Roxymama's 5k to Marathon, Time to Collect Another Castle

Hot Chocolate Chicago 15k race recap!

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Well this was it. The real reason I started training for an 8k in Jan was so I'd be fit enough for a 10k in May so I'd be fit enough to get that dang chocolate bar medal that only 15k finishers get in the Fall. I mean, there were obviously other reasons for wanting to run farther (I like running after all) but back in Nov of last year as I wandered around the finisher area for the Hot Chocolate 5k after a respectable 29:46...all I could think was GIMME that MEDAL!!! In hindsight I wanted what that medal represented just as much as what it was (to become the type of person who would sign up for and train for and finish a long distance race) but also it was the most beautiful medal ever and I was determined.

If you've read my journal you know I've been gradually working my way up to this throughout 2016. And started my formal training plan end of July. I've been on some form of Dopeybadger plan almost all year and this one was the scariest (7 mile runs on weekdays?, 5 mile blind runs?, an 8 mile long run?). But I knew a 15k doesn't come with 5k training, it comes with 15k training. So I would say that was victory #1...getting through it. And somehow along the way getting in really good shape for me. annoyingly at the time halfway through I did a little too good at my blind run and Billy essentially said "yep, thought so, you get new paces"and I was internally like "oh god, my 5 mile tempos at 10:22 are now 9:42??? Help!!!"
But turns out sneaky math guy was right. I was capable of doing it...and I'm glad you pushed me!

Ok so back to race morning. It's pouring rain but radar says should stop by time we will get to race. Woke up feeling like I was gonna hurl. Nervous energy and anxiety at max levels. No idea what that's about. I doesn't happen when I don't care about race results, but man is it bad when I care. Parked a good solid mile+ away from race site. Luckily hubby is with me to listen to my nervous chatter and stick by me and as I use the porto potty a million times for no real reason. Legs feeling great. Tummy and nerves not so much.
I'm really cold in my short sleeved inknburn tech and capris. Left my hoodie in car instead of gear checking it (shoulda gear checked it)
Wind is in full force. It's a bit less chilly when wind dies down off and on. But then I see this sight and I get emotional.
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That's the path for 15k folks. That's me! Cue internal blubbering.
Ok, so corrals are closing in 15 min and I head in to C. There is one bib check point to get past F, another to get into A-C and a final one with 4 volunteers to get into C. Tighter security than the airport. Big signs again this year with "No Walkers" at my corral. Can I just step on my soapbox again... I know plenty of run/walkers that can smoke me and finish marathons and dopeys and pssshhh to your no-walker signs. End rant. I get that they probably mean that the 3k walk has a different start, but yeeesh.
I was by myself now as hubby got into E, and alone and still Pukey-feeling nervous. So I checked in here to disboards to say I was gonna be ok. Got all my gadgets running and sidled up to about 4 rows from corral rope. In B they had the 9:30 and 10:00 pacers and in C they had the 10:30. I kept mental track of Miss Red Hat 10:00 lady hoping to maybe see her again. Maybe. And I didn't want to see Mr 10:30 if I could help it.
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Pic courtesy of hubby :)
Sorry @Ariel484 for all the cubby references on the buildings. They were playing Go Cubs Go and Harry Carey videos and said 1 person was from Cleveland at the race, then Booooos. Rough crowd.
Oh 13 countries, 42 states, and 38,000+ people!!
And wheelchairs offf, Elites and A's off, B's off, bye bye 10:00 lady, see you later, and then my turn!
Mile 1 game plan...easy B pace by feel, let them pass me, don't waste energy swerving around people.
First two miles are almost half underground (very batman Gotham style running here) and so my Garmin became immediately drunk. 10:00 pace became 6:35 became 20:00. Had me on mile 3 in first 15 minutes. Yeah, nope. It's like Billy called Garmin and said "I really meant it when I said try to run blind off effort, gonna need your help messing up all of Chicago's watches" insert evil genius laughter.
Luckily the stopwatch function works. Mile 1 was maybe 10:06?
I tried re-hitting lap button at each mile but just gave up on that.
Anyways, I knew I was around sub 10:00 pace for mile 2 just by virtue of the mile clocks showing a 8ish at the end and I'd seen a 7:39am when I started. Yay math.
Post Mile 2 I lost my hat. The wind was aggressive once we got above ground and in the middle of emotional state #2...when I was staying straight instead of turning right with the 5k people...the wind took my hat right off my head and it floated up and behind me. I saw it whipping around the street over with the 5kers in its neon pink glory. Maybe symbolic as it was my first real running purchase last year. I'll miss you old friend.
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Pour one out for my former hat.

Later my head woulda been getting hot and at least the wind made the "ditch it" decision for me though.

Okay 5k mat I see you! We had passed it in our car on the way to parking so I knew exactly where it would be. Mile 3 clock ended with an 8 again. I knew I would be just over a 30 min 5k. That was good, didn't want to sub 30 here...too hard to maintain I thought.
Ok but now let's speed it up a bit through mile 5. A bit.
I was a bit dreading what looked long on the map. The few miles down Michigan Ave. but in hindsight once I was approaching mile 4...that was it! Duh...so much shorter seeming than on the map. And @opusone was right that the herd thins out at this point. Lots more room to run. I'm being passed still but I'm also running pretty steady with a similar group of people. No swerving around here for me. Helps maintain my pace.
And I get to to turn...mile 5. I feel I'm faster. The clock is ending in a 7 here. I'm coming up to the part opusune warned me about...a mile long out and back on same street. Mental math. "I did a 30ish 5k, I'm faster now, this one mile here and I'm almost to a 10k PR, I don't even need to sprint, sprinting now would be bad, lets see what song can get me through this"
Ok miles 5-finish To Be Cont. very shortly :)
 
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Ok I'm back after fixing a million grammar mistakes up above :)
Mile 5...time for my "go get it" playlist. Starting with "Love is Free" by Robyn. Then "New Dorp New York" by SBTRKT, "Miami 2 Ibiza" by Swedish house mafia, "Go" by Chemical Brothers and "Pray to God" by Calvin Harris.
The playlist goes on but I hit shuffle after that. So if you want to relive my mile 5-6+ there ya go.
I did somehow land behind a dad and his ~12 year old son. Who was all about getting high fives from the folks on the other side of the out and back. And I fed off the whoooping cheers and energy being hurled my way. This mile that I dreaded was maybe the best mile I've ever ran. I don't know my exact time for it (thanks drunk garmin) It felt real good though. Like I was on a turbo boost floor or something. Thank god because out and backs aren't generally very easy for me. I saw the 10:00 lady on the other side ahead of me. And after the turn I saw 10:30 starting to come up to where the section had started. I was in the middle of them still. (Note 10:00 had a 4-5 min head start on me.) And then it hit me as I neared mile 6 and could see the 10k mat ahead "maybe at least one or more of you would see this 10k split...I was going to make you all proud". I forgot about making myself proud I was so focused on showing you all I was "doing this!"
Emotional moment #3. Haha
1:01! 10k PR. How? What? Ok! (Didn't think about it then but scratching my head now going "hmmm, maybe sub hour 10k could happen without an extra 3.1 to save energy for...hmmmm)
Crazy! CRAZY!
I failed to mention these:
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(Not my hand, fellow race goers hand)
Strawberry marshmallows. So I took water at every aid station. Only like two sips each time. Except this one back at mile 4ish. I grabbed a cup and two pink marshmallows were sitting in there. Ummmm
Ok...and nom nom nom. Yeah, I'm weak. But had a great two miles after, so that's scientific proof of effectivebess!
I'd successfully snubbed the chocolate aid stations because I knew that would be phlegm city. And so I snubbed the mile 6 toffee station too (blech)
And now we are at the lakefront path.
Mr. Lakefront running trail...
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That's me being cocky cause I can see the city and I know this path since I've done it in other shorter races. And suddenly the last 5k in my mind will be cake. I'm glad I had that mentality. It helped me push the pace a lil more here. Up to mile 7, thumbs up!
First part of the eighth mile was fine, but then we did an unfamiliar like up a ramp type thing, tight turn around, up another and it gave me a bit of that fun lactate in the calves. And a teeny side stitch. Luckily there was a brief downhill and then we were running under McCormick place which is long and flat and I was back to feeling that happy turbo mat feeling. Felt like I was flying down there. No idea if I was or not (thanks drunk Garmin...I'm sure that 3 min pace is accurate)
Mile 8 should be over right. Yeah, nope. whats that ahead?
Oh more ramps with hairpin turn arounds leading to more ramps? Oh that's fun! (Sarcasm)
So this is not the lakefront path, this is the bad place on the other side of soldier field called "leaving a Bears game but running"
I lost time here. I know I did. I felt like I was getting "heavy" and if it weren't for the mile 9 clock off in the distance at the bottom of a downhill I could have lost heart. But I saw it. Mile 9! I've never ran past 8 miles! Emotional moment #4.
And then another steep uphill! Walked it a billion times post going to the Bears or museums. Never wanted to run up it but here I was. My watch said 1:30 something. I KNEW I could run the end shoot to finish in 2 min or less I just had to get up this hill. It hurt bad in my calves. But I did it. I thought of the guys talking about my Roosevelt being nothing, and this hill was nothing compared to that. And then the finish ahead!
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Pic from hubby. 5k on left, 15k on right.
I looked at my watch and I knew I was getting under my 1:34:31. I didn't sprint I just kept running fast but steady, I just enjoyed the ending. Coulda shaved second by sprinting maybe??? I didn't care, I did it!!!
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That's me :)

Emotional moment #5. Omg I did it! Cue tears.
Got my medal and pulled myself together to get my pic.
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My fave medal to date!
I didn't catch miss 10:00 but I got really close. I saw her the whole way in. I stopped to chat and she made it at 9:57 avg and I got 10:00 avg exactly. A lady next to her said "ok, you pace next year."
Then this tall drink of water in orange shorts came powering through the finish.
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I decided he was cute so asked him to join me for chocolate feasting. And we ate so fast like animals that I got zero pics. But heres what it looked like
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I'm so tired but not as tired as I was expecting. So sore, but not as sore as I was expecting. Way happier and more relieved and proud than I was expecting.

Thanks for all the cheerleading. Thanks Billy for whipping me into shape and believing in me. This whole thing seems to be working so stay tuned for me bugging you about Tink weekend :) all you disboarders wete in my brain the whole race. You pushed me just because I wanted you to see I could do it.
Emotional moment #6 is happening right now...oh geez!

I'm taking some days off and will start thinking about what's next.

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Awesome job and awesome report! I am so proud of you, it's truly been inspiring to read about all of the progress you have made this year. You're gonna eat Tink for breakfast!! :tinker::tinker::tinker:






I'm gonna pretend you didn't say that the Clevelander was boo'd!!! :sad: :teeth:
 

Oh, and...you are WEARING that shirt. :yay: How did it do for you?!

OMG I forgot to write about my shirt. 9.3 is too many miles for me to recap it all. I need to practice remembering everything for my 13.1 adventure next year!!!

I was floundering on what to wear. I knew short sleeves made most sense because it would be chilly but not chilly enough for a pullover. I was literally staring at my closet and it was hanging there whispering "just wear me...do it...wear me"
And I'd never ran it before which is risky, but I'd tried it on at least 100 times.
And it was GREAT! I'm in love. A real long term relationship here with this shirt. Would it be bad to only wear this one from here on out? Would save me money on buying more inknburn. :)

I did get a slight chafe from my phone case on my arm because I'd never had a phone on my arm for this many miles. But that had zero to-do with my clothing. Also my hair was a mess due to no sweaty band due to wearing a hat that flew off. So next race = sweaty band again.

How was that for a too long answer?
 
So I would say that was victory #1...getting through it. And somehow along the way getting in really good shape for me. annoyingly at the time halfway through I did a little too good at my blind run and Billy essentially said "yep, thought so, you get new paces"and I was internally like "oh god, my 5 mile tempos at 10:22 are now 9:42??? Help!!!"
But turns out sneaky math guy was right. I was capable of doing it...and I'm glad you pushed me!

MUWAHAHAHAHHA! :teacher:

It's like Billy called Garmin and said "I really meant it when I said try to run blind off effort, gonna need your help messing up all of Chicago's watches" insert evil genius laughter.

It's like something is guiding you.... :scratchin

Later my head woulda been getting hot and at least the wind made the "ditch it" decision for me though.

Hmmm... still something guiding you.... :scratchin

1:01! 10k PR. How? What? Ok! (Didn't think about it then but scratching my head now going "hmmm, maybe sub hour 10k could happen without an extra 3.1 to save energy for...hmmmm)
Crazy! CRAZY!

Yes. If you wanted, you could run a sub-1 hour 10K right now. Not like right, right now. But when fully rested you wouldn't need any additional fitness gains. I've got you down at a 58:15 predicted 6.2 mile run.

Thanks for all the cheerleading. Thanks Billy for whipping me into shape and believing in me. This whole thing seems to be working so stay tuned for me bugging you about Tink weekend :) all you disboarders wete in my brain the whole race. You pushed me just because I wanted you to see I could do it.

No problem. You make coaching easy. So well done! :worship: You make me so proud!

And PS - :tinker:
 
OMG I forgot to write about my shirt. 9.3 is too many miles for me to recap it all. I need to practice remembering everything for my 13.1 adventure next year!!!

I was floundering on what to wear. I knew short sleeves made most sense because it would be chilly but not chilly enough for a pullover. I was literally staring at my closet and it was hanging there whispering "just wear me...do it...wear me"
And I'd never ran it before which is risky, but I'd tried it on at least 100 times.
And it was GREAT! I'm in love. A real long term relationship here with this shirt. Would it be bad to only wear this one from here on out? Would save me money on buying more inknburn. :)

I did get a slight chafe from my phone case on my arm because I'd never had a phone on my arm for this many miles. But that had zero to-do with my clothing. Also my hair was a mess due to no sweaty band due to wearing a hat that flew off. So next race = sweaty band again.

How was that for a too long answer?
Great, so glad you liked it! :) I get nervous when people from the DIS try INB based on my recommendation so I'm happy to hear it was a success!

Sorry about the phone case though, that's crappy. I never liked those arm things and I'd always end up just carrying mine in my hand. :confused3 Also...my deepest sympathies for the loss of your hat. :(
 
I always forget things in my recaps. I don't know how...they are like a million words long.

My stats!
Overall 3,937th of 11,101 35.4%
Female 1,974th of 7,395 26.6%
F35-39 306th-1,136 26.9%

5k 30:50
10k 1:01:08
15k 1:33:06
I submitted my new proof for tink and pray I did it right. Put me as a 2:11-2:15 range if I did my macmillan calculator right. Sweet :) My plan is pictures pictures at tink so that won't actually happen in real life.

Oh and final thought....bodyglide on feet = happy no blister day!
 
YAY YOU!!! Awesome recap and what a great race. I knew you'd kill it. So proud of you and your accomplishment. You look absolutely perfect in that InB too!!!!
 
Thanks again for all the nice words everyone. I know you would all be supportive even if I didn't meet my goal time. That's why you are all so great. HUGS. (I'm in a much better mood this week than last!)


WOAH! Did you carve that? I am terrible at anything arts n crafts. I'm jealous.


And now onto WHAT NEXT?
11/19 Ditka Dash 5k is untimed (literally no chips and no mile clocks, etc.) Running with hubby and buddies. This will be a party, not a race. I plan on dressing silly and taking many pics. Practice for taking pics at Tink, right?

11/26 Grant Park Turkey Trot 5k. @LizardQueen8 You want to be my run buddy? My friend is on the fence now with coming to run with me, so not sure yet if she'll be with us. I have no goal times...I just want the cinnamon roll at the end and an excuse to go running :)
I don't mind running, run/walking, walking, walk/running or any combo.

12/3 Santa Hustle 5k: I was thinking about running this but now I'm leaning towards not. My hubby "needs" to run it to make his 20th race of the year goal. But it sounds cold and by staying home with my kiddo I can avoid having to get a morning babysitter. Since I need to get a babysitter for the above dates. So I think I may strike that off my list (have not registered yet.) TBD. Probably a no-go.

OMG! NEWSFLASH! @ZellyB is coming to TINK WEEKEND! AHHHHHH! I just saw that in my alerts. OMG OMG PARTY!

Ok, now I can't concentrate. Excited for you :)

I guess I was going to type some stuff about figuring out what to do next to stay focused on keeping in shape but with no big race until Tink weekend on the horizon. Should I start looking for stuff to run early 2017 now? Maybe Shamrock Shuffle again would be fun. Do I need to run a 10k on the way to my Half? What do you veteran half people normally do in my situation leading up to your half but not yet ready to start real training?
I think I want to start exploring parts of my gym unknown too...like bikes and ellipticals and weights (gasp!) But still need to figure out what that all means. AND YOGA! I think I want to find some weekend yoga too. I'm a bit undecided in the what is next as you can see.

So let's focus on...
THIS WEEK'S PLAN:
Today - OFF, legs are still a bit sore and I walked a ton with trick or treating last night.
Wed - Chris swims so I'm off.
Thurs - I think I will run at the gym. Thinking maybe doing some treadmill miles and then trying out hopping on the bike? Or should I just run?
Friday - I am driving to St. Louis with hubby and friends to attend the Nevermore Jazz Ball weekend of dancing. I will be taking dance classes again YAY! (think swing, jazz, tap, ballroom, charleston, etc) for the first time in a long while and watching competitions and going to dances at night. I guess I'm fake being 20-something again. I'll try to take pics of my adventures. Let's just hope these old legs still got it. At least I'm in the best shape I've been in for the last 5 years. We will probably take some classes Sat and then if the legs are like NOPE we will skip the Sunday stuff.

And that's all I got for now.
 
WOAH! Did you carve that? I am terrible at anything arts n crafts. I'm jealous.

I did. I just printed off a picture, taped it on, poked holes around the cut spots, and then slowly and meticulously cut it. Definitely not free hand. Patience is one of my virtues for things like this.
 
I did. I just printed off a picture, taped it on, poked holes around the cut spots, and then slowly and meticulously cut it. Definitely not free hand. Patience is one of my virtues for things like this.

I put pumpkins on my porch and let our local trashcan squirrels take a shot at carving them. They did a pretty terrible job. Very messy.
 
11/26 Grant Park Turkey Trot 5k. @LizardQueen8 You want to be my run buddy? My friend is on the fence now with coming to run with me, so not sure yet if she'll be with us. I have no goal times...I just want the cinnamon roll at the end and an excuse to go running :)
I don't mind running, run/walking, walking, walk/running or any combo.

Sure! I can and do run entire 5Ks. My time at the one I did on Saturday was 31:41 - I don't know that I'll get any faster by the end of the month, but I certainly won't get slower :). My friend and I thought about doing the Santa Hustle, but ended up signing up for the Ugly Sweater Run the next weekend instead. Yes, it does sound cold. MAN Tinkerbell feels forever away!
 
Sure! I can and do run entire 5Ks. My time at the one I did on Saturday was 31:41 - I don't know that I'll get any faster by the end of the month, but I certainly won't get slower :). My friend and I thought about doing the Santa Hustle, but ended up signing up for the Ugly Sweater Run the next weekend instead. Yes, it does sound cold. MAN Tinkerbell feels forever away!

YAY! I'll bug you when the race gets closer so we can figure out how to find each other. I might have to wear something you can't miss. Luckily I don't think this race is very huge by Chicago standards (looks like last year was 1860+ people.)
 
Congrats on the race!!! It's really amazing to see how far you've come and how much progress you've made - you are awesome!
I loved your race recap, and I'm excited to see what fantastic adventures you get up to next!
 












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