St. Patricks Day 5k

So I was voluntold to run in a 5k this past Friday for work. I guess they needed someone to run in my age group to compete for points in the Commanding General's Cup. If you don't know what the CG Cup is, don't worry about it... it isn't that important. Yet the past 3 weeks I have been training intensely for the Hot Chocolate 5k on the 25th of March (take a look at my archived blog posts to check the credentials). Now I am running 5k races to work on speed to prepare for duatholons and eventually sprint triathlons. I am not the fastest, nor strongest runner... I have said that many times. I am not competing against others, only myself. Anyway, my training left me with beat down quads the day of the race. I tried to run through it and clocked a 6:58 for the first mile, my average first mile time for a 5k. To be honest I felt fresh and my lungs were not burning like they usually do; evidence that my sprint training for the past week was paying off. Yet after the first mile my legs stopped moving. Now I was running fast, really fast yet my cadence or legs just wouldn't move. It was like running in ankle deep sand. My muscles were fatigue and wouldn't keep up with my efforts or soul. So the second mile I came in at a 7:45 and I wasn't even breathing hard, my legs were limp noodles. I have never ran a second mile at that slow of a pace, maybe a 7:30 on a bad day. The last 1.1 miles were me just enjoying the view and having fun. There was no way I was setting a PR or placing in my age group and to be honest I lost a lot of motivation when a friend of mine that I am at least a minute to two minutes faster than passed me. Then a guy pushing a stroller passed me and I realized I might as well just have fun. So I followed the 3/4 spandex running pants and enjoyed the view. Don't judge me, instead appreciate my integrity... I'm talking about girls in tight butt pants. Who ever invented them should be given a Nobel Peace Prize... They are awesome! So I ran with a view and came in at a disappointing 22:50. I know, I'm slow... my usual run time is a 21:45 and my PR in the last year is a 20:30. Don't judge me that I'm not a 16 or 17 minute runner... I run, there for I am.

I had an odd epiphany while running, runners are the only people on earth that want to get older. It makes it easier to place in your age group. Weird.

So the St. Patrick's Day 5k was an epic failure... so to boost my spirits I went on an 18 mile bike ride. My quads were screaming in pain yet my new 2XU tri shorts were holding my muscles in place and keeping them warm. I looked like a dork riding with my CEP compression calf sleeves yet I wanted them to recover faster and they did. I peddled up some hills and then turned my Felt Z5 toward the ocean and set the cruise control at 20 MPH and rode off into the sunset. About 3 miles from the shore a group of 4 riders tried to pass me on the left and gave me a gentle nod. The pain in my quads disappeared as my ego picked up the cadence. I drafted the flight of four easily and it felt good to ride with others vice solo. I don't think they minded although it was mixed couples and I was riding stag.

So today is St. Patrick's Day... Saturday and it is raining. I got some friends down at the Gaslamp getting ready to party and I'm here with my English Bulldog and my family. I would love to go out and party but I won't... it is amateur drinking night and I don't need to end up in a fight.

I feel like I should add some type of wisdom or words of encouragement for my loyal reader, myself. So here goes, you know a lot of people say I have a great life, that I love life and that I motivate them. I say that my life is not that much different than others except that I wake up everyday and CHOOSE to have a wonderful life.

The only thing you can control in this world is your attitude. MOTIVATE!!!