Operation Turbo 5k

November 18, 2016

Operation Turbo 5k

I’m excited to say, I am runnning a 5k this weekend!!

I honestly do not remember the last time I signed up for a 5k. I’m an endurance athlete, long distance runner, so I do not race the 5k often. However, a friend of mine, runs an organization called Operation Turbo, and is putting on a 5k race this weekend. So I decided to show my support by signing up.
If anyone is in the DC area and is interested in running this race on Saturday, sign up here.

If you are not in the area, you can always run the virtual 5k.

Have you ever run a virtual race!?

Turkey Trots and Cheesecake

November 28, 2014

Last year I wrote about Turkey Trots and Pies.

This year it was all about the Cheesecake!

I made a Sweet Potato Cheesecake earlier in November as a test run, so I would be prepared for Thanksgiving. I brought it into the salon and it was gone in 5 minutes. Guess it was good. On Wednesday we had a Thanksgiving feast at the salon. Everyone requested that I make the Sweet Potato Cheesecake again, so I did, along with a big pot of Butternut Squash Soup. Everything was a big hit!

So when it came to my family’s Thanksgiving, we all, headed to my mom’s house. Along with some mashed potatoes and root vegetables, I brought over a Sweet Potato Cheesecake with some fresh homemade whipped cream. Yum!

As for my Thanksgiving tradition – Running a Turkey Trot. Every year I run a different one in the area. This year, Lina and I ran the Arlington one. It was a 5k of hills. The turkey trot is by far one of my favorite races. I love it for two main reasons, 1) it celebrates fall, 2) it is all about being with family and friends. There are people of all ages including kids, and even some dogs. But at the end of the day, no matter if you are running a turkey trot in the city or not, it always has a neighborhood feel.

This Turkey Trot was fun for me because I ran with Lina and….

P.S. That is NOT a food baby!

Did you run a Turkey Trot? I am always interested in new recipes. What did you make this year?

SOME Turkey Trot

November 24, 2012

I don’t start enjoying a run until mile three. My body needs time to warm up. By the time I am warmed up, found my rhythm, and begin enjoying myself, my 5K race is over. And that is why I hate running 5Ks.

However, the Turkey Trot is by far one of my favorite races. Running a Turkey Trot is one of the few, if not the only, 5K I run a year. It feels so amazing, to wake up bright and early on Thanksgiving morning and start the holiday off with a race.

I have run a couple different Turkey Trots in the area, but SOME is the best one. The race is located in DC. The route use to be down near Hains Point, but this year the race started on Pennsylvania Ave. I liked this route better, but parking was hard to find. The race is $35, but the money goes to SOME – So Others May Eat.

Although, just a 5K, I still did my normal night before race ritual – laying out my race outfit.

Ready to run SOME, on Thanksgiving morning. Then jumped in my car. Picked my sister up. Headed to the start.

The start was well organized with a view of the Capitol.

We lined up near the 8 min/mile pace group.

I wore my Newton, Gravity shoes, and my new barefoot running socks.

These are the socks that I wore the day of my race. They felt really good, and helped me avoid a blister I get regularly on my third toe when wearing the Newton Gravity shoe. I learned about this product from the blog, Barefoot Monologues. Read a more detailed review on this product here.

My sister and I at the race. The race was easy, short, flat, fast. A typical 5K. A typical Turkey Trot. I ended up with a PR of 24:33. Thats a 7:55 min/mile. The best part was that Panera Bread handed out bagels at the finish line.

If you are ever in the DC area on Thanksgiving day, I highly recommend this race.

Questions for You

Did you run a Turkey Trot?
What is your favorite type of run? 5K, 10K, 15K, 10 miler, 13.1, 26.2

The Storm is Coming!

October 28, 2012

Well the weathermen are predicting that hurricane Sandy will be aggressive and strong, with winds at speeds of 70 mph. Washington, DC is right along her path as she continues up North. But who really can trust the weatherman’s predictions, aren’t they always wrong?

So last night, I ran a quick 5K on the south side of the Mount Vernon Trail. I really wanted to get a run in before the storm came through. The trail was absolutely gorgeous when the sun was going down. The orange, red, and yellow fall leaves lit up the trail while they canopied over my head. There was a light breeze that felt gentle and refreshing. Could a storm really be coming?

Then I saw the birds… You can always find the truth with in nature. Animals have a special sense, a survival instinct that over time humans have lost. The birds know the storm is coming and they are preparing for it.

These are the birds I came across on my run. Aren’t they beautiful?

Questions for You

What is the weather like where you are?
What is your favorite running weather?

5K fun run…

April 14, 2012

Last Friday, I hadn’t had the chance to fit in my morning run. When I realized I was going to end up running in the evening, I decided to randomly sign up for a 5K. So let me explain… the local running shoe store in the DC area is called Pacers. They not only fit and supply runners in the area with the most updated shoes, but they get the community together by having weekly group runs, running workshops, and by putting on running events. Among these events is the Crystal Run 5K Fridays.

Since I didn’t get my run in and I live walking distance to the start of the Crystal Run 5K, I decided to go ahead and register and run. My sister was coming home from work around the same time, so she put on her running clothes, took the metro to Crystal City, and ran the race with me.

When we arrived to the start line, I was very impressed on the turn out, I never imagine it would be that crowded, but it was. They also had an area where you could get fitted for shoes and try them for the race.

Now, I have always been an endurance athlete, running longer distances for the last 5 years, and marathons, for the last three. This was my fourth certified 5K, and I felt like I was going to die the whole way. When running distance, you have plenty of miles to warm up your body, but when running a 5K you only have 3.10 miles to run (period) so there is really no time to warm up. I ended up sprinting the whole time. In the end, I feel good about my run. I am still unsure of my exact results, but according to my garmin I think I finished around 26 minutes, which isn’t my best 5K time, but not my worst. It just shows that training for longer distances has made me a runner that is comfortable on taking a couple miles to warm up, and although, while training for marathons, I have focused on endurance and consistency, I have not had the opportunity to work on speed.