The Louisiana Marathon Race Weekend Recap

Last weekend Erick, Gordie and I headed to Baton Rouge for the Louisiana Marathon Race Weekend. The event offers four races- a 5K and quarter marathon option on Saturday and a half and full marathon on Sunday- plus a kids race. I could write a book about how amazing this race/weekend/event is.

From start to finish we all had an amazing time, Gordie included. Not only is the race course beautiful but the after party is by far the best I've seen. They even had a 'vegan village' where I immediately went and ate all the food! It was fantastic. One of our favorite beers, Abita, was the sponsor so you know we really enjoyed hanging out afterwards. I cannot stress it enough that everything about this race is awesome. I loved the expo. The race website is amazing. It even gives adresses/crossroads for each mile marker which is super helpful for spectators. The crowd support was fantastic- I stopped at the mimosa stop around mile 2.5 and enjoyed a little drink. I did, however, skip the tequila and bourbon shots offered and the doughnuts. The race course itself is lovely- you run around lakes on streets lined with giant oak trees and you also run through LSU's campus- right past Tiger stadium.

The Saturday events are dog friendly and next year I plan on having Gordie run with me. This year, after hearing the announcer during the 5K be super excited about the dogs on the course I decided to take Gordie with me across the finish line at the half. The announcer and the fans loved it. I grabbed Gordie about a block and a half from the finish (Erick and I had planned to do this) and we ran (after Gordie stopped trying to rip off my race bib) across the finish together. It was so awesome!

I also got to see my friend and Fitblogger Angela, from We Beat Fat, and her husband Willie. I met up with them Saturday and saw them before and after the 5K (which Angela PR'd) and then on Sunday morning I didn't see them anywhere around the start. Luckily for me I ran into Willie around mile 8 and he let me tag along with him for the last 5 miles. I tried not to talk his ear off, as I tend to do, and not ruin his race. He also didn't mind crossing the finish line with Gordie either so that was great. Erick and I grabbed some food and a couple of beers then headed back to the finish line to meet up with Willie so we could watch for Angela who was running the full. Angela PR's her marathon time which was awesome to see happen. That girl is a beast- she ran three marathons in three weeks and still managed to PR the last one. Amazing!

After we said our goodbyes, Erick and I headed back to the hotel and enjoyed the rest of the day just relaxing (and doing homework) in Baton Rouge. It was a perfect weekend start to finish and I will definitely be going back next year!

It was super cold at the start of the 5K...

I took so many pictures during the half....at least 50. It was awesome! 

 Mimosa station! 

 All the bling!

and all the food!

Love and hugs,
Dacia
xoxoxox

I Didn't Do It

A week or so ago I mentioned that I was hoping to cross off one of my 35 goals for the year by running a sub-30 minute 5K at the Navy Federal Credit Union 5K this past Saturday.

Sidenote: if you have a minute you should head over to 13.1 Miles to Disney's blog and read her race recap. I may or may not make a guest appearance in her post.

Well, the race came and went and I didn't do it. Not really too close to it either. I finished in 31+ minutes. Not a PR and didn't reach my goal. But I did finish and that is always my first and foremost priority.

Strike that.

Actually, my first and foremost priority of any race is to have fun. I try to take in the scenery, relax and enjoy the experience...which is some times easier said than done.

Saturday was rough. When my alarm went off I debated on turning it off, going back to sleep, and skipping it. That has never happened before for me but I woke up exhausted, dehydrated and just physically worn out. I wasn't too hopeful I would even be able to run a 5K.

But I got up, started rehydrating and psyching myself up. I put on some music. Got dressed. Realized my running shoes were down in my car which was on base (which is not really close to where we live) left there the night before. So, I wore my old shoes, which was no big deal, but of course threw me for a loop for a minute.

Once I was lined up at the start I began to get a bit nervous. It was hot, sunny (I was literally running to any patches of shade I could find) and humid. It was probably my first time running in such crappy conditions since moving from San Antonio. It was not really enjoyable. I was just so exhausted and so thirsty and I knew it would be a struggle from start to finish.

And it was.

It was definitely the hardest 3.1 miles I have ever run. And no, I did not finish in under 30 minutes. But I ran it, for the most part, and I finished in a pretty good time for me. I'm not disappointed in my performance because on Saturday morning, 31 minutes was the best I could do.

And I still have over 6 months to try to cross the sub-30 5K goal off my list.

It will happen.

I am getting faster. And stronger. And I know I will do it.

And yes, it sucks writing this - trying to not feel like a failure but you know what? I KNOW I am not a failure. Not showing up, quitting because conditions were less than ideal- that would make me a failure.

No, I think if anything else I am stronger because of this experience and I walk away from it knowing I can do so much more than I ever thought I was capable of.

'In the hopes of reaching the moon men fail to see the flowers that blossom at their feet.' ~ Albert Schweitzer

I promise I won't overlook the flowers...

Before,sporting my favorite race shirt :)

 

At the finish, being chased by Marines running in formation and calling cadence. Scary!

Updates

Life has gotten a bit hectic over in R.R.R.ville so I apologize if I have been MIA lately.

The reality is, days/weeks between posts will probably become a common occurrence unless I learn how to quickly master the short post. I will definitely work on that. Today starts the summer semester here at University of West Florida and I managed to enroll in two grad classes, Educational Research and Educational Statistics, both required for me to be admitted into the EdS or EdD, specialist or doctorate in education, programs I hope to start in the fall semester. Ultimately I would love to get my doctorate now but I am just not sure I will be in Pensacola long enough. I am hopeful, however, that I will be able to finish up the specialist degree before our next move. Fingers crossed.

So classes are starting for me and ending for Paul. Well, at least the academic portion of his first phase of flight training is ending. This is a pretty intense training class that they are in right now, designed to weed out the weak, and so once he is finished with this portion there will be a big celebration this Friday. This will also be the day when he can wear his flight suit for the first time. I am pretty excited for this and plan on taking a million pictures of him in his 'Top Gun' outfit. Consider yourself warned.

Saturday morning I will be attempting to check one of my 35 in 35 goals off my list- sub 30 minute 5K. I feel pretty good about this one. My current PR is 30:26 which was set back in October. Since the injury, not too long after that PR, I have struggled with progressing speed-wise. I have been doing alot of trail running since I moved to Florida and I think that really helped build some strength back in my leg. For the first time in a long time I feel 100% healthy and strong in my left leg. Two weeks ago I decided to test it and managed to run two sub 10 minute miles on the treadmill. I  was floored. I couldn't believe I was there again, back to where I was 6 months ago. It was awesome.

Then last Saturday, May 4th, I ran a 10K in the morning and a 5K in the evening. Three of my six miles at the 10K came in under 10 minutes (and I PR'd that distance with a time of 65:30) and then just hours later during the 5K I clocked a sub-nine minute mile. I knew it right then that a sub-30 minute 5K was in my near future. I could just taste it.

This Saturday I plan on setting a new PR and accomplishing this goal at the Navy Federal Credit Union 5K. I will definitely keep you posted!

Until then...

"You are capable of more than you know. Choose a goal that seems right for you and strive to be the best, however hard the path. Aim high. Behave honorably. Prepare to be alone at times, an to endure failure. Persist! The world needs all you can give." ~ E.O. Wilson

 

Yay! A new race medal!

 Big party after the 10K in Seville Square

 

 Resting my legs between races!

 

My collection is growing!

 Me and MG before the 5K. He finished in 26 minutes!

 

Hot mess after the 5K...LOL!

Celebratory beers post-race! 

My One Year Race-iversary

This Sunday will mark the one year anniversary of my first running race. It was a 5K and it was the first time I ever even attempted to run in a race and run I did, from start to finish. 

Previous to this I had walked a few 5Ks, maybe a 2-mile fun walk, not really much other than walking for fun/exercise on my own. Even when I was younger and wasn’t morbidly obese I was never a runner. It was just never something that I thought I could do and so I never did it. Then last year I set a goal for myself to run a race, start to finish, even if the distance was just a mile.

I ran my first mile ever (outside of the ones I was required to run but usually ran/walked in high school) in January 2012. Then in February I started the Couch to 5K program. I finished up the program just a week before I was set to run my first 5K on May 5^th, 2012. That first race was awesome. Not because of the running part (which was still really exciting because I did it) but because the race was for obesity and diabetes research and education. I was actually brought on stage at the pre-race ceremony because of my weight loss story. I got to meet some amazing doctors who are working very hard in San Antonio to end the obesity epidemic. The mayor was there. I got to hang out (and received lots of hugs) from one of our local news anchors- I basically felt like a celebrity.

And when I came in to the finish and saw them all there, plus Paul snapping tons of pictures, cheering me on it brought tears to my eyes. That day I accomplished something I had never dreamt possible. Then to be embraced by the kindness of strangers and the love of my husband- well that was amazing.

Since that day I have ran; 11 additional 5Ks, two 4-milers, one 7K, one 8K, one 5-miler, one 10K, one 15K, one 10-miler, and three half marathons and of course countless miles training for all 22 of those races. It’s been wild. I never thought I could have run a mile or even a 5K let alone a freaking half marathon or three. So, to say my mind is blown is an understatement.

And to close out my first year of racing I will be running a 10K Saturday morning followed by a 5K Saturday night. Yep, 9.3 miles in one day- like it’s no big deal.

Some days it’s hard to believe all that I have accomplished (when it comes to running) over the past year…

Some days it’s hard to remember the girl who struggled just walking a mile…

But most days I am just filled with hope and excitement for every race that lies ahead and every new limit that will be tested…

And that is pretty damn awesome.

05/05/2012- Before my first 5K

04/07/2013- after my most recent half marathon

Siclovia 5K

Some days it just clicks. The cards fall into place. And everything is just gravy. 

Today was one of them.

I woke up to chilly temps (note: it was in the 90's yesterday so 50's felt like the arctic tundra) and bone chilling winds but was hoping that wouldn't slow me down too much. 

I was heading out to run the first ever Siclovia 5K and was pretty excited. I knew the route was flat and straight, actually the route I used to ride my bike home from work before I moved, and was hoping I would be able to best my previous 5K time of 32:36 from back on July 21. 

I was confident I could run faster but the fact that I ran 9 miles the previous morning was weighing in the back of my mind. I wasn't sure how my legs would feel. 

The turnout was quite small. I think the cold scared some people away. I was anticipating it to be one of the larger 5Ks I've attended but I think it ended up being the smallest one I've seen with only 258 participants. 

Can I just say here how crazy it is the turnout for 5Ks/10Ks/5-milers/etc here. I see people running in other cities that have hundreds of people just in their age group. For the fact that I live somewhere that has temps that make it possible to run year-round people just don't seem to be into it the way they are in other places. It's crazy! Siclovia (a day to play in the streets; running, cycling, skateboarding, anything but driving) is supposed to help get SA off our butts but seriously- 258 people. Geez, that's sad! Rant over. 

Anywho, my goal was to set a new PR and that was all I could think about. 

After a few pics in front of the Alamo...

What do you mean there's no basement

Sporting the green and black for the Eagles. Go Birds!

And a fun pre-run warm up...

Action shot...

This was so much fun!

I was ready to run...

Glad I remembered to smile!

And run I did! 

Mile 1: 9:29 

What? 9:29! I was feeling good so I said to myself just keep running as fast as you can and try to see if you can pull out another sub-10 minute mile.

Mile 2: 9:54

Close but I did it! Another sub-10 minute mile

Also, I should note that it was very cold. I am glad I brought tissues because my nose was running the entire time. Oh, and I was running into a 40mph head wind. Ok, probably not 40mph. Probably not even 10mph. But it was cold and it was making me work really hard. Thankfully after the turn around it was at my back but I was exhausted. I wasn't sure I had it in me to keep up my pace. But somehow, I did. 

Mile 3: 9:49

Hooray. I just had to keep pushing, just one more minute and I would be done.

Here I come...

Trying to smile for the camera...

I crossed the line at 30:53 but my chip time was 30:26 which was a 9:47 min/mile pace. Yeah, I was pretty thrilled. 2 minutes and 10 seconds better than my last 5K. There were tears. It felt great. I really love seeing my progress as my half marathon training continues. Speed work and long (and short) slow runs really have helped me be able to push myself on these shorter runs. And a nice, flat course didn't hurt either. 

Next 5K is October 28th and I would love to run it in under 30 minutes but that course is on a rocky, bumpy trail and it is hilly so I am not too sure I can pull it off. But you damn well know that's what I'll be shooting for!

“To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.”~ Steve Prefontaine