2011 is here!!

And OMC is the shit!

Today I ran a 5k to kick off the new year. I beat my previous 5k (29:59) time by 46 seconds (29:13) which made me happy! (Edit: Extra happy, official time was 29:11, hehe.)
I don't know what I was expecting. I sort of wasn't expecting anything. I used my new Garmin and figured out how to make it give me my mile splits which was cool.

I kept glancing at it and seeing paces around 9:12 or 8:54 and a couple of times 8:30, so I actually thought it might be possible for me to PR today. BUT, that last tenth of a mile (for me) adds a whole minute to the time that I never even consider. I know that's dumb. I'm running, thinking "If I can keep up a 9 minute mile or so, I'll have this in 27:XX." Uhhhh, no ya won't. Because even at a 9:00 mile, you're still doing 1/10th of a mile in over 50 seconds- which MIGHT AS WELL BE a minute!


It was a fun little race, very informal. It only cost $5 to participate (all we got was our timing chip and a number which was irrelevant) and it started at noon. It was also on the way to my friend's house whose cat I'm taking care of while she's away for the holidays, so it seemed logical to take the Metro and combine the two activities. Plus, the weather was PERFECT. 50, cloudy, no wind.

I met a super nice girl right off the metro who came over to the map I was looking at and trying to find the start of the race. We walked there together and talked until we got there, then the stretching commenced and I took off to do a little warming up. I was SO glad that I did because as I ran just the very beginning of the course, I knew (mainly mentally) what I'd be in for at the end. The first 10th of a mile or so is allllll down a somewhat steep ramp of a pedestrian overpass. Which means... you guessed it, the LAST 10th of a mile- the very very end of the race when you're all tired- is right back up that steep twisty turny ramp! It was a good place to warm up and mentally pep-talk myself into NOT walking or being 'too tired' when I got to it at the end, but knowing how it would feel to run up it and finish strong. And when I finished the race, I re-played my warm-up run in my head and was able to keep pushing all the way up to the top, just like I had hoped.

I did laugh when I got back on the metro and checked my Garmin to see my mile splits. I was a little faster than I thought I would be, averaging about a 9:15 pace (DON'T LAUGH THAT'S FAST FOR ME DAMNIT) but the last split, just that last little 10th of a mile, up the ramp, pace went up to 10:33. HahahHahahA!

Anyway since the race was called "Predictions and Resolutions 5k" I thought a lot about that while I was running. I don't believe in so-called "New Year's" resolutions but I always believe in becoming a better person. Of course during race time I was focused on becoming a better athlete.
So,

I Predict that I'll keep up with my running and be in good shape (meaning I won't die) for the Cherry Blossom 10 miler and the half in June. Even if I have to walk a little, I don't think I'll have to walk any significant distance.
I Resolve to make more of an effort to get to my gym- for class, weight training, swimming, whatever. Half the reason I don't go is because I'm not familiar with the place and get lost cause it's huge and feel like a dork and yes I would like some cheese with my whine. Well dumbass, you're not going to get familiar with the place IF YOU DON'T GO! Right!! I figure even though it will be hella crowded this time of year with the New Years Resolutions people who will drop out after February 17 because they'll get a shitload of Valentine's Day candy and eat it all while they watch The Biggest Loser and decide it's a lost cause, I can blend right in with those n00bs and not feel like AS much of a nerd at least. Dorkery loves company!
I Predict that I'll get bored of my usual running routes since I have total ADD and could never stay on a treadmill, much less run the same route over and over, and get hopelessly lost at least once or twice and get pissy and call my husband for a ride home. Or a cab = less embarrassing. And therefore,
I Resolve to make cue sheets for myself when plotting a new complicated route. I did that a week ago and it actually worked out well, only took one wrong turn and that was because the road made a sharp right and changed names or something ridiculous like that.
I Predict that since I cleaned out the basement yesterday (YAAY!), I'll set the trainer up soon and try to do some sessions on there.
I Also Predict that I will get bored of that after 10 minutes. Thus,
I Resolve to put a TV or at least the teeny portable DVD player somewhere downstairs to alleviate some of said boredom.
I Predict that my cute new athletic swimmin' bikinis will arrive in the mail next week and I'll be all OMGWTFICAN'TWAITTOGOSWIMMIIIINNNNNNG! and will go to the gym to try out their pool for the very first time, and get in and go OMGIT'SCOLDIT'SCOLDIT'SCOLD and still try to swim anyway and have 0 endurance and gasp and flail and say "Bleh this suuuhhh-HUCKS" and be done in 20 minutes. 30 minutes tops.
I Resolve to not completely blow off swimming this year. I haven't been in a pool since August. I also haven't signed up for any tri's this year due to travel plans this summer and no idea when stuff will be happening, but I KNOW it's very VERY valuable cross training and will help me with my running. And I have a lot of running I'd like to do!! And if I do stick with the swimming, who knows, maybe I will be confident enough to end up doing another tri this year.