A PR and a Medal

It's Saturday, and I am trying to fit it all in.  Beyond swamped at work, and am writing this as I am waiting for my amazing assistant to finish transcribing a tape so that I can make revisions and we can get a pleading filed.  Sometimes you have to do what you have to do in order to fit everything in.  As a result, I am icing while working.  Not the best way to do it, but again, it has to be done.



Icing (i.e. ice bath) and dictating a brief at the same time.  That's what I call multi tasking.



I had a 5K this morning in City Park.  Amazing weather that is very uncharacteristic for New Orleans in April.  I will gladly take it, though.  I haven't been feeling wonderful and, truth be told, have felt a bit dehydrated.  I realized that part of it is likely due to weaning off the Prednisone.  I tried to sufficiently hydrate and stretch over the last few days, but I obviously didn't do enough.  I was completely dehydrated today.  My throat was dry the entire time and I just felt sluggish.  I tried to mask it all pre race, and I think I did an even better job of masking the butterflies that I was feeling. Why am I still getting nervous before these races?



Pre race.



I ran by myself today. I had friends doing the race, but pace wise I was by myself ---- me and Rhianna.  I didn't listen to the guys on the course yelling the times at each mile marker because I didn't want to be disappointed.  I didn't look at my watch during the race either.  The last quarter of a mile, with the finish line in sight, I sped up.  I finished in 33:48, my fastest 5K to date.  I even got a medal as a result of being one of the first 150 women to finish.



Post race.  Medal in hand.  First time I have really earned one rather than just getting one for participating.



The time wasn't stellar, but I am improving each week and i have to be happy with that.  I also have to keep in mind that I didn't feel amazing and I was dehydrated.  Now I need to know what to work on. 

Hydration is going to be an ongoing issue for me.  Part of me was so nervous to over hydrate.  Last weekend we were forced to wait over an hour before we could cross the start line.  Without that wait, I would have been fine.  With the wait, I had to pee.  There wasn't anyplace to pee.  About a mile in, I was fairly certain that I had peed my pants a bit --- I mentioned it to Gen and just kept going with it.  I really didn't feel anything and I was wearing compression shorts under my shorts that were designed to "wick away" the moisture.  Let me tell you, they did.  Let's just say that when I got the official photos this week from the Shamrock Shuffle, there was indeed evidence that I had peed my pants.



At 36 years old no less.  But, as with everything else that happens on this journey, I have to own it.

 This week I woke up extra early in order to hydrate early.  I peed a half an hour before the race.  I hadn't hydrated enough.  (I also wore darker shorts just in case.)  I have to find the balance and do so quickly.

Today I was supposed to run 8 miles and 3 miles tomorrow.  I am switching it around.  Based on only being able to run outside on the pavement one day a week, tomorrow's run is going to have to be on a treadmill.  Not the best training, but it will get done.

Next Saturday is a 10k on the pavement.  A big race --- 30,000 people or so.  Apparently there is going to be a lot of dodging of strollers, etc.  My colleague Max, a Michigan alum who is counting the days until this bet is over and I will happily hand him all of the Michigan clothing that I have been gifted, has graciously offered to run it with me.  It's going to be an extremely busy week at the office, plus Passover Seders have to be added to the mix --- meaning time away from both the office and the gym.  Getting it all in this week is going to be tough, but I'm going to have to figure out a way to do it. 

Six weeks until the half marathon.  Holy Crap!!!!