Being a coach for the Dave’s Running “Ready for the Race” training group has been very rewarding. I’ve made new friends.  I’ve helped people achieve their goals!  I’m the first to admit that I am a bit picky when it comes to running. I don’t like to run at night, in the dark, in the rain, or any time it’s not convenient for me 🙂  Buuuuut, this group got me out of those restrictions… and I’m glad it did!

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I kid you not, I was really really hoping the workout would be canceled recently because it was raining – and I just didn’t feel like running!  Sorry no, rain does not stop our training group 😉 We ran our 12 x 200 repeats, and we kicked some butt. I think that was the most satisfying workout of the whole plan actually!  So glad I sucked it up that night. Truth is – group workouts = motivation = results!

The training group has met on Monday and Wednesday nights for the last 6 weeks.  We’ve done our weekly speed workouts together, and then the rest of the days followed a plan of easy runs and longer runs for the participants.  I was following the Dave’s Running MIT (Marathon in Training) plan for my half marathon training, so I did different workout on my other days.

Race day was the perfect temperature for running – 59 degrees!  My daughter and her friend ran the race too. We got downtown early enough to avoid the crowded parking (8:00am).  We met up with my Dave’s Pink Divas for some pictures at 8:30am. Here are the coaches on race day…

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Here are the ladies!  This is about half of the group.  I know I saw other ladies around the race that didn’t make the picture.

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I ran with Katie.  We had done that 12 x 200’s workout together last week and she kept pace with me the whole time.  She was thinking it might be a struggle to get a 10:00 min mile. I thought otherwise!

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Our first mile clocked in at 9:08.  Uh oh, a little fast. Despite the crowds and weaving through them, we were in a fast group.  “I’m feeling OK” she told me. Good, let’s go for it!

Second mile was 9:22.  Not bad at all considering we had a lot of uphill.

Third mile was 9:36.  The race was getting challenging.  Katie said her knee was screaming at her – but this pace was still above her expectations.

Final .1 to the finish – 8:09!  She sprinted it like a champ.

Finish time, 28:57!!!  Woot! A PR for her, and a happy smile for both of us.

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The day was also good for the girls.  They ran together and her friend got 1st in her age group.  Sydney got 3rd in her age group (different groups). That was a great confidence boost for Sydney I think because she had a disappointing cross country meet the day before.  Nothing like an age group award to lift you up!

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Congrats to everyone who made it out to Race for the Cure.  There were a lot of PRs in our training group. It was also so touching to see the breast cancer survivors out there, and all of the others who were running “in memory” of a loved one.  Let’s kick cancer’s ass!!

And on a random finishing note… there was a camel at the race!  So cute!  So soft!! 🙂

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Q:  Got any fun weekend plans?

It’s homecoming weekend at the kid’s school.  It’s going to be quite busy!

Q:  When was the last time you went to the zoo?  (thinking about camels…)

7 thoughts on “Race for the Cure 5K recap”
  1. On my way to Ohio this morning for the Towpath Half Marathon. Raining here in Chicago so I hope it doesn’t follow me. My friends are chasing the fifty states and are running the full but I am too tired, old, and/or lazy to train for a full these days. Should be a fun road trip and hopefully a good race.

      1. No rain but the humidity was brutal and the Towpath was a muddy mess. Cloud cover helped during the half but when the sun came out around 10:00, it really got steamy for my friends running the full. One ended up in the medical tent at the finish line. The race starts at Boston Mills Ski Resort. I never knew you could ski in Ohio!

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