Week in Review (December 17 - December 23)

Tuesday (19,505 steps) - Strength class during lunch. Milk Market run club! We met at Engine Room instead, since Milk Market was closed for a private party.

It was cold, and we did a crazy thing - RAN OUR LOOP IN REVERSE. I struggled a bit with this one again, but it's always nice to run with Paula. Pizza!

Wednesday (21,744 steps) - Core class during lunch. Runners Roost Boulder! Ariel didn't come because she was volunteering at family dinner night at school. Ben brought Pika and was confident that she would be able to run the entire loop. They were a little late coming in, so we started without them and they met us at the trail head. I really really really really struggled through this one. I don't know if it's the combination of the low miles I've been putting in (basically since Tahoe), general fatigue, or what. But man, this one sucked. Trails were pretty icy, but it was nice to be back out on them!

Fun night with a "holiday party" after, when I picked up our custom Hydro Flasks for running over 200 miles with the group this year!

Ben and I stopped at Buffalo Wild Wings on the way home.
Thursday (24,465 steps) - Left work a few minutes early to run extra miles at Berkeley Park. The first couple miles weren't great, and I really struggled with... everything, especially breathing and being tired. The last few miles weren't bad, but I finally got in a second 6+ mile run during the week.

Met Ben and Ariel at the store. A decided to stay at the shop with Phil, Ben ran with the group & I took Pika for a walk around the lake. THEN, we went to Goldspot for the last trivia of the year with Greg.

After doing so awesome in previous tournaments, we came in LAST. Boo, hiss.
Friday (9,213 steps) - No core class today because my trainer wasn't working. Nothing else.
Saturday (40,065 steps) - Up early for a long run. Runners Edge was doing an informal trail run way down in Castle Rock, but that seemed too far to drive, so I headed alone to Boulder to run the Dirty Bismark loop. I started right at 7:30 and thought I would be running about 15 miles. Turns out I made some weird turns and my "15" mile run ended up being nearly 17 miles.

The trails were actually in pretty decent shape, although by the time I was finishing it was a tad muddy. Right as I was finishing, Ang sent me a text that she was on her way to meet us for breakfast. I had Ariel head there first, and I arrived only about 10 minutes late. Good catching up with her. Ben and I took Pika for a walk and then went to Denver Beer so I could try the new Cinnamon Toast Crunch graham cracker porter.

Olde Town Arvada Square

Picked up Torchy's for dinner.
Sunday (14,244 steps) - SLEPT IN. We all went to the grocery store to buy food for Christmas dinner. Ben and I went to Diebolt to meet up with everyone for the ugly sweater beer run. I'm glad I was smart enough to wear a festive singlet underneath my ugly sweater as it was really warm!

Good to see everyone. Ended up having a weird night with Ben & Ariel napping, so I took Pika for a walk and then had cheese and crackers for dinner.
Monday (7,748 steps) - Core class during lunch. Met Ben, A and Greg at Kokopelli for pizza and beer.

Ben and Ariel surprised me with a REAL CHRISTMAS TREE! We spent the evening putting ornaments and lights on the tree. 

As you can see, Pika was a tad leery of a squirming Batman Sour right behind her. Unexpectedly fun evening!

Stats:

• 136,984 steps
• 43.7 miles run (well that escalated...)
• Three gym classes

Random:

Sooooo..... it's time to admit that I have to get back on the "counting calories" and/or "quit drinking so much beer" train. My weight has been heavier than I would like for a few years now, and is bordering on what I'd call "The Danger Zone." Ugh. I'm not posting a number, but I really could stand to lose about 15 pounds, and it seems that with my first race of 2020 coming up in just a few weeks, and a road marathon in just a few months, now is as good a time as any to start. Sigh. #noteatingallthethings really sucks.

Buffalo Wild Wings 5k (Race Recap)

Westminster, CO
Wednesday, September 21
Weather - Overcast, WINDY, RAIN

My last run before the 50 miler this weekend was a scheduled 3 miles at marathon pace (which according to my RLRF program is 10:42). Then over the weekend when I was exchanging shoes (yet again), I saw a poster advertising this FREE 5k at the running store. Well. Who can pass up FREE? I haven't run a 5k without A since probably January, and I was hoping to find out if RLRF was making a difference or not. So. After working out all the logistics, we (me, L and R) decided to run.

I had to leave in the middle of A's dance class in order to get there on time. No worries, I didn't abandon her, my mom showed up to watch the rest of the class and take her to their house for dinner. Have I mentioned that my parents are pretty awesome?

I got there about 5:45, with the race scheduled to start at 6. I had stopped by earlier for minor details, and found out that all we had to do was sign a waiver. So I wasn't expected anything complicated. L and R were running late and the sky was getting angry. I signed the waiver, and got my bib. The most important aspects of this race? The shoe store sponsoring the race was giving away a pair of shoes to the person that could guess their finishing time and come closest to running it. So that meant no watch. Ok... no big deal. And no phone... ok... so no pictures. No big deal, I've run the Big Dry Creek trail probably a hundred times. Then I was told that also meant NO iPods... not even a shuffle. WTH? Damn. I didn't find out the specifics until after I guessed my time (28:44).

L and R finally showed up like 2 minutes to 6. Apparently punctuality not such a big deal for this race as we did a group picture out front and probably headed out around 6:10. Not sure on that, you know, with no time-keeping device. Bleh. There weren't that many of us, so I figured the odds of ONE of us winning shoes (or one of the promised raffle prizes) was going to be pretty good.

We line up at a chalk start line, a few quick instructions so people didn't get lost, and off we go. L and R BOLTED. I figured I'd just... I dunno, run? Well. I have run without a watch or treadmill or phone? Never. Not once. I have always had something that could tell me how fast I am going and how far I've gone. This was NEW territory and I didn't like it. I also didn't like the no music. I've run without music... like twice. Apparently when I try to race fast, without music or a watch, I start out too fast, burn out, and breathe really hard.

Yeah. So the weather. It started raining right when we started, on and off, it wasn't that bad. But the wind... pretty severe. So I make it what I estimate maybe a mile and I'm freakin exhausted. I take the first of... 7? 8? walk breaks. Disaster. L is barely within sight. I see R headed toward me, looking strong. I am chasing a run/walker. At the turnaround I realize there are only 4-5 people behind me. Not good. Man, I am so tired. Have no clue what I'm doing. This sucks.

So then I realize that I'm not that far from the end and I force myself to run the rest. I cross the chalk line and time is given as 30:27. Well. Disappointing, but honestly I figured with all the walking that it would be much worse. And it is NOT my slowest time, so there's that. L had already left to go pick up the kids, since we were already behind schedule.

We wait for rhe last people to finish. Wind picks up and it starts POURING. It is like WINTER. I am freezing in my tank and skirt. R's teeth are chattering. It's about a 1/4 mile walk back to the store, and we are just standing around waiting for the results. Raffle of four prizes... none of us win. Shoe prize? Nope, we were all WAY off. The winner? Only 3 seconds off! Crazy!

Me - 30:27
L - 26:28 (If I could have stuck with her, it would have been 30 second PR for me)
R - 21:54 (WTH?? He guessed 26:00... even HE was shocked at his pace. Awesome!)

New plan. Find a "real" 5k and actually race.

And why was it called Buffalo Wild Wings 5k? They were offering free appetizers after the race (which, sadly, I skipped)