Monday, November 8, 2010

Weekend Run Update and More

I had the Hot Chocolate 15k on Saturday. It's 9.3 miles. That's a long way! Yes, I've run half marathons, but usually only 1 time a year. Other than that, it's usually between 3-6 miles that I run at a time.

It was going to be cold on Saturday. And it was when I hit the road, maybe around 30 degrees! I didn't want to go, I didn't want to be there. I wanted to stay sleeping. But a runner has to do what a runner has to do!

I felt pretty good the whole run. Sure, I was tired and really wanted to quit between mile 3-5, but it's all mental. If you physically feel good, you have to push through mentally.

I was giving myself one rest break. I figured I would walk for 2 mins about mile 6. When I got to mile 6, I was making pretty good time and thought that I would wait and walk at mile 7. However, at mile 7, still feeling pretty ok and still making good time, I thought that there is only 2 miles left, I might as well finish. I didn't need to walk at all! Whoa! That's pretty incredible for me! I usually have to walk some time during long runs!

It also stopped being cold around mile 3! Beautiful day to run! So glad I went.

My goal for this run since I had never run this distance in a timed run before was 1 hour 40 mins. I just wanted to be under that time! I decided to set a harder goal (and one I really didn't think I would achieve) at 1 hour 35 mins. I figured for the distance, that would be hard to achieve.

I kept a pretty good pace of under 10 mins/mile for about the first 4-5 miles! That's incredible for me! And the last maybe 4 miles, I kept a pretty consistent 10 min/mile pace! I don't have one of those fancy watches that tell me this, but I use the clocks they have at every mile marker to determine how fast/slow that mile was.

So when I crossed the finish line, I knew that I made it in around 1:30-1:31! WHOA? Really? I killed the times I set for myself! I was so happy with that!

The official time is 1:30:15 with an average pace per mile of 9.41 mins/mile! For me, this is huge! I only compete with myself on time and I've never run a run of ANY distance with a pace faster than 10+ mins/mile! And to run a personal best with a distance of 9.3 miles? I'm speechless!

In other news: I had that big family party on Saturday evening. I was going to meet that guy Matt from Nebraska. I decided to swing by my cousin's house on Friday night to meet him and get any awkwardness out of the way before the party on Saturday. It worked! I was super nervous on Friday and it was kind of awkward, but was much better on Saturday.

I will tell you, he is cuter than I expected from his pictures on facebook. Also, at the family party, we spent much of the evening together. Well, that threw my family for a loop! They were cornering me and questioning me.

Who is this guy you are talking to? Why are you talking to him? Why are you eating with him? Maybe you should move to another table and not eat with him (what? seriously guys??)? Why are you talking to him if he is from Nebraska? It was funny at times but pretty ridiculous at other times! The funny questioning ones were ok. The judgmental, "you shouldn't be talking to him" comments really kind of pissed me off. I thought those comments were rude and inappropriate. But I know they are my family. They NEVER see me talking to any guys. I NEVER bring guys around them EVER! (This may be the reason for that!). But I know they have my best interests at heart.

Want a picture from that night? This is NOT the best picture of us, but it was the first one that was taken and the only one my cousin has made available to me right now. I'm in my "closed off/awkward/arms crossed/who's taking my picture" kind of mode right now. But as you can see, I was cold and he got his jacket for me to wear. Awww, chivalry is not dead! lol If I get my hands on a better picture, I will post it.


And we spent all day on Sunday together. Half of it was with my cousin and her family so it was normal stuff. The other half, we ditched them and saw half of a really bad movie (do NOT see Hereafter), went out to eat and tried to find something else to occupy our time but couldn't since my cousin lives in the middle of nowhere.

Today, he is coming to my area, checking out my house for a minute (minus the rooms that are not clean), then going to eat at my parent's restaurant. We will probably try to find something else cheap and easy to do afterward.

I'm going to be sick from work on Tuesday and possibly Wednesday. Well...Matt leaves on Thursday and he did drive 7.5 hours, so it's the least I could do! So that's that.

No, you aren't getting juicy or not-juicy details! lol. And at Thanksgiving and a family baby shower later this month and in December, I'm KNOW I'm going to be cornered by my family again with LOTS of questions! They are so nosey!

And my eating? Well, I threw it all out the window this weekend. So even though I still may not be 100% perfect this week, I'm going to be more conscience of the choices I make. And NO CANDY! I know I have gained several pounds. The scale will not be happy!

7 comments:

  1. Anonymous11/08/2010

    I'm glad its going well!! :)

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  2. Amanda, AWESOME job on your race! You killed it!

    Glad you had a good time with Matt!

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  3. great job on killing your time!

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  4. Wow, what a great time on that race - and that you didn't have to stop and walk is awesome!!

    Glad the weekend wasn't all awkward! :D

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  5. Thanks everyone! Yes, very happy with my run! So glad I went!

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  6. Anonymous11/08/2010

    That's an awesome finish time - especially with the crazy crowded race course!

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  7. Wow, great exercise report - very inspiring to those of us who are thinking maybe we need to turn up the effort dial...

    Glad your "get over the awkwardness" approach worked so well - such a direct and simple solution but so clever!

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