2011 C.A.R.E. 5 & 10K Run, North Liberty, Iowa

Today started at 6a.m. I got up, dressed for my race, ate half of my banana, drank some water, grabbed my stuff for the race and left.

I arrived at Curves right at 6:30 to pick up my new friends Deb and Wendy. I talked up this race a lot and hoped they'd sign up for it. I met Deb and Wendy in my Zumba class at Curves.

The weather was a cool 68 degrees, but had humidity of at least 80% so I was sure running in this would be hot.

My stats were these: Time 30:16 with a 9:44 mile pace. Placed 3rd of 12 in my age group of 30-39. Overall I placed 30th of 68 runners. I was 12th of 41 females.

This was a flat course so I'm not sure why my time was even close to 30 minutes. I ran the entire way and felt that I was going fast, so I expected a 28 something time as in other races. I am super happy that I finished 3rd in my age group, and received a medal for my efforts, that was fun!

Many of my friends were at this race today so there are lots of pictures to enjoy.




The front of the shirt.  I like this shirt a lot so I'll wear it with pride!



The back of the shirt.  This will be great for advertising organ donation.  I am an organ donor and proud of it!

Deb and Wendy about an hour before the race. 

Before the race I was wondering where the heck Stephany was, then she drove in the parking lot with a police officer following her.  Here she is talking to him.  She was speeding on 240th street, but got off with a warning.  Amber, Deb, Wendy and I were laughing at her.  I was snapping a few pictures to tease her with later.  Double click on the picture and you can see her having a conversation with the officer.



From Left to Right  Wendy, Me, Stephany, Amber and Deb.



All of us being silly.  I'm pretty sure I have bunny ears behind my head from Wendy.



To my surprise Bella (the little girl I watched for 3 years) and her parents were both at the race.  This is a picture of Janeen (Bella's Mom) Bella and Me.

Amber running in for the finish.  Stephany and I were yelling for her.

Amber again right at the time clock.  This is only her 2nd 5K.

After the race I met up with another friend Jennie.  From Left to Right  Jennie, Stephany, Me and Amber.

Wendy and Deb walking in to the finish.



We were all yelling for them, then Deb and Wendy started running.  Both of them finished under an hour!

Super cool Praying Mantis on the wall of the North Liberty Recreation Center posing for a picture.

Coolest thing ever happened.  Stephany placed 2nd in her age group of 20-29.  Jennie placed 2nd Overall Female and I placed 3rd in my age group of 30-39.  Here we are posing with our medals.

A close up of the front of the medal.  It's really neat looking and kinda heavy.

My race number.



The back of my medal.

2011 Watermelon Stampede 5K and 10K, Muscatine, Iowa

The day started out a littler warmer than usual. It wasn't bad for August in the low 70 degree range,but add humidity to that and it's warm.   My favorite running weather is 50's.  This morning my son Daniel had to work at 6a.m. and that was perfect because I was going to leave the house at that time anyway, so I just left 5 minutes earlier. On the way out of town I realized that I didn't grab my banana in the house for my breakfast (I don't eat much before a race, I make up for that after). Anyway so I stopped at a gas station for a banana and to my surprise they had a perfect (yellow with a slight green at the end) banana. When I arrived outside the gas station there was a truck pulling an antique tractor. Since my Grandpa Lewis collected antique tractors and I instantly thought of him, I took this picture in memory of my Grandpa.

Then I traveled to Muscatine, Iowa for my 5K race. The weather had seemed to cool a bit on my drive there and it was overcast with some dark clouds. I was sure it would rain. Even the race director made an announcement that he hoped we wouldn't get lightening. Wouldn't you know it that with Iowa the clouds just passed on by without a drop. Even the sun came out to fry our bodies while we all ran.

The race started within a couple minutes of 8a.m. as scheduled. We all ran past a Farmer's market and I secretly wished it would be open after the race so I could get a few fresh produce items.

The course was brutal. A LONG gradual hill that extended most of the race. It went for 1.5 miles and by the top I thought my legs were burning off. It hurt me so bad to run today, however there was no stopping for me. I had decided after last week's race of (run walk run walk run walk) placing 4th and missing 3rd place by only 20 seconds that this time I would run the entire way without stopping and I was determined to find a good pace. I started the race with some stomach cramping and then an ankle hurt and then 2 miles into the race I had a side cramp so big it felt like being stabbed. But I plugged on and kept running since that was my goal. I heard another runner say that after the turn around point (1.5 mile mark) that it was downhill all the way to the finish. I was happy, but then it was WRONG. Sure the downhill came because I don't think we could have climbed much further up, however the downhill was only for about .75 of a mile and then the rest was up and down till the end.

I think this was the hardest 5K course I have ever ran and I used to think that about Williamsburg runs.

I felt like I was running fast so I hoped for a great time of under 28 minutes. Instead 28 came and went away. My time was 29:19 and  I was 5th in my age group of 35-39 out of 8.   109 of 244 Overall and 39th of 144 Women.

The best thing about this day was I won a watermelon. That was cool! Here are some pictures:

The cool looking antique tractor.



Something else on the trailor with the tractor, maybe my Father can identify it.




My shirt.



my race number and if you read it backwards then you will get my lucky #13



Since I attended this race alone (no friend Tracy or Stephany this week),  I took a picture of just myself, but forgot to do that until after the race.  So here I am within minutes of finishing the 5K looking massively sweaty and red.




There were a bunch of older Watermelon Stampede shirts so I took a picture of every past year shirt I could find.  Here is year 2000




2001




1987




2008




2010




The race director in his watermelon shirt.




My friend Muriel with her race medal.  She ran the 10K race and placed 1st in her age group.




After the race there was a drawing for 30 watermelons to be given away.  My number was chosen.  Lucky me!



I had to have a picture with the race director because I thought he did a great job and I liked his shirt.

2011 St. Judes Sweet Corn Festival 5 and 10K race in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Great day for a race. When I woke up and went outside the weather was gorgeous and in the low 60's. I picked up Stephany and we headed to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to race our 5K. Before the race some dark clouds were rolling in and it was getting windy. We weren't sure what to expect for weather. I took some pictures of some cool looking divided clouds as you will see later.  The clouds rolled by quickly without a drop of rain and even most of the wind disappeared.  The weather was nice for the entire race and post race activities!  The course was mostly flat with a small gradual hill in the first mile, then it seemed to be downhill the rest of the way to the finish. I finished with a decent 5K time, not my best, but I was happy with my time of 28:49. This means I had a 9:17 average mile time. The stats have already been posted so my official results are these: I was 4th of 32 in my age group of 30-39, 102 of 224 total people and 32 of 121 total women. Had I been only 21 seconds faster I would have placed third. I am kicking myself now because I walked a few times super briefly to catch my breath. I couldn't seem to find a comfortable pace today.

Reasons to do this race:
Chip timed
Race number for your scrapbook
massive amount of food after the race
lots of door prizes
volunteers at every turn
Accurate results that matched my stopwatch
nice shirt, with the option to upgrade to a technical shirt
local race
massage therapists to help you recover quicker
packet with freebies inside
good friends to do the race with you

Me, Waterboy from Z102.9 radio station and Stephany

my race number

Some crazy looking clouds were rolling in and I thought there was going to be a storm, but then it rolled past, cleared up and got hot within a matter of minutes.



Stephany and I taking  our famous picture of ourselves before the race.

massage therapists were there after the race for massage!

post race food!

Chex mix as another option for post race food.

grapes and tons of them.

COOKIES!!!  And whoever made them is amazing because they know how to cook a great cookie.

Stephany's and my shoe with our timing chip.

Almost ready to race, just about to get in line.

My friend Bill Johnson who used to take my Body Pump class was at the race so I had to have a picture with him.

Stephany Coleman, Muriel Naumann, and Me before the race.



Stephany was estatic about her race time. She got a new Personal record of 26:59 and was literally jumping out of her skin.  She was standing on my car while talking on the phone to her Dad about the race.  Stephany not only set a P.R., but she also placed 4th in her age group.

Prizes after the race.  I actually won 3 things! 2 bags and a lanyard from Chick-fil-A!

This is my friend Muriel Naumann who ran the 10K (6.2 mile) race today and placed 1st in her age group of 50-59 with a time of 47:01.  Stephany and I see Muriel at most of the races we do and she always places in her age group.  She is an amazing runner.

Here is my friend Bill Johnson, he ran the 5K.  He won one of the first door prizes which was a bowl full of stuff for a movie night.  AND he placed 4th in his age group of 50-59 with a time of 24:22!  Way to go Bill!




At the end of the race I was admiring the leftover watermelons when the volunteer race ladies said, "Would you like to take one home?"  heck yes, so there I am with a watermelon and my other prizes.