**Soapbox out (because it's MY blog!!!)**
There is a local 5K tomorrow put on by a big-name company that benefits a local, charitable organization. The race includes a goody bag will the usual non-useful stuff and a t-shirt. There is also a party after the race that includes a band, food (not just bagels and bananas), and alcoholic beverages. The cost for employees is $25 and they can bring one guest for $35. The cost for the rest....$125. Yes you read that right. ONE HUNDRED TWENTY FIVE EFFING DOLLARS FOR A 5K!!!!!! They're not serving caviar and Dom Perignon. It's hot dogs and keg beer!
Rumor has it, they don't want people from outside the company to actually participate but yet tout this as a fundraiser and that's why the price is what it is. I don't know, call me crazy, but
ARE YOU EFFING KIDDING ME?!?!
What runner in their right mind would pay $125 for a 5K? And wouldn't you think you'd get even more runners and therefore, more dollars for the charity, if the price was more reasonable?
I was having a discussion, that turned heated, with my coworker regarding this race and the price. She said lots of people from outside the company do the race (I'd beg to debate that). She said that people would pay that much because it was for charity. I said no real runner would pay that much for a 5K no matter what the money was going to. The debate turned into an argument and it's been silent ever since (thank god, she drives me insane!!).
So, help me out blogsphere? Am I the one who totally off-base? Have I become one of those elitist runners (which, I'm totally okay with by the way)? What is the maximum you'd ever pay for a 5K and why?
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Ironman Louisville Revisited
Today is the 2012 edition of Ironman Louisville. For the first time in three or four years I'm not there to watch it in person. Instead I have been following it on my iPad, with my pajamas on, in bed. All.Day.
It's been two years since my DNF at Ironman Louisville. The pain of not finishing is still as fresh today as it was then. Since that time I have had two DNS at ironman, another DNF at an ironman, and haven't even run a marathon. Ironman Louisville crushed my soul. I used to line up at races ready to crush my competition. Now I line up at a race scared of what lies ahead. I absolutely dread racing anymore.
On the outside I like to say it's okay that I've gone back to running and that being "only" a runner suits me. But I'm totally lying. See, I don't really feel like I have anything left to accomplish in running. I have run marathon after marathon and finished up my last marathon at Boston with a new PR. Let's be honest, I will never qualify for the Olympic trials, so I don't really feel like there's a whole lot left for me as a marathoner. Sure I can keep getting faster, but what's bigger than a PR at Boston? The only thing I have left for my athletic goals is Ironman.
And it has to be Ironman Louisville.
It will be at least two years before I will toe the line again at Ironman. I think my mind needs time to heal. I need to live some life and know that there are things bigger than Ironman. Then and only then will I be ready to try again. And I will try again.
It's been two years since my DNF at Ironman Louisville. The pain of not finishing is still as fresh today as it was then. Since that time I have had two DNS at ironman, another DNF at an ironman, and haven't even run a marathon. Ironman Louisville crushed my soul. I used to line up at races ready to crush my competition. Now I line up at a race scared of what lies ahead. I absolutely dread racing anymore.
On the outside I like to say it's okay that I've gone back to running and that being "only" a runner suits me. But I'm totally lying. See, I don't really feel like I have anything left to accomplish in running. I have run marathon after marathon and finished up my last marathon at Boston with a new PR. Let's be honest, I will never qualify for the Olympic trials, so I don't really feel like there's a whole lot left for me as a marathoner. Sure I can keep getting faster, but what's bigger than a PR at Boston? The only thing I have left for my athletic goals is Ironman.
And it has to be Ironman Louisville.
It will be at least two years before I will toe the line again at Ironman. I think my mind needs time to heal. I need to live some life and know that there are things bigger than Ironman. Then and only then will I be ready to try again. And I will try again.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Giant Eagle Multisport Festival 10K 2012
**This race was run on July 29th. I am way behind on posting.**
The reason I did my 20 miler on a Friday, besides being done with work for the week, was because I had a 6 mile tempo run on the schedule and thought, hey why not do a 10K? 10Ks are hard to come by around here and knowing there was one with the Giant Eagle Multisport Festival (Ironman 5150), I thought I would go ahead and sign up. Well, I didn't sign up until Thursday evening (expensive) and by Friday it had sold out. Lucky.
Being that I had already run 32 miles for the week, having just done a 20 miler two days ago, and knowing that this 10K wouldn't be a big deal since this was a multisport event, I had zero expectations. The race was really small and I lined up pretty close to the front.
In a word, the course was brutal. Maybe that's too tough a word. The course was not easy and not fun. From the start it went immediately uphill towards Front Street and turned right. The it headed back across the river and caught the Olentangy Trail. I hit the first mile in 6:30-something. Yikes! And then there was an 180 degree turn. And another one and another one. There were eight freakin' 180 degree turns on this course. The miles were schizophrenic too. Mile 1 - 6:30ish, Mile 2 - 7:15, Mile 3 - 8:34, Mile 4 - 7:something, Mile 5 - 6:54, Mile 6 - ????
I knew right from the start that there were no awards at this race. Normally I wouldn't care, but I worked my bum off in this race. Miles one and two I was the 5th place woman. Around mile 3-1/2 I caught the fourth place girl. For the next two miles I tracked down the 3rd place woman and finally caught her at the five mile mark. I was going to place in the top three of this race and of course, there was no podium.
I finished the race in 45:40, 3rd place woman, and a new PR. Awards or not, I'll take a solid race effort.
The reason I did my 20 miler on a Friday, besides being done with work for the week, was because I had a 6 mile tempo run on the schedule and thought, hey why not do a 10K? 10Ks are hard to come by around here and knowing there was one with the Giant Eagle Multisport Festival (Ironman 5150), I thought I would go ahead and sign up. Well, I didn't sign up until Thursday evening (expensive) and by Friday it had sold out. Lucky.
Being that I had already run 32 miles for the week, having just done a 20 miler two days ago, and knowing that this 10K wouldn't be a big deal since this was a multisport event, I had zero expectations. The race was really small and I lined up pretty close to the front.
In a word, the course was brutal. Maybe that's too tough a word. The course was not easy and not fun. From the start it went immediately uphill towards Front Street and turned right. The it headed back across the river and caught the Olentangy Trail. I hit the first mile in 6:30-something. Yikes! And then there was an 180 degree turn. And another one and another one. There were eight freakin' 180 degree turns on this course. The miles were schizophrenic too. Mile 1 - 6:30ish, Mile 2 - 7:15, Mile 3 - 8:34, Mile 4 - 7:something, Mile 5 - 6:54, Mile 6 - ????
I knew right from the start that there were no awards at this race. Normally I wouldn't care, but I worked my bum off in this race. Miles one and two I was the 5th place woman. Around mile 3-1/2 I caught the fourth place girl. For the next two miles I tracked down the 3rd place woman and finally caught her at the five mile mark. I was going to place in the top three of this race and of course, there was no podium.
I finished the race in 45:40, 3rd place woman, and a new PR. Awards or not, I'll take a solid race effort.
I got two medals. One for the race and the other for completing two of the three Mayor's challenge races this year (Cap City and this race).
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Why Hello!
Why hello, blog. It's been a while. I know. I've been gone on vacation and busy and whatnot. But I swear I'm coming back to you very soon. I've still got to talk about my last race (got myself on a nonexistent podium), and I haven't talked about July totals (yes I know it's the middle of August), and of course there's that small talk of my Olympics vacation. And some crazy, exciting stuff that has happened to us over the summer that has yet to be discussed publicly. Hopefully that will hold your attention for the next four weeks or so. So what do you think, blog....can we be friends again?
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