New 10K PR! Lakewood Run Race Report

I love spring mornings when I wake up and there's already some light out! It makes a huge difference in my mood. Sometimes I think I may actually be cold blooded, since I always seem to be happier when it's sunny and warm out.

Can you try I'm trying to stay positive and optimistic on a Monday morning? ;)

This weekend was the Lakewood Sheriff's Community 5K/10K run. I didn't know about this race until a couple of days ago, but since it was so close by and it was just a 10K, I decided to just go for it and show up for it on race day.

It was a fun little race; it was at a local mall; and the parking lot was converted into the pre/post race festivities area. Being that it's the "Sheriff's Run" and all, there were a lot of law enforcement officers and vehicles there...which kind of made me nervous! I mean...not that I was doing anything sketchy at 6:30am before a race, but they DO have a strange ability to make you feel.... watched? Guilty? I dunno... something uncomfortable for sure! lol...or maybe that's just my guilty conscience talking?

I grabbed a couple of goodies from the vendors/food area. Yay for free protein bars
And I was actually STOKED on the toothbrush. I was JUST about to go buy a new one! I absolutely always choose the color blue for my toothbrushes. It makes me happy. Do you have certain colors you gravitate towards to too?

I killed about an hour before the race stretching, jogging, eating, etc.

Then there was a super anti dramatic start. No national anthem, no countdown, no nothing. Just a random bull horn.... and a stampede time.

I always get frustrated at the start areas. I try to start near the front, but seriously. I mean... how do people not know how to line up and start a race? Like, if you know you're a walker, and you're at the front, and you look around you and see everyone with their Garmins and butt-skimming shorts.... I mean...hint hint. And I'm not the only who noticed because I heard some people complaining about it as well. I mean, I understand it can be confusing. Race Organizers should announce it and make it clear as well.

Anyway, the run was another FLAT course, though with a lot more corners and turns than the Race on the Base course. There was only a gentle wind, and the weather was amazing. 8am, and 70+ degrees (well, it felt like it!). I got into a good rhythm, and kind of noticed something.

I don't see any females...

Then of course, that lit a fire inside of me.

Up until then, I was gonna push the pace and try hard, but I wasn't hoping for any sort of PR or competing. But then I realized I could AG again.... and wouldn't AG wins be more fun with anew PR too? So I started to push the pace some more.

I kept running in this group of two other guys. None of us knew each other nor speack to each other, but for some reason, we were the exact same pace and none of us could pass each other nor lag behind. It was this awkard kind of triangle we kept running in. Has that ever happened to anyone?

There really was not much to the course in terms of water stations or entertainment or scenery. Just a regular suburban-type neighborhood and some traffic. I kept trucking along pretty well. It was an uncomfortable pace for me; I definitely didn't have any extra energy to speak to anyone or ham it up for the cameras or anything. I wasn't dying, but it definitely felt challenging to maintain my pace.

Right around mile 5.2, the 10K course merged back with the 5K course. Now this was super aggrevating. Less than a mile to go, I'm tired, I'm trying to PR, and there's a huge group of 5K walkers with their kids, strollers, who knows what, walking 3-4 people deep. They all see the 10K runners, and NOT ONE OF THEM budge, step aside, or anything, to let the runners by. Seriously. I mean.... isn't it just polite to let them at least pass you on the left? And I see all the police officers standing around... I really wanted to yell at the police officers to tell the walkers they are going to get trampled, so please make an effort NOT to walk three people deep. Am I asking for too much here?

So I had to do a bunch of weaving in and out of crowds JUST as I was running out of steam. I was cutting it close, too.... I didn't know if I would be able to PR or not.... so the weaving was making me kind of angry too. I just wanted a clear shot to the finish!

OMG! The last quarter mile was torture! I seriously all of a sudden felt like I had NOTHING left in the tank. My legs were sooooo heavy! Each step was a burden, and I felt like I was running hrough mud or something. I could see the finish, and wanted to sprint to the end, but honestly, I oculdn't do it! I was sooo tired! I just wanted to be done!

As soon as I crossed the finish line I sat down on the chairs and had a volunteer take my timing chip off for me. Usually I do it myself, because I feel bad making these kids do something I could easily do myself. But I just couldn't even think about doing such a complicated task this time. Another volunteer passed me a water which I promplty chugged.

Ahhh much better.

And, to top it all off, I have a new PR! 48:56.

It's only 13 seconds off my previous PR, but the course was long at 6.3 miles.... so it still counts as a PR! yay! And though I didn't win my AG, I did get a silver medal! :)

The post run food selections was great; bagel bites, muffins, bananas, oranges, PLENTY of water, and more protein bars. I grabbed a couple of each, and made my way over to the Chiropractor Booth.

Now I have been suffering pretty bad shoulder pains for the last 6 years.... and though I haven't been receiving any treatment for it, I have received opinions from one doctor and three different chiroporacters. My spine is too straight and is pinching my nerves.

It's been 6 years and the pain is only getting worse. Should I suck it up, fork over the money and actually go see a chiropractor? I don't have insurance, and each session is not cheap... but I don't want it to degenerate, and I'm so sick and tired of it hurting all the effing time. Any words of wisdom?

Later that day I celebrated a very special friend's b-day and it was a lot of fun :)

Oh! and I almost forgot;

I'm signing up for my first Olympic Distance Triathlon in April! It's the only triathlon I can fit into my schedule before my half Ironman, and I want to get in one practice "longer distance" triathlon before I jump off the deep end in the half ironman. It's the Big Rock Triathlon at Lake Perris...anyone else gonna be there? Any tips for Olympic Distances?

Off to another busy week!