Well, I'm not sure what happened to my morning run blog, so I'll just add it on to my race report.
I went running in the morning and got in 3.33 miles in this lovely flat terrain of Phoenix! My average pace was 10:57, which is faster than in Colorado but slower than my Phx run on Saturday. In the afternoon, Lybi convinced me to run a race that night (which is crazy for both of us - I had already run today and she was still hurting from her 12 miler on Saturday, but it sounded too run to be able to run together!!!)
We showed up an hour before the race and I registered (while Lybi ran "bandit" - shh! don't tell). It was surprisingly cold for Phoenix, or at least my nerves made it feel cold. The temperature was only 49, but we kept getting in the car to warm up. Lybi recommended we jog around and do strides for a warm up, so I added .5 miles to my total distance.
When the race finally started, Lybi had the Garmin and she would check it for our pace periodically. Our goal had been 10:00 for the 1st mile, and then 9:30 for the next 2. I had the best pacer in the world!!!! Lybi talked the ENTIRE way! :) She rattled on about running technique, how I was doing great, or goals that she had for the coming year. I seriously don't know how she did it! I love her!!! The first mile was good; I could tell it was faster than usual, but it wasn't demanding too much up front. The second mile felt harder (as it should), but Lybi kept talking and stayed 1 step ahead of me but still to the side - so I was always reaching to keep up with her. During the third mile, Lybi had us pick up the pace and we tried to play "games" to keep me from winding down. She would race ahead of me and I had to catch up and pass her, then she would pass me. I was surprised I had any energy left to pass her. My breathing was getting very heavy and a cramp in my back was hurting with each breath. I kept wanting to swing me head and flail my arms (what a wimp, I know!). When we finally turned for the home stretch (Lybi said it was about half a lap), we tried to pick up the pace again. I couldn't keep it up for long and started slacking, but then I heard footsteps behind me and found more energy! The last 50 yards, I heard some fast footsteps behind me, and as Lybi peeled off away from the course, I laid everything on the line so this person couldn't pass me. I sprinted as fast as I could, but he had more momentum and passed me within 10 feet of the finish line. Grrr. And, it turns out, he was 67 years old. Grrr. Oh well, he got me to pick it up at the very end, so I can't begrudge him too much. ;o)
Overall, it was a great race - I wish I could always race with Lybi!!!! She kept me diverted and focused on giving more. And my pace really showed her help:
mile 1 - 9:30
mile 2 - 9:46
mile 3 - 9:22
I don't think those numbers quite add up, so Lybi will have to put the accurate numbers. But my official time was 28:50!!!!!! We were trying to figure out how to compare that to my last 5K and I think it means that I would've been sub-30 for a 5K and shaved off 6 minutes from my last time of 36:37!!!!!!!!!!!! Woohoo!!!!! (I'll let Sasha correct the comparison, if I was wrong)
So, flat terrain, lower altitute, and a great sister made for a very fun race to ring in the new year! HAPPY NEW YEAR, FRB!!! | 