Raging Road Rally 5K

Here are all the award winners together at the awards cermony.

Last night was the annual 5K race here in town. This race is not only challenging(hilly), but there is alot of competition. My goal was to uphold my title of Local Master's Female from last year.

Mission Accomplished! Time 23:52. My last 5K at the beginning of the month was 23:49, so as challenging as this course is, I was happy with my time.

Goal for the end of summer is still to get under 23 minutes.

This race is a killer because the first part of the race is a slight downhill and the rest is up and down with a suicide 1/2 mile hill halfway through. Goal while running on that hill.....put one foot in front of the other. Below is a picture of said hill!



Wouldn't ya know it? Another hill at the end!!! Damn!



My first mile was wayyyyy too fast, which killed me in the end, 7:09. Last two were at 8:05ish. Sometimes I forget when I step up to the starting line how much this is going to hurt. Can you see the pain on my face at the finish line?



Kinda like having a baby. While you''re delivering, you're thinking,"No way am I doing this again!" Then some time later, you're going through it again. Although labor lasting 23 minutes would be awesome. I could handle that.

Followed the race up with my carb of choice.....BEER, of course! Awards ceremony, music and dancing. Good way to end a good, hot race!

Rain? Seriously? More rain?

Mother Nature I laugh in your face! You tried to stop me from my long run on Friday with success, but you played unfair. You brought more than rain....you brought lightning. NOT FAIR! You know I won't run in lightning!!

So...I tried again. On Saturay. Thought I was getting out early enough. Then again....maybe not! Damn! Foiled again! Bringin' on the same nasty, stormy weather.

One more try. Wake up Sunday morning...late....look at the weather and see it coming. How many miles can I get in before it hits. Three miles?.....Four? Oh yeah...the rain started to come between miles 4 and 5. But.....what?.....no lightning? I can handle that! Rain? Ohhhhh.....Mmmmmmmm.......Geeeee! What a downpour!! The curb and gutters couldn't even keep up! Oh....but......guess.....what? I had a TON of fun!!!! What a way to make me feel like a kid again!! Running through the rain. I was soaked to the bone. But loved every minute of my total 8 mile long run. I DID IT!! I succeeded in getting all the miles in. I actually felt like continuuing but thought I'd pay for it later!!!

Now....if I could only get my running friends to run in the rain with me! :P

Decisions, decisions!

Here's the thing. A friend of mine, Gina, and her husband, Guy, just finished their first half marathon in Madison, WI and they are hooked. They have been officially bitten by the half marathon bug, soon to be full marathon bug. Well, next year perhaps. That's what Gina said.

We are looking for a decent half marathon in October in the Midwest. September is out due to their schedule. Grand Rapids, MI is out because I did the full last year and although it's a great race, it's a little more than we want to pay for a half.

Here are some of the options we are trying to decide on(although Gina has told me I HAVE to pick! Thanks! No pressure or anything.):

Wisconsin Dells Half Marathon Wisconsin Dells, WI (first inaugural)
Haunted Hustle Half Marathon, Middleton, WI
Mauston Pumpkin Bash Half Marathon, Mauston, WI

Right now I'm leaning more towards the Haunted Hustle. It's on Saturday, October 30th and the finish is at Capital Brewery. And you know what that means. FREE beer for the finishers. Plus after the medal ceremony, free brewery tour and post race goodies, we are invited inside to rock out to music and more beer. How can one say no to that. Best part is, it's only $40 and the price doesn't go up the closer to race day. Must be a pretty small one.

So here I am, instead of deciding on a half marathon, I'm writing about one.

Best get to deciding.

Brad Onken Summer Sizzler 2010 5K

Goal: Shave off some more seconds of my 5K time from 4 wks ago.

May: 24:12
Today: 23:47

So today I took along my friend's hs daughter of 15 yrs. I'm trying to keep her running so she doesn't start all over in the spring with track so I invited her to run the 5K.

Not one to spend alot of time warming up, we got there and registered just 10 minutes before race start. There were 195 runners and I was number 193,Kayla was 194.
This course is a pretty challenging course, but I love it. Through some side neighborhoods, into the park trails, along the river. Beautiful, cool summer morning.

I finished pretty much spent. I actually thought I was gonna have to vomit at the end. Can't say I didn't give it my all. I actually quickly walked about 30 steps up a very steep hill at the end. Part of my strategy....catch my breath and then pour it all out to the finish, where I end up passing everyone that passed me on the hill and then some.

Finish time: 23:47 Very happy with that.

On a side note, I really didn't expect to place today because there were so many good runners. I was hoping at least a 3rd place to take home something. We listened to the guy giving out door prizes. I didn't win anything...I never do! Rats!

After he announced the overall female and male winners, Kayla and I sauntered over to the listing of runners to see where we placed. I thought I heard my name and Kayla said the announcer called me. So I walked over and said, "You called my name? Why?" He said,"Because you won 1st overall Masters female!" Totally shocked me! Did NOT see that coming! The woman that won overall female is one year younger than me but ran it in 19:47, so that opened up the old lady group for me. Woohoo!

Anyway, as we were standing there, in all seriousness, Kayla said, "Master's, isn't that for old people?" I couldn't help but laugh and say, "Yes, Kayla, I'm one of those old people?" 40+ lol

Kayla got 1st in her age group 14-16, with a time of 22:57. Ohhhh...in my dreams!

Went home, showered and went to my nephew's graduation party.

Oh, and the overall female and male won a year's supply of Buffalo Wild Wings. You think they will share them? Hmm?

Next goal.....sub 23 minutes.