Race Recap: Stadium Run

Hiya everyone!  Last night I ran in a football stadium to help raise money for the local athletic programs. The local school board made the decision to cut the funding of some high school sports programs, including cross country.  These sports programs will only survive if the community supports them.  Are any of the school districts experiencing this in your local hometowns?

Have you ever ran in a football stadium before?  I did it in high school and it was torture because my track team ran the stairs - often.  So, imagine my fear when my running partner told me about this race.   I immediately said heck no.  When I finally read the details, I was happy to find out that there were no stairs involved, BUT there were ramps. I figured that I could deal with that. 

Here were the race details: it started around the practice field and stadium.  We then went up all seven ramps of the stadium to the top and down four ramps to the mezzanine level.  We then went around the stadium again and back up four ramps to the top and down all seven ramps to the field.  We then ran a loop around the field and then exited to the finish line.  It was a brutal race, but pretty fun.  When we went out to the field, all of the monitors were playing football highlights…I loved it. 

There were 1384 total race finishers and 712 female finishers.   I came in 15th in my age group and I was the 117th female finisher overall.  My official chip time was 28:42.  The race was great and I was pretty pleased with my time and stats.  I was also happy to learn today that the race organizers were able to raise the money required to save the running programs in the local schools with the help of the running community.  I’m so glad to know that I live in a supportive city.

xoxo Natasha

Race Recap: 3 Races in 24 Hours

Hiya ladies!  I hope that you all are having a great week so far.  I didn’t have a chance to post my recap about my races from this past weekend.   On Friday and Saturday, I ran in the Tour de Pain which consisted of 3 races in 24 hours.  This was a very unique event. The series starts with a 4 mile beach run on Friday evening, continues with a 5K road race Saturday morning and finishes with a 1 Mile Sizzler on Saturday evening!  This race was probably the craziest race I ever entered in.  I thought it would be fun and I really wanted to challenge myself a little bit more. 

In the extreme heat, over 1,000 people started the first race on Friday night running 4 miles on the beach.  I honestly don’t remember how hot it was that day, but it was hot and humid.  It started to cool down once the race started at 7:00pm, but the humidity really zapped the life out of me.  There were 1,009 total race finishers and 519 female finishers.   I came in 27th in my age group and I was the 205th female finisher overall.  My official chip time was 40:59.  I was pretty happy with my stats considering how hot it was during the race.  I didn’t run as fast I wanted to run, but it was the first race.  And I had time to make up the difference with the other races.  This race was pretty tough.  It took me a couple of days to recover since I was so sore.  Something happened to my body after the beach run.  I just hurt all over.

Very humid - even at 6:45am

The next race started at 7:00am on Saturday morning.  This race was a 5k through a quiet neighborhood.  This race was particularly special to me because my mother ran her first race with me.  I didn’t think that she was going to run the whole thing, but she did it. I’m so proud of her…Go Mom!  The 5k was pretty easy because of the flat route.  In this race there were 1,023 total race finishers and 527 female finishers.   I came in 26th in my age group and I was the 183rd female finisher overall.  My official chip time was 28:59.  I was a little disappointed in my stats here because I ran this course in a previous race and I had a better chip time.

The final race was on Saturday evening at 4:30pm and the title of this race was the 1 mile sizzler.  And boy was it a sizzler.  It was so hot outside that the weather really felt like it you were in a sauna.  I went to the race location with sunscreen on my body and my sweat started taking it off before I even started running.   My mom was still pretty amped up from the race in the morning so, she decided to participate in the 1 mile race.  She’s such a trooper. She motivated to run in more races with me in the near future.  Anyways, I ran my hardest during this race because I figured it would be quick and easy.  There were 956 total race finishers and 480 female finishers.   I came in 30th in my age group and I was the 197th female finisher overall.  My official chip time in this race was 8:12.6.

Overall, I would run in this race again.  It was a fun challenge and I would like to improve my stats next year.

OXOX Natasha

miscellany monday

happy monday everyone – i’ve added my random ramblings to carissa’s miscellany monday party!  check out carissa’s blog here and join in on the fun. 

{one} the bachelorette.  several weeks ago i wrote about  the season premiere of the bachelorette on abc.  are any of you watching the show this season?  on tonight’s episode, ashley narrowed her search for love down to 3 contestants - j.p., ben f. and constintine.   j.p. has been my favorite from the beginning of the season….he’s hot and really sweet.  i’m definitely rooting for him and then ben f.   i wonder which one she is going to pick.  do you have any favorites?

{two} true blood.  are there any true blood fans out there?  i fell in love with this show last summer when one of my really good friends introduced me to this fantastic series.   i was able to get caught up with the first two seasons after a little true blood marathon within a matter of a week and half.  it was a little ridiculous because i stayed up until 1:00 and 2:00 am watching some of these episodes during the work week.  i was hooked after the first episode - i needed to know what happened next.  if you haven’t checked out the series, i highly recommend watching season one to get started.  i’m pretty sure that you’ll be hooked.   also check out hbo (here) for details on watching the series online.

{three} running.  i haven’t been running lately , because of the heat and humidity outside.  i should be running on the treadmill, but it doesn’t happen that often.  i do have a few races lined up over the next few weeks, so i’ll be writing updates on those soon.  i also signed up for a half marathon race scheduled on february 12, 2012.  it’s the fifth annual 26.2 with donna the national marathon to finish breast cancer – you can check out information (here) for details.

{four} a little funk.  i’ve been in kind of a funk lately and i’ve haven’t been motivated to write at all.  i just wanted to let everyone know why i haven’t been on the blogging scene.  Do you guys have any ideas or advice on getting out of my funk?  i’m going to try stay positive and get back to my regular self, but it may take a little while.

OXOX Natasha

Race Recap: Run for Pies - 5k

Two weeks ago I ran for a pie in the Run for the Pies 5k.   I decided to enter in this race because of the long history of the race and the chance to win several prizes.  The race has been in existence for about 33 years and is well-known for the 200 free pies given out at the finish line.  The men won a pie if they ran the 5k race in under 20:00 minutes and the women won a pie if they ran the race in under 24:00 minutes.   Sadly, I didn’t qualify for the free pie…I’m not that fast yet.  I don’t know if I ever will be that fast, but I’m sure going to try.

I arrived at the race location about 20 minutes early to see the elite runners compete the Nike 5k Championship.  These runners were invited to compete in this championship race based on previous race times.  The runners received Nike running sneakers as their prize in this special race.  The men had to run under 16:15 and the women had to run under 19:00 to qualify for the free shoes.  It was pretty amazing to watch these runners really move their stuff.  They really made it look it effortless.   The first male finished the race in 15:07 and the first woman finished in 16:45.  Way to go!

After the championship race, the race opened up to everyone else to qualify for the free pie.   Although the race didn’t start until 8:00pm, it was probably over 90 degrees when the race started.  The course was not what I expected for this race.  It was very uneven with a couple of small hills and the streets were covered with pot holes through out downtown.  There were 1429 total race finishers - 737 females and 692 males.  Despite the heat, I managed to finish the race in 29:02.  I was pretty pleased with that time considering that I stopped to walk for a little bit.  I just couldn’t catch my breath. 

This was my first time running in this race and I would definitely sign up for it again.  There was a big post race celebration after the race where the awards were handed out and the some other giveaways.  There was even a pie eating contest, just in case you didn’t win a pie in the race. 

OXOX Natasha

Race Recap: Memorial Day 5k

I ran in a Memorial Day 5k on Monday, May 30, 2011 at 8:00am.  I woke up around 6:30am to eat breakfast, hydrate with some water and stretch with plenty of time to spare before the race.  There were 1019 total race finishers and 533 female finishers.   My official chip time was 29:24.  I was a little disappointed about my stats since I wanted my time to decrease from the previous race.  However, I have learned that my time may decrease after some more races and practice runs.  I have to learn to be patient and not force it right away. 

This race was fairly large considering it was in a smaller nearby town.  There was a local running group that hosted and dominated this race.  This race was pretty easy.  Most of the course was flat, except for a small hill in the last mile.  There were plenty of water stations and community support throughout the court.  Unfortunately, there were no race clocks on the course to help me gauge my time.  I definitely need to buy a stop watch to help me along in my races.  I’m hoping that having a watch may help me speed up my pace and eventually decrease my time.  Well, there is always something that happens in my races that I think affects how well I do.  And this race was no different.  During the last ¾ of a mile, my iPod just stalled and would not reboot.  Has this ever happened to you?  I have grown so accustomed to listening to music and zoning out while I run, that I was distracted by everything around me.   I’m thinking about getting one of those iPod shuffles just for running.  Do any of you have one of these?  Let me know how you like it.

OXOX Natasha

Race Recap: Never Quit Beach Fest 5k

I ran in the Never Quit Beach Fest 5k on May 21, 2011.  We started the race early in the evening at 5:00pm on what felt like one of the hottest days of the year.  It was 93 degrees on the beach.  I had to work early in the morning, but I left early so I can make it to beach for the race.  I rushed home to change and made myself a pre-run snack - a cinnamon bagel with peanut butter and some Gatorade.  I left my place with I thought was enough time to spare, but it took me longer to get to the location than I expected.  The traffic to the beach was ridiculous and the parking was almost nonexistent.  I drove around for about 20 minutes looking for parking until I stalked someone walking to back to their car.  At this point it was about 4:30pm and I was about 7 blocks away from the start line and I hadn’t even picked up my race packet yet.  Luckily, by the time I met up with my friend, Maria, I had about 10 minutes to spare to get lined up.  We weren’t able to get towards the front of the start line, because of the large crowd.  There were about 5,000 people running on the beach so getting past the start line was a very slow.

The first 2/3 of the race was okay, but it was super hot.  I started out running in the 9:00 mile paces and I crossed the first mile at 9:15.  Mile 2 was a little harder and I had to tell myself to “keep going!”  I starting breathing very hard after mile 1 up until the halfway mark and then I had to walk in order to catch my breath.  I started to feel a little nauseous and light-headed, but I figured it was because of the extreme humidity and the sun blaring down on us.  I ended up passing the 2 mile clock at about 19:50.  During the last mile, my pace slowed to about 11 or 12-minute mile and I was huffing and puffing and I stopped to walk every few minutes.  I think that the heat and running on the beach really effected my time. Even though the sand was hard-packed, it was a little difficult to run the whole way. 

I crossed the finish line at 31:44 L - this was certainly not my personal best and I wasn’t pleased with my performance. As I’ve mentioned before, all races are not equal.  The final stats on the website posted that the race had 4191 total finishers – 1294 male finishers and 2897 female finishers.  This was a great race that I would be happy to participate in again next year – maybe it won’t be so hot.  What I loved most about the Never Quit Beach Fest 5k Race was how many people came out to support such a wonderful cause.  The Never Quit mission is to educate the community on how to avoid brain bleeds, stroke and heart disease through healthy life choices and to encourage everyone to take on a Never Quit attitude and live life to its fullest.   

OXOX Natasha

Race Recap: Marty’s Run 5k

I ran in the Marty’s 5k Run on May 14th and I had a great time.  It was a gorgeous day for a race.  The Marty’s Run benefited Memories of Love, which is a non-profit organization for families whose parents are battling a life-threatening illness.  Check out the website if you want to learn more about this great organization.  The weather was pretty warm that morning, but it was not unbearable.  The race itself was just okay - the course was very simple because the road was flat the whole way and it went through a cute little neighborhood. 

I’m not sure where I finished overall because the race officials split the result between men and women.  There were 346 total race finishers and 199 female finishers.   I came in 4th in my age group and I was the 36th female finisher overall.  My official chip time was 28:12.  I was a little disappointed about my stats since I wanted my time to decrease from the previous race.  It just goes to show you that no matter what kind of 5k race you run in, there are no two 5ks that are the same.  There are so many factors that can impact the outcome of a race, like the weather, how much rest you had the night before, sneakers, playlist/music.  This list can go on and on.  This race in particular, I ran too fast for the first 2 miles and just gave out during the 3rd mile.  I realized after this race that I need to work on my pacing over the next few weeks.

OXOX Natasha

miscellany monday

happy monday everyone – i’ve added my random ramblings to carissa’s miscellany monday party!  check out carissa’s blog here and join in on the fun. 

{one} anthropologie tag sale.  i went to my local anthro store tonight and they were in full swing: moving fixtures around the store and marking items down.   i only saw a handful of items that i recognized, so i can’t write out a list of them.  i’m so excited about this sale…i can’t wait to see everything that got marked down.  and i really hope that they plan to add free shipping and an additional discount.  i guess we’ll find out in the morning.  according to an email that i received from anthro, some stores plan to open early for anthro card holders only.  here are a list of stores (here) that will open early for the big sale.  unfortunately, i won’t be able to make it to the store tomorrow.  i’m hoping that the items i put on hold will still be there by wednesday.  i’m keeping my fingers crossed!  let me know what you hope to buy at the sale.

{two} gossip girl.  did you watch the season finale of gossip girl?  what did you think?  i’ve always held a torch for blair and chuck.  i love the back and forth they go through and i’m always rooting for them.  do you think that they will ever get back together?  we’ll see next season.

{three} running shoes.  i finally bought a new pair of running sneakers.  i went to my local running store and got my feet fitted for some new shoes.  the shoe-fitting specialist performed a series of measurements and tests including video taping me run on the treadmill to figure out what shoe would be best for me.  the specialist told me that running shoes are classified into several shoe types: cushion, stability and motion control.  i’m glad that i went because my old sneakers were doing more damage than good.  it turns out that i needed a shoe that provides stability for my ankles.  who knew?  i ended up purchasing a pair of asics gt-2160 and they feel amazing.  i can’t wait to try them out in my next race. 

{four} never quit beach fest.  i’m so excited about this weekend.  i signed up for the never quit beach fest in jacksonville, fl on may 21.  i signed up to run in the 5k run on the beach.  it sounds like it’s going to be a great event.  i’ll write up a race recap when the race is over to let you know how it went.  for more information about the never quit fest, check out the website (here). 

OXOX Natasha

Fitness: A Couple of 5k Races – My Recap

I’ve been in a couple of 5k races over the past few weeks and I didn’t have a chance to post my progress. 

The first race that I completed was an early evening race that started at 6:30pm on April 21, 2011.   The weather was a balmy 92 degrees and very humid.  Overall, the race was fun and the race course was pretty simple – it was mostly a flat surface.   However, there wasn’t any cold water to drink until the end of the race.  During the race, there was only warm water after 1.50 miles…it was miserable.  Despite the water mishap, I finished 289 overall and my time was 30:57.  I was pretty happy about my stats considering the weather and lack of water.  There were 2996 total race finishers and 1668 female finishers.  

The next race that I completed went much better than the last one.  I improved my time, my pace and I even won an award.   This particular race was designed for women only, but there were a handful of men that ended up participating.  Anyways, I woke up pretty early on April 30, 2011 to meet my running partner at 8:00am.  I was able to make myself a small protein smoothie that kept me energized throughout the race.  The race started at 8:30am and to my surprise I finished 31st overall out of 270 total race finishers.  My time improved to 27:57 and I also came in first place in my age group.

I plan to enter another race this Saturday and I’m hoping that my time improves again – so, we’ll see.

OXOX Natasha

miscellany monday

happy monday everyone – i’ve added my random ramblings to carissa’s miscellany monday party!  check out carissa’s blog here and join in on the fun. 

{one} running.  i mentioned last week that i was going to run in a 5k last thursday.  the race was great, but it was extremely sunny and humid.  the weather threw me for a loop because it was a lot warmer than i expected since the race began at 6:30pm.  during the race, i felt like i was dying from heat exhaustion.  there was also only one station to get water, which was like torture.  anyways, despite the setback of the extremely warm weather, my time for this race was 30:57 and i finished 289 out of 1668 women runners.  overall there were 1328 male finishers, 1668 female finishers and 2996 total finishers. i’m pretty pleased with myself.  i’m finally on a role now with running races and training for races.  i already signed up for another 5k race scheduled for this saturday morning.  this race is a women’s only race, which should be an interesting change of pace.   i’ll tell you all about it later. 

{two} drop 10 challenge.  last night i signed up for self magazine’s drop 10 challenge.  the website has great tips on losing weight and how to get you to slim down your body.  the website is complete with daily menus, workout plans, and a food and workout log to track your progress.  check it out if you’re like me and you just want to get bathing suit ready for the summer.  oh and another great perk is that enrolling in the challenge makes you eligible for a dream vacation in the bahamas.  good luck.

OXOX Natasha

Fitness: Gate River Run 2011 Recap

I forgot to post my review of the Gate River Run 15k race that I ran a couple weeks ago, so here it is.

The morning of March 12, 2011 didn’t go exactly like I had planned.  My running partner and I decided to meet at 6:45am to head over to Jacksonville Fairgrounds to line up near the starting line.  I was little anxious the night before the race and didn’t get enough sleep. Unfortunately, my lack of sleep caused me to wake up a little late.  Okay…I was more than a little late.   I was so late that I didn’t have any time to eat breakfast.  Big mistake… this will never happen again. I’m not one of those runners who can run on an empty stomach.  Anyways since I was pressed for time, I headed to our agreed meeting point with hopes that I would find some food.   But, there wasn’t any food anywhere.  As the race started, I just hoped that I would make it through the 9.3 mile race without passing out. 

I ran the first 3.1 miles with no problems, but the lack of food started to effect me greatly.  I lost my running buddy after 3.25miles, because I had to stop and try to restore some of my energy.  I tried to grab every type of food and drink I could get my hands on along the race course, but there wasn’t much food left.  I tried to maintain my speed and I motivated myself to keep running.  Besides running low on fuel, the most difficult part of the race was the last mile over the Hart Bridge.  The incline to the top of the bridge took a lot out of me, but once I got to the top I only had a half mile left mostly downhill.  The race course throughout San Marco was beautiful and the weather wasn’t too hot to run in the morning.  There were amazing local residents that handed out some food and drinks for the runners and local bands played music throughout the race.  Overall, the race was an enjoyable experience despite my rookie mistake.

I finished the Gate River Run with pretty good stats for my first time!  I finished in 1 hour and 45 minutes. I placed 499 out of 1072 in my age group and I placed 3234 overall.   I like to think that I would have done better if I ate some food in the morning, but I’m super happy with my results!  Here are some more stats about the race: there were 7377 male finishers, 7602 female finishers and 14979 total finishers. 

Here are some of my do’s based on my rookie mistakes for this year’s race:

DO eat a breakfast at least 2 hours before the race. 

DO sync your iPod and pick a playlist at least one day before the race. 

DO get to the stadium at least 30 minutes before the gun goes off.

DO stop at each water/Gatorade station or carry your own water with you. 

DO wear sunscreen/sunblock or wear a sun visor/baseball cap to block the sun.  

DO the Gate River Run again next year.

OXOX Natasha

*photo credit: Florida Times Union



Moody Girl Runs: Running a 15k

On Saturday, March 12th I plan to travel to Jacksonville, FL to participate in the 34th Annual Gate River Run .  I have been running a couple of days a week for the past month now.  And I’m hopeful that I will be ready for the big day.  I have three weeks left to prepare and I really need to increase my stamina.  So, how do I plan to do this?

To prepare for this 15k (9.3 miles)race, I looked up training schedules for 15k races and found Hal Higdon’s training program.  Check out the details of the program here: http://www.halhigdon.com/.  I still have to create a schedule for myself with Mr. Higdon’s tips, but in the meantime I plan on running 5 – 6 miles tomorrow with my running buddy.  I also plan to go to the gym a couple of days this week to lift some weights to help strengthen my body and my core.   My goal in the next 3 weeks is to increase my running pace and to buy a new pair of sneakers. 

The Gate River Run is Jacksonville’s largest participatory sporting event and is the site of the USA 15K Championship, attracting a top field of world-class American runners racing for more than $85,000 in prize money, the largest prize money purse of any major U.S. non-marathon event.  On-line registration and information is available at www.gate-riverrun.com or by calling 904.731.1900.  Check out this article from Rachel Leitao, First Coast News, for more race details.