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

[SarahDisney]

Holy crackers there are a lot of options for that race weekend!
Also, am I the only one that finds the pig people creepy?
Thanks for sharing the recaps so far - it sounds like a cool experience, and I'm looking forward to reading about how the race went (and seeing pictures when you get a chance to put them in)!

Oh, and my theory on the answers to your questions:
A) Yes
B) Yes
C) Yes
D) Yes (hey, it worked for the other three ... was this not a yes or no question?)

 

[Ariel484]

Dang it. You have me wanting to drive down to Cincy for this race!!

A) Yes
B) Yes
C) YES OBVIOUSLY
D) breakfast (that's what we're having - eggs, bacon, hashbrowns and toast!)

 

[roxymama]

Using Holy Crackers as a catch phrase from now on. Mmmm breakfast for dinner is brilliant. I have chicken and I have egos...hrmmmmmm what can I get away with?

 

[SarahDisney]

Using Holy Crackers as a catch phrase from now on.

I started saying that when I started trying not to say a different c word. This is much more entertaining.

I have chicken and I have egos

Chicken and waffles is a big thing in the south. I think.

 

[roxymama]

How about BBQ rubbed chicken with tater tot hash browns and waffles! Probably need to get some veggies in with those tots. Let's see how this goes

 

[DopeyBadger]

I for one enjoy your detailed recaps. It makes me feel like I'm there. You do a great job of capturing the moment.

 

[roxymama]

Thanks!!! It helps remind me of all the fun too.

And here's the big reveal for dinner! I made a peach butter/maple/hot sauce for the chicken and I'm sadly out of proper veg. Grocery store tomorrow!

 

[Ariel484]

Yum!! Dinner sounds good!

Ours was...okay. My egg flipping skills are non-existent.

 

[roxymama]

Race Recap continued!

So one of the coolest things about this race that I didn't even fully realize (because I was too busy feeling sorry for myself about my cold to do my usual "over-researching") is that we run from Ohio, over a bridge, into Kentucky, run a big portion of the race in Kentucky, then back into Ohio again. Basically seeing the river from both sides. Two states and two rivers crossed! I just find that pretty neat.
So coming up on bridge #1 I am feeling not winded or anything bad. I've not yet glanced at my garmin for pace. I feel I'm not going fast by design. I glance now and I'm at just shy of 10:30. I don't adjust...I know the bridge will do what it wants with me
The climb is not as steep as "mt Roosevelt" in Chicago, but it is long and steadily increased and it feels long for a long time and will it ever end because it's taking a long time. Just as I'm about to question if the burning feeling in my quads is a sign I should walk..I reach the apex. I know this because the mood of the entire group of humans around me switches to smiles and happy chatter and people are running again instead of death-shimmying. It's fun to beat a bridge collectively together
The decline is nice. I don't sprint down it, but I'm feeling strong still and I enjoy the downhill. The course has several spots where you see all the people in front of you but you aren't sure how they got there. I could see people on the riverfront path going right but we were all turning left. We had some winding around the backs of big mansiony buildings to do before going where those other people were. Fake outs, more fun on mile one than mile 5 (spoiler alert.)

Since I'm a spaz when it comes to running and picture taking here are some google images of things that approximate what I saw from our 4ish miles in Kentucky




The big difference in actuality was it was pretty overcast but not yet raining.
I was staying pretty consistent in the 10:30ish range when I would catch sneaky peeks at my garmin (don't yell at me @DopeyBadger ...I was still just going by feel and not course correcting based on what I saw
There were water stops along the way and Feed Stations. I walked every water stop bc I just felt like being hydrated was key for this new distance, especially since my time was not a big concern today. And I'm still terrible at running and guzzling. I skipped the food but they had a butter cookie one, a pretzel stick one, Hershey kiss, there were others.

At the mike markers I was always around 10 something for every mile to this point. Surprised at myself bc I was feeling strong and also like I wasnt overly pushing myself. It still felt good. And then came Bridge #2 over the Licking River. Dun dun dun

Pausing to bathe my toddler. Stay tuned

Ok I'm back...bridge #2 was fairly flat actually. It was the climb to get up to the bridge this time that was a slog. I'm not kidding when I say that my "jog" was being beat by some people walking. It would have been more efficient to walk I think. But I was in the mindset that if I kept shlogging that eventually I'd be up at the top and I'd be able to keep jogging which would turn back into running. And I was right...the legs bounced back fairly quickly and the decline was pleasant.
We had some more little ups and downs before getting to the final big bridge. My 5k time I can't remember but it was very similar to my 5k point during my shamrock shuffle. Except this time instead of turning on the burners to speed up on purpose I just kept on at the current clip.
Instead of pacman chomping other runners I kind of stayed with the two yellow shirt girls, tall polka dots, short flag guy and pinky shirt. (I did chomp pinky shirt at the very end, spoiler.)
The final bridge was similar to the first but I did it. And then we came upon a highway ramp. I think I underestimated the hills in this race. But I sh logged up those too. I was so proud of how I was doing on the flat parts that I just endured the hill parts. I wasn't ever winded, just my legs felt it, if that makes sense. I had the cardio but maybe not those muscles yet.

Mile 5 was very close to the finish so full of tons of crowd support, but still had to loop around a bunch to complete mile 6 before a .2 mile little straightaway to the finish. I saw the clock nearing 1:10 but I knew I had a 2 min or so window from the start line and I crossed feeling very strong in 1:07:13. I did not sprint the end (but I did push a little to get past pinky shirt.). Had to chomp someone.




I smiled through the finish line and got my little piggy medal.






My hubby finished a minute before he said he would and so he's pretty freaky accurate in his predictions like always.

I am proud of us and I did better than I expected. And I enjoyed it...well maybe not totally with the bridges...but I enjoyed getting past them.

I came 182/456 in my division and 1059/2954 women.

We enjoyed watching the marathon on tv the next morning and seeing everyone with their medals while walking around the Newport, KY river walk and aquarium (we decide to go back and check it out in a non-run scenario)
You can even get there by pedestrian bridge.



And finally here's me sitting at the aquarium because I have some kind of foot injury
Not sure what it is yet. Soreness in the outer side of my right foot only after some walking. If it doesn't go away I'll be seeing a dr this week. I'm pretty bummed about it. I was feeling really great about my running. So I'm holding off on the May 10k I was considering and I'll hopefully feel ok by the June Bears fun run.

Thanks for following my crazy long recap! I had a great time this weekend. Everyone keep my foot in your running prayers!

 

[DopeyBadger]

WHAT?!?!?!?!?



Just kidding... Trust me when I say, I'll tell you don't look at the Garmin, run by effort, etc. etc. but when it comes to my race on Saturday I might sneak a peak or two (or three...) The key is to not change anything based on it. The number isn't a positive and it isn't a negative. It's just a number.

 

[ZellyB]

Fantastic race recap!!! Yay!!! Great job on the race and that elevation chart looks pretty darn hilly to me. Well done and I love that piggy medal.

 

[CherieFran]

Great recap! Seems like a really fun race weekend. Congrats on the new distance!

Hope the foot is nothing serious!!

 

[roxymama]

Yum!! Dinner sounds good!

Ours was...okay. My egg flipping skills are non-existent.

Egg flipping always ALWAYS turns into scrambled eggs or really deformed omelletes. So fist-bump on that one.
And sorry for making you want to drive to Ohio to run the Pig next year...but not sorry. It really was a fun weekend and I want to try to 1-miler next year and maybe rope in some of my family to do the marathon relay. The 4 legs are different distances 6.84 mi, 5.16 mi, 7.67 mi, and 6.55 mi. My husband first claimed the 5.16 until my Aunt told us that's the hilliest hardest part! We are thinking maybe we can rope in his Dad and brother to make a family team. But it may just all be talk right now

WHAT?!?!?!?!?

Just kidding... Trust me when I say, I'll tell you don't look at the Garmin, run by effort, etc. etc. but when it comes to my race on Saturday I might sneak a peak or two (or three...) The key is to not change anything based on it. The number isn't a positive and it isn't a negative. It's just a number.

Hahaha, I knew you were going to say something like that!

Fantastic race recap!!! Yay!!! Great job on the race and that elevation chart looks pretty darn hilly to me. Well done and I love that piggy medal.

It was darn hilly! But I think we ended up with an average elevation loss because the downhills were pretty sweet. I've heard the full marathon course is actually pretty tough and the winner usually comes in at 2:25-2:30ish (which sounds crazy fast to me, but I know is slower than like a Boston or Chicago.) I KNOW now that I really need to take doing some hill work (even if just on the treadmill) a bit more seriously once my foot gets some rest.

Great recap! Seems like a really fun race weekend. Congrats on the new distance!

Hope the foot is nothing serious!!

Thanks CherieFran! 10k seemed so daunting last year. It still felt longer than I thought it would so my brain is still breaking a little thinking about what a Half marathon would even feel like. I was talking with my hubby and said "I honestly don't know about doing this 10k thing twice in a row basically" and he said "You are going to do a half, that should be your goal, you will do a half." So I guess I will do a half. Details TBD

HEY, I though of things I left out of my recap! Y'all thought I'd stopped talking. Nope!

I realized I never talked about the kiddo's 200 yard dash piglet race. It got rained out basically. They were holding it on a grass field and although our 10k was saved from rain...the 5k got rained on a little bit and the afternoon was a literal wash. We ended up finding a cool covered marketplace called Findlay's Market to hang out in (and spend too much money on craft chocolates and waffle sandwiches) to wait out the rain. But my kiddo didn't get to run her race. She did ask about it again last night "Do I get to run my piggie race?" So I told her that this weekend we would run it in the park and she'll get a medal. I am going to give her mine
And here's the pic of our souvenirs that I forgot to include in the recap. That's a LOT of craft beer (one of my hubby's many hobbies), fancy chocolates and our mandatory Christmas ornament we get whenever we travel.

 

[Ariel484]

@roxymama I live in Ohio, but the drive would still be pretty far for me.

I was using Alton Brown's "perfect" eggs over easy recipe (perfect for whom, I ask??) - he tells you to flip the eggs without a spatula. WHAT MAGIC DOES HE USE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS?!

 

[roxymama]

@roxymama I live in Ohio, but the drive would still be pretty far for me.

I was using Alton Brown's "perfect" eggs over easy recipe (perfect for whom, I ask??) - he tells you to flip the eggs without a spatula. WHAT MAGIC DOES HE USE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS?!

Ahhh, See you wouldn't even need to drive to Ohio! Haha. I have relatives in Upper Arlington near Columbus so I understand the vastness of the state.
Also, If god didn't want us to use spatulas he wouldn't have invented them. (I think that's in the bible somewhere.)

 

[Ariel484]

Ahhh, See you wouldn't even need to drive to Ohio! Haha. I have relatives in Upper Arlington near Columbus so I understand the vastness of the state.
Also, If god didn't want us to use spatulas he wouldn't have invented them. (I think that's in the bible somewhere.)

I just looked at the drive, would be about 4 hours for me. I thought it was more like 5 so that's not as long as I thought, but still...

FOR REAL with the spatulas! Although, I used a spatula and I dropped Mr. A's eggs when transferring them to the plate, and dropped mine on the stove top. Sooooooo maybe I do need to master the egg flip.

 

[SarahDisney]

One of my favorite life facts is that the Cincinnati airport is in Kentucky. So I'm definitely entertained (but not surprised) that the race went into Kentucky.

Awesome race recap - great job not giving up on those hills! And awesome time - you did really great, especially considering the sick you had to deal with before the race.

Foot injury - oh no! I hope its nothing serious.

And sad that the piglet race got rained out But you came back with a good shopping haul, which really matters more than the races. Because shopping.

 

[roxymama]

One of my favorite life facts is that the Cincinnati airport is in Kentucky. So I'm definitely entertained (but not surprised) that the race went into Kentucky.

Awesome race recap - great job not giving up on those hills! And awesome time - you did really great, especially considering the sick you had to deal with before the race.

Foot injury - oh no! I hope its nothing serious.

And sad that the piglet race got rained out But you came back with a good shopping haul, which really matters more than the races. Because shopping.

YES! Because Shopping!
She was really excited about all the other things we did - going on the carousel three times and going down the slides in the outdoor play-scape and eating so much bad food you wouldn't believe it. Cookies and crap all weekend
We asked her if she wanted to run it the rain and she gave a big NOPE. We'll have lots of chances for stuff like that.
But mostly all she wanted to do all weekend was play with my cousins old toys from the 90's.

I haven't written much about the foot yet because I'm in denial/wait and see land. It feels fine while I walk for about 20-30 steps and then the area near the ankle and outside of my right foot starts feeling sore/not quite right. It becomes more painful the longer I walk on it, so I've just been resting it a lot. Today...I'm getting farther while walking normally before it starts ouching so I'm taking that as a good sign? I'm so busy at work the thought of having to go to a dr. is almost as frustrating as the thought of stopping my running full-stop.
So I'm giving it a couple more days before I go seek council. My feet got mega sore back when I first started really running (like when C25k stopped doing intervals) and so I'm hoping its just a short-lived "over-use" kind of thing.
And that's my long foot saga.

 

[roxymama]

Welp, I have not ran since my 10k. (insert sad sack sighing here)

The good news: My foot seems to be relatively normal for a little while when I start walking on it so I think the rest is working its magic.
The bad news: A jaunt around Walmart yesterday to get my mom's mother's day present quickly returned the sore foot and by the time I was on one end and realized I needed something from the other end, I literally thought about getting one of those mobility scooters from the front and then said "Eh" and gave up and did not get the thing.

So I don't think I'm in any position to run on it right now. I have to rest it more and if it's still bugging me in a few more days I'm going to my doc. (insert sad trombone sound here)

A bit frustrated. Feeling lucky I've made it this far without any kind of injury. I'd take the year+ that I've had over not being injured now. But it burns my biscuits that I went from such a high last month to getting the bad cold and then having my ouch foot now. The worst part is not being able to play with my kiddo the way I want to...being relegated to the bench at the park or the chairs in our backyard. Boooo!

So I'll check back here with my progress and any pleas for rah-rahs or support as I know more.

Also TINK!!! AHHHH! LOOKING AT ALL THE PICTURES!!!

 

[ZellyB]

Boo about your foot. You know I've been battling my knee, so you have all my sympathy. I hope some rest will get you back in good form soon. The highs and lows of being a runner.

I'm also stalking Tink pictures. So jealous!!!