Monday, May 11, 2009

Awesome Saturday (Run for your rights 5K race report)

I completely TORTURED myself about the decision to not run the Kirkland Half (which goes to show how important it is for me to just sign up for races early…when I've invested I feel like the decision is made). I was excited however that it freed me up to do a really fun run for an organization I love. I ran this race in 2007, it was the 2nd 5K I ever did and the first time I ran the whole distance. My time was ~35:00ish (not chip timed and I only remembered to note the whole minute).

On Friday the Captain and I went to see the StarTrek movie with some of his friends at a supercool movie theater at 11pm. The movie was good, and his friends are great and I was happy to have cleared up the fact that the "Cinerama" in downtown Seattle was not a decrepit crack den and a nuisance to the city. I didn't hit the sack until after 2am. But here is why this is the race for me…Step off was at NOON!!!



I slept in, ate some breakfast, prep'd my bike for a ride later in the day, got some M-day cards in the mail (I know, I suck), and finally headed to the race.

Run for your rights is a fundraiser/awareness raiser for NARAL and I just love being around my pro-choice peeps! They are always so positive and dedicated…these are two traits I admire in runners too so this event combines some very upbeat/hardworking people. It was the epitome of a fun-run; people young and old, dogs, strollers, rollerskates, wheelchairs, all ready to run, trot, roll or otherwise traverse the 5K.

Where there is NARAL though, there are protesters with GIANT signs. The race on Saturday was especially special since there were a large number of protesting kids- including one especially adorable little future clinic bomber. They were hilarious; one pro-choice runner (early 20's?) was changing into a short sleeved shirt for the run (and thus exposing her jogbra!) and an Anti-choicer came by and told her how it is being slutty in that way that leads to unwanted pregnancy. HILARIOUS

There was a rally and excitement until it was finally time to run. I lined up with the runners and started my timer as I crossed the start line. I was trying to push fairly hard early on but after not too long I was feeling awful. I thought I must still be sick, or worse, must have lost any mediocre running ability I had when I was sick. I thanked my lucky stars that I didn't have 11miles or so more to go in a half marathon feeling this way. I looked at my timer as I crossed the approximate 1/2way point. 14:28…hmmm, maybe I feel crappy cause I'm running hard? So I tried to keep where I was. The result:

28:06 BITCHES! (I never like using that word like that but it was the thought that ran through my head)

That is a 9:03 mile! For the whole 5K, and if my timer was right at all I eeked out a small negative split!

I felt really tired after this and was scheduled to go for a bike ride around Mercer Island with an old TNT buddy at 1:30. I refueled and hydrated (and caffeinated) and got on my bike.




What a fantastic ride! We dangerously rode 2 abreast for awhile, catching up, talking about boys ;)



It was absolutely beautiful out; not a cloud in the sky. I attempted to take some pics.



We did once around the island (~14miles?) and I headed out to the next event. Kite Flying with my sister and nephews. We totally stunk at kite flying but Gasworks Park is THE place to be on a sunny day- kites, water, seaplanes, sailboats, and the works! Those boys are the funnest…

From there I headed out to The Captain's for tamale making. He has mad knife skills and the man can mise en place like nobody's business! I think we were a pretty good team in the kitchen and we wound up with some yummy if funky looking tamales (at 10:30pm). It was fun trying the different combinations we had made and I never knew before that masa expands in your stomach because we were so full.

He may think I am a nut job because when we were grocery shopping I couldn't stop telling him what a great day it was; to do so many things I love with so many of the people I love. It was awesome!

1 comment:

Titanium Spork said...

Congrats on the great race! 9:03 is fabulous!!

"Especially adorable future clinic bomber" made me laugh out loud.

Sounds like a great day indeed.