Plano Pacers Holiday Hustle 8K

Another week, another race. Week ago it was a 5k and it wasn't easy. For this week, 8k I was going to need some help, so I ran with my cheating muscles tights.
It was fun. Nick started with me a paced me for the first mile. I got to pass a few runners and then Nick paced me on the way back, for the last mile around the lake.

It was a great race, running around runners, I met some friends and got an AG trophy!!!

Speedway CandyCane Classic

Can I run in the evening? I should! This was my big question when I signed to this race.
I started happy, watching fast runner go. Then a cute lady got in front of me. I got to plug to her as a pacer. We ran out of the stadium, then climbed it an ran inside. I had never realized how big the Speed Motor Stadium is. Then way down and I still had some energy to pass the cute English friend I met after.  Good enough to get AG medal! And enjoy hot choco with friends and Lucas.

 

North Texas Turkey Trot - Running & Blog Recap

Summer 2015. Back to school, and recovery. Getting an injury on my ankle while tempting to run on a trail in Sedona, forced finally to take a little break from running. I had to miss that 10k in the woods, and the magic hiking in Arizona trails. For any reason my body feels so exhausted...

Back home, some weeks, around 3, not running on roads, just in the water plus some bike. Still feeling weak, but I needed to start running. Mile by mile, walk, run, walk, count the clouds, the birds, the miles.

I needed some help to get a little bit out of me. Luckily one of the best runners and coach I me at a race in 2015, started supporting me.

 

August, September and October, piling miles. I had already by 30 per week. Time to check where I am, I thought. I signed to a 5k close to home, Gary Burns. Event was cancelled due to weather conditions, however I ran it on the treadmill and it me took 24 min 45 sec. There I was!

Coach James also started sending me some workouts. Time to check for real where I was. North Texas Turkey Trot 5k. Do not be afraid Roxy. Just run! I started conservative, all young runners passing me, some 5k, others 10k runners.  Keep going mom! Almost in the last mile I got to catch with a girl and we pushed each other. This is why races are for! 23:24

F 40-44

3

Female

26

Overall

145

  

Susan G Komen Race for the Cure

Great company and event. Watching the survivors all around always makes me feel there is company if you need. 

Not mommy's great 5K. Something is not working good within me. I am getting slower, tired. I had to stop x2 in a 5k race. I started conservative, peaked some, passed one, passed two. I didn't know I got first, but I had two stop almost in front of finish line and lost 1st price. Is is on my mind, my body?

Anyways, relax and enjoy the event Roxy!

Run like a Mother, Run like a Child

Mothers’ day weekend. Run like a Mother race in Frisco. I won overall in 2013, 2^nd place in 2014. With all the ups and downs, downs & downs in my running life, 2015’s race goal was “A fun, under pressure & safe run. Run like a child, forget about pace, heart rate, previous results and any other thing. Just run!”

As I’ve done it on previous races for him, Nick offered to pace me at the start and pick me at the end to finish together. This was the best motivation I’ve ever had on any race.

We warmed up. Humidity made it feel like a sauna with that “I am happy I got it done” sweat sensation.

Start lime,  music and moms. Nick next to me and with a happy mood. Gun shot. I was able to keep close to Nick. It helped me to start with a good rhythm, maybe little bit too fast? 

Confirmed. It wasn't feeling any easy and I wasn't getting faster. Second mile, I had to take a break and start again. 

Last quarter before the finish line and I passed a mom. Then Nick picked me and paced me until the finish line. Lucas was cheering us with holding a nice banner. What a race finish! Being motivated and paced by my own sons, made me feel a total victory.

I suspected race time was not going to be close to any PR, however I wanted to Run like a Mother, showing my kids that “I can make it, like my mom makes it!” I also wanted to Run like a Child, showing myself “You can run for the fun of feeling the running.”

One race, two medals. At the awards ceremony and a nice surprise with a 1st position for my age group and second medal besides the finisher's one.

I love to Run like a Mother and to Run like a Child!

  

Rock'n'Roll Dallas 2015 - When the Sun Doesn't Shine Look to for Other Shines

Rock’n’Roll Dallas, another classic. I ran (without bib) the inaugural race on 2010, to test what a half was. Enough to sign and race it officially on 2011. A blast and a P.R. with 1:27:32. I missed 2012 and 2013, but came back on 2014. We used to drop cars at the fair park, take the shuttle, race, finish at the fair park. Then look for your lost car parked somewhere close around.

2015. Big news! Rock’n’Roll Dallas released a new race course. A change, how fun! I downloaded race course, printed it drove it to get a feeling. Going east on Ross and coming back on Young with the Reunion arena, then the bridges to finish with that Turtle Creek, Cedar Springs to the American Airlines center looked interesting.

Night before the race. While planning where I was going to park, by accident I clicked the running course. It looked different than what I had printed. “Maybe I got the wrong link,” I thought. No, link was correct. Oh, well, the same 13.1 miles, no matter what.

Starting line. All fun. Many runners. All dressed in colorful hi-tech clothes and running shoes. Most runners talking, enjoying the event as a party, and few runners stretching, jogging around, doing fun drills. Another neighbor, Stacy Plummer smiling around. In corral 1, I met my friend Servando Palomenque whom I had started my very first Rock’n’Roll run few years ago. Servando is a dedicated runner and previous Toastmaster colleague.

Gun shot. Many runners going forward. I know my pace these days, is not what it used to be, so my strategy was “apply the play button, relax and let it come.” I spotted some other running girls front of me and I found Poksu Binger. We use to train together a couple years ago. She is one of the smoothest runners I've ever met. By keeping close to her. I was going to ensure myself and smooth pace. We passed and paced each other several times for almost 8  miles.

At the Margaret Hunt bridge and going down the spiral, a different experience. Then Riverfront followed by Oak Lawn Ave., for the last 5k. Clock displaying a 1:19 some at the 15k mark. Still one 5k + 1 more to go. “Do I have energy to cover the 6km in 11 minutes, maybe 21?” I wondered. No. Legs were feeling numb. The 1:30 Half Marathon was not going to happen. “Not worth the torture,” I thought and time to stop for a drink, legs shake and reset the button to try to enjoy the last part. And I did!

Turning on Turtle Creek a red shirt bear giving five to runners. “I will take them all,” and when bear gave me 5, I grabbed his hand and pulled it with me. He started laughing and told me “It’s me, John Studebaker!” then pulled his bear head and gave me an smile.

  

Still couple miles more to cover. I spotted Mark Olateju. Even he looked a little bit tired, he was shining the roads on a bright yellow tee and when I passed he gave me a magic “Go Roxy, go get it!” that turned me on to push and cross the finish line.

Another P.R. backwards with 1:44:36. Running wasn’t any easy. Getting a P.R. backwards didn’t help and messages from coach kept me downhill. I was trying to fake an smile when I got home and my kids ran over me asking “How did the race go, mom?” But I couldn't.

It was just after the shower when I found the card my kids made. “Good job :-) If you think that you did bad, did you beat people? Did you finish? If you say yes, you did to US! Thanks for being my mom.”

 

Even I am still sad and worried about this race and last races' P.R. backwards one after the other, this time my sons and running friends around provided with a little shine to keep strong and go get to turn the P.R. backwards invasion around!

 

 

Spring Fling 5k - Victories to Make You Shine

Saturday morning and no soccer game due to wet soccer fields. Let's go to have fun at a race!.
Spring Fling 5k in Frisco at the Stonebriar church.

Not too much notice, not even training this week. Just XBox time reward for trying was enough for Nicholas to make a 3:25s for Nicholas and 3:40s for Lucas' 1k, crossing the finish line in 1st and 3rd positions, turning mom to her proudest and happiest mode.

Time for the 5k race, time for Nicholas to run at his comfortable pushing level. I knew after getting that 1k overall, it was going to be easy for him to get on a good tempo mode. And he did! He crossed the finish line in 24:00, exactly the same time it took 5k week before where he pushed much harder.

Little victories will make you shine. Let's go for them!

 

 

 

Dash Down Greenville 2015 – A Dream Without a Deadline

A DREAM written down becomes a GOAL.

A GOAL broken down into steps becomes a PLAN.

A plan backed by action makes your DREAMS come true.

Dash Down Greenville 5k. One of the Dallas’ classics with St. Patricks’ parade after the race.

“What is your goal? Under 21?” husband asked me, the running mom, on our way to the race. “I do not know. I am going to push to see what I have. I do not have any time goal, yet.” The typical response from runners when we are not interested to sharing any personal detail, feeling, thought, concern, hope...

Son & Mom together at the starting line. Gunshot! and son flying away from Mom. All speedies on Greenville downhill. Around ¾ mile, when I spotted my son. He looked relaxed with arms and legs moving in symphony. “Maybe he is thinking he is playing a song on his oboe?” Nick always tells me different things he thinks while running. Sometimes out of space in a cosmic battle. I kept watching and listening his breathing in silence. At the corner of Caruth Haven Ln., I patted him on his shoulder, “You look good. Follow me!”.

Southwestern Blvd. hill down before turning way up on Skillman St. As son didn't pass mom, it was on mom’s to keep the pace. Even any faster, this running mom felt the second half of the race mentally faster, filled with those “burning muscles”, “losing legs control”, “getting out of breath” sensation and thinking “What the heck am I doing here?” 

Finally! Mom crossed the finish line in 22:04 clock mark and turned around looking back for son. Waiting for him gave the the chance to catch some breath and fully enjoy my son's Olympic finish, while cheering and jumping over him with a big hug. A dream coming true. Simply delicious!

As a running mom, I dream about sharing more runs, training sessions and races with my son. That we help and push each other to get better and have fun. That we share those runner’s talks and conclusions, and that I create a passion my son will keep for life. 

For sure I would love Son & Mom’s 5ks under  20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15 and faster, and eventually we are going to set those goals. 

However as the famous quote says “A goal is a dream with a deadline” and as a running mom I do not have any deadline. My dream is forever!