Santa Runs Tacoma

Last Race of the Year and a New PR!!!

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Santa Runs Tacoma was a success!!!  New 5K PR people.  It was totally the antlers and the socks that did it!  😉

adidas Energy Boost getting it done for me!

Old PR – 27.56, new PR – 25:56!  A 5K time in the 25’s has been my goal for two years and I finally did it! I know for some that isn’t very fast, but maintaining a 8:30’ish and below pace for a whole race (even a short one like a 5K) is really hard for me, and I’m super proud of myself for doing it!  
Mostly I was excited about how good I felt.  Don’t get me wrong, it was hard, and I had to stay super focused to do it, but I felt strong, confident in my ability, and nothing hurt at all.  I knew I had it.  I kept thinking to myself “I’m doing it, I’m really doing it”!  I’m not going to lie though…I was really happy to see the finish line!     
Grace and Michelle finished as well, super proud of Grace getting her first 5K under her belt!  After we all crossed the finish line it was time for the Kids 1K!  
  I really wish I knew what Kiera was saying to crack Sky up like that!

Sky started out pretty happy, but it didn’t last long.  To be fare Sky is sick again.  Worse this time around actually.  After waking up with a face crusted in snot we probably should have pulled the plug on this one. But, she kept saying she wanted to run, and even when she’s sick there is all that toddler energy that needs burning off, so we gave it a go.  
Don’t my antlers look cute on Mark!

Kiera did great.  She took off, and the one time I tried to sprint ahead of her and get a picture she kept up with me!  Sky’s race was a bit rougher.  She took a nasty spill and skidded on her face.  Her smile turned to this…

We carried her for a bit and when Bob and Kiera passed us on their way back to the start/finish we turned around and tried to finish with them.  We thought Kiera would spur Sky on, but she was falling down, veering off course and just not into it.  We took our time, but finally made it back to the finish.

That’s the last race of the year for Sky and I.  I’m ready to rest and relax and enjoy lot’s of fun with friends and family.  I’ll still get some “training” runs in, but they will purely be relaxing, fun runs.  The next training cycle starts in Feb and I’m looking forward to agenda free running for a few weeks!

Did anyone else run in a Holiday themed race this weekend?

1,000 Posts Later….

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…and I’m still here.  Yep, that’s right today is my 1,000 post on the blog!  If I were a real blogger there would be glitter, confetti and fireworks, and I would have a totally awesome giveaway lined up for you.  But, I don’t.  The only thing I have is more cute Sky pics and my usual ramblings about life and running.

(The very first post right HERE…wow, sad little post.  My how things have changed)!

Speaking of running, tomorrow is my last race of the year!  It’s kind of funny to me that my last race of the year always seems to be a 5K, and I kind of despise 5K’s.  Just not my favorite distance to run at all.  But, it’s the Santa run and it’s always a lot of fun.  The best part is this year I have Sky’s 1K to look forward to after I finish.

I have gone back and forth on how I’m going to run tomorrow.  My original plan to run with my cousin has fallen through due to an injury, so now I’m running solo.  Since that doesn’t happen often for me, at this distance, I think I’m going to go for a PR.  I’m just shy of 5K PR pace when I run with Sky, without even trying really…just running at a pace that feels good, so it makes me think I have a PR in me running solo. Given that I haven’t put any true effort into speed work I could be totally wrong about my ability, but I’m going for it.

Even though my 2014 running goal is to PR all my distances I would be perfectly happy getting the 5K done early, and focusing on the longer distances in 2014.  Shout out to Michelle and Grace as they are running Graces first 5K.  And, a shout out to Kiera as it will be her first 1K!  Love the little runners we are raising!

Yesterday Sky spent her time running around the children’s museum.  Until she found the nursery and then all she wanted to do was hold her baby and feed it.  The sad tears she had when I told her she needed to let the other kiddo’s have a turn just about broke my heart.  It must of broke hers to because she was done playing after that.  All she wanted was to go home.

She loves pretending to drive that old truck, it’s the first thing she runs to every time we visit the museum.  The Lego wall and train table are close seconds.  I’m wondering though if the nursery is going to become the new favorite.  She looks so serious!

What’s your favorite distance to run?  

Mine is the 1/2 for sure.  Just long enough to be challenging but not so long that I want to give up (unless it’s See Jane, I still have bad dreams about that race!).

All Kinds Of Running Fun!

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Last night was the Fleet Feet Run Club (FFRC) First Annual Christmas Part!  After a little 3 mile group run (thank you Michelle for sweeping with me!) we gathered for food, drinks, cookies, and gifts.  A good time was had by all!

Run, drink, eat!

Can we just talk about these cookies for a moment please.  They are amazing, if I do say so myself.  Let’s be clear here, I am not a baker, like never, ever, don’t even like it.  Give me $150 cut of prime rib roast and I will spend all day in the kitchen perfecting the most amazing meal, but give me $7 – $10 worth of ingredients to make cookies with and I break out in hives.  Not. My. Thing.  I was super not excited about the cooking exchange part of the FFRC party, but like a good sport I searched Pinterest and the blogs and found these bad boys. 
 Hot Chocolate Cookies!

I got the idea from Hungry Runner Girl, if you don’t read her blog go check it out!  But, the recipe is actually from Seeded At The Table, which isn’t a blog I follow, but maybe we all should!!!  
My only word of advice would be not to double the batch because the batter is so thick that it becomes impossible to blend.  As in it burned up my mixer, it was actually smoking.  I finally had to put gloves on and use my hands to blend it all together.  Other than that they are easy to make and totally worth the time and effort. 
The running fun continued today with a visit from adidas for the stroller group run.  Everyone that wanted to try out the Glide Boost had an opportunity to do so.  Those raspberry pink laces just make me smile!  After the run we had snacks and more cookies.  But the best part was Elya and  her new bundle of joy joined us for cookies, and baby snuggle time.  Thank you to Kelli for bring the shoes for the group to try out.  They appreciate the effort and attention!   
Sky just loves babies so much.  Once she got her hands on Rielle she was not going to let go.  It took some convincing to get her to share the baby with everyone else.  I’m so excited, for all the right reasons, that Rielle is here and part of their family, but I’m also excited because it means that soon Elya will be back to running.  I have missed running with her so much!  
Don’t tell Sky but I’m sneaking over to Elya’s when she’s at the grandparents this afternoon so I can have my very own baby time!!!
The last exciting running tidbit is that in a last minute decision Sky will be running her second race this weekend!!!  We visited Tacoma City Marathon Association (TCMA) offices today and got her registered for Santa Runs Tacoma 1K.   
I found out today that the kids get a wrapped gift at the finish…How cute is that!  Per usual there will more pictures than are necessary.  🙂
What is your go to Holiday Cookie?