Movin' on and a 5K!

So-Boston in the rearview mirror and on to bigger and better things. I wish!! Nothing bigger or better than Boston on the horizon but the show must go on and I need to focus on something new. I am definitely struggling through this recovery. My mileage base was good going into Boston so I didn't really feel too beat up from the race physically. I took 3 days off after the race and when I got back to running last Friday I really didn't feel any soreness. The part I'm struggling with is definitely mental. What am I working toward???? Boston was always the light at the end of the tunnel and now I've passed the light....Anyway, it is slowly getting better and I'm gradually getting my mojo back. Thursday, I ran my first run over 5 miles and I felt like I was getting my old self back (10 miles/1:18/7:47). I brought 3 to tempo pace in the middle and felt pretty good.

I'm trying to make some decisions on how I want to train in the next couple of months. I know a huge weakness of mine is my speed. I can get to a pace and hold it for and extended distance but I really struggle at distances of the half or below. My current half PR is 1:37 last year. I think I am faster than that now but probably not a lot. I haven't really run any short distance races in over 9 months and I really want to spend some time trying to improve at shorter distance. I do have a half marathon in Fargo in 3 weeks with a lot of friends and family participating. I'm not sure if I will race this yet...I also have another half 4 weeks after that in which I'm certain I will run hard.

Now to the highlight of my day!!! This morning I got a chance to run a local 5K with my 9 year old daughter Reese. My husband and Ryan were also running the 5K and My little 6 year old Max was tackling the 1 mile! This is the second 5K I've run with Reese and I think they both rank up there with my FAVORITE races. Reese is such a little trooper. She is ALWAYS smiling and always wants to go running with me although it hasn't worked out yet this year. I also think she has a lot of potential for a little 9 year old. Here's our race report!

Got to the race about 45 minutes early. It was sprinkling and VERY windy but the course is almost like an out and back so it would even itself out. We picked up our race T-shirts and numbers and Joe and the kids visited in the City center while I headed out to run the course and get in a couple extra miles (3.12 miles/22:45). I made it back about 10 minutes before the gun went off.

Max had a couple of buddies to run his one mile race with and I had a friend to watch him so I gave him a hug and wished him luck! Joe was running on his own and Ryan was running with 2 of her friends. Reese and I made our way to the start and we were off! We were running directly into a 20 mph wind so I kept telling her not to burn herself out and keep the pace down. Joe was way ahead and Ryan was a little in front of us. We finally got a bit of a reprieve at about the 1 mile when the course turned and we got at least a cross wind. Reese was looking so good! I kept telling her to slow down since she hasn't run once this year and was now attempting a 5K!


1 mile all smiles!!

We made it to 1.75 miles before she even stopped talking. She was just smiling and chatting the whole time. I really wanted to make sure she could finish the race and was cautious to keep us going slow enough. Right about 2 miles the course turned with the wind more at our back!


Mile 2-still smiling!


Mile 2.5


This is my favorite pic!

I really souldn't believe how well she was doing. She hasn't done ANY running this year and she seemed to still be going strong at 2.5 miles. We could see the finish area way up ahead at the City center and she got really excited to see that! With about 50 yards to go she gave it a good kick to finish strong.


Coming up to the finish!

Official time 27:08 (8:44). Reese finished and really seemed like she had a lot left in the tank (I was worried she would crash but not at all). First thing she tells Joe is "I would have beat Ryan if mom didn't make me slow down!" Do you think my kids might be a little competitive with each other!! She was also the youngest kid to run the 5K this year as they also had a one mile and a 5K walk. Ryan finished with her friends which was definitely just a fun run. Joe finished 3rd overall and Max was all smiles when we got to the finish! Anyway, I was super proud of my family today! I love days like this and I love seeing Reese aspire to do better immediately after she finished. I will let her run her first 5K on her own in July of this year! We'll see how she does! I would only be too happy to have a live-in running partner!!


Relaxing a little afterwards!

Did a few more miles after to finish out the day with 12 miles. I'm calling that my long run for the week!!! I will likely run about 5 tomorrow and finish out the week with about 38 miles but also knocked out 30 miles on the bike. Sounds so low from my previous mileage but actually felt like a lot this week! Oh-the joys of recovery.....