I'm finally getting around to writing up and posting a race recap for our most recent race. It wasn't that long ago but I find that if I wait a few days or more, I have a harder time remembering everything I wanted to say. So, let see if I can remember... This race was made for us... We even made one of the promo pics this year. Haha!!!
Last Saturday we ran the Celebration of Running 5k for the second year in a row. This is the first race in the Track Shack Running Series. We didn't register for the series again this year as we are unsure if we can do one specific race later in the season so it wasn't worth it for us. One year we are going to though. I want that extra medal and Raw Threads shirt.
The day before the race my knee started acting up again randomly. I wasn't really happy about that. It was bad enough that Steven encouraged me to walk the entire thing. I asked my mom to bring one of her knee braces for me to borrow hoping that would help. We decided that I would take it a bit easier and Steven would run at his own pace ahead of me rather than us doing it together. There was always the possibility that I would have to walk more than run so we both figured he should go on ahead of me.
Saturday morning we were up bright and early and heading for the race location. This race starts in a park just outside of the science center, Orlando Cultural Park. It is the only race that Track Shack does (that we are aware of) that starts here. It's actually a route that we feel is "longer" than some others. Yeah, all 5ks are 3.1 miles but this course stretches quite far rather than being condensed in a smaller area. The reasoning is probably that at the halfway point, you run right by Track Shack. It's a celebration of running after all and for 26 years this race has run by the store that handles it all. We were there early enough to get a parking spot in the parking garage nearby at the hospital and get our shoes on before walking down to the starting line. We walked around a bit before lining up in the starting chute with the rest of the runners.
This was the first time we have done a race and actually had the race director get on the microphone before the start of the race and warn us about the heat. A race in August in Central Florida is no joke. Before we even started the humidity was already at 97% and we all knew that as the sun rose, the heat index would likely stretch into the high 90's while people were still on the course.
It wasn't too long before the "gun" sounded and we were off. Steven went off ahead of me and I started slow but strong (the race starts downhill so that is exciting). I made it about .3 miles before I had to walk. Usually I can run a half mile to mile straight... especially in a race. I didn't make that though. Partially because I was worried about my knee but mostly because it was so humid that I was having trouble breathing right. I wasn't the only one either. I heard numerous people around me complaining about the heat and saying that they were having the same issues. Also, we hit our first uphill at this point and I wasn't having it. Haha! Our first water stop was at about .6 miles into the race. This struck me (and later Steven told me he had the same thought) as odd. Most of the time there are water stops around mile 1 and mile 2 at 5ks. I thought maybe they added a stop or something and we would hit another one around a mile and a half or something due to the heat. I was wrong. We didn't hit another one until the 2 mile mark. That was a rough stretch. I also forgot how hilly this route is. There are a lot of uphills along the way. Along with some cobblestone (though not as much as there is in their typical Winter Park course). I walked quite a bit. My knee only really bothered me a couple of times but it would calm down quickly once I would walk and then be fine for a long time. At Mile 1.5, we passed by Track Shack. Last year there was a party going on there but this year there was just a guy with a mic. I liked how exciting it was to pass by there last year. I hope they bring back the entertainment next year.
It took me longer than I would have liked, but I finished with an okay amount of running versus walking in 43:45. My pace was a lot slower than I would have liked but I set out planning to stay under a 15 min/mile. I thought I would be walking a lot more than I did. So, my 13:48 pace was better than I hoped for but still not up to my standards for a 5k. Steven finished in 35:14 at an 11:10 min/mile pace. He would have liked to have been faster as he often is when he runs on his own but the heat was difficult and it hit him hard, too.
When we finished we took our requisite pic in front of the banner thing. I was hoping to get some Jeremiah's Italian Ice but they ran out 3 people before I got to the front. That was a bit disappointing. Steven grabbed his beer but (like usual) couldn't finish it. He says it always sounds like a great idea until he starts drinking it but he is usually too hot to finish it right after a race.
It was a pretty good race. They all have their strong points. This course is a challenge because of the time of year it is run as well as the fact that it has hills. In Florida, finding hills is not always common so they are definitely a challenge when they show up. Plus, this race is fun since it kicks off the running season. We know we have a lot of races planned through the rest of the season.
We have already registered for our next couple of races. We are running the Battle of the Bands 5k and Lake Nona 5k (with stroller and kiddos) in September. The U Can Finish 5 mile is in October. In November we plan to do the Turkey Trot 5k (with stroller and kiddos) on Thanksgiving since my bro and sis-in-law are hosting Thanksgiving this year so I don't have to be home to cook. In December we have the Reindeer Run. My mom is going to be walking it with me and I will have the stroller. We are debating signing K up for it too as an actual registrant since we will be walking. It is a 3 mile race so we have to start working with her to make sure she can handle 3 miles of straight walking at a fairly quick pace. That brings us through the end of the year.... but not the end of the season. Next year we may or may not be able to do the Park Avenue 5k in January (that is the one race we aren't sure about) but we do have plans to do the Run 4 Love 4 mile in February and the Winter Park 10k in March. Steven will also return to the IOA Corporate 5k in 2019, I'm sure. I know I will run the Iron Girl Clearwater 5k. My hope is to consider Kenzie as a runner/walker with me maybe this year. If she can handle walking the Reindeer Run then Steven and I will consider it. She also has plans to run the Smile Mile again this year and this year she will actually have to run a mile.
Here's to this season!
Last Saturday we ran the Celebration of Running 5k for the second year in a row. This is the first race in the Track Shack Running Series. We didn't register for the series again this year as we are unsure if we can do one specific race later in the season so it wasn't worth it for us. One year we are going to though. I want that extra medal and Raw Threads shirt.
The day before the race my knee started acting up again randomly. I wasn't really happy about that. It was bad enough that Steven encouraged me to walk the entire thing. I asked my mom to bring one of her knee braces for me to borrow hoping that would help. We decided that I would take it a bit easier and Steven would run at his own pace ahead of me rather than us doing it together. There was always the possibility that I would have to walk more than run so we both figured he should go on ahead of me.
Saturday morning we were up bright and early and heading for the race location. This race starts in a park just outside of the science center, Orlando Cultural Park. It is the only race that Track Shack does (that we are aware of) that starts here. It's actually a route that we feel is "longer" than some others. Yeah, all 5ks are 3.1 miles but this course stretches quite far rather than being condensed in a smaller area. The reasoning is probably that at the halfway point, you run right by Track Shack. It's a celebration of running after all and for 26 years this race has run by the store that handles it all. We were there early enough to get a parking spot in the parking garage nearby at the hospital and get our shoes on before walking down to the starting line. We walked around a bit before lining up in the starting chute with the rest of the runners.
This was the first time we have done a race and actually had the race director get on the microphone before the start of the race and warn us about the heat. A race in August in Central Florida is no joke. Before we even started the humidity was already at 97% and we all knew that as the sun rose, the heat index would likely stretch into the high 90's while people were still on the course.
It wasn't too long before the "gun" sounded and we were off. Steven went off ahead of me and I started slow but strong (the race starts downhill so that is exciting). I made it about .3 miles before I had to walk. Usually I can run a half mile to mile straight... especially in a race. I didn't make that though. Partially because I was worried about my knee but mostly because it was so humid that I was having trouble breathing right. I wasn't the only one either. I heard numerous people around me complaining about the heat and saying that they were having the same issues. Also, we hit our first uphill at this point and I wasn't having it. Haha! Our first water stop was at about .6 miles into the race. This struck me (and later Steven told me he had the same thought) as odd. Most of the time there are water stops around mile 1 and mile 2 at 5ks. I thought maybe they added a stop or something and we would hit another one around a mile and a half or something due to the heat. I was wrong. We didn't hit another one until the 2 mile mark. That was a rough stretch. I also forgot how hilly this route is. There are a lot of uphills along the way. Along with some cobblestone (though not as much as there is in their typical Winter Park course). I walked quite a bit. My knee only really bothered me a couple of times but it would calm down quickly once I would walk and then be fine for a long time. At Mile 1.5, we passed by Track Shack. Last year there was a party going on there but this year there was just a guy with a mic. I liked how exciting it was to pass by there last year. I hope they bring back the entertainment next year.
It took me longer than I would have liked, but I finished with an okay amount of running versus walking in 43:45. My pace was a lot slower than I would have liked but I set out planning to stay under a 15 min/mile. I thought I would be walking a lot more than I did. So, my 13:48 pace was better than I hoped for but still not up to my standards for a 5k. Steven finished in 35:14 at an 11:10 min/mile pace. He would have liked to have been faster as he often is when he runs on his own but the heat was difficult and it hit him hard, too.
When we finished we took our requisite pic in front of the banner thing. I was hoping to get some Jeremiah's Italian Ice but they ran out 3 people before I got to the front. That was a bit disappointing. Steven grabbed his beer but (like usual) couldn't finish it. He says it always sounds like a great idea until he starts drinking it but he is usually too hot to finish it right after a race.
It was a pretty good race. They all have their strong points. This course is a challenge because of the time of year it is run as well as the fact that it has hills. In Florida, finding hills is not always common so they are definitely a challenge when they show up. Plus, this race is fun since it kicks off the running season. We know we have a lot of races planned through the rest of the season.
We have already registered for our next couple of races. We are running the Battle of the Bands 5k and Lake Nona 5k (with stroller and kiddos) in September. The U Can Finish 5 mile is in October. In November we plan to do the Turkey Trot 5k (with stroller and kiddos) on Thanksgiving since my bro and sis-in-law are hosting Thanksgiving this year so I don't have to be home to cook. In December we have the Reindeer Run. My mom is going to be walking it with me and I will have the stroller. We are debating signing K up for it too as an actual registrant since we will be walking. It is a 3 mile race so we have to start working with her to make sure she can handle 3 miles of straight walking at a fairly quick pace. That brings us through the end of the year.... but not the end of the season. Next year we may or may not be able to do the Park Avenue 5k in January (that is the one race we aren't sure about) but we do have plans to do the Run 4 Love 4 mile in February and the Winter Park 10k in March. Steven will also return to the IOA Corporate 5k in 2019, I'm sure. I know I will run the Iron Girl Clearwater 5k. My hope is to consider Kenzie as a runner/walker with me maybe this year. If she can handle walking the Reindeer Run then Steven and I will consider it. She also has plans to run the Smile Mile again this year and this year she will actually have to run a mile.
Here's to this season!
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