Weight Off My Shoulders

The day before Thanksgiving when most people are cooking, shopping for appetizers for Thanksgiving or meeting up with friends at bars, I was freakin' out because I didn't have an outfit picked out for the following day's Gobble Gobble Gobble 4-Miler ($28) in Davis Square (Somerville, MA).

I headed to Target, Kohl's, Party City and KMart with no luck at finding anything that could pass as a Thanksgiving-themed hat. I was feeling deflated. One of my favorite parts of races is finding an appropriate costume to rock! ;)

I had lost hope, but I wasn't ready to give up. After picking my wife up from the train station later that day, I gave it one last shot - Christmas Tree Shops. I mean that store usually has everything...

... and they came through in the clutch! :)

I found this beauty for $5!!!!

Amazing, right? The store had three different options (yay!) and this seemed like the one that would actually stay on my head while running.

Once I had my headgear set, I could sleep soundly. It is the little things with me apparently.

Thankfully my friend/fellow Weight Watchers Leader Heather would be running the race as well so she offered to give me a lift. I had already made up my mind that I would run the race with her, but hadn't shared the news with her yet. I was going to surprise her when we got to the race. :)

Heather is new to running - she started in 2012 - so she likes to get to races with plenty of time to spare. A lady after my own heart.

Her husband dropped us off in Davis Square and we went in search of a warm place to hide out until it was time to line up for the race. We decided to step into a Starbucks. After about 5 minutes in the shop, I realized I was wearing a shirt that said "Friends Don't Let Friends Drink Starbucks."

Ummmm oops! :P

I can think on my feet so I used my awesome hat to cover my shirt. As we approached the 9:00am start, we ducked into the local Boston Sports Club so I could use my membership to use the nice bathroom instead of the port-o-potties. Score!

Just as we hit the Start Line my dad showed up! Yay! We had a fan at the Start AND someone to snap our pic.

I told Heather that I would be running with her for the race and she was surprised and excited. Phew! She was pushing for a sub-40 4-mile race and I was going to make that happen! :)

When we checked out the weather report in the days leading up to the Thanksgiving Day race, there was nothing but COLD COLD COLD temperatures being reported. But thankfully New England being New England actually had better weather than predicted. I didn't need the scarf, but forgot to toss it to my dad before we started.

It was nice to get so many compliments about my Sparkle Athletic skirt. People wanted to know where they could one for themselves. I love sharing the sparkle.

The gun sounded and we were off.

Being from Somerville and doing countless races in the Davis Square area, I knew the lay of the lands without needing to look at a course map so I could prep Heather as we ran.

I had a great time chatting with Heather the whole race. She was OWNING it. We had a bit of a clog at the start of the race, but I love the 4-mile distance because it really spreads out the paces. I find some 5ks are congested the whole time since so many people have similar 5k paces. I don't know if it is fact or just in my head, but after we hit Mile 1 - we had plenty of space to get into a zone.

We were chatting about my upcoming Dopey Challenge and how Heather is currently training for her first half marathon (I'm wicked proud). She is going to take on her first Disney race in 2015 - Princess Half. As we were talking Dopey Challenge costumes, a girl next to us chimed in about her experience doing a Run Disney race.

I LOVE chatting with other runners during races. Not all of them like to talk back, but that's okay. I was glad this girl did. :)

As we hit Mile 2, I let Heather know that she was doing awesome and that we were rocking a 9:45 min/mile pace. She was rocking it.

I knew the second half of the race would be a tad hillier.

When running with others, I never know if they want encouragement throughout the race, if they want to know when hills are approaching, etc. So I made sure to keep checking in with Heather to make sure I wasn't taking her out of the zone. We were on the same page.

We headed up one of the bigger hills and reminded Heather that we could slow down whenever she needed it. Slow and steady up the hill and use the downhill to recover.

We took the final turn and almost immediately hit the Mile 3 marker. It was a straight shot to the Finish from there. We would head up one more small incline and then it was downhill all the way to the Finish line. I love that part of the course back into Davis Square.

I counted down the last 1/2 mile or so for Heather in case she wanted to give it a final push to the end.

AND SHE DID IT!

Heather's official time was 38:54 and mine was 38:55 - both good for a 9:44 min/mile pace.

Ah-may-zing! And my dad was right there at the Finish Line cheering for us both!!

I was so proud of her and happy we were able to enjoy the race together.

And my outfit got some great shoutouts during the race! Yay!

Of course I had to celebrate another race completed with a Dunkin' Donuts Iced Coffee. The folks working at the Dunkins I went to appreciated the shirt. ;) If only it scored me a free coffee - maybe next time.

***

Did you participate in a Thanksgiving Day race? Rock a costume?

Sometimes a race is more than a race. Was that deep?

No?

Okay. I'll skip the poetic opener and get to the good stuff. ;)

I love being a part of inaugural races AND uber local races.

The Race To The Row 5k, which took place on August 18, fit both those categories.

How local?

Well it was directly across the street from my neighborhood.

Short commute for the win! :)

I actually had the honor of giving away a free entry to the race thanks to the organizers - Somerville Road Runners - and was excited to meet the winner, Shimmy, on race day (it was her first 5k race).

On Saturday, August 17, we headed over to Assembly Row to pick up my bib/t-shirt at Sports Authority, peek around Assembled (weekly artist market) and have the wife get some grub from the food trucks!

Saturday night I took my first stab at applying the KT Tape myself. I had used it on my last two marathons and loved it, but always had a professional administer it at the race expo.

Thankfully the videos on KTTape.com were very helpful and easy to follow.

I thought it looked pretty darn good. I even gave it a try on my ailing wrist.

The other half said I looked like a Power Ranger. Agree? :P

The race started at 9:30am on Sunday which meant we got to sleep in ... as best as possible with the 2 pups. ;)

As always I had laid out my outfit the night before so I didn't have to think at all that morning while getting ready.

We set to leave the house by 8:45am so we could hit Dunkin' Donuts before the race.

I actually had the coffee before my run for one of the first times ever. It was risky to change my pre-race routine, but I was okay with it - I set low expectations for the outcome of the race (which I'll touch on later).

We arrived at the starting area just before 9, which was perfect since the little kid Fun Run was happening at 9.

I was happy to see some familiar faces at the race including my friend and fellow Weight Watchers Leader Heather and my Tedy's Team running mate Meg and her husband Josh.

Heather and I pre-race

We all chatted until we heard the warning call to line up. I quickly hit up the table to get my "hell yes I am 21 and will be having a beer post-race" wristband. ;) Priorities!!

I kept glancing around the crowd to see how many folks were participating in the run-walk and it looked to be about 200. Great turnout for a first-time local run.

The race director gave a countdown through his makeshift megaphone and we were off.

It was a looping pattern so we would run part of the course twice, which was fine by me.

I didn't put any pressure on myself for this race. Since I have been focusing more on my long distance running/Dopey Challenge training I haven't been doing so much speed work. This would be the first time I would be testing the legs in a 5k race since May.

As we headed out on the course, I caught a glimpse of my average pace time about 1/2 a mile in and there was a 6:45 starting back at me.

Excuse me!

Did I read that right?

I was in shock! But tried not to get too excited. There were 2.6 more miles to go. :P

The organizers did a great job keeping the run within the Assembly Row Marketplace and the surrounding streets. We didn't have to cross any huge intersections, there were plenty of volunteers and not multiple water stops. Bravo folks! Bravo!

My Garmin buzzed off for Mile 1 and flashing back at me was indeed a sub-7 pace.

I shook my head and kept going.

It couldn't be.

I had to keep my focus so I picked one person in front of me and made a pact with myself that I HAD to pass her by the end of the race ... and then stay in front of her.

As I passed her heading to the Mile 2 marker, 2 other women passed me. Agghh! I kept those two women as close to me as I could, but they were darn speedy!

We hit Mile 2 and according to my Garmin I was still sub-7 pace. Holy heck.

I decided that no matter what I would give it all I had for the last mile. Since it was kind of a loopy-out and back situation going on, I was able to cheer for friends as I raced to the Finish.

I looked down and we were at 2.6 miles. Okay legs give it all you have ... and that is exactly what I did.

Can you tell by the pic? This is me coming into the Finish Line thanks to the wife.

I clicked the Garmin as I crossed the Finish. There it was 6:56 average pace.

HOT DAMN!

Now, in retrospect, I should've known it wouldn't be sub 7 since my watch had us at 3.16 miles instead of the 3.1 for a 5k. Logic should've set it, but I was too darn happy ... and too ready for beer. :)

Either way I had PRed (previous PR 22:20) and THAT was one pleasant surprise. I was more excited talking to my friends who had done amazing things during the run

Meg & I post-race in the beer garden

AND meeting up with Shimmy, the giveaway winner.

She had set out 2 goals: 1) finish in under 33 minutes and 2) give it all she had. And you know what? She did both. Way to rock it Shimmy!! :) :)

Big thanks to Burger Dive for providing great post-race BBQ and for Harpoon Brewery for donating the delicious post-race brews.

Overall, it was one amazing morning. I can't wait to participate next year too!

Oh and those final results were:

I finished in a PR of 21:59.2 (7:05 min/mile). I was 38 out of 208 overall, 9 out of 115 females and 4 out of 55 in my division.

How could I not be proud with those sorts of numbers?

Little 'ol me posted those. I have certainly come a long way since my first 5k in Somerville in March 2005 when I posted a time of 38:21.

And either way: I got to cross the Finish Line of yet another race. The best moment of it all.