of people for the course. There was lots of room to move and maneuver, and I was never alone on the course even though I was running by myself.

Just keep waiting, just keep waiting...

Just keep waiting, just keep waiting…

And I'm off! I'm the one in purple (of course).

And I’m off! I’m the one in purple (of course).

The first hill is in sight.

The first hill is in sight.

People are walking a half a mile into the race. Altitude + hills = no bueno.

People are walking a half a mile into the race. Altitude + hills = no bueno.

I love when the mountains are pink from the sunrise!

I love when the mountains are pink from the sunrise!

I scoped a lot from the course, starting at mile 1. The course took us around the eastern edge of Lake Estes, and the views were pretty grand just like they were every mile of the course! Although the National Parks Service supports these races,  we didn’t run through Rocky Mountain National Park. Instead, the course runs along the paved streets of the town, but the scenery is still spectacular. Nestled in a small valley with the lake and surrounded by Longs Peak, Mount Meeker, and many other peaks, Estes made sure the Rocky Mountain Half lived up to its name!

The weather was perfect for running. It was 54 degrees Fahrenheit when we got to the race, and by mile three, I was stripping off my hoodie and tossing it to my husband as I ran by! They also had a gear check at mile three for you to leave your jacket and they’d bring it to the finish for you. Nifty!

Mile 3 and I'm feeling strong.

Mile 3 and I’m feeling strong.

mile3view

It’s so pretty!

A bit further along came the first long hill of the course. I ran/walked it and felt good at the top, only I knew what was coming ahead. A slow, gradual 4 mile uphill slog where most of the 490-ish feet of elevation on the course is gained. There was a lot of walking going on in this section, folks. At least it was pretty!

Mile5

mile5ish

The long, slow climb.

The long, slow climb.

This is about the time that Meri texted me to see how I was doing. I whined to her about the never-ending hill of little oxygen, and she reminded me of something very important.

I love this girl.

I love this girl.

Then I rounded a bend and saw this view. I stopped complaining.

longspeak

At mile 9, the hill ended! HOORAAYYYY! I stopped for a potty break, grabbed some Honey Stinger energy gels, half a banana, and some Nuun and was off again. I loved that the aid stations had water, Nuun, energy gels, bananas, and orange slices. Way to keep us hydrated and fueled, Vacation Races!

mile10

It seems that mile 10 is were my body starts to whine and get annoyed. My hips start to get tight and pinchy, and I’m ready to be done. I put my head down and slogged through the rest of the race. I didn’t take any photos or video.  My husband was down at the finish waiting for me and he got to see the elite runners come in. They were lucky enough to see some elk on the course!

Elk are a common site in Rocky Mountain National Park. That buck has HUGE antlers!

elk3

The elk were not cheering for the runners, and moved on to the golf course.

The finish is in site and I CANNOT WAIT.

The finish is in site and I CANNOT WAIT.

Aaaand DONE!!!

Aaaand DONE!!!

I finished with a time of 3:17:47, much slower than my 1st half marathon. It’s okay, the elevation at this course was just under 7500 feet, plus there were lots of hills and no cushy Boardwalk to run on. I expected that my time would be quite a bit slower than at the April Fools Half. All in all, I’m quite pleased with myself!

It's so pretty and special and I love it!

It’s so pretty and special and I love it!

The medal for this race is really fabulous. It’s huge and heavy and bronze plated and I can’t wait to get a medal rack!!

medal

medalback

I think I need to get this baby engraved.

I’m so proud that I ran this race and accomplished it. I knew going in that this would be the hardest thing I’d aver asked of my body, and I did it. It was hard and it hurt, but it wasn’t as hard or as painful as I expected it to be. This is something I’m super proud of, and will be for a long time. I conquered the Rocky Mountain Half!

soproud

Then it was time for recovery. Pro Compression socks, Mexican food, and vintage Batman. Perfect ending to a prefect day!

recovery

If you’re considering a Vacation Race, I would recommend you do it. I have nothing negative to say about the race. It was well organized, well sponsored, and well stocked. They fed us generously, gave us a pretty shirt and a GORGEOUS medal, and we got to run in a spectacular setting. Really, what more can a runner ask for?

What’s next on your race calendar? Have you done a Vacation Race Series race in the past?Do you like Mexican and/or classic sci-fi? Let’s chat in the comments!

*No compensation of any kind was given to me by Vacation Races for this race review/recap.

Race Recap – 2015 BolderBOLDER 10K

This was my second year running the BoulderBOULDER, and it was super extra special because Meridith and I ran it together. I cannot even tell you all how excited I was to have her come visit me and run with her again, especially so soon after our last visit in A.C! That never happens! She handled the altitude like a champ, too, and the hills weren’t too crazy. We had the most fun of anyone on the course, natch, and we have the photos to prove it. Our fun always begins with the perfect outfit, and there was really only one choice for the BolderBOULDER.

Yabbadabbadoo!!!

Yabbadabbadoo!!!

This race is huge. Like, not just big, but massive. It attracts around 50k participants and 50k spectators. This uber organized race does quite a bit to make it easy for runners to have a good time, things like advanced packet pickup and race day registration. The crowds are no joke, and it seemed a little more packed than last year which added to the legendary party feel of the race.

Race Day Registration

Race Day Registration

Go CU Buffaloes! The hats make the outfit.

Go CU Buffaloes! The hats make the outfit.

shoes

Getting closer to the start!

Getting closer to the start!

 

So many waves!

So many waves still to run!

Once our wave started and the crowd thinned out a little we were able to jog. The weather had stopped being a jerk for the morning and we were feeling good through the first half mile. Pretty quickly we caught up to a group of Fire Fighters and Police Officers running the race in full gear and carrying a flag. It was inspiring, and made me feel like a schmuck for complaining about being chilled before the race. These folks are tough! They even went through the first of 2 homemade slip-and-slides in their gear.  This race requires a sense of fun from all participants!

Firefighters run

police run

Soon after, we were approaching our first hill up Folsom and into the residential section of the course (the fun part, really). One of the best things about this race is the organizers have bands playing every so often along the course, but the residents of Boulder step up and provide a TON of runner support and entertainment out of the goodness of their hearts. There’s never a moment when you don’t hear live music, whether professionals, garage bands, or belly dancers and drum circles.

Onlyinboulder

 

Just a homemade Slip and Slide. In some dude's front lawn. For 50k people to run through.

Just a homemade Slip and Slide. In some dude’s front lawn. For 50k people to run through.

And some random dude with his dunk tank.

Through the neighborhoods we went, passing up the Jello and Drambuie shots that were offered to us. We heard there was someone handing out bacon but we sadly didn’t see him. We did a lot of bobbing and weaving, and Mer and I got separated a few times, but only briefly. The lesson here is you want to run this race, like, actually move forward at a pace that is faster than a meander, you need to get in a qualified wave. We registered as “jogging/walking mostly jogging, and there was mostly walking going on around us, which is fine, if the walking occurs on the sides of the street. It really made no difference, though, because we had the most fun of anyone on the course. That’s always the goal!

 

Run, Betty, run!!!

Run, Betty, run!!!

We came into the last mile of the course and found the Firefighters again. Hearing bagpipes playing Taps, they stopped, and Meri and I had to stop for a moment too. It was a touching Memorial Day tribute.

Just a few more meters to go and we’d be turning into the University of Colorado’s Folsom Field. We picked up our pace as best we could in the crowd and ran into the stadium.

FINISH LINE!

FINISH LINE!

Running into the stadium with all of those people watching and cheering is a rare experience, and something that certainly sets this race apart. The fine folks with the BolderBOULDER fed us, and gave us some excellent seats to watch the International Team runners finish.

The Memorial day celebration at this event is touted to be the largest in the country, and after seeing it myself, I believe that may be true.There was a touching tribute to 4 WWII Veterans, and skydivers carrying the flags of each branch of service, as well as the United States Flag and a POW Flag.

usa

Ready for a nap. And beer. Maybe beer, then nap.

Ready for a nap. And beer. Maybe beer, then nap.

The folks at the BolderBOULDER have been really great to me this year, and I want to say how grateful I am to have worked with them in 2015. Despite the crowd and the confusion about the shuttles back to the starting line, we made it work and had fun. I grew up with this race in my backyard so I feel a certain pride about its popularity. It’s a legendary race that you should do if you can. The setting and the crowd support is unlike any other race in the country!

 

We’re Coming for You, BolderBOULDER.

Now that the AC half is over for 2015 and I’ve recovered from the gruesome death of a flu that I caught on my way home from New England, I can look ahead to the next fun, fitness-y related things on the horizon. In other words, we here at Scoot a Doot have NEWS, people. And news is always fun, yes? Yes!

A few weeks back, we got an email from the sweet folks over at the BolderBOULDER asking if we wanted to blog about our race experience this year. Seeing as this is my hometown race and we’re almost the same age, (this is the 37th year of the race), there was no question I’d be running it. Blogging about it ‘officially’ was just icing!

The absolute best part of this event is the fact the Meridith is coming to run it with me. She’s never been to Colorado before, and when she saw this, she had questions.

BBElevation_Map (938x580)

Mainly, “will I die?” Secondly, “we’re sticking together for this one, right?”

After much reassurance that she won’t pass out from the altitude, I promised her that the map was deceiving and the course wasn’t that bad. Then we talked about costumes because of course we were sticking together and we need to look cute doing it.

The other best thing about this year’s event is that the BolderBOULDER is sending over some nifty stuff from Skechers Performance, TomTom, and Helly Hansen for me to try out and tell you guys about. Here’s a sneak peak!

Skechers GoRun4

Skechers GoRun4

Then, as if that wasn’t awesome enough, I found out that in June I’ll be volunteering at Fitbloggin2015. We are super excited about this as I’ll get an opportunity to meet amazing and inspiring fellow bloggers as well as learn more about many topics driving and inspiring the fitness community now. Topics that I can learn about and come back and share with you all. Because sharing is good. And making new friends is the best! Plus, it’s in Denver this year, so I can go to the conference and still sleep in my bed. That’s my cake and I’m eating it.  Check out the topics and let’s talk about what speaks to you.

fitbloggin-15

So stay tuned because Scootadoot news never stops. Or something.

 

The Not Very Cold ColderBolder

Sometimes, the Universe aligns and graces you with experiences that surpasses your expectations. Sometimes, those experiences lead you to learn new things about yourself. And sometimes, if you’re really lucky, the Universe will throw in a few giant jogging chipmunks and penguins for perspective. And when the experience is over, you swear that you’re happier, and that the world would be happier, too, if there were more giant jogging penguins. Personally, I vote for giant jogging koala bears. Such was the blast I had at last weekend’s ColderBolder, the companion 5k race to the BolderBoulder10k.

This year, the ColderBolder turned out to be…not very cold. Well, “not very cold” as Colorado would define it anyway. Last year’s race temp was a balmy -5˚. For the record, it is highly likely I would have wussed out if it had been THAT cold this year. Fortunately the temperature at race time was 42˚, and although walking to the start was a bit chilly, the view made it worth it. The course takes runners through the University of Colorado’s beautiful Boulder campus, which has a front and center view of the Flatirons.

It's sooo purrrdy.

It’s sooo purrrdy.

Woot Woot, 2014CB5K!

Woot Woot, 2014CB5K!

After the epic fail at my company Turkey Trot a few weeks back, I was determined to make this race count. I’d planned carefully, made sure I had all my gear, and was eager to try out my first pair of compression socks. We arrived forty-five minutes before my start time and had some time to check out the expo. I’d already picked up my packet so we bypassed that long, but fast-moving, line.

Organized Chaos

Organized Chaos

Look y'all, chipmunk runners!

Look y’all, chipmunk runners!

The crowd was cheerful and energized, and not nearly as big as the BolderBoulder (BB10K) even though the race had sold out. We headed toward Blach Field House to see the finish line and check out the vendors. There weren’t many booths, but I totally spied the beer booth despite it being 9:30 in the morning.

The Old Chub has scotch in it. #I'llpass

The Old Chub has scotch in it. #I’llpass

Expo Vendors

Expo Vendors

We bumped into my aunt Sandra and my soon-to-be-new-uncle Bill who is an avid runner. After chatting for a few minutes, Bill and I left to head to the start, while my husband and aunt found a place to cheer. Indoors. Where it was warm.

Bill and I lined up with our wave and I assured him that I was as slow as molasses, and to please not wait for me. He assured me he wouldn’t. And he didn’t either! We heard the gun shot and he was off! Go, Uncle Bill, go!

Just keep waiting, just keep waiting...

Just keep waiting, just keep waiting…

Here we go!

Here we go!

The first mile was great; my legs felt strong and my new shoes that I’m still getting used to felt like springy pillows on my feet. My asthma combined with the cold air, however, didn’t make for a happy Jenn. I wasn’t far into that first mile before I had to start alternating jogging with walking. I tried to walk as little as possible, and when I did run I tried to be conscious of my form and pace. I’ve been working on following the Chi Running Technique, and I do feel as though it helped my speed and enhanced my comfort while running this race.

Miles two and three were fun! I was feeling determined despite my difficulty breathing. When I was running, I felt like I was flying past everyone! I can honestly say I’ve never felt that free running, and I think I caught an inkling of that running addiction thing. Plus, I could NOT STOP giggling at the running penguins and their bobbing tails. Clearly, I was suffering from runner’s joy.

Running Penguins!!

Running Penguins!!

What a view for mile two!

What a view for mile two!

I powered though as much as I could and puffed on my inhaler more than I would have liked, but still felt strong at the finish. The third mile marker gave me the push I needed and I picked up my pace. The course support and volunteers were great, and there were quite a few spectators cheering us on for that last half mile. It’s really amazing what a little love from the crowd and positive race energy can do for you! As I turned the corner to the finish line, I spotted my husband , aunt, and Bill cheering for me. It was nice to have some friendly faces and a bit of love at the race. I think that made this race my happiest finish yet!

Happiest Jenn!

Happiest Jenn!

BOOM, DONE!

BOOM, DONE!

When it was all said and done, I was pretty darn pleased with myself. My official time was 38:29 and pace was 12:23. I will so take that action. This race was a blast and it taught me that I may not perform at my best in the winter cold, but I can still have fun and get out there. Favorite perks of this race were the cute pink and blue hat, and of course, beer. I am officially one of the cold and the bold.

Cute warm hat + beer = content

Cute warm hat + beer = content

What winter races are you looking forward to this season? DO YOU LIKE HATS TOO?