FOLEPI River Trail Classic 4 Mile

Well, I'm rather sad this is my last race this year. It's so addicting!

This race was in East Peoria, it was 30 degrees and sunny. It was a little cold while we waited to start, but perfect while running. It started 10 minutes late due to getting everyone bussed to the start line. This was a point to point race, so they picked us up at the finish line and bussed us to the start line. I wore the same thing as the last few races and felt fine. I actually peeled off my gloves 1/2 way through and carried them, I was getting a little toasty. It's funny how your hands can go from freezing ( I had them balled up in my gloves) to way overheated in matter of 15 minutes.

I was a little nervous about this race because it WAS 4 miles. I've only ran 4 miles in a row once, on the treadmill. I decided that I wasn't going to worry about my time-I just wanted to be able to run it all. I kept at my 10 minute mile pace and sped up/slowed down every so often. I wore the iPod today and that helped tremendously! I tried to explain the fast music=faster running concept to Brent but he wasn't buying it. It's true! I swear! After 2 miles I was feeling good, after 3 I knew I'd be able to finish. I wasn't out of breath at all, no side cramps, I was doing ok. The trail had a little downhill slant to it, barely noticable but it was there and that was nice.

I finished at 39:41 and went inside to see what they had to eat. Pizza and subs from Avanti's! Yum! Nothing like pizza and diet pepsi at 10 in the morning, lol! I changed and tried to make my hair look like I HAD washed it in the last week (because it was looking like I hadn't) and then did a little Christmas shopping and headed home.

We got really nice hooded sweatshirts instead of the standard t-shirts at this race. Fun!

A Frosty look-alike gave out flyers to a January race so I may have to keep that on the calendar!

Galesburg Turkey Trot 5K

Well, we're getting to the end of my racing year. One more to go next week-and it's a 4 miler. Woo!

Turkey Trot #2-I had a decent time 30:05 and came in #4 in my age group, darnit! Alex still said he was proud of me though, so I'll take that instead. This was at Lake Storey and started at the pavilion and wound around the bike path. It had some little hills, and I mean little. I'm still not used to hills at all, though, so I didn't much like them! There were a lot of Y people there and it looks like several carloads of quad city people. Mostly older men in tights......um, yea. I just wore my underarmour "base layers" (pants and shirt), fleece pullover and shorts. Hat and gloves, of course. One guy did tell that I was looking good so that was a little pick me up. I think I look like a boy with a hat on! It was kinda windy, but sunny so it was okay, supposed to be 34 degrees but feeling like 27 degrees supposedly. My fingers were a little cold so I tucked them in the first mile until they warmed up.

Pretty uneventful. I hung around with Y people afterwards and ate some bananas and gaterade. Looking forward to next week!

Abingdon Turkey Trot 5K

Today was the 2nd annual Abingdon Turkey Trot. I wasn't really sure what to expect. It wasn't advertised very well and I couldn't find any information about it until this past Monday. So, I get there and I think there were 15 runners and about the same for walkers. I'm not really sure. I found my HS PE teacher and talked to her. After the race I ran into my JH PE teacher. PE teachers all over! Ha! There were also a few people I knew from the Y so I chatted with them.

It was supposedly 44 and overcast at 2pm (thank you weather.com) but it was sunny during the race. SO nice. It was really windy going out so I was freezing but coming back was nice and I was getting pretty warm. I ditched my hat and gloves coming back and I KNOW my hair was looking oh so good. Yea! Hat hair!

When I got near the finish line I saw my parents who were watching my boys. There wasn't anyone close behind me so I swung by and grabbed Alex's hand and he ran to the finish line with me. I think he was excited! I ended at 30:32. Not too bad considering I had not ran since last Sunday so I wasn't expecting much. I did end up getting a 1st place trophy for my age group. Up to 4 this year! Alex is trying to lay partial claim to it since he helped me finish!

A few pics:

I'm in the blue hat, nice and toasty!















Here I am picking up Alex towards the
finish line.

Jingle Bell Run

Well, this was a no go. Alex got sick about 9:00 last night so I called it off. Of course, he's acting FINE right now and has no other "incidents". Sigh, tis be the life with kiddos. So, I'm saving some gas and the boys and I might go out and do a little looking around so they can pick out Santa presents. Santa is having a hard time finding stuff for them! Of course, they are usually happy about anything so Santa should stop worrying!

Thanks Angie for picking up my race packet! You are welcome to pretend to be me if you want to race! Ha! Ha!! (I am going to miss see my little punkins though!)

A 1/2, perhaps.

So, last year about this time I kind of gave up on going to the Y everyday. I ate whatever and it eventually caught up with me in January. This year, I've decided I need a goal to get me through the winter (and past the Christmas goodies). You know I'm rather goal oriented. I'm going to start training to run a 1/2 marathon in May. "Training" sounds so official and runner like. So not me, lol! I've found a training plan online and I should officially be ready February 22nd. It's very exact! Right after I turn 30, wooo! I start tomorrow-come on 13.1 miles!!