2011 Scott County Family Turkey Trot, Davenport, Iowa

One may be thinking this. Really a race on Thanksgiving, WHY? If you are not a runner, then you clearly just don't understand. If you are a runner, then you were probably doing a Turkey Trot as well, or wishing you were doing one. I prepared well for this day. I had several things to bring my friend's home for Thanksgiving dinner and since I knew I'd be gone most of the morning for my race I prepared in advance. The banana bread was made a couple weeks ago and was frozen. On Tuesday night I boiled all 24 eggs for the 48 deviled eggs and cooked the bacon for the broccoli salad. On Wednesday I assembled all the ingredients for the broccoli salad in a giant bowl, then in a separate bowl made the dressing. I then proceeded to make 4 pies from scratch. One chocolate cream pie, 2 pumpkin and one apple pie. This took me about 3 hours. Then I made the crust for the pretzel salad and baked it, chilled it and then put the next layer on and chilled it. Then I packed all the pickles, specials platters and serving utensils in a bag for the next day. I was almost ready.

Thursday morning at 5:15 I woke to my alarm. I was surprised that outside it was Perfect weather for a Thanksgiving day. 40 degrees out, cloudy and only a slight wind. I dressed for my race, then finished the top layer of the pretzel salad and put that in the fridge to chill. Then left for the race in Davenport around 5:50a.m. The drive there was quiet and peaceful, not a lot of cars or trucks on the road. I thought there would be more early morning traffic of people going to their Thanksgiving day celebrations.

I arrived bright and early to packet pickup around 6:50a.m. It would have been earlier, but I wasn't quite sure where I was going exactly or where to park since roads on my directions were already blocked off. As it is I pulled in the wrong way on a street that was being blocked off by volunteers, the one guy didn't look happy that I was pulling past the barricade that was half set up (now had it been fully set up I would have turned around and went around the block). However all was well because I found a spot right next to the YMCA and it was a perfect spot to just scoot right out of there after the race was finished.

I entered the YMCA building at 7a.m. and was thinking that things were way too quiet. I wondered for a bit if I was there too early, or if packet pickup was moved or something. I only saw about 5 people on the first floor and this race was expected to have 1800 participants, plus spectators. There were claw prints on the floor leading you to packet pickup. Someone did that with orange duck tape which you will see below in one of the pictures. Very cute idea by the way.

If you care about full results go HERE
My personal results are these:  I was 795th place of 1725 total people in the 5 mile run.  I placed 42nd of 124 in my age group of 35-39.  My final time was 48:17 and that is a 9:40 mile pace.

This race starts you out going up hill for almost an entire mile. The same nasty hill that Davenport run their famous BIX race in July.  My first mile time was close to 11 minutes.  My second mile was around 10 minutes, 3rd mile 9 minutes, 4th mile 10 minutes  I had walked through a water stop so I could drink and I had to fix my shoe that was becoming loosely tied and felt like it was falling off.  Last mile I wanted to do my very best so I ran as fast as I could handle and I was lucky that the last mile  was downhill on that crazy hill and it did the mile in only 8 minutes!

Here are some pictures to enjoy:

The claw prints on the floor leading you to packet pick up.



The back of my shirt.

The front of my shirt.

My race number

The starting and finishing arch.  It was so nice to see this when you turned the corner in your last 1/4 mile on 2nd Street.

Huge signs advertizing the race.

Beautiful awards. 

I ran into these ladies and loved their hats.  I asked them if I could have a picture of their hats, they insisted I get in the picture with them.  Their names are Jessica and Jennifer.



Cute turkey hats.

I loved this turkey costume and asked him if I could have a picture with him.

The back of the turkey cosutme.

North Dodge Athletic Club Indoor Triathlon

Registration for the 2nd annual NDAC Indoor Triathlon is now open. Go to either ndacgym.com or GetMeRegistered.com to sign up. Like last year, all proceeds from this race will benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Iowa City. Last year we donated almost $200. We would like to hit $500 this year. If you have never done a triathlon, this is the perfect way to start.

10 minute swim
30 minute ride on a spin bike
20 minute run an a treadmill

The winners (male and female, overall and age group) will be determined by total distance traveled.

If you don't want to race but would like to be involved, we need volunteers to help with the race. The more the better. If you are interested, please send an email to info@ndacgym.com.

See you on race day.

2011 Girl's On the Run 5K--Iowa City, IA

The race was local, so local that I had the bright idea that I wouldn't waste fuel to drive there or time to park, that I would run there, then do the race and then run home. I mapped out the location of where the race was and decided that 1.58 miles wasn't a long distance to run so I did just that. However I left my house later than expected and ended up having to sprint there almost to make it in time to line up for the race. When I arrived at the place where I thought we were starting the race, I remembered that the actual race was starting in the cross country fields a half mile away. So I then ran another half mile to the starting place. I was tired when I got there.

I saw my friend Rhoni Jo, but couldn't get a picture since I hadn't carried my camera on me. All I had on me was my cell phone (which does take pictures but I have yet to figure out how to get those pictures from the phone to my computer) and chap stick.

Rhoni Jo was awesome and ran with me the entire time of this race, right by my side and when I seemed to be struggling (and I was) she asked if I was okay and she even walked with me when I stopped to walk.

By mile 2 of the 5K race I was having trouble breathing and my body was saying, "Stop and take a nap." That's exactly what I wanted to do, but kept on running, however not very fast. About a half mile before the race was finished Rhoni Jo and I came around a corner of the cross country field and the wind hit us so hard it about knocked us out. It felt like the wind picked up by at least 20 m.p.h. I had to close my eyes so my contacts wouldn't blow out of my eyes. I really had a super hard time finishing this race. At about .10 left of the race I said to Rhoni Jo, just go, finish! I walked a tiny bit to regain my breathing control and then ran in to the finish. The time clock said 32: something and seriously it didn't even matter what the time was by this point because I felt lucky to even finish. This 5K cross country course (which by the way was 3.19 according to Rhoni Jo's GPS running watch) was the HARDEST 5K I have EVER ran. I really had a hard time. Maybe it was because I ran 2 miles before the race and ran those two miles faster than I should have, maybe it was the wind, or the cold or those massive hills on the course. I'm not sure what the factors were exactly that lead to this being so hard yesterday, but it was hard and I feel that much more awesome that I finished. My regret is that I didn't have my real camera to get a picture of Rhoni Jo and I before and after the race.

A picture of the shirt we received for the run.

My race number

This is the finishing medal, which was reserved for all the little girls that do this run.  However there were a ton extra left over and I asked if Rhoni Jo and I could have one and the race director seemed super fine with that.  It will be a nice addition to my racing scrapbook that will say on the page, "Hardest cross country 5K ever"

2011 Return of the Turkey Trot 8K--Marion, Iowa

A gorgeous day for a run.  The race started at 9a.m.  The weather was 41 degrees, slightly cloudy, with 8 m.p.h. winds from the South.  I had brought my gloves and ear headband and had layers on, however by mile 1 I had taken my first shirt off, then by mile 2 my second shirt was off leaving only my tank top to run in, but it was perfect.  I only felt cold after I had finished and since my shirts were tied on me I was able to put one back on right away.  I did this same race last year and liked how well organized it was.  The volunteers were awesome again this year, plenty of people to help out at all the turns in the race,and plenty of volunteers running the FREE pancake breakfast to all the runners after the race.

I signed up for this race mostly for the shirt and pancake breakfast.  This shirt design is one of the most awesome shirts EVER next to the pickle run shirt.

I traveled to the race with my friend Tracy.  She has this fun little tiny Mazda convertible that is just cute and she offered to pick me up.  It was great to spend time with just her since I hardly ever get to see her and yet some of my other running friends either take classes from me at the gym so I see them at least once a week or I see them almost every week at other races.  Anyway I'm grateful for my friendship with Tracy, she has taught me so much about running and how the purpose of running shouldn't always be "to beat everyone, to beat your personal best, to run till you puke, or focus on a time"  People run for so many different reasons.  I run and think about things in my life and think about how I can help and serve others during the week. 

Today I had the wonderful opportunity to run with a new running friend named Rhoni Jo.  I met her several months ago and I think I've been seeing her at local races for over a year, but it was just recently that we connected.  I decided today that I wanted to keep with her pace and run with her so we could talk and I could try and get to know her a little bit better.  She shares my love and addiction for running and she also believes that finishing is the most important part of a race.

I don't have a picture of Rhoni Jo today, but if you go back to one of my other running posts you will see her.  I hope to do many more races with her.

I also shared the race today with Tracy, Janeen (Bella's Mom)  Bella is the little girl I watched for almost 3 years of her life.  Stephany, Jennie and Bill were also there.  I should have had my camera out more, for I missed a lot of great pictures of my friends.

The pancake breakfast afterwards was really good and the freebies in our packets were nice too.

The race results are here if you care.

My personal results are these:  My time was 50:20  I was 520th place of 698 total people running the 8K.  I was 241st  of 381 females, 36th of 58 in my age group of 35-39  and my mile pace was 10:07.  I currently have no voice right now and have a slight cough that happens about once every hour and I felt like my chest was tight, so I feel that this race pace was perfect today.  Here are some pictures to enjoy:

This was a picture of our course map for the 8K race.

This is a picture of my shirt.  I think it's super cute and I'll wear it often.

This was someone's Turkey trot shirt from 9 years ago.  I love the cute designs, just wish I could have found more shirts to take pictures of for my blog.

Tracy and I with the turkey.