Livin' the Dream in Lima

Saturday, I ran one of my favorite races in the whole wide world. Or at least the Midwest... I haven't really raced anywhere else. (Now, if anyone wants to sponsor me for a marathon in Hawaii or Oregon, that opinion might change...) The Steamboat Classic is regarded as the "World's fastest 4-mile' and "Illinois' Toughest 15km", so I knew I was in for a butt-whooping treat.  Last year, I ran the 15km with some of my college girlfriends , and we kept it easy at a conversational pace so we could enjoy the run.  This year, I was in it to race . Because it is so hilly, my only goal was to run at least faster than my half-marathon PR pace (6:54 average). Only 9.3 miles versus 13.1... should be a piece of cake, right? Talen came down Friday night to hang out and cheer me on at the race. She couldn't run because the Monday after we ran the marathon, she had some loose pieces of cartilage surgically removed from her knee. Ouch! She has only been giv...

It's officially 5km season! I had high hopes of running my first 5km of the summer last weekend, but ended up with a big wedding cupcake order so I had to wait until this weekend to toe the starting line. Yesterday I ran the Scott Huysman Memorial 5km, in conjunction with the St. Gerard parish festival here in the Bean Town. The race was slated for a 10am start time, which I first thought would be unbearable. A June race? At 10am? Talk about HOT! Fortunately for us, a rainy cold front moved in Friday and conditions were perfect for racing. About 60*F and sunny. Me & one of my running buddies (Kristi) at the start. She rocked it out in the 5km and then went down to Columbus for a mud run that afternoon! So BA. I didn't really have a plan for this race - just run fast . (Isn't that pretty much how all 5km's are? A dead sprint from start to finish?) It wasn't a very big race, so I settled in pretty quickly after the gun went off. I found myself in 5th or ...

Yesterday afternoon, I raced the BBO 4-miler in a nearby little town. It was a beautiful  day for a race - 50*F and sunny. Can't get much better than that in early March. I ran this race last year , and it was outrageously  windy. Like enough to make you feel like you were running in place. This year, it wasn't as bad. I had a lofty goal of PRing (25:16) in this race, but wasn't sure it would happen. My PR was run on an all downhill course, and although this course was completely flat, flat is still harder than downhill!  Sporting the pink & black attire. And looking like a fool with a silly pose. So glamorous. I warmed up with a couple easy miles, did a few drills, and a couple stride-outs. There was no chip timing, so I made sure to line up right at the front with all the boys. I'd like to think I intimidated them with my pink shoes, but I'm pretty sure it was probably the other way around. Heh.  When the gun went off, it seemed like the ent...

This past Saturday, I ran the FOLEPI River Trail Classic . It's a 4-mile point-to-point race and all downhill . Well, not quite all, but if you average out the whole course it's definitely downhill. So, a chance to go really  fast. This was my sixth year running this race, and it's become quite the Thanksgiving tradition. My mom walks the 2-mile walk, I run the race, and my Business Man comes to watch. My aunt even joined in the fun this year and walked with my mom! I thought it'd be fun to look up my past results before I raced this year, to see what type of goal I should come up with for myself. Keep in mind, during my college years (2006-2009), this was typically my first run back after a 2-week break. So I didn't take it too  seriously. 2006 - 29:20 2007 - 29:24 2008 - 30:49 2009 - 26:12 2010 - 26:21 After looking at these times, I determined that I wanted to run sub-26:00. I've had a great fall of PR's, and knew that it was possible. ...

So yesterday, I mentioned that I raced a 10km. It was the first annual Kewpee 10km , held by the Bean Town YMCA. The race was held in the afternoon - and the weather was beautiful. 60s & sunny, but quite a bit of wind.  Ready, set, GO! Since the race was in its first year, it was not organized very well. No one really knew exactly what time it started (some time between 2 & 2:30.) The map was nearly impossible to decipher, and I even live  in the neighborhood that the race ran through. I can't imagine if I'd have driven from out of town to run it! I wouldn't have had a clue.  There was a loop that we were supposed to run through the park that was particularly confusing. (Everyone kept saying "just follow the people in front of you.") A beautiful day outside. However, in a super small race, there isn't always somebody in front of you! After the first two miles, I was the lead female, and third overall in the race. I bet you can see where ...

Despite my less than stellar dinner choices last night , this morning's race went off without a hitch! Yes, I lined up in the "sprint" category. Not sure I was really sprinting, but I'll take it. The weather was perfect - 50's, little to no wind. I was a little bummed by the "rain" I heard when I woke up, but turns out that was just my parents' pond. No rain. Happy day! My mom & I headed over around 6:45am for a 7:30am start. She walked/ran the 2-mile portion of the race. After a quick restroom trip, I got my 10 minute warm-up in, did some leg swings and was ready to go!  Looking all sorts of awkward waiting for the race to start. I had never really "raced" a 10km, so I wasn't sure what to expect. My friend Alissa raced the 10km in track, and she always said that first 3 miles are so so easy and then all of a sudden you feel like death. Super. I went out with the goal of hitting 6:45-6:50 miles, shooting for sub-...

Well friends, this is my last Sunday before school starts up again. (Though I have tomorrow off still... gotta ease back into the school year with a short week.) I am excited for fall and football games and big pots of chili. Oh, and pumpkin spice lattes. The start of the school year isn't too bad. The start of the school year also means the start of cross country season. Last week, there was an Open Cross Country Race in a town about 15 miles from here. So of course I participated. How could I not, it was only $2 to enter! Putting my Dirt Divas on... all photos courtesy of my awesome Business Man. The purpose is mostly to give high school teams a chance to have a 'practice meet' before the official season starts. I think there were only 2 or 3 people in the race that were not high school athletes. Heh. But I didn't really care. At the start. The race went well - but I forgot how hard  cross country races really are! It'd been about 2 years s...