North Beach 5K & Across the Bay 10K

SATURDAY MORNING: North Beach 5K

My friend Cindy (who owns Gentle Family Dentistry in Dunkirk, MD if you're looking for an AWESOME dentist) told me about this local 5K. Even though I was already signed up for and running the Across the Bay 10K on Sunday, I figured maybe I should try to run some back-to-back races before the Dopey Challenge in January.

If I haven't mentioned it in person or on this blog, I'm a glutton for punishment, and my running goal for 2019 is to complete the Dopey Challenge at Walt Disney World in January. For this challenge, Thursday is a 5K, Friday is a 10K, Saturday is a half marathon, and Sunday is a full marathon. That's 48.6 miles of running over 4 days and through all 4 Disney theme parks. Doesn't seem like that much more than a full marathon (26.2 miles), but I'm quickly discovering that running back-to-back days is WAY harder than it seems. I may have run a decent number of races, but I'm terrible at training for them, and I definitely don't ever run back-to-back days. I thought this would be a good way to keep running through the winter because, well, COLD. I don't like to run in the cold.

First training idea: 5K on Saturday, 10K on Sunday, 3 miles (not in a race) on Monday.

Our food selection was pretty lacking for breakfast, so I dealt with what we had. Halloween was just this past week, hence the Reese's pumpkin. It paired well with a banana and coffee.  

I arrived at the North Beach pier to sign up on race morning. Not only did I get a t-shirt in a size that would fit (usually if you sign up on race day, there's limited selection, or no t-shirt available at all), but the race was only $20 and would benefit the local (Northern) high school's track & field and soccer programs. I guess I missed that part because those sports have FAST runners. As I glance around, I'm surrounded by high school kids with the occasional adult here and there, and they all look like they do sprint workouts for fun. Whomp whomp. At least with big races I can blend in the crowd and not be the last person running. I can't remember the last time I did a small local race like this. I thought this was a good race to try using my race dots (those little animal paw print circles) on my leggings vs. on my shirt and see if they would stay put. I love these things - you use them instead of safety pins so they don't destroy your clothing - they're basically super duper magnets (and $1 of the cost went to the animals, so you know I was sold). Note to self: buy another set of these at some point to switch things up.

I immediately head back to my car to stay warm until the race starts. Take Snapchat selfie with a filter to make myself think I don't look ridiculously tired. 

 

 

I'm only parked about 200m from the start line. Text Cindy to tell her I see no one but fast runners, and she tells me there will be some walkers. Phew! Cindy's mom is so cute - she is there at the start (and the finish) to cheer us on and take a photo or two. Here's the start. Cindy is trying to get her phone started and I'm realizing all the fast kids have already started.

 View of the water about 1/4 mile into the race. Stroller dad pushing twins passes me at this point.

I didn't take too many photos during the race. It was pretty much up and down the streets of North Beach. Who knew there were so many damn hills there?!

After the initial half mile or so, I didn't see many people along the course. I wasn't passing anyone (but I also wasn't getting passed). It's hard to stay motivated to run quickly when you're basically running alone. However, the entire time I was chasing this group ahead of me. You could think "oh, she's 15yo, that's why she's ahead of you and beat you" blah blah blah. But she's running with her DOG. I got beat in a 5K by a DOG. They would stop every so often, sometimes to pee, sometimes I'm not sure why. I'd close the gap, and then zoom! They were off again and they stayed just far enough ahead of me that I couldn't catch them.

I crossed the finish line and waited with Cindy's mom for Cindy to finish up. It was a beautiful morning to run, after the initial chilly start.

Cindy's friend also ran this race - she's the one that originally got Cindy started running. I'm not sure who I'd say got me started running. I did some adventure races in Tennessee, so Lesley and Lisa were my first "running" buddies, but I hated running, and I was slow. I really started to run so that I could do something with Michael (he ran in high school), but he told me that I ran too slow for him. It only took a few years, but I finally beat him in a 5K after we moved to Maryland (and I started running a lot more). Too slow?! Take that, babe.

I'm a huge proponent of "you vs. you" and trying to beat your own personal times, etc., but when I checked my results and saw that I was only 33 seconds behind the 2nd place in my age group (and they gave out awards for 1st and 2nd in each age group), I was like DAMNIT! Should've run faster. I bet these ladies were running with the teenage girl and her dog. Oh well, maybe next time. Definitely not my best 5K time, but not my worst either. My very first 5K was in December 2008 - the Jingle Bell Run in Knoxville, TN. It took me 36:21 and I didn't think it was possible for me to run any faster. One of my better 5K times was in December 2013 at the Village 5K in Spotsylvania, VA, and it took me 26:01. Not sure if that's my PR or not, but at quick glance, it probably is. Maybe one day I'll train to run a faster 5K. Maybe not. 

SATURDAY NIGHT: Calvert Memorial Hospital Harvest Ball - "FIRE & ICE: Igniting the Difference"

After the race, I headed home to shower and relax for a little bit before heading to National Harbor for Calvert Memorial Hospital's annual Harvest Ball. The theme this year was "FIRE & ICE: Igniting the Difference".

What a cutie! We don't get all dressed up and go to fancy things very often, but when we do, I have an amazing time with the hubs.

The food was AMAZINGLY delicious. Steak & fish for the main course - mmmmm, perfect pre-race meal. Except for the copious amounts of red wine I drank ...

SUNDAY MORNING: Across the Bay 10K

This is my 5th year running the Across the Bay 10K. The medals join together to make a "puzzle", so I just needed to get that 5th puzzle piece to complete the set. I meet Kayla at my secret parking spot near the Navy Stadium and we head over to catch the shuttle to the start line. Bless Michael for driving me at the crack of dawn from National Harbor completely out of the way to the stadium.

I'm not one to complain, but they do "male" and "female" shirt colors. One year, I got the male design and it was HIDEOUS. So this year I went for the ladies cut. Ugh. This mustard yellow color? No thank you.

Some photos from the starting area. "Kayla, go stand there and I'll take your picture!"

As we are standing waiting to start, I ask Kayla if she's ever run a 10K before. "Nope!" She's about to crush me in this race.

Can't beat this view! The sun is out, the weather is perfect for running, and I just need to get to the finish line for a celebratory BEvERage!

This race is CUPLESS, which means that you either have to carry your own water bottle (we saw how well that worked for the Marine Corps Marathon last month), which you could fill up at this water station, OR you could just use the water faucet type spigots to grab a quick drink at the top of the bridge (about 2 miles in). I went for option B.

The beauty of this race is that the first 2 miles (when you've got all your beginning of the race energy) are at a slight incline, followed by 2 miles downhill, and then it levels out and is pretty flat the last 2 miles (except for a stupid hill towards the end). The downhill is the best part (see selfie below).

Race photographer caught these photos, where I'm wearing my new Team Beef long sleeve top - it's super comfy and nice and warm with the breeze on the bridge. However, I realized that although it's black, it's not the same black as my capris. Why can't we just have one type of black??

Yay! Finished Across the Bay 10K #5. And Kayla CRUSHED her first 10K (not that I had any doubt). She texts me when she's done to ask where I was. Not even to mile 5 yet, girl. You too fast for me! One day I'll get on her level - or not haha.

At the Historic Half race earlier this year, Geico was at the race expo. You could "spin to win" a t-shirt that would give you a free post-race massage at ANY race Geico sponsors. I've done the spin to win multiple times and never won. So this day, I let a lady go in front of me and she got 3 in a row to win! The Geico guy had seen me let her in front of me, and he gave me a shirt, too. Good juju :) Finally cashed in on a post-race massage today and it was GLORIOUS.

Catch up with some other folks from Calvert CrossFit in Prince Frederick and Calvert CrossFit North in Dunkirk (which I co-own and run). Someone has this adorable and fluffy dog.

Remember how I mentioned I was running this race to finish my puzzle? Notice anything about the last medal? IT DOESN'T END THE PUZZLE. Everyone was all up in arms about it. They finally sent an email saying that they would send us the ending piece medal that we all voted on. Thankful for Ironman making it right and correcting the mistake.