Ten Things Tuesday- Race Edition

Hello, welcome to 10 races Tuesday. I have quite a lot to share with you today.

My morning started with a pretty lame workout. Tuesdays are for cross-training but I didn't want to hit the bike too hard b/c I was pretty tight from spin class yesterday and have plans for the usual spin class tomorrow too. I speed walked on the TM at a pretty serious incline (12-15) for 20 minutes, did some time on the monster stair-climber and ran a mile. It felt pretty lackluster but I got in some really good stretching and foam rolling at the end.

Tonight I came home from work with the motivation to run, and run I did. At about 1pm I knew I wanted to run tonight, but as the afternoon ticked on, it was obvious I was not getting out of work anytime that would allow a nice outdoor run which it what I was craving. Well when I finally escaped at 7:15 I rushed home and told myself if I ran quick I could get in about 2 miles before the sun went down.

2.27 in 20 minutes, or I did 2 miles in 17:35 or an average 8:49 pace. It felt good to beat the stress of the day out and have another effortless run 2 days in a row- it's nice when things just click.



Well, if you couldn't guess what I did today, I registered for my next race! I am not super pumped about it yet, but it is a new (and random) distance, an 8k (4.97) miles. We might as well make it an even 5 mile run and call it a day, but I don't make the rules.

The Run to the Sun 8k is in 11 days or 2 weekends from now. I was pretty pissed I couldn't do the 15k I wanted this weekend in Clearwater because I have to work...AGAIN, but a guaranteed PR is always nice too. This race is in Orange Park, which is pretty much a suburb of Jacksonville even though people who live there like to tell you it's its own special little town- a mall doesn't make you a separate city, especially if I can mail you something and write Jacksonville, FL and it still makes it to your house ;)

Ok enough ranting, this race made me ralize that I really function better when I have a goal in place, and races make good goals, so I have pretty much organized myself today and I present you with 10 Things Tuesdsay...My next 10 races (all this year!!!). It goes something like this:

1.  Run to the Sun 8k (4/17)
2.  Shrimp Festival 5k (5/1)
3.  Run for the Pies 3M (6/12)
4.  Bridge of Lions 5k (7/17)
5.  Tour de Pain- 4M, 5k, 1M series (8/13-8/14)
6.  Labor Day 5k (9/6)
7.  Miracle Miles 15k (9/25)
8.  Marine Corps Half Marathon (10/2)
9.  Women's Magazine Half Marathon (11/21)
10. Outback Distance Classic- Half Marathon (11/25)

Now I am sure there will be a few random races that get added in there somewhere, but this is what I am looking at for the rest of the year (plus 2 races in December) that will round me out for 15 for the year.

Yes there are A LOT of 5ks through the summer, but when you live in Florida that is the longest they will let you race from May-September because it's too damn hot! So be ready to see repeated 5k PR's and then I bring you the Fall of the Half Marathon (there is also 1 more that would make race 12, but my list doesn't go that far). I am looking at 4 half marathons from October-December and am really excited about it.

Off to watch finish biggest loser and get ready for a fab 5 miles in the morning!