Run for Boston

So this past weekend Michelle Moore (also known as Miche), O, and yours truly hit the trails at the Boulder Reservoir for the Boulder Distance Classic 15k and 5k races. When arrived early for registration, we were pleasantly surprised to find that our runners packet came with this logo on our race tshirts! The director of the race was actually in Boston and had finished the race an hour before the bombings went off. Before the race he shared his story and gave a short devotional about how the running community would not be shaken by such heinous acts. It was really cool to be in this sweet community that dedicated this race and day to people we didn't even know.

After a moment of silence and the national anthem it was on and let me tell you, Miche and I owned the 15k! This was one of the hardest races that I had ever competed in, not because of the terrain, although that had a few challenges, but because the athletes were dominated by the Boulder community and all of their running groups. There was only 255 15k competitors, but each of these competitors had something to prove on their turf. With it being a small race, it was easy for us to get a good start. After the first mile Michelle and I both found ourselves in the top 10% of the pack after with times of 7min and 30 sec and 6min and 30 sec!

When I heard my female British accent Endomondo app tell me my first mile time, my response was, "Oh $#*^!" Later I found out that Miche experienced the same thoughts as we were way ahead of our projected targets. She was shooting for an average 8.30min/mile pace while I was hoping for an 8min/mile. So getting that far ahead naturally brought on a few mental obstacles that scared us that we were not going to have enough gas to finish.

As I said, this was a tough race not just because of our pace, but because we were running on trails, which weren't very stable. The lanes were usually only one person wide and it would cost a lot of energy to get past another runner. Runner's etiquette definitely had to be followed and thankfully that was not an issue.

In the midst of my run, I found that the only people I could get in a good rhythm with was females. The men would either pass me at a much faster pace or they were behind me by a good margin. There was no in between. So the first half I was paced by these two ladies who obviously train together. After that I tried to keep up with an all Lululemon clad female who smoked me the last mile and a half.

Besides having to get over those comparisons, I finished with a PR of 1hour 9min and 39seconds! An average pace of 7.29min/mile! I was definitely pleased with that and couldn't ask for a better time. After the race, I found those women who helped keep my pace and thanked them. It was cool to see their expression because I am sure that was the last thing they expected.

Miche was just behind me with her PR at 1hour 19min! Seeing the shock on her face when she crossed the finish line was epic! There really is something about seeing a friend train so hard and then be rewarded for their hard work! This was her last run before her 1/2 marathon next week in Fort Collins, CO and she has so much confidence going into. We are wishing her the best and know that she is going to crush it!

Unfortunately for O, she was forced to power walk her 5k rather than attack it with her ferocity. O has started seeing the chiropractors at Body In Balance, in Golden, CO. They have been a great fit for her back as she suffers from scoliosis. After two weeks of therapy, she has already begun to see a huge improvement in her posture and stance. After discussing the race with them, they advised her to take a break from running for a while so as to not lose any of the progress that she's made. It was a tough request and being forced to walk is a humbling process. But she not only endured it, but excelled in it! With a goal of one hour she clocked in at 38min and 36seconds! She will admit that it was a tough workout and it was really cool to see her put on her game face and do her best. Even when it wasn't what she wanted to do. I couldn't be more proud of her.

 

All in all, it was a good result that consisted of PR's, getting "Run for Boston" Brooks gear, and making new memories with a close friend. So glad that it's over and now it's on to a new event! Not sure what will be next, but O and I are definitely getting stronger and loving this journey to the be fittest athlete we can be!

For all you running married couples out there, here's a pic I found on one of my Crossfit athlete's twitter that made me laugh a lot!