UCP Life Without Limits 5k Race Recap

After going to bed very, and I mean very late, around 12.30am I only got a couple hours of sleep. I was up at 6.30am and Mike and I finished cleaning the house for the showing. I was appreciative that Ace was with his grandparents because as we try to get rid of his hair in the house he inevitably walks around shaking and putting more hair all over the place.

 It only takes me between 8-10 minutes to get from my house to Globe Hollow. 

The race starts in the parking lot of this 'pool', its actually classified as a man made swimming area. It's one of the 6 I have worked at in Manchester for the last decade as a lifeguard for the town. I apologize for the lack of photos for this recap...even though like I said it only takes me 8-10 minutes to get to Globe, I didn't leave the house until 7.30am................. The race was supposed to begin at 8am! I know I've said it before. I. Hate. Rushing. I did make it in time to get my shirt, bag and bib, but because of my time management issues I didn't get to take photos.

I initially did this 5k in September of last year. It was my first 5k, pretty much EVER. I convinced Miguel to run it with me. It was enjoyable and painful to run with him but I was actually even happier that I was alone this time. I didn't have to worry about keeping up with him and could go at my own pace. My goal was to do back to back races and I knew I wasn't going to PR today but I wanted to be able to push myself and not have someone else try to do it for me.

About 5 minutes before the race began everyone got lined up on the street behind the start line. I was shocked by how many people were around me. You could tell there were all different kinds of running abilities, I enjoy that to a degree...A big frustration for me and maybe it is because I run alone is people talking over the announcers and race directors giving last minute instructions, I feel it is incredibly rude and find it annoying. I want to hear and I am curious and shouldn't have to be on the actual start line to be able to hear, especially when they are using a megaphone. I find this happens more with the inexperienced or non-serious runners. Don't get me wrong, I am not heart attack serious, I am doing this because it is fun to me. I just want to make sure my safety is a priority.

Like I said there were a large, large number of people at the race this year, much more than last year and I am sorry to say but I found them more obnoxious than the year before. The gun went off and the dudes around me, I say dudes because there is no other explanation for these males..other than duuuuuude, HAD NO CLUE...so they stood there. Granted I am not going to finish before you, but have a little courtesy of those behind you....like me....very frustrating, I'm sorry I'm not sorry I'm one of those runners who likes to begin running when the gun goes off.

Although I was not a fan of this course last time, I liked knowing the course and because of that enjoyed running it this second time, it gave me the opportunity to accurately pace myself because I know what was coming up next. I was feeling fantastic about Mile 1, took water and made it down the scary steep downhill from Mt. Nebo to Charter Oak Park, I appreciated running next to a little creek under the trees, it was nice and cool even with the heat. I hope one day I will be able to take pictures while I'm running like some bloggers I follow, power to you women!

Mile 2 was a little more difficult. There was a pretty steep uphill run towards the 384 overpass. I took this opportunity to walk the width of the highway, catch my breath and push it the last mile. My feet started to hurt here big time, as well as my side, it was not a welcomed pain, not like "oh, I know I'm working hard"...more like "eeehhh, why does this feel like someone is stabbing me and no one is around". Spring street is a nice clean straight away and I felt like picking it up, I passed a few women who I had been pacing with and a couple that had only passed me because I walked the overpass.

I'm not sure if I am the one who does this, but I am about to let you in on a little secret of mine. The first mile of any race I pick a person who looks either like they are my speed or faster and they are my goal, along with my race time, to beat. Maybe it's the Leo in me, the disgusting competitive drive that even when I try to ignore is like alarm bells going off in my head.

I had picked a woman out around Mile 1 but passed her on Spring St. on the straight away after mile 2. About .5 away from the finish I realized I was pegged by someone as their competition (a great feeling) there was a nice rolling down hill that last half mile...but as I was running I realized this girl was coming up on my side fast, I thought daamn if you are going to go that nuts on the downhill have it. I'm not competing with someone who wants to be reckless. She slowed down to just slightly in front of me and then started to move towards me...we have enough space around us to fit a killer whale and she starts to edge closer and closer, I keep thinking she is going to correct what direction she is going in until I realized what her real intentions were...she cut right in front of me. Like directly in front of me. I don't know if I can make it any clearer. Think of that Allstate commercial or maybe it was State Farm where they talk about the "loop and swoop", where some one comes around the side of you then cuts right in front and puts on the breaks. That is exactly what happened, well unfortunately for this poorly dressed, lacking etiquette runner I fuel off of anger. I kept my comments to myself (AH AHKAY) and resisted shoving her, I won't do anything that would keep me from running a race again... I pushed myself even harder and kicked up the gravel behind me as I smoked her. YUP! Heard that you snarky, cheap, you know what....how did it feel to watch me cross the finish line before you. Mhm. Karma. Ease up on that sports bra next time.

I have never ever seen someone deliberately try to put someone else in danger....I cannot even get myself to feel like she did it by accident. She knew exactly what she was doing. There wasn't any one around us on that hill at all. I am all about giving positive feedback to those that look like they are struggling so I couldn't imagine doing something like this to anyone....

The finish is naturally on an uphill swing. I am sorry for the older lady I passed about 10 feet before the finish but I was so heated that I couldn't stop myself. I crossed about 32:45. A PR for the course but not my best overall time.

I wore my Bulu Box Do Awesome Sh*t Shirt and got soooo many compliments after the race, I lost count. They had water, Gatorade, bananas and these quinoa/almond/dark chocolate bars. 

My body as of today (Sunday) is only a little sore, I have blisters on my feet and my thighs hurt, but other than that I am in pretty decent shape for having 2 races within a little over 12 hours of each other. I didn't PR either race but I ran it in a mid range time, so I am happy. I really want to make sure I am ready for the Glass Slipper Challenge in February. I am contemplating trying a new brand of shoes possibly, see if maybe there is something else out there. I've just been a Nike girl for quite some time...maybe the Free's are what I need?

After the race I spent about 10 minutes cooling down and got changed. I had a sun shining day of training at 9am to go to. Gotta make that guap....well...kinda. I really ended up getting fantastic ideas for my own staff training that is happening this upcoming weekend. So training from 9am-3pm and then we hit the road, sunburned back/shoulders and all. We decided to spend the evening in Niantic (yes I was JUST there) with Miguel's parents at their house. We missed our son so much too <3. We stopped by Five Guys to grab a late lunch and got ready for an afternoon/evening of crazypuppylove!! I will leave you with photos of the furry, tail wagging goodness.

 Yellow pup is Scarlett, the beast on the floor is my baby Ace of Base.

Of course Mike had to work out once we go there. I chose to eat like I have never seen food before in my life.

 Dancin' the night away!

They are best friends.

Ultimately I am not sure if I will do this race again. I really enjoy the cause (United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Hartford puts the race on and the proceeds go towards research) and the people working/volunteering are amazingly kind. The course is perfect and the distance from my house to the start line is ideal....I just.... I can't do the whole runner atmosphere. I'm sorry to say it too. 

QOTD: Have you had a race that you really enjoyed but probably won't run again for one reason or another?