RACE UPDATE

      I quit blogging for awhile. I quit because I didn't see the point in it. For the record, I have done the same thing with every journal/diary/whatever since I was a little girl. I start writing, go strong for a while, and then quit for some reason or another.  But today I went back to read some of my old posts and I realized that I really liked keeping a blog, and it was neat to read back from a year ago and see how much has changed. So I decided to start back up again!

So first of all, we need a RACE UPDATE!

The last time I wrote, I left off at my August 2015 race, so I will do a quick recap of my races since then.

SEPTEMBER 2015 
In September we did the Race for the Cure. This race was fun because it was one of my city's bigger races. They had cheerleaders at the start/finish line, booths with snacks and products, and A LOT of participants! The race was super flat and I PR'd at 34:29!

 I can't remember Alec or Macie's time, but I do know that Alec came in just a little bit behind me and ran herself so hard that she ended up throwing up right after the finish! 

I really enjoyed all the people and the cheerleaders, but I felt bad that I couldn't even smile back at anyone cheering me on because I was so spent.

September Ending Weight: 153

OCTOBER 2015

October was a disappointing month for racing. We signed up for a Costume 5k that was supposed to take place on Halloween morning. Macie, Alec, Brooke, and I all had cute costumes ready. We bought striped shirts and masks and were going as robbers. We got ready that morning, but then got a text an hour before the race saying that the event was cancelled because of rain. I ,honestly, have never heard of a race cancelled because of rain. This was NOT a thunderstorm, just rain. I was SO disappointed that we didn't get to run in our costumes and even more disappointed that this messed up my streak of doing one 5k per month.

We are giving sad faces because our race was cancelled

October Ending Weight: 151

NOVEMBER 2015

In November we did the Turkey Trot. This was not a 5k, but instead you could chose to do 2 miles or 4 miles. We, being both overconfident and undertrained, chose to do the 4 mile. I finished in 46:30. 

This race was done in a 2 mile loop. the people doing 2 miles did one loop, the people doing 4 did two loops. As I was finishing my first loop, I noticed my friend, a very very very fast runner, crossing the finish line, and I thought "man, he only did the 2 mile, I figured he would run the 4..." Then it dawned at me that he DID do the 4 mile, he just finished 4 miles before I could even finish 2!

November Ending Weight: 155

DECEMBER 2015

December brought the Jingle Bell 5k. This was such a good race. I had not run very much at all in December, so I did not have high hopes for this race, but it ended up being one of my favorite races. With the help of Avery's new runner watch, we were able to be pace conscious and accomplished for the first time (at least the first time for me) negative splits in a race! I PR'd with a time of 33:01! Because I had barely run this month, I knew that my PR strictly came from pacing well and not from training.

This was also an awesome race because they had free food, door prizes, and participation medals! Avery and Brooke even got first and second place in their age group!  Alec and I got 4th in our age groups. We didn't get an award for 4th, of course, but we knew that we were close.

I loved the medals!

December Ending Weight: 155

JANUARY 2016

The Jester Jog was our January race. This was our first race in our new Team Tortoise shirts! This was also our first race with our new member, Kelsey.  

The Jester Jog route was along the Mardi Gras parade route, so there were a lot of spectators, which made us all a little nervous. Also, the race started in the afternoon which made the anticipation unbearable and the race hot. Despite being a flat course, we all struggled. I remember thinking that this race would be my turn to throw up. Thankfully I didn't.  

Alec and I ended up PRing with a time of 30:38. This race gave medals to the top 20 male and top 20 female finishers. None of us got a medal, but Alec and I were the number 23 and 24 females. We were getting CLOSER!

Alec designed our Team Tortoise shirts. We got a lot of compliments on them!

January Ending Weight:150

FEBRUARY 2016

In February we ran the Run for the Roar 5k. This is a 5k to raise funds for one of our local high school baseball teams, the Ouachita Lions. There was a temperature drop the morning of the race and it was super windy. My headphones kept blowing out of my ears. Our noses were running. It was miserable. But we knew that this was our race. 

Alec and I  ran negative splits and even passed about 4 people able 50 feet from the finish line. Alec and I PR'd at 29:27.  We both WON FIRST PLACE in our age groups! This was our first win and we were so excited! We dubbed 2016 the Year of the Tortoise!

We were SO COLD at the starting line

February Ending Weight: 145

MARCH 2016

Last month we ran our first 10k. The race was one of our favorites from last year, the Run to the Cross. This race always has great food, door prizes, and participation medals (as you can see, we just like stuff). The course itself is nothing but rolling hills, so it was very tough. 

Alec and I finished in 1:05:44. Our time wasn't bad for our first 10k, especially since there were so many hills, but I would like to get my time under and hour soon. Macie finished in 1:31:45. We were happy with our times and medals. 

Alec won 1st place in her age group (and would have won first place in the next 2 age groups too). I won 3rd in my age group (there were only 3 people in my age group, but I'm not complaining!) Kelsey ran the 5k, but was in such a hurry to leave that she didn't turn in her result card. If she would have, she would have won 1st in her age group. We are excited that we are finally getting competitive times!

We loved our medals with the glittery ribbon!

March Ending Weight: 145