A Weekend of Running

Saturday morning was the Oakdale Library Run 5K and 1 mile. I haven't run this race in several years but I needed some speed work so I registered. We arrived early to help set up the finish line and registration tables. Roos and Connor also came along to help. I worked the pre-registration check in until 5 minutes before the race began, then we lined up and the count down began. I was secretly hoping to run under 20 minutes but this was doubtful since my legs didn't feel recovered from the previous weekends marathon.

We took off and began into what felt like a ridiculously fast pace. I backed off and got into a uncomfortable but tolerable pace. I have a tendency in the shorter races to start slow the first mile and pick up the pace as the miles progress. At mile one my watch said 6:47. The course has changed since the last time I ran. It headed west, through a housing division. It felt like there were many turns. I hit the turn around point and could see their were two girls in front of me. At mile two my watch said 6:48. A young girl was in front of me and I began reeling her in. I came up right beside her and said, Go Sierra, push it. I had remembered her from check in. She told us she is a cross country runner from Downey High. I think this was a great boost for her (or she was scared shitless because I knew her name) because she picked up the pace. Both of the females were now within view and I really pushed the last mile to close the gap. My watch read 6:43 for the third mile and I crossed the finish line in 20:38, 3rd female overall. The first and second females finished in 20:24 and 20:34. Ok, the females were 15 YEARS OLD!! both of them.....

The best part of the day was when Connor asked if we could go home yet. I said, we have to wait for the awards because I'm getting a medal. He said, don't you have enough of those!

Sunday, Roos, Connor and I joined in for another 5K in Riverbank.

The run was being put on my a high school senior for her senior project. The run was to benefit the earthquake ruined Haiti. It was a very low key event in the beautiful Jacob Myers Park. The course was 3 1/2 loops. The were many ShadowChase members out to enjoy the day.

We took off and of course, Mike Boyer was out of the chute like a jack rabbit and right behind him was Nile Sousa. I settled into a pace just behind Adrian Crane. The course was surprisingly hilly. On the second loop as Adrian and I climbed the little hill, and as I was pulling up next to him, he said, isn't it time for your walk break? Silly goose.. I passed him and continued on to come in 1st female. Of course, there were maybe only 20 participants for the whole race. My time was 21:56.

I ran on to catch up with Connor and we finished together. Roos finished in 37 minutes and Connor in 40 minutes. After the little awards ceremony, they had a raffle. Roos won a bag of Ghiradelli Chocolate, and Connor and I each won a $30 gift certificate to a salon in Riverbank. Does it get any better than that? Almost everyone won that showed up won a raffle prize so that was pretty cool.

They had an AWESOME playground at the park and Connor and I had a blast playing on the equipment.

The Stanislaus River runs right next to the park.

It was a perfect way to start Valentines Day.

Run fun....