Race Recap: Black Cat/Friday the 13th 5K

P and I ran the Black Cat/Friday the 13th/Friggatriskaidekaphobia 5K at Second Sole last week.  It was a chilly night (although, all things considered, was warmer than it had been over the few previous days); the wind chill was about 10 degrees.  The race start time was 7:06PM, so it was dark when we took off.  I was geared up in what has become my winter running "uniform" (see posts here and here for details) and this time I tried something a little different...I put charcoal boot warmers in my running shoes in an effort to keep my toes from going numb from the cold.  My plan was to take them out right before the start of the race, simply because I didn't think it would be comfortable for me to run with the little packets right underneath the ball of my foot.  They did a great job keeping my toes warm...almost hot at a few points.  However, as they ushered us out of the running store and into the cold night air to get to the start line, I pulled out the little packets and threw them in the trash can and then....my feet went numb and were freezing not 2 minutes later.  RATS!!!!

This race was super fun...in my opinion we have some of the BEST races locally.  The cost was only a penny, and to "celebrate" Friday the 13th they did all sorts of superstitious things...salted the course, threw "lucky pennies" all over the course, and to finish you had to run under a ladder.  How creative is that?  Just love this running community that we have here in our hometown.

It wasn't my best race this year....I stupidly FLEW out of the gate at the start, running far faster than I normally do, all because my toes were so cold and I was trying to get the blood back into them.  My first mile was 8:34, which is pretty fast for me....I usually try to stick around 9:00.  The cold night air kept making me cough, and I got tired really early because I had started out so fast..  I also didn't eat my normal pre-race peanut butter bagel because we were going out to dinner after the run.  So things were just "off". I ended up finishing in 28:54.

Big smile while finishing! (Photo credit: Second Sole)

I'm happy we ran that night, because the next day it snowed almost 8 inches!  There's lots of snow in the forecast for the upcoming days, so I have been running on the treadmill.  I freaking HATE running on the treadmill, too...but at least it's indoors, and it's right there in my basement.  I've been clicking on the TV down there and running through 1 half-hour episode of any decent TV show I can find.  I start to feel like I'm going to go insane about 25 min in, so 30 min is definitely my max on the "hamster wheel"!

Here's my newest "nails of the moment" color....OPI Gelcolor in "My Favorite Ornament".  This is part of a holiday line that OPI very recently came out with, so it's rather new and I wasn't sure how I was going to like it.  I am normally NOT a full-non-glitter polish kinda girl, but I've got to admit...I LOVE this one!!!!  Very sparkly, champange/silver colored glitter.  It feels very "holiday-ish" to me.  And from far away, it's quite subtle...you can't see the glitz until you are right up close.  I've gotten a TON of compliments on this color since I had a manicure last week...even my manicurist was saying how much she loved it and was thinking about rocking it on her own nails for the holidays!

With flash

Close-up, with flash

No flash

Race Recap: East Side Turkey Trot

On Thanksgiving morning, P and I headed out to the east side of town to run the East Side Turkey Trot, a turkey-day 5K put on by Second Sole.  It was a cold day, so I was once again bundled up in my C9 by Champion gaiter-neck shirt, running coat, ear band, and mittens - in addition to an old pair of fleece-lined tights that I run almost all of my winter races in, and 2 pairs of socks in an effort to keep my piggies from going numb.  Many of our running group members were there, too.

I really liked this race - the course was most flat and simply around some residential streets around the local YMCA, but it felt really nice to be getting out there and exercising with hundreds of other people on a day when SO MUCH emphasis is put on eating!!  There was a costume contest as well - lots of people dressed like turkeys, pilgrims, a couple of Halloween costumes and one guy dressed as Thor.  Super fun and cute.  Tons of kids running with their parents (ours stayed with family for the morning), which also makes things fun.  And we could wait inside the HEATED YMCA both before and after the race....so much nicer than standing around outside!  Major bonus points for that feature.  The race featured start/finish timing mats and QR codes on the bibs that you could scan with your smartphone to instantly get your finish time.  So cool how races are really keeping up with the technology!  I finished this one in 28:08.

Me finishing the race (photo credit: Second Sole)

 Not a PR, but I got nice and sweaty and burned a few hundred calories before going off and eating not one but TWO Thanksgiving meals between my side of the family and P's.  Loved the delicious food and family time!

I recently realized that I did not show off my new shoes!  Well, they are the exact same model as my old ones: New Balance Minimus style WR00 (zero drop).  My old ones were white with pink trim - I got them in May and ran in them all summer and absolutely LOVED them.  My 5K time improved by almost a minute once I started running in these zero-drop shoes. They were looking a little worn and I started thinking about getting a new pair in a different color - I saw this vibrant pink and knew I wanted them!  Then, a few weeks ago, there was a New Balance box sitting in the kitchen when I got home from work - P had ordered the pink ones for me as a surprise!  I just love these and can't wait to wear this pair out, too.

The weather has taken a ridiculously frigid/windy turn around here.  This morning I walked from my office to the coffee shop on campus (less than a 5 minute walk) and I literally got an "ice cream headache" feeling from the cold and wind.  Brrrrrrr.  I officially broke down and used the treadmill this morning.  As much as I hate running on the treadmill, I also hate running in extreme weather like this.  So, treadmill it is - until at least the wind dies down.   P has been doing the Runner's World Running Streak Challenge for December, so he's been out every single day to run a minimum of 1 mile.  Wind, snow, ice - you name it, he's ran in it so far this month.  I'm so proud of him and wish I wasn't such a baby about the cold.

There is a Friday the 13th 5K at the local running store this Friday....P and I are both planning on going (if we can get a sitter for the kids for a bit).  It's free to anyone who has participated in any of their other sponsored group runs, and for everyone else registration is just a penny!!  It's supposed to be one of the warmest days this week too - high of 31.  I'm hoping to be able to make it and run.  Otherwise there are no planned 5Ks in the near future (keeping in mind that this can change at any time!).

And finally - my Nails of the Moment:  OPI Gelcolor in Big Apple Red, with an accent nail of GelColor in Witch Is Which?  Very holiday-ish.