Alarm went off at 5:50 this morning and I was up and at ’em with excitement about the race!
Unlike my breakfast on Race For The Cure morning, this time I kept it simple with just a banana topped with Nuttzo. I packed a Glo-bar just in case hunger hit hard while we traveled to the race, but I didn’t end up needing it. No caffeine beforehand either!
I did think to use a sample I received recently – a Vega Sport packet. I told Vega that I wasn’t really one for sport drinks – mostly because I don’t need to be with the amount of exercise I do (you really don’t need them unless you are doing an endurance sport for over 90 minutes…maybe slightly less depending on intensity). But I said I’d give it a try because "maybe it would give me the workout of my life."
I mixed this guy with some water this morning and took a few swigs. And then I decided that I probably shouldn’t be trying a new unknown product before a big race so I saved the rest for later.
We arrived at the airport bright and early. TOO early. My hamstrings are still pretty sore from Sculpt class, so I ran around the area for about 10-15 minutes to warm up. It helped a lot.
We were ready to run around 7:30 and the race didn’t start until 8. PLUS, so many people were running late and registration was backing up so they kept pushing the start time back!! We didn’t end up starting until 8:25…grrrr. I took a few swigs of Gatorade at about 7:45 in anticipation of starting at 8 and by 8:25 my bladder was getting full and psychological and/or physiological boost from the simple sugars had probably passed.
FOG + MIST
We managed to get up close to the start line, but I still had a little trouble with crowds. I set off at a nice 6:08 pace!? Ended the first mile at 7:18.
Mile two was TOUGH. I had hit a really nice 7:30 pace for the first 1.5 miles, but the second half of mile 2 and all of mile 3 I could not dip much below 7:57. I was out of breath and my legs felt like led. I felt like I was running much faster than I was! I finished mile 2 in 7:58. And finally, mile 3 in 8:00 on the dot.
The race course was very flat – only two small hills, but I just didn’t have the staminia to go any faster.
I crossed the finish line in….. 24:26.
And yes, I totally planned that 26 ending!!! I probably could have crossed in 24:22 or so, but I slowed just a bit when I saw where the clock was 🙂
My PR is 23:26, so I’m not sure how I slowed down by a whole minute. This was the slowest race I’ve ran of the 3 I finished in the past year! Matt too – he was 11 seconds slower. We wonder if maybe we NEED those hills just so we can earn the downhills? It was a great course though. Although…..both Caitlin and I noticed our Garmins said we ran 3.15!! Were we cheated 0.5 of a mile!? Regardless, I ran hard and I’m not one to let numbers get the best of me. Apples to orange people.
Speaking of apples!!
Matt and I stocked up on fruit for the week 🙂 I had a bite of his cruncher.
And was recognized by two blog readers!!!!!!!!!!! How cool!!! I LOVE it when people come up and say hi, so never be shy!! It’s so fun to make friends. Hope to see these ladies some more!
It had started to rain and I was cold even though I totally over dressed. We hopped in the car to go home and just sat there. Traffic was horrible!!!
Once home and warmed in a hot shower…we made brunch!
100% pumpkin oats.
A little smaller portion since we have a lunch date set for 2PM with Justin and Amanda -
- 1/4 cup oats, milk, water, pinch salt
- ~1/4 cup pumpkin
- Cinnamon
- A few raisins
- PUMPKIN MUFFIN
- Cacao Bliss
- Maranatha AB
Pumpkin spice + Christmas blend Fresh Market coffee with husband-steamed milk!
Excuse me – I have some cupcakes to frost!
Madeline @ Greens and Jeans says
Congrats on a fun race! Were a lot of people in costume? Also, that oatmeal looks to die for!
Kate says
Wow! Great job on your race Kath! I just finished a Halloween 7K myself! It was my first event race EVER and believe it or not, I managed to come in 3rd place overall – the first female! It just feels so good doesn’t it? I love the rush and adreneline that comes from running.
Mama Pea says
You are lightening fast! I’m afraid if I were all sweaty and it was early in the morning, I’d deny it was me if a reader recognized me 🙂 Good for you for owning it!
Angela (Oh She Glows) says
Congrats Kath! You did awesome! Im sure it was hard running with sore legs!!
You are just glowing and beautiful in yoru after pictures. Dont you love that?
Happy Halloween!
Mel says
Congrats on the awesome race! Your oats look amazing and totally fit with the season!
Marisa (Trim The Fat) says
Awesome job on your race, Kath! I love reading race recaps; it always inspires me!
YUM to those pumpkin oats!
Julie says
Congrats on the race miss speedy! I love how you planned the 26, very nice!
MelissaNibbles says
Your fast Kath! You’ve already had quite a busy day. I don’t know how you do it all. Enjoy your Halloween!
VeggieGirl says
AWESOME race!!
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! 🙂
Whitney @ Lettuce Love says
Congrats on the race! I love your blue shoulder bag, where is it from?
Joelle (The Pancake Girl) says
YAY for a great early morning race AND pumpkin oats! Happy Halloween!
Diana says
Congrats! Good job 🙂 You seemed like you were in a good mood, that’s what matters eheh
Happy Halloween!
Food Makes Fun Fuel says
I think you ran a great race! good job. And no one’s watching if a little bit of frosting finds its way from the bowl to your mouth 😉
Mara @ What's for Dinner? says
Congrats on a great :26 race!!!
Wendy says
Great race!! I really think totally flat courses are harder than those with a few hills!
Marina says
Good jobe on that race! Wow, milk froth looks amazing! I have some blendy thingy with which I make my coffee, but it never gets like that.
amanda (Two Boos Who Eat) says
omg that frosting looks absolutely amazing! I want to try it!
lynn (The Actors Diet) says
happy halloween, kath! i love that you started the day off with a race!
Cynthia (It All Changes) says
Running a holiday race is awesome. I loved the Turkey trot I did once.
Let us know how the the icing turns out.
Erica says
NICE job girl! Way to kick some behind. Hope you and Matt have a wonderful Halloween! BTW- next weekend I will be up in Charlotte for Body Pump training. Let me know if you’d like to meet up for a later cup of coffee or dinner or something!
Deva (Voracious Vorilee) says
Congrats on the race, that’s awesome! You look like you had a blast!
Lara (Thinspired) says
Congrats, Kath! That is a great time!
Frosting cupcakes sounds like a lovely way to spend a Saturday morning. I hope you have one to celebrate your good work 🙂
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is says
Great time Kath! Congrats!
Kristin @ Iowa Girl Eats says
WOW – you are a speed RACER! Great time!! Have fun frosting those cupcakes 😉
Susan says
With you on the numbers thing – just running 5k is an accomplishment regardless of the time 🙂 Congrats Kath!!! Did you guys run right on the runway? I don’t know why, but that sounds like so much fun to me!
Erin says
Hi Kath! My Garmin always says I’ve run farther than the race actually is. Maybe it has to do with the way they lay the course out (like around corners)? It always says I run faster than the race clock does too… Congrats on what is still a very fast race!
Erin
Adi (oatonomy.com) says
Woo hoo, great run! I’ve never run a 5K that fast… or even close to that! Then again, I run at Turtle Speed, so that’s not surprising…
Your oats look especially yummy with a muffin on top. … hehe, your oats have a muffin top. Awesome.
Happy Halloween!
Sheila | Live Well 360° says
Great job Kath! We did the 10K Turkey Trot two years ago and I didn’t have a chance to empty my bladder before we started the race, so that was all I could think about for the first 1/2 of the race!! Luckily they had port-a-potties set up along the way, so I finally stopped.
Have a great Haloweeeeeen!
Sheila
Amelia says
Hey, the buttercream looks like I turned out! You might need to scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir it to incorporate. Ice away baby…oh and don’t forget to lick the beater!
hemp jogger says
thats the best photo you’ve ever taken! the very last one, of the icing. what i wouldnt do to literally climb in there, only to return after eating ALL of it. mmmmm!
Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope says
What a fun Saturday morning! Congrats on beating your goal time. You and Matt look so adorable!
Emily, homecookedem says
I’ve done a race on a airport runway too! Before they opened up the new 5th runway here at the Atlanta airport, they had a race to celebrate it! I thought it’d be easier since it was flat, but I agree about the hills. It’s nice to have that downhill push.
I had a pumpkin-y breakfast too! And lunch!!!! And probably will have a pumpkin-y snack. Dinner and dessert have been planned and both have pumpkin involved too!!
Happy Halloween!!!!!!!! 🙂
kristin says
i am so jealous that my sister got to meet you today!! 🙂 happy halloween!
Emily Eats and Exercises says
Congrats on the race – you are FAST!!!! Any tips for speeding up? I run at the turtle speed the above poster mentioned…
Knowing I was going to eat those pumpkin muffin oats at the end would definitely help 🙂
Cynthia says
Congrats on your race! You and your hubby are so cute together and it’s great that you participate in the races together. Your oatmeal creations are always so scrumptious looking! I def need to try crumbling muffins into my oatmeal too.
Chloe (Naturally Frugal) says
Congrats on the race, that’s a fun & healthy way to kick off Halloween! Can’t wait to hear how the cupcakes turn out.
Jenna says
great job on the race! the pumpkin oats look delish 🙂
jenna
Meghan@traveleatlove says
You are wicked fast! Congrats!
Annie says
I am not sure I enjoy the set up of your site as much. I love your blog but I don’t read it every day…. I used to love to go through it but now that I have to open up each section it is not as enjoyable…. just thought you should know.
Angie says
Great job on the run, Kath! What a perfect way to start out your Halloween!!
And, the pumpkin oats look perfect!
Kara says
Can’t wait to see those cupcakes all finished!
Kimberly says
Good job on the race! Even if it’s not your best time it is still very impressive. Yay for the bowl today… it’s my favourite one!
Organic Ashley says
Kath this is going to be tough but it needs to be said…
YOURE GOING TO TURN INTO A PUMPKIN!! 😉
lol I’m just playing. My boyfriends always tells me I’m going to turn into a kabocha squash pretty soon if I dont keep eating them everyday
Justy2003 says
Great race! You are definitely speedier than me! Yay for a fun day 🙂
PS: At first glance that last photo of the frosting looked like it was a giant spider inside! Guess it’s appropriate for Halloween? 😉
Krista says
Just wanted to let you know that on your Open Sky store there are TWENTY SIX items. 🙂
Paige@ RunningAroundNormal says
Nice job on the run! LOL that you slowed to make it 26 – that’s great – baha:)
Sorry it was a tough run, but that’s still a kick butt time!
Marcia says
Wow, great race! I just cannot imagine going that speed. You are really inspiring. I am finding training for my 1/2 that when I go from a 10:40 to a 9:50 pace for over 6 miles, my hips REALLY ache badly.
I don’t tend to have that problem with 5k’s though. So my goal for 2010 is to do a 5k in under 25:00. My current PB is 27:19. So that’s a stretch.
Hallie (Healthy Twists) says
Congrats on the 5k! I think I’d like to do one, early next year, to inspire me to work on my speed. I’m a REALLY slow runner (I think technically it’s called jogging) but my goal after next week’s 10k is to work on getting faster..which to me, means getting to a 10 min/mile pace. Watching your running adventures is really inspiring, even though I know I’ll never be as fast as you, I know I can improve and that’s all that matters!
skinnyrunner says
congrats on your race! what a great way to start your halloween!
Tou Tou's Little Creation Cafe says
Seems lots of people go for the running today!! congrats!!!
Thanks for the recipe of that pumpkin oats – right in season!! All I’m thinking of these days are pumpkins pumpkins pumpkins!
You are so industrials updating the great eats!!! Thanks for giving us so much fun stuff to read about every day!!
maria says
That might have been a slower race for you, but girl that is still speedy in my book. I’d love to run a 25:00 5k, let alone your time.
Great job.
Lizzy says
great job on your race Kath! 🙂
Kath says
Thanks everyone!!!
Whitney,
Old Navy
Erica,
I will be in SF for the Foodbuzz Festival 🙁 So bummed I’ll miss you 🙁
Susan,
We ran right next to the runway – on a taxi runway I think? It was cool but I was too focused to look up much!
kristin,
So you’re the sister!! Hope to meet you someday too 🙂
Emily,
My best tip is to run with someone faster than you. That’s how I slowly upped my pace.
Sorry Annie
Krista,
I know – hee hee!
Kath
Kate says
Good work on the race. I think you could improve your 5k times if you went out a little less fast- your speed is definitely degrading more than it should over 3 miles.