TC1Mile - 2013

This is probably my most favorite running event. 

The Twin Cities 1 Mile.  Like their slogan says "It's just 1 Mile."  And I love it.  You run down a pretty flat 1 mile stretch in Minneapolis, on the Nicollet Mall, which is generally open only to buses and pedestrians, and is supposed to be pretty popular for a Farmer's Market(in the Spring/Summer) and shopping.  It also has the Holidazzle Parade from the day after Thanksgiving through New Years or something, which is pretty fun too (read: cold and bundle up)!

One thing to note, there is the IDS Tower as well.  It was constructed to allow for 6" of movement at the top of the building to allow for the winds and what nots.  I will say this, it's pretty creepy to be on the sidewalk staring up, seeing the building move. I swear you can see it move.

At any rate, this is the 5th year in a row that I have completed the 1 Mile Race.  I was hoping to beat my best time of 11.22 *I know, this is not fast*.  But I failed, by 7 seconds.  Which is a little irritating, and I am a little sad with myself for not making my goal.  But I finished.

Here is a photo from before the race, in the photo are two of my friends from work.  Sarah and Karen have both completed the race 3 times I believe.. I know Sarah took at least 1 year off being pregnant, or post partum, or something.  And Karen, well, I know she has done this with me at least two times. 

Sarah, Me, Karen

 It was cold.  Like 50 degrees Fahrenheit.  With a wind.  I had to go pick up a sweet long sleeve shirt before I went down, since I only brought a running tank top and a layering tank to wear.  At least the shirt was on clearance for $11 at Target.

I did have running capri's and running pants to choose from.  It had been 60 degrees, sunny and no wind the day before!  I picked up the running pants last night at Kohl's on clearance for $15.  I couldn't love them anymore than I do already.  I think they are super awesome! What are your thoughts on my super sexy pants?

They make me smile, and because of the color pattern on it, any lumps or bumps are pretty well camouflaged.

What is even more funny, that after I was done watching Scandal tonight, I was just watching the news as I typed this, and they covered the TC1Mile.  Guess who made the news?  That's right, this one!  Well, not me specifically, but a crowd of people running.. I just happen to be able to spot myself in a crowd, not sure why.

What is your favorite running event?



Turkey Day 5K!

First off, Happy Thanksgiving!  My most favorite holiday of the year!

So, my running friend D and I have done the Turkey Day 5K for 2 years I think?  For sure last year, but I think the year prior as well, I could go through my closet with the pile of Race T's if I wanted, but I am not at home.



Our T-shirts and my personalized bib!

At any rate.  We did it, our 5K. Finished, I think she did better than usual, or I did worse? I didn't have my inhaler (that's my excuse), and neither of us really know when either of us finished. We both donated a bag of food, and once it was done, I zoomed home, and took a shower, and now we are headed north to have dinner and spend the night at my grandparent's house.  A two and a half hour drive, that I wish was quicker.

Turkey Day 5K, 2012

Hope you have a great Thanksgiving with your family, and you enjoy the fellowship around the table!

Let's Learn about Running

At work, they offered what they call a 'Lunch and Learn' about common injuries related to running, and what I thought, ways to prevent them.

These happen over the lunch hour with the idea of bringing your lunch and learning.  I think it is a good idea, but the thing where they fall short, is they have it set with just chairs, and no where to put your lunch, other than your lap.

This time around - they did have tables, which was great.  Except that based on previous experience, I didn't bring my lunch.

This session was okay.  They talked about the different issues runners have, those shin splints people get, and I have now diagnosed myself with Plantar Fasciitis.  But please note, they acutally didn't offer any solutions to get rid of it.  Thanks WebMD for your help. 

I had foot surgery back in December 2011 for bunion removal where the doc removed a portion of the metatarlsal, and then removed part of my pinky toe and I had him remove some ingrown toe nails on the big toes while I was out  Mind you, this was on both feet, at the same time.  My feet are now super sexy, especially with the scars.  The foot doc mentioned the plantar faciitis on the write up for the surgery.  I honestly didn't know what it was.  But now that I have been trying to run about 3 times a week (putting in a grand total of about 6.5 miles total).  My feet have been hurting a little more than I would like.  I mean, they are sore a lot, but they hurt now.

Basically, I should wear better shoes, and stretch the calf muscles and do some toe lifts/stretches or something every morning.  I really  should do that..

I will look into buying new shoes after The Color Run - the Happiest 5K on the Planet.  I am very much looking foward to doing this!!  My good friend D didn't sign up in time, but I am doing it with some other co-workers, the evil ones that suggested I sign up for the Medtronic TC 10 Mile in October, so I did. 

Do you have any running injuries/pains that bother you?  Have you been cRaZy enough to go through with surgery to correct them?

Are there any races you look forward to participating in - or know of fun ones I should?

HeartBeat 5000!

The 10th Annual HeartBeat 5000 took place today.  The money raised helps support the cardiac care program and efforts at Children's Hospital of Minnesota. 

How did I get roped into this one, and more importantly - how did my good friend D? Well, my company is a partner sponsor, and it was offering free race fee.  I went to the site to see about signing up, and yes, I did fill out the info, but it hadn't asked for payment info.  Which yes, would make sense since my employer said they would pay.  But I wasn't thinking, I hit next, and BAM! I am signed up.  And so I text my good friend D, and says, please tell me you have nothing going on, on this date, and that you are completely interested in participating in two 5K's in 7 days.. told her to use this code to get signed up for free.  She half reluctantly agreed, and signed up to take on the HeartBeat 5000.

Side note: My company is one of the partner sponsors.  I would like to point out, we did not have company t-shirts on.  Which is HIGHLY interesting, as the Big 3 medical device manufactures were present, and 2 out of the 3 were very well represented. 

The HeartBeat 5000 had t-shirts.  So, no worries, I still got one, that I will not wear - ever.

Not really sure what my deal is, I do not want to do a race with out a t-shirt, or other fun little perks.  But I have no care to actually put the t-shirt on.  I figure eventually, I will take that collection of technical and t-shirts and make one of those fancy shirt quilts.  Let me just say, I have never made a quilt.  But it can't be that hard, right?

So did the race, used my handy Couch to 5K app on my nifty iPhone.  And according to that map of my 'run', it puts the distance at 3.43 miles, which is .33 miles too far that what I signed up for.  My average pace was set at 12:53/mile - so that was pretty cool!!! :)  *for a non runner*  But it was warm.

I am not going to lie, the end - SUCKED.  It was on the Stone Arch Bridge, and it was still open to the public, which included, a pack of bicycles, and a Segway tour.  So freaking annoying.  Dodging random pedestrians, bikers, dogs, leashes, Segway tours.. are you kidding me?  Really annoying.

AND also, there were warm waters available at the end.  SUPER!

The view from the bridge.

On a high note though, on the walk back to my friend's car, there was a garage sale.  I 'heart' garage sales.  Many a stories of riding around in my grandma's station wagon garage sailing. :)   BUT - at this garage sale, there was a double papasan chair!  And I had seen this on the internet, where you change the papasan chair into a canopy! WAY cool.  We were in my good friend's convertable, so we put it on it.  I scored the chair frame for 3 dollars. Super cool!

What's not cool, is that it turns out that chair would not fit in my car, no matter how we tried to work it.  The chair is wider than my car.. oy.. BUT, crisis averted, as my friend drove me to my house to drop off the frame, and then drive me back to my car so she could get back to her place and continue on her way.

So, one day, I will get around to making the canopy... but for now it takes up space in me and and the Boyfriend's basement of the duplex we rent.

We will see when I get around to it.. sorry Boyfriend.

Flash Run 5K!

Today I participated in a Flash Run - I am sure you have heard of a Flash Mob by now.  Unless you have been hiding under a rock. 

If you have been hiding under a rock, the idea of a 'flash mob' is a bunch of people coming together at a pre-determined time in a public place, and busting out in dance (sometimes choreographed? that part I am fuzzy about).  Generally someone will have a boom box, or something for music. 

But enough of that.  This was basically a bunch of peeps getting together and starting at the same time, to run roughly 3.1 miles.  I went with my good friend D.  (please note, she and I would like to be runners, but lack a little *okay a lot* of the drive and determination)  My friend D and I walked the course for the most part, there were some bursts of jogging, but for the most part it was walking.  She had been at an Aerosmith concert the night before, so she was feeling peachy keen.

Side note:  Generally she and I do not travel the distance of the course together.  We will start together, and meet up after completing the course.  BUT  I had foot surgery on both feet back in December, the foot doctor told me that I might be able to do the Valentine's Day 5K in February(duh).  Well that was a lie.  But my friend and I had done this 5K the year before, and we signed up (me and my wishful thinking) and she was kind enough to walk with me, in February, in Minnesota, when the temp was 1 degrees above zero,  around a lake, with a wind at 15MPH which is roughly 20 degrees below zero faherenheit (without the lake effect).  It took literally about an hour and a half.  It was too freaking cold to be walking.  But she did it with me, so I sucked up and walked with her.

Okay - so the walk (sometimes 'running') wasn't so bad.  We finished in like 50 minutes or something (allegedly - there was no time clock).  I used my Couch to 5K app on my nifty iPhone, and that's what it timed us at.

But the nice part about the day, aside from driving up to her house, getting her out of bed on a Sunday that seemed way too much fun, driving down to Minneapolis, I got to see the Stone Arch Bridge.  Well, AND 'run' across it. 

And as it turns out.. I had been on that bridge previously, with the Boyfriend, after eating at the Old Spaghetti Factory, which is more hype than anything else, so you can go ahead and skip that restaurant, and make noodles, use Prego at home, mabye some garlic bread, and enjoy it more.

Let me show you a photo of the Stone Arch Bridge - and the Famous Grain Belt Beer sign.

(learn more about Grain Belt here.)

Oh, and I quite enjoyed the B1G1 at Caribou Coffee with my friend too, and sitting in her backyard chatting it up talking about everytihng and nothing, and then heading home to the boyfriend.  :)

In the rare case that you were noticing that this day was Father's Day and I do not mention hanging out with my Dad.. I hung out with him the day before for the Patriot Ride(sponsored by Dennis Kirk) at his house. :)