Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Anthem 5k - WORST.RACE.EVER

Well - not the worst race... MY worst race

I look happy here... but felt like the biggest loser!  & not the one's who win a million dollars & train with  Bob& Jillian)

I guess I should clarify before Anthem 5k people are knocking on my door with a lawsuit.

They are even more tops on my list because a few weeks ago, I actually won a contest they had on Facebook & ended up getting a special embroider sweat shirt & a backpack.  I was thinking it was going to be one of those back packs that are just strings that they give away as swag.  No way... this thing is like, let's go hike & put all the gear in here for a week & still have room & compartments to sort things!  Nice!

I knew going into these races this year that I wasn't going to have amazing races.

My training has been haltered with my low back issues.

Plus, I've just been having problems catching my breath.  I think it has to do with a vitamin B-12 deficiency.  It just started not too long ago & reading up, Vitamin b-12, you get mainly from animal products.  Well, guess what this vegetarian doesn't eat?  yeah - the word 'Vegetarian' just gave it away.  & no, I don't drink milk & I'm not a c-word-breakfast-food-throwing-up-now-eater
****gagging at the thought of that food now*****

The clue that really makes me think I'm having a B-12 deficiency?  They say not only with shortness of breath, you also have tingling in limbs & feel like they are asleep (check) & you also have white spots on your skin where your melanin is being affected by the lack of vitamin (check).... I actually noticed white spots on my arm in the shower the other day & refused to look it up on WebMD because I thought for sure I thought it would say I had leprosy ... or cancer... or MS... or some horrible disease... there is never good news on WebMD.

So yes -  I knew my racing, & my body has been effected by the change in my diet & my injury... but I still wasn't as prepared mentally as I thought I'd be.

Woke up early... well, let me rephrase that - I didn't even get good sleep the night before.  I get so anxious & excited about a race.  Do I have everything?  I need to take pictures of everything I lay out for a race-eve preparation.  I don't think I even pack that much stuff when we travel
...... yeah, those that know me just laughed because you know I don't travel.

It was 33 degrees for race time so I knew to bundle up.  Long pants - with a base layer long sleeve shirt I just got on clearance at Target (Thank you Target for putting winter running gear on clearance already) & a t-shirt over that, with a light running hoodie.  Gloves, head wrap, my iPod - I'm ready.

Ricky came with me on this race & he was all prepared ... even though he kept saying "Its COLD'
Now this guy works in minus zero weather & doesn't complain, but on a 33 degree day, he was cold.  I think he's just never gone to work in Nike running leggings (that'd be awesome if he did)

We got down there in plenty of time to not have to rush to the starting line.  We even jumped inside of the Louisville Slugger Field area so Ricky could warm up a bit.

7:50 & the crowds were starting to swarm out so we headed to our place.

I always love seeing the crowd & seeing how different people are in a race.
A guy was in front of us carrying an American Flag - like a HUGE flag that had a HUGE pole on it .... disappointed that there was only one running Elvis that I came across.... there was a guy in a suit.... I love seeing families with their kids in the crowd.

I'm such a Sport Shoe Carrie Bradshaw because I'm constantly looking at everyone's running shoes while we wait.  I found one person with my same shoes & was instantly like "she's cool" :)

The "Call to the Post" (We're in Kentucky people) was blasted on the horn & we were off....
I think this is the first time I didn't hear the National Anthem.... maybe they had it & I was just too busy messing with my iPod - but at least I was behind a guy with a huge American flag.

Now, with my back, I've been training in intervals... 3:2 intervals (3 minutes walking, 2 minutes running) - I'll adjust that with the distance I'm doing.  Want to get it the opposite - 3 running, 2 walking - by the time the mini gets here.  Not sure how realistic that will be, but its a goal - right?

But I thought, its just a 5k, screw the interval & what I've been doing for the past 7 weeks - just run.

The first mile was great.  I ran non stop, keeping a steady pace & not going out too fast.  Saw some friends from church in the crowd & kept trucking along.

At about 1.60, we hit a hill & I knew I was just going to walk it - after all, I'd pushed myself more then I was used to & I didn't want to ruin my back on the first race of the season.  Plus, in all honesty, I think I walk up the hills faster then I run them.

Got up the hill & ran to the next place, a water stop, which was right before mile 2.

Got to the time marker at mile 2 & saw I was doing about a 12 minute pace, which I was thrilled about.

From here on though - I don't know what happened.  I felt like I was keeping a steady pace - I had slowed it down a bit just to keep it consistent & didn't want to feel horrible coming to the finish line... but I guess my pace slowed down a LOT...

I saw the finish line - the last few feet, I even put steam on my pace & got across...

But when we crossed, I knew immediately I was slower then ever.


Source: tumblr.com via Rebecca on Pinterest




The crowds had already thinned out in the coral to cheer people in.  There was no wait to get a Gatorade after.  There was a crowd around Panera though... there's always a crowd around there to snag a bagel.

This year, they had on the bib, you could scan it with your phone & get your results immediately.  I did it & my jaw dropped.  I knew basically what it was on my Garmin, but sometimes, it works where its a few seconds off & that always makes me happy.  Not this time - my Garmin was johny-on-the-spot.

& I sucked

Confirmation that I sucked

We ran into friends that I always love talking with & this was the first 5k for my friend's wife.  The husband is an old pro & he said as soon as we saw them, "She's already criticizing herself for her race"... Ricky just looked at him & said, "Yep - she is too"... I was quickly reminded that sometimes its just for fun & finishing - nothing else - no PR - no negative split - nothing to prove - just finishing!

That sounded good... until I got home...

I have a book that keeps all my racing bibs & info about the race & my times, rankings - all the stuff no one cares about but me...

I flipped through...

My first 5k that I did was this race 4 years back.  Appropriate that my time this year was 4 minutes SLOWER then my first year.  WHAT?

It felt like someone kicked me in the gut.

Ricky said, "Is 4 minutes that big of a deal?" - I said, "I beat my time one year by 10 SECONDS & thought it was the world! Now compare seconds to minutes & think if it's a big deal".... & then I lost it... I cried for a good 15 minutes.  Just sat at the counter & cried.

Felt like I had the word "FAILURE" tattooed on my face.... I was embarrassed... I felt fat & blobby... I felt awful

Ricky, bless his heart, kept trying to reassure me all those things aren't true... & if a race that we finished, with no pains, with no injuries is a failure, then he'd hate to see what a REAL failure looks like.

I get that... but man, how hard I am on myself right now...

Funny thing?  I knew going in it wasn't going to be good.  I didn't really expect to pull out a surprise PR or even be close to my time... so 4 minutes really shouldn't be that awful... but it still was.

& now - I'm scared to death.  I have a 10k next weekend & a 10 mile race... all before the half marathon.


Source: google.com via Rebecca on Pinterest




I just need to keep reminding myself that I'm doing OK - if I finish - THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS.  No one is looking at my time thinking any different of me... & if they do, then they're losers in my book.
The world doesn't end if I'm slower then ever.
No little puppies were kicked in the stomach if I didn't make a goal
.... everything goes on as normal.

It's just a race with my own mind....

so far I'm losing :(

This is what I'm going to keep in front of my face until I get through race season....





I need to just turn off all timers - not look at the clock - not look at the results...

just see the finish line & know I crossed it...

Let's really hope the next race recap is a lot more cheery than this hot mess of a blog post


13 comments:

  1. Stop what you're doing right now and listen to me......

    I don't care what your time was I am SO proud of you regardless and I love you. You have more determination and perseverance as a runner than anyone I have ever met. You don't ever let any aches and pains keep you down and you just get out there and keep doing it, and THAT is something to be proud of!!! XOXOXOXO

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  2. Praying that you will turn your focus to what matters: that in spite of physical problems (your back) that have kept you from staying at the top of your "game" (problems that would have kept many others from getting out there and running), you finished the race. Let me repeat: YOU FINISHED THE RACE. Keep up the good work.

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  3. Oh my. Sounds like you had every reason not to run it in the first place! You did RUN it and you FINISHED it! That is something to be proud of!

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  4. I'm always impressed with people running any distance. Especially when you've had a bad back.

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  5. Girl, I'm sitting here with big tears in my eyes about to cry the ugly cry. You know the one. :)

    i am so very proud of you. I miss running SO much and seeing your heart and how hard you try just makes me cry. You are so genuine and so real. I love you so much Rebecca Jo.

    Thank you for being real. You are a Blessing!!
    And again I love you so ~~ dawn

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  6. GIRL! Quit beating yourself up right now! YOU ran the 5k! You did your best! How many people stayed in their warm beds and didn't get out there? That's what I tell myself on every run when I start feeling like I'm so slow! It is inspiring to see anyone get up and get moving and cross that finish line! You will do great this weekend, too, because you will do it and finish!! That is to be proud of!

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  7. I just want to say I am amazed and inspired by you. With your back issues and other physical problems and you keep on racing and more than that you keep on finishing those races. To me, the fact that you cross the finish line with a completed race (no matter the time) that is quite an accomplishment!

    Don't give up and don't be too hard on yourself, just enjoy the process! Life is too short for anything else.

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  8. Why do we always criticize ourselves so much! You are such an amazing woman to stay in shape and CHooSE to run 5ks. I mean seriously, that is SO intimidating to me I have NEVER tried it! I am proud of you for taking care of your back and making sure your health came first- no matter the affect on your time!

    You are a great runner just keep on trucking!

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  9. Don't you dare lose heart, you hear? You are awesome...no matter your finishing time! You have more heart and more willpower and determination than just about anyone I've ever come across! So, keep your chin up and keep racing for that finish line! You can do ANYTHING through Christ who strengthens you!

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  10. You will do great on your future races because you are doing them. You are not a failure!! You are awesome because you get up and you do it regardless of the time. As the saying goes "regardless of how slow you go you're still lapping everyone on the couch." And I'm proud of you for doing it!!

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  11. I totally get what you're saying, but good grief, you showed up and FINISHED. After all you've been going through, even THAT is remarkable. You inspire me, always!

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  12. I want you to read "You're Already Amazing" by Holley Gerth. Trust me...read it!!!!

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