Saturday, November 5, 2011

W.O.O.F. recap: Repeat performance

Move that body: 5.48-mile run

I have one word to describe today’s race.

Booyah.

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Yeah, I said it boo-yah. You’re looking at the first-place female relay team – that’s me in the middle there.

Pre-race

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My lovely teammates were nice enough to let me run the last leg so we could show up late and rush less in the morning. Mark, Miles and I arrived about an hour, hour and a half after the 10 a.m. start and had plenty of time to get situated. I went to the bathroom a couple times, drank some water and jumped around. 

The only downside to being the last leg was trying to figure out nutrition. I ate a PB&J at 7 a.m. and then had a Cliff bar and banana at 10:30. I could have done without the banana.

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Oh, and loaning my jacket to Mark and discovering he may look better in it than me. It was a bit chilly to hang around, even in the shelter and its two fireplaces, but it was perfect running weather – sunny and 45 degrees.

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Team Victorious Secret – ready to rock. Before I knew it, it was time to head to the timing mat and wait for C, who was doing the second leg.

The race

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My leg started with a high five from C and enthusiastic cheers from L and ladies my teammates met in a half-marathon class.

From the moment I hit the trail, I knew I was starting too fast. The distance, 5.3 miles, is still not a comfortable one for me and I needed to approach it as a “long” run. But I just felt so good. My legs were fresh after a light-ish week, the sun was shining and I was running through a beautiful trail – I couldn’t help but see what my body would do.

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Just after the first mile, 9:14, I saw my teammates and the half-mary class gals. It was so awesome to have them out on the course for support. It’s a small race and it’s not unusual to run the entire loop by yourself. It can get a bit lonesome if you thrive on the adrenaline of spectators and other runners. Seeing my friends/teammates (four times in all) helped encourage me to keep pushing.

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Once I hit the 2-mile marker, I decided that it would be in my best interest to slow for a bit at the beginning and end of each mile and speed up in the middle. Somehow it worked out that I saw my teammates in the middle parts when I was really pushing.

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The worst part of the course is a stack of hay bales that you have to climb over about mile 4.

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I hated them last year and I hated them this year. It’s at a point in the course where you are ready to bring it home and the last thing you want to do is slow to climb over some hay.

Thankfully, I had my sight on a member of another relay team. Having a “rabbit” really helped me to stay strong in that last section of the course.

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I finally caught up to her (sorry, Pattie) around the 5-mile marker. I don’t think she was expecting to see me, giving her a bit of a surprise. I stayed on her heels until we hit the final straight away, at which point I gave it all I had.

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It was enough.

I felt a bit sick at the finish but I am proud to report that I did not toss my cookies. Thanks to teammate C for handing me the water. It was greatly needed.

Post race

One of the great things about the W.O.O.F. – in addition the gorgeous course (complete with bison), fantastic volunteers and being well organized – is the post-race party. There’s hot beverages, vegetable soup, bison burgers, baked beans, cornbread and baked goods. There were even local microbrews this year!

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I had a bunless bison burger (x2) and vegetable soup.

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Miles had a bottle.

As we were finishing up and getting ready to head out, we got the good news that we placed first in the relay. Mark packed up the stroller, and my teammates and I picked up our awards.

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I guess we really were the Victorious Secret.

A big thanks to L for sharing her photos, C for being such a great cheerleader, C and L for being the best teammates ever, my husband for being an awesome support and Miles for sleeping most of the race.

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Who else raced this weekend? How did it go?

9 comments:

  1. Yay - how fun was today???? AHHHHH Miles is adorable! SOOO great to race together . . . and win! Woo hoo! Thanks again for being such a bada** and kicking some booty in the race - you were a warrior!!! Love how the photos turned out :) Great job girl - next up . . . HUFF - hard core!

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  2. yay!!! I'm so proud of you!!! and BTW - GREAT jacket, where ever did you get it?

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  3. Sorry I missed you today! We left probably right around the time you arrived! I just checked results online and saw I got 2nd place in my division. Woop woop! :)

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  4. Congrats on your race! Love the team name. I'm always up for a good pun! It looks like you're getting back into good running form - so inspiring :)

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  5. You did fantastic, and it was great to meet you this weekend.

    And, I have to say Miles is adorable - what a great support to have at the finish line :)

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  6. Awesome job!!!! I love the 1st place award and your team name.

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  7. what a fun race! congrats on the FIRST PLACE finish!! and that last pic of miles is absolutely adorable!!

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