10K RacePR and FFFK and pics

Phew..What a busy day! Started out early and ended late. I had a 10K race, car shopping,Valentines dinner and a hockey game all on the schedule today.
I'll start with the car shopping. I finally received my settlement from the insurance co. today after 2+ weeks after my wreck. I didn't buy anything, but I got the chance to look at quite a few vehicles and figure out costs. Due to the economy, car prices are down and rebates are up which is good for me! Went to 5 car lots - argued with 2 salesman, punched out another, and entered into hostile negotiation with the other 2. Just kidding, but real darn close. I hate cocky, know-it-all, lying salesman. Why can't buying a car be as simple as buying bubblegum? Needless to say, I will only be visiting the last 2 before I buy a car/truck on Tuesday.

Today I had a 10K race on the schedule and I dedicated it to Nancy as did a multitude of other runners. Poor girl needs surgery due to a torn labrum caused by basic running. You never know when the "injury gremlin" is lurking!

I ran the StrawPlains 10K. This was the same race that I ran last year in 1:02:35 and injured myself by my inexperience(2months running.)
This race is a challenge due to its elevation changes(big hills), but I still had a goal to break an hour. My previous 10K was 59:42 on a flat course. I couldn't have run this race any better. I finished in 58:59 clock time and 58:50 chip time(9:29 avg). A new PR by a full minute on big hills!! My long run days have been on hills for the past 2 months and boy did it make a difference. I surprised myself on this one.

The last part of my day finished with Dinner and a hockey game with the fam.

Very busy day it was - 1AM as a blog this. Happy Valentines to you ladies because we know that this holiday is not for us..
I will try to catch up on yall's(TN slang) blog this weekend.

Happy Thanksgiving and Turkey Trot Report

I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving, I know that I did!
This year has been one of the most difficult years of my life and I can sit here and lament on the rough year I have had, but I won't. I am alive, am healthy, have a home, have a good job, have good friends, have a wonderful family, and a good future ahead. So many people don't. I am thankful for all of these things and more. That's what Thanksgiving means to me.
On to running:
Still a little sore form my 10 mile race on Saturday. I've had mixed feelings about running the 8K Turkey Trot Race I signed up for 2 weeks ago. Just didn't want to run 2 races in less than 6 days. After debating last night, I decide to run it and run it as an easy pace. I figured I needed to simply because I was going to pig-out on some good food later in the day.
About 500 people showed up to a sunny 30 degree morning. I started at the back of the pack to keep it slow and steady. After the gun went off, it took about 15 seconds to get to the starter mat and another 45 seconds to open up a stride. I passed the 1 mile mark @ 10:41-what?, then the 2 mile mark @ 20:40. Yes, slow and steady and feeling good. Then I realized how good I felt and decided to run this as a race from here on out. mile 3 - 29:57, mile 4 - 39: 17, Finish 5miles in 47:45. This was so much fun! Even though I have run faster 5 miler's than this during basic runs, chasing and passing people for the remaining 3 miles was a blast!! mile 1-10:41, mile 2-9:59, mile 3-9:38, mile 4-8:59, mile 5-8:28.

Didn't you just wear that in last week's race?

Suck it in Dave, your on camera

The race was a good start to my day,then I went over to my brothers house and celebrated Turkey Day with all of my family. I gobbled up great food and desserts, then went outside afterwards and played tackle football with the guys. A great ending to a great day!

Good luck to you Black Friday people, you'll need it! haha

Worldwide Festival Of Races

Today I ran a 10K race for the Worldwide Festival Of Races, formerly the "The Zen Run 10K." On the weekend of 11-12 October 2008 runners from around the world will 'virtually' come together to celebrate their passion for the sport they love by running The Worldwide Festival of Races Half Marathon, 10K and 5K distances.

I really wanted to run the half marathon distance, but didn't have anyone else to run it with, but the 10K was fun anyway.

My goal was to beat my previous 10K and the "1 hour" barrier. I ran my first 10K back in February in 1:02:35 in a hobbling mess. I started out @ a 9:45 pace and stayed consistent with my 5K split @ 30:10. I felt very good at that point and fought the urge to run faster and "tanking." I would have to pick up the pace "a little" though on the last 5K in order to beat 1 hour. The run and race went great, with me finishing in 59:42 (9:36 pace). A new PR!!! Never felt that I was killing myself throughout the entire run. You are supposed to be dying in races.. haha. So the cool thing is maybe, just maybe I am getting "into shape."

Can you here my footsteps

Thank God the weekend is here!
Another running story to tell, but first the dogs!
This "running loose" dog sh*t has to stop. It is becoming very frustrating to run on side roads with all the non-chained dogs roaming around. This is the 4th time I have had to change a route due to "DOGS!" Today as I turned a corner a pack of 3 came running out of a yard. They were a good distance off, so it was easy just to turn around. My frustration is boiling over. . (Can you say leash law?) I love animals and I may have to start running with some kind of dog repellant. That sucks - Do you hear me Farley ?
Now to the run:
I had a great run today(Of course after the dogs)- an exciting hilly 5.2 mile run. A gorgeous day - sunny, 72 degrees, low humidity, a faint touch of wind. I was at about the 5K mark when I turned a corner and seen a runner in front of me. He was coming off a side road to the main road about a 1/4 mile ahead. My 5K split was 31:46, so around a 10:15 pace. I got the silly idea that I was going to try and pass him in the final 2.1 miles. hehe.. I picked up my pace to around (9:45) and noticed the gap getting larger. Sped up to (9:30) and the gap evened. He looked back at me with about a mile and a half to go and I think he noticed that I was keeping pace. He sped up, then I sped up. LOL! A quick glance at my watch and we were @ (9:00) pace. "It was on like donkey kong!"

Little by little I was gaining on him. With a mile to go my pace was @ 7:45, but he was still 1/4 mile ahead. My lungs were burning, my blood was pumping and it felt good! The rush of adrenaline "kicked in" and I was in the midst of a runners high. My watched " beeped" to signal the last half - mile and I was within 50 feet of him. As I was passing him, he waved and a big grin was on his face. I gave out this sad, breathless "Howdy!" We ran for another minute or so, and I could still hear his footstrikes behind me. We finally finished and he was only 10 feet behind. He patted me on the back, and said ,"good run, huh?" as we both bent over in agony. We talked for a bit and he admitted that he was trying to keep me from passing him. haha. He said, "Do you know how fast we ran that last mile in? 7 mins!" My reply, "Wow, really. No way!" Not quite a 7 min/ mile..
Anyway, here are the stats: m1 - 10:25, m2 - 10:20, m3 - 9:59,m4 - 8:37, m5 - 7:39!, 0.2 - 1:22. I have another 2 mile PR Old : 17:19 , NEW 16:16! 5.2 miles in 48:18 (9:17 avg) WOOHOO!!
Moral of the story: If you want to break your short mileage PR's , hire a dog named Farley to chase you or hire a man to pace you.

Farley you son of a

Has anyone besides me been chased by a dog during their run? I don't mean like barked at threw a fence. I mean literally chased!
Story( bare with me - I never tell anything quickly)
I waited until the evening to run beacuse it was cooler, temp 76 deg, beautiful evening. Started out running at a good pace. My achilles was very sore this evening - I noticed it after about 1/4 mile. My intentions were not to run fast tonight. Easy run that turned into "FREAKIN" strides/intervals/speedwork. Feeling good around mile 2, when I heard a dog barking. Looked over and about 200 feet away was a 60 lb boxer charging and barking. Have you ever seen the muscles in these dogs?
The owner is screaming, "FARLEY!! FARLEY!!" at the top of his lungs. Then the guy yells, " He will bite you!!" My pace slowed a bit when I heard a dog barking, but after he said, " He will bite you!" I ran with all my ****** life! Usain Bolt has nothing on me. LOL! Have you ever tried to run sideways fast while looking behind you? I figured out that the dog wasn't use to running fast for longer than 300 feet. He got within 10 feet of me before, he gave up the chase. You SOB!!!! I did notice that the owner had a look of relief on his face, as he "beat" the dog back into submission. Yikes! My 4 miler turned out, m1 - 10:15, m2 - 10:01, m3 - 8:03 --- m3(1/2mile split) was 3:31!!!(that would be 7:02 pace ,yeah baby!), m4 - 9:16. Since I was already doing speed work, I decided to keep going. LOL!
I have a new 2 mile PR - 17:19(8:39 pace)!!