Santa Hustle 5K

Truth be told, heading into this run, I wasn't my most excited running self.  Aside from the fact that we were mid-move, I had been sidelined by tendonitis, and I hadn't been running regularly since my half marathon.  For someone like me, someone who thrives on having a routine, a goal, and hates sitting still, it had been torture.

Brian and I talked extensively about the fact that I needed to be mindful of my injury; he told me to learn from his past mistakes, to rest when injured and to listen to my body.  In fact, he made me promise that I would consider walking the race if running was too painful.  I hate being wrong, and I hate feeling like I've quit at anything, but I conceded -- he was right.  

Bright and early Saturday morning, I was ready to test my limits (or at least see what they were) and was extremely happy to be joined by my run buddy, Jenna, and my friend, Amanda, who decided a 5K was on her bucket list.  We headed to Veteran's Park, where it was chillier than we were hoping it would be.  The Santa hats helped to keep our heads warm, and for Jenna and me, it wasn't long before warm was too warm!  We were sparkling Santa hustlers in less than a mile.  
Pre-race - it was our 7th as run buddies
The race and the course were a lot of fun.  The sun came out, which was really nice, and there were cookie, candy, water and sport drink stations on the course.  Jenna and I determined that eating while running was not a skill either of us possessed - we both barely ate during our half marathon and regularly joke about being inept at hydrating while on the move; thus, pre-race, we opted not to take the M&M's when we passed the candy station.  Lucky for us, there were plenty of goodies at the end of the run.  Lucky for me, my knee wasn't horribly dysfunctional, and I was able to run the entirety of the race (though with discomfort - oh, I do hope I run like a normal runner again); in fact, I even decreased my splits throughout and was able to end my race how I traditionally do, with an increased speed (though I wouldn't quite call it a sprint) to the finish line.  That was a good feeling! 

finished hustling 
 After completing my run, I made my way to the perfect viewing spot to ensure I could see my run buddy complete her run.  We both gathered with the rest of our group - Shannon and Nancy, who came with Amanda - and waited to celebrate Amanda's milestone.

Amanda's first 5K
Congrats, lady!! 
Post run, we warmed up in the car -- it got cold in a hurry once we were done running -- and then it was back home and back to the business of moving for me (more to come on that soon!).

Despite feeling overwhelmed, and despite being triple booked -- a run, a move, and a surprise party that night -- it was great to get out and run, and I'm glad, as I always am, that my cousin was with me.  It wouldn't feel the same without her!


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Just a Little Evening Adventure

Image
Sometimes you have those days that turn out to be so very different than you expected them to be.  Wednesday was one of those days.  We welcomed houseguest Tuesday evening, and I thought I might do a bit of climbing with them in the morning, but then I expected to return to my typical routine - take a hike/go for a run, do some work and head to the gym for some evening climbing with Brian.  Instead, we decided to solo the Second Flatiron, a six-hundred or so foot climb up one of Boulder's most notable landmarks.     To the best of my recollection, I have not soloed anything before (read: climb without a rope or protection/gear).  The only part that unnerved me, however, was the 'jump.'  This was a point where, along the climb, you are required to leap across a divide in the rocks. I decided the benefits outweighed the cost/risk/fear, and I joined Brian, Alex and Cait, our houseguest, and Josh, another Sconnie native and AdRock climber living the d...
Read more

Stylin' in My New Ride!

Image
Last Friday was an exciting day for me.  Though the new school year was rapidly approaching and my nerves were out of control in anticipation of starting a new school year in a new school with a relatively unfamiliar staff, I happily headed to the car dealership to pick up my new ride, a beautiful white Ford Fusion with all sorts of bells and whistles!   We haven't had a new car in the Runnells family in a few years...and that car quickly became Brian's.  This car, however, is all mine and I LOVE IT!!  A big THANK YOU goes out to my hubbers, who dealt with all the less-than-enjoyable stuff that went along with getting this car  (suffice it to say, our initial car salesman was less than professional and almost drove us to another  dealership).  I think about it each time I get into the car. Doesn't my ALUMNI plate holder look good?!  Want to listen to a little SIRIUS radio?  I'm lovin' making calls via my car Drivi...
Read more

Helping Chelsea and Kyle

Image
Brace yourselves... this is a long one...and I'm asking for your help. As some of you may know, someone very close to me, Chelsea Bullis, experienced a life-changing event on Sunday, June 10, 2012.  She and her boyfriend, Kyle, were in a terrible motorcycle accident that left them both seriously injured.   Chelsea and her family have always been a part of my life. Chelsea's Aunt Anita was my first babysitter, and eventually her grandma, Maureen, and  her mom, Lynn,  took turns taking care of my brother and me.  Chelsea's Aunt Lainey is my mom's very best friend.  Chelsea, her brother Chad, her cousins Sam and Rachael and I all grew up together.  We took summer trips together, and when I was old enough, I began taking care of Chelsea, her brother and her cousins.  Chelsea and her family were so close to me that we began referring to each other as cousins...and 20+ years later, it is still how we refer to one another.   So ...
Read more