Y RUN? 5k Race Recap

I didn't get to run as many races over the summer as I have liked so from June and the Biggest Loser race it was Labor Day (sept 2) before I ran my next race.  I actually hosted one in August, but that is another story for another post!  It's been so long since this race occured, so hopefully I can remember all the details! Here we go...

So, Sept 2, the local YMCA held their second annual Y run? Y not? 5k race.  It goes through town and runs some of the brick roads we have in town.  Kind of cool but also strange running because the roads are OLD brick and have some gaps and tilts.  I was really excited to run this race because my birthday is September 4th and my mom had come down Sept 1 and brought me a new Garmin for my present.  I was anxious to try it out.  The race started around 9:10, so 10 minutes past start time but I think they were having an issue with people being at intersections when they were supposed to.  Finally, we were off!

The Husband was also running this race with me and we took off together.  We ended up not running together but I love knowing he is out on the course with me.  One thing that I wasn't a huge fan of was that it was not a closed course.  We were literally running up the main drag in town and there were cars in front of, and behind, the crowd of runners.  Then on some side streets cars actually jumped into the opposing lane to go around us.  I felt like I was constantly watching my back so I wasn't all that relaxed during this race.

During the race, I saw a few people who had run my race a couple days prior so it was nice to see people and chat to take my mind off stuff. There was one girl I juggled back and forth with the entire run who had been at my race.  After the race, we chatted while waiting on results and have actually met up to run together since!

I was very run down this entire race and felt like poo but I ended up with a PR out of it.
 28:42 and placed 2nd in my age group.

My splits:

Mile 1: 8:55
Mile 2: 9:46
Mile 3: 9:41
.2: 0:19

All in all, it was a decent race.  I really disliked the fact that it was not a closed course but I guess it is really difficult to get that town's mayor to close down the streets.

I am in the middle behind the kiddo in the yellow shirt.  The husband is to the right behind the lady with the stroller

New Years "Resolutions"

Figured a good post to start with would be my New Years Resolutions though I hate to call them that.  Hmmm... New Years Goals? Yea, goals!  Ok.. Here are my 2014 Fitness/Health Goals. Hopefully I can get my knee back in order ASAP to get started on these!

1) Blog more! I know that isn't what one would normally think of when considering health and fitness goals, but it is for me.  It helps keep me accountable and opens up a whole new fitness world for me to get tips, tricks, and connect with other people where locally the fitness community isn't large. I also have some race reviews to catch up on!

2) PR a 5K, 10K, and Half at least once for each distance. I am looking to PR my official times.  At this point I have beat my times unofficially but getting that official "check" makes me happy.  My times have improved quite a bit (at least in my mind) since my last race so I am excited to see what I can do.

  Current OFFICIAL Prs:
5k: 28:43   
10k: 1:10:44
Half: 2:29:52

Current UNOFFICAL Prs that I would like to see become official.. LOL

5k: 26:14
10k: 54:16


3) Run a Full Marathon and possibly an Ultra.  I am definitely planning to run my full this year though I had to postpone it.  I was following a half program to get me through to full training and the week I hit my 8 mile run I had HUGE issues with my IT band.  I am working on my hip strength and I am cleared to run until I hit pain.  Right now that is around 2 miles and climbing.  Because of this I decided to run the half at the Flying Pig in May and then I am planning to run the Full in September at the Air Force Marathon.  Fitting as it takes place on the last base the Husband was stationed at before he got out of the Air Force.

4) Continue to make healthy food choices and hit my water goals each day.

5) Lose the last 10lbs to get to my goal weight and go into 2015 with no goal to lose weight for the first time ever that I can remember.  I have mentioned before my weight loss journey.  I am finally almost done! I had a couple months, despite staying on plan for the most part, that I plateaued.  I think I finally have that under control and I have started going down again.  I would love to hit goal before the Flying Pig this year.  Even better if I can hit it before my first half of the year (the Athens Marathon) in April.  Here is my progress from May to December. I have lost a total of 43lbs since November 2012 and between these 2 pictures is about 27-28lbs. (and yes I bought the clothes I am trying on in the picture! LOL) I had sent the picture to my weight loss buddy to determine if they were too small.  It hasn't sunk in yet that I can buy smalls!

6) Try something new in the fitness arena... Maybe kickboxing, yoga, or crossfit? I am not sure yet but I crave something NEW!

7) I am afraid to set a mileage goal for the year since I am unsure 100% what is going on, or what may go on, with my knee but I am thinking that I would like to at least hit 800 this year? That would be nice!

8) 14 races in 2014!

I am sure some of these may change but I thought it would be nice to have these listed so that I can come check in at the end of the year and see how it goes! I have some other family related goals as well but I don't want to bore you with those =)

Happy Running!