Monday, July 8, 2013

2 more races...



Couple more 5K’s under my belt!
Here’s my re-cap.

First I’ll start with The Color Run. 
There are a bunch of different versions of this now I’m seeing, but this was the actual original Color Run.  D, Holly, Court and Court’s friend Laura and I all signed up.  Holly had done it before and was super excited for the rest of us to try it.
D decided to call our team the Stache Dashers – hence the mustache headbands.  It was out in Pomona at the Fairplex where we have done other races before.
We of course were signed up for an early wave, but it didn’t seem to matter as they were just releasing waves every half hour or so.
With your race bag you got a little bag of color.  Apparently at the end of the race there is a big group color pouf.  I was excited.
Since the race wasn’t timed, the girls had said we would all walk together.  Well, I got shafted there.  They all took off leaving me with the friend Laura, whom I didn’t really know and who was not in very good shape so I ended up having to walk much slower than I would have preferred.  I was a little bummed that the girls ditched me.  AGAIN.  But I’m getting used to this.  I was extra bummed I didn’t get to at least walk my preferred pace, but what can ya do.
Anywhoo, enough of bad and on with the good!

Color Run was an absolute blast. 
It starts out with a great DJ hollering at you and getting you super pumped up, dancing, laughing, etc.  Nick Cannon also showed up (I wasn’t sure who he was at 1st) but he was a hoot as well.
As you go throughout the 5K there are groups of volunteers with bottles of color that they shoot you with when you go past.  Each section is a different color and by the end you look like a tye dye.  The only downfall is if you are like me and get very excited and whoop and holler when you come bouncing up, you may inhale a mouthful of the stuff.  It’s not horrible, it’s like powder but I did find myself spitting and hacking a bit.  My own fault though.  I just get so damn excited.
I also found out I look like an angry excited nerd when I see a camera on the course, as shown below.




When you cross the finish line it’s a bit anti-climactic, but once you head over to the stage it’s a big ol party.  Every 10 minutes or so they do a giant color pouf, where the DJ counts down and you all shoot your bags of color in the air.  This was so friggin cool!!!!!  I don’t know how to explain it but it was awesome seeing all the color blast into the air and everyone jumping and dancing and having a great time!  I mean it is called the Happiest 5K on Earth right!  Nick Cannon was a part of this as well and a fantastic energetic host.  The other girls were too hot and tired, but Holly and I kept going back and completely enjoying ourselves jumping around and getting hit with all kinds of color.  It was awesome and Holly was the perfect person to bounce around with.  She took a couple of great shots:





I really enjoyed this 5K and would do it again if I can find a fellow power walker.  The only downfall is I’m still trying to get that neon green out of my hair!  I also think I lost a layer of skin scrubbing the stuff off later on, but – totally worth it.  Laura made a really cute before and after shot you can see below:



Next up is the 5K I did on the 4th of July. 
Apparently this is the 4th annual!  I had no idea this existed.  D found it and suggested we sign up.  She actually convinced my brother to do it as well.  It’s called the Orange Park Acres 5K and parade.  We had all pretty much planned on doing this at our own paces, so we all brought ear buds and decided to challenge ourselves.  Of course my brother over did it and pushed himself too hard.  Le Sigh.  Boys.  I power walked the entire race and finished in 38 minutes!  I thought that was pretty damn good for walking!  I also was only a couple minutes behind my brother and D who jogged it. 
What I loved about this race, was the neighborhood we went through!  So beautiful!!!  It’s the Katella side of Orange Park Acres and most of the houses up there are huge ranch style layouts .  Most had horses and just amazing landscape.  I saw emu, llama, mini donkeys, mini horses, big horses and chickens!  It was hilarious!  A lot of people were outside rooting us on as we went by and set up for the parade that followed the 5K.  Lots of great patriotic décor and happy faces.  My favorite was a little old lady standing all by herself in her front lawn wearing a fantastic gaudy red/white/blue hat, waving a little flag in one hand and a cocktail in the other.  Amazing. 
There were a lot of hills on this route which I loved because it gave me that extra workout. 
I was also enjoying pacing these two little boys about 7 or 8 years old.  They would shoot past me, wear out and walk.  Then I would pass them.  Repeat.  This happened the entire race.  Then as we approached the finish line which was at the top of one of the larger hills I sprinted past the boys.  I heard them curse and start chasing me but I won.  So silly and so funny!  I of course paid for that one shortly after when my knee swelled up to the size of a grapefruit but totally worth it.  Tee hee hee!!! 
We stayed for part of the parade afterwards which was really cute and creative.
I think I may sign up for that one again next year! 
It felt great to start out the holiday with a great workout!  The before shot is below.



So two very cool 5K’s to report on. 
I really do love these fun runs.  I don’t mind doing some of them alone if I go in planning that, but I’d like to do more of them with friends.    Next up is ROC again which my friend Fatima will be pacing me, after that is Drenched which I’m expecting to be alone.  Foam Fest I’m doing with Fatima in August, then Rugged Maniac with two friends that are pacing me then finishing up with the Zombie run as a zombie again.  Yup, signed up for a boat load this year!   As long as I can keep doing them I’d sure like too.  It’s such a fun way to challenge myself. 
I am finding I need to be careful though.  I followed up the 5K with a 12 mile bike ride on my beach cruiser the next day and ended up at home with ice packs on both knees sucking down a bottle of Advil.  Not horrible but defiantly need to be conscious of my limits. 
I’m so grateful to be able to be active and I do always like to live by the motto I’ve posted below.  


No comments: