Monday, April 23, 2012

Teal Ribbon 5K Recap!

What a fun race.  With a cool temperature of 55 degrees(!), a start time of 9:00 am, and a 10 minute drive from home, this was such a relaxed morning...no traffic to deal with, and it was even daylight when we left the house!  I even slept pretty good before the race - only woke up a couple of times, which is normal for me.  Usually I'm tossing and turning all night before a race - WHY, I have no idea - it's not like I'm racing racing, you know?  But I felt calm going into this - I think that knowing it was only a 5K, and I could do that (I could, I could!!!) gave me some confidence.
Henry posing with the cute teal ribbon soap that came in our packets...sure, we got a race t-shirt, but how cute is this soap?!?

The Teal Ribbon 5K was done by our local Sexual Assault Resource Center, and the race director happened to be Cary, who was in our running club this last season!  This was the first time they've done a race, and it went really well.  It was in Downtown Bryan - I've run the Downtown Derby there before, so I knew that the course would be pretty flat, which of course, is my favorite.  The only hard part ended up being the first half mile, as we were running directly into the wind, which was blowing a little over 20 mph.  Really, wind - again?!?  But I could see ahead to the point where we would turn, and I knew that the wind wouldn't be an issue after that, so I just powered through it.

My goal for this race was to run the entire time, and also hopefully finish faster than I did my last 5K, which was 39:01.  And?  I achieved both goals!!!  While I struggled a bit with the panic breathing at first, my legs felt good and I knew that I was going to be able to keep running.  Our finish time was 37:18 - average pace was 12:30!  But get this:  my first mile pace was 12:13.  I didn't intend to start out that fast - really, I'd planned on doing that mile in 13 minutes, but I guess the starting excitement, plus powering through the wind made me a little faster.  Second mile was 12:46, third mile was 12:32.  Not bad, not bad at all!

Pictures!
Yes, my jacket matched the balloons...I was quite pleased with that!
Julia!  My USAFit running buddy from the very beginning - love seeing her smiling face!  And how cute was her outfit?!?  I was so proud. :)
Just having a good time before the race...
Wearing our Brazos Running Company technical shirts!
At the starting line...er, crack.  Seriously - we stood behind a crack in the road!  I liked the small-town feel of that.
See?  I wasn't kidding about the starting crack!
 
I lined up at the back, where I like to start (no worries about getting in the way of serious runners).  Jeff took some pictures, and I laughed later, when I uploaded them and saw the girl in the orange shirt finally give me a look like "who are you and why so many pictures?!?"
Look, I'm really running!!!  See the nice, flat course?  My kinda race!
Finished - with the race director, Cary, who did a great job with her first race!
Jeff, me, Julia and Will - USAFit BCS, finishers!
I promise, I didn't know until after I'd signed us up for the race, but Red Mango was a sponsor and our favorite manager (who sadly is going to be leaving the state soon), Cam, was there, making smoothies for the racers!  Deeelicious!
Wake up, run 3.1 miles, get a smoothie.  What more could you want?  Except for, maybe, some dance tunes???  
 
 
Hammer Time - Will and Julia getting their groove on!
Random runner - do you think she got to do the race in a baby jogger?
Julia won the prize for the best teal costume - most deservedly, I have to say!  

All in all, this race was everything I'd hoped it would be - a fun morning spent with good friends, enough running to regain my confidence, and a great start to the weekend!

22 comments:

  1. It looks like a perfect run! Love the soap too!

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  2. That start line is a classic! A reminder to work with what you have. Glad you had an awesome race.

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  3. Looks like you had a lot of fun Shelley. The pics show that!

    Funny that we had the same goal at our 5k this weekend: run the entire time. You did it and I did it. I'm proud of the both of us :) And congrats on beating your time too.

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  4. I dunno, Shelley, I think I am a little disappointed you only have two teal things on for the race. That's so unlike you. ROFLMAO! :) :)

    You did great, and you clearly had a great time. That girl in red is just jealous she doesn't have paparazzo taking her pictures throughout. :)

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  5. LOL at the photo with the lady giving you the side eye for taking pics! That looks like such a fun race. Congrats on both the goals!

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  6. So happy you were happy with this race. Love the teal oufit!

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  7. What a fun, fun race! I have to say I'm surprised that it was your Sexual Assault Center... do they know that the Teal Ribbon is and has been the color for Ovarian Cancer Research for umpteen years? Hmmmmm.

    Anyway, you all look like you had a great time, even though IMHO all of ya'll are overdressed. I guess 55 feels cold in Texas? LOLOL!

    Julia totally deserved that prize too, what a great outfit.

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    1. It's funny, 55 in April is practically Artic, but 55 in June? We'd all be in shorts and sleeveless shirts!

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  8. You're looking so pretty in the green and teal. How is it that no matter what color your running clothes are, your shoes always match? :-)

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  9. Your magic Newtons --that got a snort out of me! Love this race report. And finally, the only proper hydration after a race --frozen yogurt! That girl looking at you is hilarious.

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  10. I think that's a great time Shelley! Woop! While I haven't run a race since, ahem, 2008, I always start out too fast.

    Happy Monday!

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  11. I love the ever-so-offical "crack in the road" starting line! I've been on the lookout for a teal themed race in my neck of the woods, but I've not found one yet. Teal is the support color for ovarian cancer awareness and we lost a much loved aunt to that terrible disease last July 4th so we are big supporters of anything teal. :) I'm so glad that you were able to support this cause, and that you were happy with your time.

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  12. Congrats on running the whole way, beating your last time, and having a great time!

    Love the pictures... I never enter races but feel weirdly inspired. And that soap--adorable!

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  13. Cute!

    how does that ladies butt fit in that stroller? lol.

    Glad you aren't haven't hot, hot weather now. Sounds like a fun race!

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  14. Woo Hoo. Way to go runner girl!!! Looks like so much fun! You find the BEST races to participate in. Have a wonderful week.

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  15. Teal is a current favorite color, so I love this post :)

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  16. better late than never? :-) that final paragraph sums it all up so well and makes me smile.

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  17. I love the colors...looks like all had a great time...and love the dancing pic's...too funny! Congratulations on your finish time a new PR

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  18. I guess the girl in the orange didn't know how famous you are!

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  19. Love her looking at you! That cracked me up!

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