Double Header

My whirl-wind double header race weekend/visit with mom and dad is quickly coming to a close.  The racing parts are official done and I am BEYOND thrilled with how they went.

The flights went well....as well as can be with an 18 month old who doesnt like to sit still.  We didnt end up on CNN (yet) and I didnt have to get drunk to survive so I will call it a success.

The drive home was fun...took a but longer then usual because my dad didnt take the turn we have taken for 10 years usually take so we ended up in Downtown Ann Arbor.  At 445pm.  On a Friday night.  The bonus to this was we went past the Big House and Shembechler Hall as the UofM football team was getting out of a spring practice or weight lifting or something.  Let me just say right here that football pads do not do justice to the upper body.  I would say Yummy but Im a bit older then them and that seems weird...oh what the hell, Im on vacation.....YUMMY!!!

Bran sleeping in the car.

Saturday brought the Clare Irish Festival 5K/10K at 9am.  We went early in an attempt to find a
parking place where my mom (who is 3 weeks post surgery for her 3rd knee replacement) could watch without a long walk. 

Parking - Great
Viewing for mom = Epic Fail  We managed to park on the only corner of a block where the race didnt go past. 

Clare Irish Festival starting line.

Dad and Bran were able to see the start and the finish, so that was nice!!  I came out WAAAAY to fast....and I knew it and tried to slow down but couldnt get it done....the pace was a fast pace so I either hung with the pack or dropped back.  I hung with the pack and pulled a PR of 24:47!!

Splits: Mile 1 - 8:31
           Mile 2 - 8:31
           Mile 3 - 8:15

Finish line of Clare.

I guess there is something to be said for 800ft elevation when your used to 3400ft :)

And I may or may not have picked out a "skinny blonde bitch" to not allow to beat me...and she didnt.

Placed me 5th in my age group out of 73...woot woot!!  Of course, they do awards for the top 3 in each age division....darn!

Celebrating with Beezer (he couldnt care less)

The only downfall to the race was the 2 teenage girls who ran hard enough to puke.  6 steps after they crossed the line.  Thankfully (I guess) I was right behind them so I saw them and didnt step in the puke or get water because it was right at the water table...nice but really....they were 2 feet from the grass...I bet they could have made it....grrrr.

Sunday was the Al Kaynar St. Patricks Day 5K/8K.  Started at 1145am.  In typical Michigan fashion AKA mother nature has a serious personality disorder the temp at start time was a wonderful 73 degrees with are you ready for this......67% humidity.  W.T.F.   This IS a St Pattys Day race...as in MARCH....but whatever...mother nature didnt drop any tornado's or hail, so I guess its better then the alternative.  But still...uhhhh.

Anyway...I met up with Rachel who has been a friend of mine for what we figure is 14 years or so....over half my our lives.  She claims she isnt much of a runner but she is a wicked cross fit instructor who has a body from hell so I wasnt about to feel sorry for her suffering through the run.  I did agree to slow down and run with her...which I did for the first 3 miles.  Then I moved ahead more because the walkers were filtering back into the course and didnt leave us much room for side by side.  I thought I kept my pace but I guess I pushed a bit because Rachel wasnt with me anymore.  We went for a 9:00 and I came in at 44:47!!!  So I beat my goal of a sub 45:00. P.S. Rachel finished 90 seconds behind me....she didnt need me or anything but starting her pace....not a runner my ass!!!

Rachel and I pre-race

Splits were very steady the first 3 miles -
Mile 1: 9:00
Mile 2: 9:01
Mile 3: 8:58
Mile 4: 8:48
Mile 5: 8:24

Bay City starting line

GO!

Finish line!!!!

I came in at 28 out of 84 in my age group, and 391 out of 778 total runners.  Thats just the 8K totals....there were over 6000 people total.  Glad I didnt run the 5K.....and now I see why it thinned out so much when we did drop them off our course.  YIKES!!!

It was a great run, well put on...the medals are awesome (MY FIRST ONE!!!) and I would gladly do this run again.  If mom and dad havent sold their house by next March, I will be back!

Tonight...is relaxing at my favorite restaurant....Gengi's japanese steak house in Midland....sushi.  shrimp and scallops. Apple Martinis.  Great company.....Im thoroughly enjoying my weekend in Michigan!!!!