RevRun 2017

Yesterday was one of those rare days when running seemed to be going in my favor. I saw running friends. I hit most of my intervals. I had fun. What more could I ask for?

I looked at last year's stats. I finished in 1:16:19. This year I was only three minutes faster 1:13:09, but unlike last year, this year I felt like I was flying. I did slow down to try to encourage Julie to the finish line (yesterday was not her day), but for the most part I kept to my 1 minute:30 second intervals without mental complaints.

The race started 10 minutes late. Something that normally irks me, but as the port-o-pot line seemed a little longer than usual, I was glad to have some leeway. Plus it gave me a chance to chat with friends.

At the start I bumped into Sandra, who was running with a friend. I then saw my neighbor, Lucy (we live five houses apart) who was running with Kate. Kate had just finished telling her about this "nice lady" who told her about a 15k race coming up next month and I appeared. I was the nice lady she met at the 8K race on the other side of the Delaware River. (Side Note: We were glad the race was on the Pennsylvania side because for three days leading up to the race, Governor Christie closed the NJ State Parks until the budget was resolved. They did reopen on the 4th, but it was close.)

Turned around when I heard my name being called. Princess Debbie and Julie were also running the 10K.

As you can see, unlike last year when I wore pink for the race (because I like that running skirt a lot), this year I wore red and blue. Maybe by next year I'll find some white. I'm thinking for one of the Disneyland Paris races I am doing in the fall (I signed up for three--a 5k at night, 10k the next morning, half marathon on the third morning) I'll wear the skirt with a black tank top and add some ears.

I also saw Gabrielle on her bike and at the turn around. As always she is super speedy and finished way before I did. For the first time, though, I finished before my other friends. Combination of factors -- not feeling it, my being 30 seconds per mile faster, recovering from injuries, helping to pace a friend. It was still fun to not finish in the back of the pack. The fastest person was "only" about twice as fast as I was that day. Forty people finished after me! Contrast that with my 2011 finish when I was second from the end and more than a minute per mile slower!

Sweaty but happy

New ones on top

All in all it was the ego boost I needed. I felt doing a 7 mile training run (which turned into mostly a walk) gave me the mental push I needed. I'm thinking in order to train for my next half marathon I'll continue with adding a mile per week to my long runs, but instead of capping out around 11 or 12, I'll push to 14. I reserve the right to change my mind in September.

My feet said mental thank yous to my new sneakers. I went to Princeton Running Company on Nassau Street last week to help Don buy a pair of real sneakers (the Vibrams won't cut it for a half marathon). It was time for me to get a new pair, too. As I was debating between the $83 Nikes on sale and the $120 Nike Zoom Structure 20 that fits just like the ones I've been wearing (the Nike Zoom Structure 18) a different sales clerk told me the Zooms were on sale for $72. I wish they had two in stock in my size.

Happy feet!