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!

Cowtown 2015 – Patient Polar Bears get Chocolate Chips Cookies

“Because Everything Happens for a Reason”

This Cowtown was going to be Mom’s 6^th and Son’s 4^th year in a row. With Mom’s 2010 to 2015  10ks and Son’s 2012 to 2014 at the Cook Children 5k, upgrading this year to the 10k. We had reserved a hotel room and planned all logistics for this Mom & Son’s big event.

Friday, February 27^th, a white day! Snow all around. While kids in School, Mom spent over an hour packing warm clothe for the trip and the race. Those funning PJs, long tights, Cowtown’s long sleeves t-shirts, good traction running shoes, long socks—yeah! The new dragon socks for Nick—gloves, hats, snow glasses.

Just by the time Mom closed the suitcase’s zip ready to put it on the truck, e-mail announcing the race cancelation appeared on the computer. Oh, well. Time to relax as a polar bear, look around and wait patiently while kids play with the snow.

 Saturday, February 28th, 10k race date. According to AccuWeather, the average high temperature in Dallas at this time of year is 64 degrees Fahrenheit, but on this Saturday, the harsh winter weather that had plagued the East Coast for weeks touched down in Dallas-FortWorth area. The "Arctic airmass," plunged the city's temperature to 33 degrees with over two inches of snow and an icy glaze.

Sunday’s races were still going on. Even running, not necessarily racing, the Half Marathon was an interesting option for Mom, however associated risks were too high. Two facts, with Dad out of town, in Hawaii for another Navy duty, there was no backup parent at home with kids. Then driving alone on icy roads made a compounded good excuse for Mom to “take it easy” and miss that Half Marathon.

But everything, or at least some things, happen for a reason. Saturday runners got the option to run virtual races. Even a virtual race sounds like a chocolate chips cookie without chocolate chips, in this case, the chance for Mom & Son to still complete the 10k together, was the missing chocolate chips.

Sunday, March 1^st. All races, Ultra, Marathon and Half Marathon running together, by the time race started, weather break was pretty good. Race officials and volunteers did all they could to get the course ready, including spreading 14 tons of sand on the Half course. Runners had a great time, some even posted PRs! Running Mom & Son kept at home and had to decide running course. As virtual race officials without enough tons of sand to spread on the roads, decision was made to run indoors.

Frisco Family YMCA as the selected virtual race location. Mom & Son started warming up on available and distant treadmills. On your marks, get ready, set, ON! Mom found hard to push from 7.7 to 8.0 mph, hoping to finish before Son, and go to cheer him to the end. But something unexpected happened! t was the opposite. What? Son beat Mom with an impressive 46:41 over 47:17!

 

What a nice surprise! Even initially it was hard to believe, the 8.0 to 9.0 mph speed range Nicholas told he kept, made sense to his finishing in the 46:41 recorded on his Garmin.

He pushed HARD! Harder than Mom. 

Congratulations!

We really appreciate the virtual race option the Cowtown Team provided to Saturday runners. Now these Mom & Son are proud of having raced Cowtown for 6 and 4 years in a row, and are waiting for the finishers medals.