Race Schedule (thus far) for 2013

My race schedule thus far:

January
New Years Rock and Run Virtual 5k- 48:03
Polar Dash 10k- 1:15:04

February
Chi-Town Big Game 5k
Northshore Love Run 10k
Love on the Run Virtual 5k

March
Run Rock Shamrock Virtual 5k
Get Lucky 7k

April
Shamrock Shuffle 8k

May
Soldier Field 10 Mile

June
Chicago Women's Half Marathon

July
Undie Dash 5k
Firefly 5k
Rock and Roll 5k

August
Terrapin 5k

September 
Bucktown 5k

October
Monster Dash Half Marathon
Zooma Women's Race Series- Great Lakes- 5k

November
Turkey Trot 10k

December
Santa Hustle 5k
2nd Annual BGR! Chicago New Years Eve run- 5k or 8k


The races in italics are the races not yet registered for and are a possibility. By the looks of things, I am pretty busy this year. Better get to training. The BGR race is free. Some relief. Also, there may be some races that will be omitted and added as the year goes on. This year, I am going to focus more on the training. My training must focus on endurance

*edit- races written in red were added after this post was originally made.*

2013 begins with a 10k

Time and time again I become hard headed and not train as sufficiently as I should. A little yoga here, some Pilates there and what do you have? You have me running and walking mixture and me telling myself that I hate running. Well, today marked the first time I ran a 10k and what I thought was slow times and slip-ups became a time of triumph and pride.

I must say that I did not do this race alone. I did it under the loving eye of a group I mention so many times in this blog. . . Black Girls Run ! Chicago or BGR for short.

Us pre-race

I began running with some of these ladies. The way the race was set up was there was an option for the 5k,10k or half marathon. Since I am still shaking in my boots for the half marathon in June I figured it would be a great time to begin running races that were not a 5k although I may still do a few here and there. While I wanted to give up because of lack of hydration stations and battling uphills which I so lack in my training I got complete strangers and I got the BGR girls to get me to continue to run and not just walk the entire thing. I was hoping to have a bad time but I came in at 1:15:04- not too bad for someone who really didn't train as much as she should have. Also, this year is all about the bling. . .

Me and my cutesy bling.

So, the highlights- I kept having to tie my shoe, I had the mind set that this was a 5k and wondered where the hydration station was after the first mile, I kept wondering where the mile markers were and my music went out on me so I ran in the music of the wind but luckily it was during the last mile. Once I got to a half a mile I walked and said, "just get it done" that, I did. . . 

I ran with all my might to the finish line where my bling and many happy BGR ladies were waiting for me.

The lady in the middle did a half marathon and also is responsible for me being in BGR! The other lady had an even more inspiring story of this race.

What lesson did I take home? TRAIN!!!! Train, train, train and once again. . .TRAIN!! It only gets more difficult from this point and the fact that I registered for ANOTHER half in October I think I need to get on track. This was just six miles. . . the half is not that easy of a feat so I better be ready for it. So, this is an eye opener- seriously.

Learn, persevere and RUN!

The Year of Bling- 2013

I have declared 2013 as the year of the Bling. I have already run ONE virtual race since this year has begun. . .

New Years 5k- I was pretty slow but my excuse is I was in a group run.

I have been a little more active in BGR from December to now as I am a group leader which means we plan group runs in our area and "leave no woman behind" which helps me because every time I try to run slow I hurt myself. It does help to slow down and encourage someone who is just starting out to push herself beyond her limits. I believe I am pushing myself beyond my limits since I am getting more keen on winter running and may be that is because there has not been much snow lately but I am planning on purchasing some gear for my shoes to prevent slippage.

This weekend is the famed Chicago Polar Dash. I signed up for the 10k which is the most I have done in a non-virtual race. (remember the Obama 11.6k- I think I did 8 miles and boy was I sore!)

Home exercises- I have been getting more into that and also still obtaining my hot yoga in which I have been improving as I am almost at the point of some head stands. Pilates was done for the first time in two years and I did some light sweating but I was keeping up shocking. Pilates is one of those things where I stop and then I have to get back in the flow of it so I think I am going to give yoga credit for this. I think at this point I may be ready to get back into yoga sculpt as some of my fave teachers and my training teachers are leaving for California. January and February will be all about sculpt. This week I have been challenging myself to eat a salad a day. Thus far, I noticed that my stomach has went down greatly and I have more energy in the day but it is hard to wake up in the morning.

2012-Bibs and medal

If 2012 was the year to see how many races I could do then 2013 will be the year of the bling. More distances, faster times, more medals- as I see thus far. I have to beat myself from last year which may be a bit difficult because I got pretty fast there. The Shamrock Shuffle is the first step- 1:14 in 2011 and 56 minutes in 2012. What is 2013 Shuffle going to be like? Not sure but if I feel good during and after Pilates and not running with the "turtles" in a group run I think it will be GREAT!

love the run in 2013

Winter Fear

This morning, I was determined to get up, throw on my clothes and run 3 + miles. I didn't. I avoided the group run last Saturday. I avoided the BGR NYE run that had 60+ women there. I have not ran since my birthday (December 22) which it was pretty cold but about 19 degrees. Why is this? I fear running in weather below 24 degrees.

As a runner, I must avoid running in cotton but I really want to run in cotton because it is comfortable and warming in my mind. I feel like the other clothes that my husband and I purchased around the holidays will not keep me warm. But that is not the point. The point to to get warm.

The last run I did, I kept complaining about how cold I was and how my hands hurt from the chill. It was 19 degrees so below my personal temperature. By the time I got to 1.5 miles I was no longer complaining about my hands being cold in my gloves. I wish this was the only complaint about winter running.

I am considering going to Fleet Feet and get my hands on some Yak Tracks because I am so fearful of slipping and falling on my bum.

Layers and layers added on to dressing, ice and cold keep me away but I did sign up for a 6 mile run on the 12th of this month. What is a gal to do? Stay tuned. . .