I’m a blog slacker, but I want to try to resume my blogging on a semi-regular basis. Originally, I started this blog to share my fat-to-fit journey. Sharing my progress with whoever will read this makes me feel somewhat accountable and keeps me on track. Therefore, let me quickly bring you up to speed with my 2011 running events. (And to make this update easy on myself, I’m just going to copy and paste from a Facebook album I have in which I chronicle these things.) J
When: February 20, 2011
Where: Western Veterinary Conference 5K (Las Vegas, NV)
Time: 30:20
Photo Caption: I tagged along with my sister to the BEST VET CONFERENCE EVER and we ran their 5K. This picture was taken at the Mandalay Bay conference center before we headed out to the 5K.
When: March 20, 2011
Where: St. Paddy's 8K (Chicago, IL)
Time: 49:30 (57/110 females 30-34; 614/933 overall; 9:59 pace)
Photo Caption: Never thought I could sustain a 10 minute/mile pace for 4.96 miles, but I did! I had set my goal at 52:30, 'cause I figured I'd end up slowing my pace since it was a longer run for me. I beat my goal by three minutes!!!
When: April 2, 2011
Where: Ringing in Spring (Valparaiso, IN)
Time: 29:43.7 (7th/27 in Athena Division!)
Photo Caption: Running hard toward the finish line!
When: April 16, 2011
Where: Race to Wrigley 5K (Chicago, IL)
Time: 29:17 (94/332 females 30-34; 1300/2916 overall; 9:27 pace)
Photo Caption: PERSONAL RECORD!! 40-something degrees and rainy, but I shocked myself with my time! I believe this was the largest race I ever participated in, so I continually had people to pass, which kept me going. I was afraid I wouldn't reach my goal because of all the zigging and zagging I had to do to get around people, but it turns out I beat my old best by nearly 30 seconds!
When: April 25, 2011
Where: Dyngus Day 5K (Michigan City, IN)
Time: 29:17 (2nd in my age division = I won a medal!)
Photo Caption: NEW PERSONAL RECORD!! Probably about 40-something degrees and rainy, but I once again set a new record! Lori and Kristen ran this one too, and did great!! It was kind of a boring route, partly due to a limited field of runners, but I’d do it again. It was close to home, and it was a Monday evening event, which is my time of day!
When: May 1, 2011
Where: Flying PigMarathon – Relay (Cincinnati, OH)
Time: I ran the first leg of the relay – 6.84 miles 1:16:26 (pace = 11:11)
Photo Caption: My bro-in-law, sis, and cousin Kristin ran the 26.2 as a 4-person relay. I never ran this far before in my life!! It was a rainy morning, but it was exciting, as I got to start the run in the corrals with all the marathoners and half-marathoners and other relay runners (like 30,000 people)! I had never been in such a major event before, so it was cool to be involved with the start! Cincinnati has a bit more topography than I was accustomed to, my leg of the run ended on a brutal up-hill street.
When: May 28, 2011
Where: Kent’s Run 5K (Boone Grove, IN)
Time: 28:20 (20/86 females 30-39; 72/436 all females; 247/783 overall)
Photo Caption: Another new PERSONAL RECORD!!! Gotta love Kent’s Run, great cause, great race! My cousins Richard and Kristin brought their families out for this one!! It was a very cool morning, but great for running. It was probably 50-ish degrees and cloudy for the run.
When: June 4th, 2011
Where: Sunburst 10K (South Bend, IN) - MY FIRST 10K!
Time: 1:10:56 (76/103 females 30-34; 419/584 females; 929/1159 overall; 11:27 pace)
Photo Caption: Not the time I was shooting for, but respectable for my first 10K. It was very warm and humid...the event was actually "black-flagged" before all the marathoners (and probably some half-marathoners) were finished! Also, I ran too hard in the first two miles, which wrecked me for the last four! I need to work on appropriate pacing for longer runs!!!
When: July 4, 2011
Where: Run for Riley (Children's Hospital) 5K (LaPorte, IN)
Time: 31:24.6 (12/26 females 31-40; 102/175 overall; 10:08 pace)
Photo Caption: No new records on this day, but I was just happy that the weather was pleasant. Last year's 4th of July 5K was way too hot and humid. This year it was probably 60s-70ish with no noticeable humidity at race time. Cousin Richard ran this one too, and shattered his anticipated finish time...estimated 40 minutes, got 'er done in 37!! Good work, Richard!
When: August 13, 2011
Where: Warrior Dash (Crawfordsville, IN)
Time: I never looked it up, doesn’t really matter…we walked a lot due to the terrain.
Photo Caption: My former 4-Her Sierra convinced me to do this crazy, muddy, "hike with obstacles" with her and her friend Doug. It was fun, but I don't know if I need to do a muddy run again... :)
When: September 10, 2011
Where: Popcorn Panic 5-miler (Valparaiso, IN)
Time: 59:43.4 (Overall 904/948; Pace 11:57/mile; Age Group F30-34 74/78) (Certainly not my best, but I've been a slack-ass lately. And this may be the sort of comfortable pace I adopt if I'm going to run a half marathon!)
Photo Caption: Annie came to visit and I convinced her to run in the Popcorn Festival's 5-mile run with me. We ran together for the whole thing, and then pigged out on some Designer Dessert cupcakes when we finished!!! :)
When: October 30, 2011
Where: Trick or Treat Trot 10K (Chicago, IL)
Time: 1:09:54 (Pace 11:16/mile) (Second-ever 10K, and a 10K PR!!!)
Photo Caption: Posing with a chocolate milk so that I had a photo to use for my application when applying for a Chocolate Milk Refuel grant!
p.s.- Vote for me (Joan Grott) for that Chocolate Milk Refuel grant through 12/15/11 at
http://www.refuelwithchocolatemilk.com/grants/vote/
