Happy Monday! Catching up from the weekend? Here is what you missed!
Fit Magazine Article and Photos
I ran a 5k Saturday and went to my cousins bridal shower (I will post those pictures tomorrow!) Yesterday we tried out a new church, went for a walk, did some unpacking and relaxing!
On to the 5k recap!
We were excited to run this race because it was our first race in our new town! It was a block off the beach, right by the Beau Rivage and Hard Rock.
When we pulled up we saw there was some kind of festival or something going on, we decided to check it out after the race.
The race didn’t start until 9:30 which I knew was bad news because it was already 70 degrees when we got there at 9:00, and it was super sunny. I didn’t tell anyone because I wanted to see how I did….but I did a timed 5k at my house a few days ago and ran it in 28:02. So, I figured on a flat course (my neighborhood has a couple of hills) with adrenaline and people to race against, I could run a 27:00, or maybe even less. I was a little apprehensive because of the heat, but I figured I would PR regardless of the heat because I haven’t run a road 5k since last spring. It was a pretty big local race, about 300 people. I didn’t take my camera with me, so I don’t have any during the race pictures.
One great thing about this race was since it was a block off the beach it was totally flat which was really nice! But, there was NO SHADE! We started at 9:35 and 73 degrees. I started off well and ran the first mile in 8:42. I was aware of the heat but it wasn’t really getting to me yet. We hit around 1.3 and they had a water stop. I decided not to stop, knowing it was an out and back course, and decided I would stop for water on the way back. This is about where I started to get hot. I was even wearing a white hat, but my ears and head got so hot and I started getting lightheaded. About this time, the leaders started passing me going back the other way. WOW they were booking it, and there was a girl right up there with them! Bobby passed me and I realized I was only about a minute behind him, awesome! I made the turn and was pouring sweat, cursing myself for not wearing a tank top. Since it was a St. Patrick’s day race Bobby and I wore the only green running shirts we have, the Mardi Gras Rock n Roll half shirts from this year. It was funny because we saw about 30 people wearing them!
Anyway, I hit the water stop on the way back, and stopped to walk while I drank. I took a couple sips then poured the rest over my head. I immediately got nauseated and so wished I could throw up. I tried, no dice. I started running again, hit mile 2, and was still feeling so overheated. My pace started to slow but there wasn’t anything I could do. There were two guys I kept going back and forth with the whole race, I guess we were all trying to hold under a 9:00 pace. When they would stop and walk I would tell them to keep running as I passed them. In a way I think I was really trying to tell MYSELF to keep going because I wanted to stop so badly! I did stop one more time at about mile 2.7, and tried to throw up again. I was cursing the sun and the south and the humidity at this point! I knew I was close so I pushed some more and finally made it to the finish line! Garmin said I ran a 29:27. I was happy I PRed, but disappointed it wasn’t the time I wanted. People were talking about how cold it was when they ran this race last year…HA I wish! Bobby’s PR is a low 23:00, and he ran a 25:49, so about 2:30 or so off his PR. So I think under better weather I really could have gotten my 27. What a bummer. Oh well, it is what it is, and I am still happy I got a PR.
they had bleachers by the finish line. This was after the race so there is no one there anymore ha.
After we cooled off in the shade we walked to that festival to see what was going on. We found out it was a BBQ cookoff, how fun!
We went down by the beach to take a couple of pictures for fun.
We took a self portrait
then a lady who was sunbathing on the beach came up and offered to take our picture, and said “I know how hard it is when you are traveling alone to get pictures.” We just smiled…
Then we thanked her and she said “enjoy the rest of your vacation!” We just said thank you and didn’t correct her and tell her that I am just a crazy blogger who takes pictures of everything and we live 15 minutes up the road. HA!
We drove along the beach and Bobby realized we were passing by where his family kept their boat when he was a kid. He explained to me how it “used to look”.” He had not been back since hurricane Katrina, and apparently she took the whole marina out. These big poles are where the President casino used to sit. After the hurricane it ended up on the other side of the beach road on top of a hotel (which is no longer there)
He showed me where their boat slip was, where he used to play, etc. It’s all just slabs and piles of rubble now. So sad!
We kept driving until we hit our road then headed north home!
That’s it! So, fun race in new town, nice and flat, PR, but super hot and bummed about my time. I guess my “unofficial” PR can still be the 28:02 I ran at home, right?
QOTD: Have you ever run a really hot/humid race? How did it affect your performance?
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As a Floridian, I’ve run more than a few hot & humid races. My times do suffer. I’ve never run at altitude, but the feeling other runners describe when they come down from altitude to run at sea level is exactly how I feel in late October when I’ve been training all summer in the heat and the temperatures suddenly drop into the 60’s.
Considering it is snowing out RIGHT NOW and up to 4 inches is expected (really?? what happened to spring, Mr. Groundhog??), I guess I don’t have to worry for a bit. However, it was really warm for the 2011 Princess Half. And switching from training in negative temps to running in the high 70s and low 80s in FL did not help my time….
Running in the heat is so hard! Great recap.
My brother and my family went down there where ya’ll were at about a year after the hurricane and it was worse than what ya’ll are seeing. There was still so much destroyed at that time. We went to the Beau Reviage and ate there too. It has really good food if ya’ll ever do go there. It is a lot prettier on the beach now than when I went. You could not even walk on the beach on that time.
I detest running in the heat. One of the reason I don’t sign up for races this time of year is because the temperature is so unpredictable.
Those runs are miserable! Sorry it was so hot!
The pictures of the marina/poles makes me sad…just another reminder of that awful storm. :0(
I think I remember you telling me that you’ve eaten at the Beau Rivage before, didn’t you? Isn’t that the place you’ve gone with your parents before? I think I remember the story. :0)
I am a mess in humidity because I’m not used to it at all 🙁
Congratulations on your PR! Sorry the race was so hot- but look at it this way, if you can run a PR in heat like that, imagine what you could do in ideal conditions :).
Thanks so much! That’s how I am trying to look at it! 🙂
Congrats on your new PR! I love festive 5K races. I ran our local St. Pat’s 5K on Saturday. It was definitely not warm, but it was fun. Cute pics!
Congrats on the race AND the awesome article! Very cool!
thank you!
Love the whole “vacationers” comments Too funny!
Congrats on the PR!!! Hopefully next year the heat wont be so bad and you will get an even better time.