Running Moms Rock 5K

So, here it is finally!

April 21, 2012 was the Running Moms Rock 5K in Highland Village, Texas. Here's my favorite things and not so favorite things about the race.

Upsides:

• I love this race because it benefits a charity close to my heart, the Children's Advocacy Center for Denton County (CACDC).
• It's a close race for me. Just a 20 minute drive. I can leave for the race, and still be back home in a couple of hours.
• Primarily women run it. Men and children are more than welcome, but it helps ease my competitive spirit running with all women. 
• The fun fest P and the boys can enjoy while I'm running.
• The course is a simple loop through a neighborhood with lots of observers.
• Race packet pickup is an easy peasy process. Here's my race packet with Wheaties Fuel for the morning!!  

Downsides:

• It's an evening race. I'm a morning runner by preference, and a 5 p.m. start time throws me mentally off kilter.
• April. One can't control the weather, but it's usually getting fairly warm and humid by race date.
• 2 large hills. I really shouldn't complain, but I hate hills, so they will always go on my downside list.

Race Recap:

Last year's time to beat

Since it was an evening race, I made sure I got to be lazy ALL day. Yea, I'll take any chance I can get to not clean, organize, or run around all crazy-like. Actually, it was hard to stay off my legs to keep them rested. I'm a morning person, and I like to relax in the afternoons, not the mornings. Anyway, about 3 p.m., I started getting ready. Dressed in my Team Tough Chik singlet and running skirt, I prepped my race bag. Sunscreen, water, gu, knee brace, visor, XBalm, bib, and racing info. I checked my last year's race time, and Sharpeed it on my left wrist as a makeshift pace bracelet. Done...now let's go. 

T wanted to chill out at home, so it was P and the Cy-Guy along for the ride. After weaving through traffic and finding a parking spot by the Buffalo Wild Wings (YUM!),we headed to the race area. We had enough time to get a couple of pics. 

The Cy-Guy walking me to the start line

The Cy-Guy and me

As start time approached, so did the crowd!!! All toward the front too.  I normally tend to get to the back of the pack, but  what I thought was the "back" became the front of the pack. It's all good though. As the race started, I pushed inward to the crowd and let the speedy racers go ahead. My iPod was acting screwy with the timer set to intervals instead of just timing, but I got it fixed quickly.

And we're off!

I wanted to PR, but I wanted to also take it easy since I was coming off of a chest cold the Cy-Guy gave me and I didn't do any training like I wanted to do. The first mile was steady; around the shopping center, on some walking trails behind it and then into the neighborhood as well. One mile in, I suddenly started coughing and basically choking on what lovely phlegm was still in my chest. I got to have a lovely hackfest on the corner of a turn while people passed me.

Once that joyous occasion was over with, I picked up running again - straight up a hill. No worries though. The one water station was at the top, and across the street was this awesome man spraying his water hose for runners to run through it. Heck yea!!  Next, it was down a hill, up a hill, down a hill, wind through more walking trails, weaving our way through not so shaded residential trees. This one lady in a bright pink t-shirt and I sort of had this thing going with our walk/run intervals. I'd run for a little bit, pass her, and then when I needed to walk again to prevent another hackfest, she'd run and pass me. This went on for a while, and I kept chuckling to myself. it kept me distracted enough to fall into a groove.

The groove brought me to the last .25 mile of the race. I fell in step with a lady that looked like she was having a hard time. I decided to stay pace with her and talk her into the finish area. Talking seemed to help her out. It helped me out too because I suddenly got nervous. I realized when I turned the corner, P would see me finishing. He hasn't seen me finish a race since 2010.

Bringing it around the last corner 

After the last corner, I said "Good Luck" to the lady I ran in with, and then I took off. I was tired, coughing and didn't give a rat's ass actually. I wanted to finish strong, so I did.

Finishing strong!

Paul quickly came over after I was finished and scrambling for water. He and the Cy-Guy were so excited, and P kept snapping pics left and right. Most were too blurry to use. As we were walking back to the shaded area before we headed to the parking lot, the Cy-Guy says to me, "Mommy I want to race with you."  And there we have it, ladies and gentlemen...confirmation of one of my many reasons to run. 

I enjoyed the race, as I always do. I can't wait for next year, despite the late Spring evening start time. I'm debating on actually volunteering at the race instead of running it. If you're in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, check out this race and take a Saturday evening to run for a good cause.