Time flies when your having fun...running

Wow- I cannot believe how much time has passed since my previous post. I have ran numerous races since. The main event was the Tallahassee Marathon. Here a quick synopsis to get somewhat up-to-date on the latest races.

February 7th 2010 - Tallahassee Marathon

This was my first marathon and I determined around mile 22 that I was completely unprepared for the distance. However, it was well worth it and I beat my goal of 3:45:00 by 1 minute and 1 second. It was a chilly morning in early February but I was very glad. I knew I would warm up quickly once I started running. I started off conservatively with a pace of around 8:15/mile. I kept this through 5-7 miles and then increased my pace slightly. I felt great through the half-marathon turn around point and made sure to drink Gatorade at almost every aid station. By mile 15 I still was running strong and was confident. The first signs of trouble came at the 18 mile point. My effort was slightly harder by the result wasn't a faster pace. By twenty miles I could almost sense the finish, only a 10k left! Well, those would prove to be the longest 6.2 miles of my life. I caught a friend of mine at mile 23 and tried to urge him to jog with me. He had started too fast and had to slow to a walk. He jogged with me for several yards before letting me pass. Mentally I was a wreck and my legs were just as trashed. I remember the final aid station at mile 25 and seriously wondering if I would be able to finish the race. Fortunetly, I did. It was quite the experience to say the least. I look forward to improving dramatically in my next full marathon.

February 13th, 2010 - Run for the Cookies

There was no way in hell I was going to run this race. Little did I know my running shoes for the Tallahassee Marathon were shot before I took my first steps. My knees were swollen for days and I really didn't start running for well over a week. However, I did take pictures at the Run for the Cookies and had a blast watching everyone compete for girl scout cookies.

February 20th, 2010 - Flash 12k

I started this Grand Prix event possibly a little too conservatively. I was unfamiliar with distance, it was quite an odd race. First mile was over 7 minutes and I was never able to make up enough ground. My finish time was 53:31 for a pace of 7:10/mile. I look forward to shattering this time next year. I placed 38th/176.

February 27th, 2010 - Stomp Out Diabetes 5K

Here is a race I probably should have skipped. I was over-tired and started the race way too fast. I crashed after a mile and a half. I finished with a 6:47/mile pace for 14th/217. The course was run at Tom Brown Park.

March 3rd, 2010 - Thomasville Road Baptist Church 10k

This was suprisngly my first 10k road race. I started out hard and on a hilly course through Betton Hills had to struggle to maintain my pace. The final mile was completley up-hill and I had to dig deep to prevent myself from unraveling. I finished 20th/136 in a time of 44:13. Good enough for 3rd place in my age group.

March 13th, 2010 - Gate River Run Jacksonville

One of my favorite races. Through the streets of downtown Jacksonville. Met a few fellow Gulf Winds members here and had a blast running with about 12,000 other athletes. I finished in 1:07:20 for a pace of about 7:15/mile. This was my first 15k and I placed in the top 10%.

March 21st, 2010 - Cody Climb 8k

I was late so I took photos of the Inaugural Cody Climb 8k road race in Southwood. I look forward to running it in 2011.

A lot more to come stay tuned.