Run With K: No endings, just wonderful new beginnings. #Fitfluential

Cheesy Self Portrait

Well, 2012 has finally come to an end and the holidays along with it. The last few days have been pretty awesome. Spent some quality time with the family, and especially with the hubby. I focused on just enhjoying that time, and not to worry about anything that I "needed' to get done.

I have been able to run more lately. I have been able to enjoy it again which has been something that has been missing since before the wedding. I participated in two races this past week. The first was the Las Vegas Track Club's Sole Purpose 5K./2M event held at Heritage Park in Henderson, NV. Since I am still rebuilding I stuck to the 2M course to see if I could improve from the week before.

By the way, it was the first time the track club ran a race there and I have to say I would be happy to go there again. Sure, it is a bit out of the way for me, but most races are it seems. Yet, the course itself was nice. It was an "out and back" course that had a nice incline at the beginning that was awesome to have at the end of the race. Most of the rest of that course was fairly flat. I focused on running the first mile with no stopping and despite my lungs protesting until the .50 mile marker I did just that. On the second half of the course I did get tired and stop but unlike an interval that I normally ran I stopped, counted to three, and kept going. I finished in 22:05 and though I was the only one in my age group (taking home another coveted blue ribbon) I also beat out everyone else running that distance, male and female. I was thrilled! Here are some more pictures from that race.

Sunday I focused on my Capstone course so technically it was a rest day for me. I had the itch to go to the gym but held off knowing that I had the Elemental Running Resolution Run 5K Monday after work. Yes, two races in one weekend. I figured that I had not had this much fun in a long time and just wanted to go with it. Sunday was also a big football day for me as I got to see my beloved Redskins take the NFC East!

Monday marked the return (felt like I never left) to work. I packed up my running gear the night before and double checked it. I packed a decent lunch (couscous and veggies) and laid of the coffee and hit up the water. I wanted to run the race without the water bottle since they had an aid station, freeing up my arms. I still haven't gotten to get my iFitness waist belt and water bottles yet. The last few races with my other waist belt did not end well (my other one bugs the heck out of me).

The race was on a beautiful Vegas night and I ran without sunglasses. The sun was just low enough that I didn't see the need. The only thing I did not do was check my shoe laces. I had been in a hurry to change at work and knew I rushed getting dressed so I would make it across town in time.

Once the race started I yet again faced the illusive first half mile issue with my lungs which do not like to warm up. I did take a few short runs to warm up before the race, which helped, but I did still have that tightness in my chest that I get when it is cold. I was sorry that I left the inhaler at home. However, after a bit I was okay and even kept my pace around 11:00min/mi which I was aiming at hoping to reserve some oomph for the end of the race. Then my shoe felt like it was going to fall off and I saw my lace on the right was loose, so I had to stop. It took a bit to get my bearings again after that and I did have a few times where I had to stop, again for only two or three seconds.

The last mile though felt awesome and I looked at my Runkeeper and I was running a 9:30 min/mi (How the heck did that happen at the end of a race no less?). My pace was all over the place for most of the race but seeing that made me feel like I was again heading in the right direction.

Here are my results:

522

Zehner, Karen

00:35:51.3

Pace: 11:34

10th - 30 to 39

Here are some photos from the Resolution Run: