Brighton 5k Turkey Trot

This week was fairly unremarkable. On Monday I did a 4 mile recover run to get blood circulating through my legs. The 10:40 pace nearly killed me. How can I PR is races and then barely be able to run 2 days later? I was still feeling fatigued at masters and it was the closest I've been to getting out the pool early. Only the reassurance that my lane mates would, in fact, give me crap about it forever kept me in. Peer pressure is a strong force. In the afternoon I had another painful massage on my lower legs. The therapist thinks I went from heel striking to over compensating and hitting too forward on my feet. The wear on my Newtons near the toe would agree. I don't think the Newtons are the problem, exactly, but how I run in them.

On Tuesday I met with a naturopath to discuss other options in acne therapy. She had my hormones tested and felt they were all in normal range, so she suggested that I try following a paleo diet for athletes - pretty much no grains/starches, unless I'm going to workout with in the hour, or it's within the hour apres workout. I was not impressed, I don't like diets and I do like eating starches. Nevertheless, I'm going to give it a shot since it is something I haven't tried yet. I'm also playing around with gluten and dairy free, so I'm going to try to limit my carbs to no gluten.

I wasn't feeling much more motivating on Wednesday so I did my easy run/strider workout. Guilt over not really training this fall pressured me into doing 10 18 second striders rather than my usual 8. And Friday morning I squeezed out 2 more painfully slow miles to justify my gluten free hot cereal in the breakfast.

And on to the race.... Like last year, Becky joined me for a brisk 5k in scenic Brighton. This year I left with plenty of time, did not get lost, and was at the starting line when the gun went off. It was so cold that I had my cuffins pulled over my hands (and watch) so I didn't check my pace until mile 1. Uh oh, 7:55. I don't run 7:55 miles. I did slow down and the remainder of the race was extra painful, but at least I didn't blow up as much as I did at last year's Colder Boulder. I pulled out an 8:22 and then an 8:32 for a new PR of 25:46. And Becky took 2 1/2 minutes off of last year's time with 26:52.



After the race, I checked the results and was completely shocked that I got 3rd place in my age group. I have never podiumed at a running race. And while I try not to be negative, it did seem like my age group was especially under performing at this race. Here's how I would have placed in other female divisions:

9 & under: 1st. Yes!!!! Take that, ankle biters!
20-24: 2nd
25-29: 10th
30-34: 8th
40-44: 6th
45-49: 3rd
50-54: 1st. Woot!
55-59: 4th. Those are some fast old broads.
60-64: 3rd. More fast old ladies.
65-69: 1st! I could beat my mom!
70+: 1st. But a 70 year old ran 26:49. Is that not freaking unbelievable? I hope to still be mobile at 70.

After I saw I won, I had to wait around to collect my medal. I had a breakfast burrito but couldn't eat the free Cold Stone ice cream, even if I wasn't trying for dairy free. My core temperature plummets after winter runs and I was freezing for hours after the race.

Luckily my coach, Mike, ran too and placed 2nd so we waited together. I'm not sure the 90 minutes of my life were worth this, but it is my first real medal that's not just a finisher's medal: