Course Record!
While I didn't set a 5k PR (personal record) today, I did set a CR (course record) and demonstrate some great improvements over my past 3 years of running. I keep my race stats in a fancy excel spreadsheet because I am a total geek and proud of it. I've gotten faster on this course each year:
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| Average paces improved each year! 13:35 (2012), 12:06 (2013), 11:30 (2014) |
I've also gotten quite good at running negative splits, or running the second half of the race faster than the first. Today continued that trend:
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| Negative splits for the Run With Santa 5k |
It is always encouraging to see data demonstrating clear progress. All of my hard work is paying off and showing up in my geeky statistics.
Cold Weather Gear
The weather today was chilly, right around freezing but with a wind chill that dropped the "real feel" at least ten degrees. I got to test out my new Nike Hyperwarm Compression Hoodie and Mizuno Breath Thermo gloves and socks. They were all great, and I have to comment on the impressive technology in the gloves and socks. When they get wet (i.e., from perspiration), they get warm. I have circulation issues and often have cold toes and fingers. I'm pretty impressed with the Breath Thermo products, which kept my extremities comfortable during the race.
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| Having the right gear can keep you comfortable in the cold |
Shout-outs for First-time 5k Runners
There were several first-time 5k runners that I want to recognize!
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| Tanvi (far left) ran her first 5k today! She ran with me yesterday on a PR training run & later decided to run the race for benchmarking! Way to go Tanvi!! (photo courtesy of Laurentina Photography) |
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| Rachel, Kristen, and Kelsey Rachel & Kristen ran their first 5k today! (Kelsey and dad Kirk are old pros) Kristen went to high school with Rick (my husband) We are proud of you guys! (photo courtesy of Kristen) |
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| Lilly, mini-me to speedy Lisa, ran her first 5k today! She and her mom ran stride for stride and rocked it! Nice run Lilly! (photo courtesy of Potomac River Running) |
Fun Photos
This is a fun race with lots of costumes. Below is a collection of photos from today showcasing some of my friends and some of the fun!
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| Santa and his elves: Coach Mike, Natalie, Sallie, Rachel (photo courtesy of Sallie) |
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| Beth, Alison, Leah, Seanan, me (clockwise from left) Herndon/Reston Moms Run This Town |
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| My hubby Rick closing in on the finish line (photo courtesy of Potomac River Running) |
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| Coach Mike - is he Santa? Is he the Flash? Either way, he is fast! (photo courtesy of Potomac River Running) |
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| Amy, Tina, and Angela always bring the festive to PR Races! (photo courtesy of Potomac River Running) |
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| Reston Runners BFFs: Lynn, Roz, Vee, Laurie, Susan I'm sorry I missed you ladies! (photo courtesy of Lynn) |
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| me, Laura, Jamie, little Shannon pre-race (photo courtesy of Laurentina Photography) |
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| Tanvi, Viji, me, Laura, Jamie, Erika post-race (photo courtesy of Laurentina Photography) |
Great fun was had by all racers today. I have to give special thanks to little Shannon for running with me today. We pushed each other and found our strong today. Thanks for the motivation and a great run Shannon!
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| Shannon, Laurie (who I did not know was next to me!) & me crossing the finish line triumphantly! (photo courtesy of Potomac River Running) |
So sorry I missed seeing you and Rick today, and congrats on your five-minute improvement over last year's time. And BTW, I LOVE your geeky side! :-)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your age group award Deb! You are really cleaning up with the awards this year. We missed seeing you, too. There was quite the crowd out there today :)
DeleteCongratulations on the CR, and believe me, I totally geek out on data too! So glad to see the code go to a great cause. :) Your photos are terrific, by the way -- I want that Flash outfit!! My daughter has run in the Reston Town Center years ago for GOTR events, and I love seeing the races down there. It's such a great area for runners (but horrible for my present commute, lol!). Finally, how awesome are negative splits??? :) :) :) Although strangely enough, my fastest 5K was front loading my pace, and hanging on. Happy holidays!
ReplyDeleteHappy holidays to you, too! Thanks for making this run possible; I was going to skip it until I got your kind gift. You would totally get along with Mike, aka the flash. He's on twitter: @theeldercthulhu and has just started a blog.
DeleteLove that you are a data geek - I see nothing wrong with that! :) And congrats on your CR!
ReplyDeleteThanks fellow data geek! See you in Fairfax on New Year's Eve :)
DeleteI love all the costumes! This looked like a super fun race.Congrats on the course record :) I love that you keep a spreadsheet - so organized!
ReplyDeleteThank you Lauren! I appreciate your stopping by my blog and taking the time to comment. BTW, I took your advice and bought the Party Party App today :)
DeleteWay to go Kim! I wish there was a way to do both Run with Santa and Jingle Bell! I love your spreadsheet b/c I do the same thing!!! (of course I do haha). It looks like you use some conditional formulas for the colors - love it!
ReplyDeleteConditional formulas are so fun! I wish I were a little more sophisticated so I could differentiate not just paces but distances and paces :)
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