Diablo Trails 5k

Completed my 4th 5k of 2013 yesterday :)

I must confess I was not really looking forward to it as I hate hills, so I was thinking about this far too much prior to the race. Turns out it was nowhere near as bad as I was imagining. There were two steep parts at the beginning, but other than that the incline wasn't too noticeable.

This was my first actual trail run, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I've been on a few courses before that are mainly paved with a small amount of trail, but this was 100% trail, and we ran through four creeks (each one twice), they told us at the start just to run through and get wet then we wouldn't be bothered on the others. The first two we tiptoed across the rocks and stayed dry, but then we came to the third one...

 

and the only option was to go through and get wet, which was actually really refreshing, and the fourth one was even deeper. We soon got used to the creeks, although some rocks were slippy, so we walked rather than run through. The trails had lots of random rocks and tree trunks in the way and I saw a lot of people slip and trip, so I became extra cautious and only ran on the very flat parts.

I wasn't expecting to create any new PR's today, but still went faster than I expected considering I stopped to photograph, stopped at each creek and had the rocky steep parts of the trail.

I finished 3.25 miles in 59:21 with a 18'14" pace, so 1'44" slower than my fastest time.

Another medal for my super full medal rack, must look into purchasing a new rack at some point.

Next 5k is the Divas 5k on May 5

Weigh In and catch up

My first blog post from my new house :) Move went well and everything is now unpacked.
Slowly adjusting to my new surroundings, loving the new neighborhood as it is super flat so that will help with my extra walking.

Today I hung the first items on the wall in our new home, I was busy sorted my office/gym and decided to hang these. They take pride of place in the room, plus there is plenty of space on the wall for another rack which I will need very very soon. Next race is this weekend it's the Diablo Trails 5k (the one with the big elevation!!) and its supposed to be hot this weekend too. Luckily the race is at 830am, also its only 3 miles from our new house, so won't need to get up early ;) Should be a good challenge, don't expect to create any new PR's though!!

It has been 3 weeks since I last weighed in and food wise I haven't really been on track, but I have been super busy packing, moving, unpacking, which I guess worked in my favor,

Previous Weight: 275.2

Today's weigh in: 274
 +/- :  -1.2lbs   

Total loss 31lbs

I saw the scales go up to 281 over the last few weeks so was glad the number went down again. I've not tracked as such this week, but am trying to focus on eating clean as much as possible, and the last two nights I have cooked meals from scratch, turkey burgers Monday night, chicken curry and cauliflower rice last night and tonight I am making a ground beef and cauliflower dish.

Those of you who haven't entered my Jillian Michaels DVD giveaway - you have two days left to enter. Good Luck

I can't finish this blog post without mentioning Boston. What happened on Monday was horrific, but it has taught me one thing the power of the running community is amazing. Also social media is such an awesome tool for staying in touch and showing support. I didn't have the TV on so didn't heard about the incident until I got a tweet from a friend in response to my message earlier that day wishing people luck in the marathon, her tweet read 'hope anyone you know is okay' - I was confused and thought maybe the tweet was for someone else, but went and checked twitter and facebook anyway, and then I read about it and immediately felt sick. I turned on the news and was shocked at the images I was seeing :( I then immediately thought of some friends on twitter who were running the marathon. Neither of whom I have met in real life, but who I was deeply concerned about, one of them Dani had crossed the finish line moments before the blast, she was able to get a message to friends who in turn tweeted and reassured us all she was fine, my other friend also tweeted she was safe. This is a valuable tool to remember if (and hopefully you will never need it) you are in a similar emergency situation and want to let loved ones know you are OK. The running community came together yesterday to show support for Boston and I particapted by wearing my race shirt and walking for 26.2 minutes, it was exactly 26.2, but I hit un pause instead of stop!

I will definitely be thinking about everyone affected when I run this weekend.

Have a great week everyone - stay safe
Sarah x

So many 5k's

I signed up for another two 5k's this week :) I'm so going to need a new medal rack!!

My aim for this year was to run one 5k every month. So far this year I have run three.

Brazen New Years Day 5k

Bay Breeze 5k

Jelly Bean Virtual 5k

I have another six that I have registered for, hope to register for the others in the next few weeks.

April: Brazen Diablo Trails 5k

May: Diva's 5k
         Rave Run 5k

June: Foxy Virtual 5k
         Progressive Marathon (a total of 26.2 miles including a final 5k race)

July: Brazen Dirty Dozen 5k (not registered yet)

August: Brazen Summer Breeze 5k (not registered yet)
              Brazen Bear Creek 5k (not registered yet)

September: Brazen Drag N Fly 5k (not registered yet)

October: Brazen Rocky Ridge 5k (not registered yet)

November:  Awesome 80's 5k
                    Considering doing the Nitro Turkey and Quarry Turkey 5k's over Thanksgiving

December: Plan to do the New Years Eve 5k as I did in 2012

If I complete everything I have planned that will be a total of 16 5k's plus a progressive marathon in 2013 - which I think is pretty good going. If anyone wants to join me on any of the races, let me know. I will be fast walking/jogging each one. Hopefully getting fitter and faster as the year goes on.

JellyBean 5k

Today I took part in the 3rd Annual Jelly Bean race - although it was only my first time taking part.

I opted to do the 5k, I did plan to go out first thing this morning and walk/jog 5k, but I wanted to go around Lake Temescal and today was the Oakland marathon and they used that route so it was a no go. So in the end I decided to take the dogs with me this afternoon, which is great as I get the 5k done and the dogs get walked, but it was super busy and I ended up stopping around 6 times for people to pet the dogs and tell me how cute they are. So it wasn't a very quick 5k.

Lake Temescal is beautiful and it was really nice out today and there were lots of people on the beach and swimming in the lake - I personally am not too keen on the whole swimming in the lake, but people seemed to be having fun. Also there were lots of picnics and BBQ's going on and the smell of burgers made me sooooo hungry!!

 

So a rather slow 1:24.31 5k, but I enjoyed it and I completed my 3rd 5k of the year :) Another medal on my rack - I am now doubling up on the hooks, so need to start thinking about a new rack soon.

Thanks to Jess for hosting the Virtual race.

Next race is in 4 weeks and is the big hill....

Weekly Weigh In

Last week was an awesome week, I tracked 100% - used 35 of my weekly points and earned 40 AP's which is the most I have ever earned in one week. I hit my Active Link goal 120%.

Saturday I ran the Bay Breeze 5k and I got a new 5k PR - which made the run extra special. I am getting close to the 50 minute mark, so hopefully can break that in the next few months. I was toying with the idea of taking part in the Diablo Trails Challenge 5k but the thought of an elevation of 558' put me off - I thought about it for 24 hours, then decided to take the plunge and I have signed up for it :) I am not a big fan of hills (who is?!) but am looking forward to the challenge, even though I won't be creating any new PR's that race.

Numbers time:

Previous Weight: 278.6

Today's weigh in: 276.6
 +/- :  -2lbs   

Total loss 28.4lbs

I will admit I am a little disappointed with this number as I was expecting it to be a lot higher after all the exercise I have done and being on track, but as they say slow and steady wins the race, if I was to lose 2lb every week I would lose 100lbs in a year.

Have a great week everyone and if you haven't entered my giveaway - you have 4 hours left to do it.

Sarah xxx

Bay Breeze 5k

Took part in the Bay Breeze 5k this morning, was very pleased to see the weather was going to be nicer than my last 5k, it was actually the perfect temperature for running, warm but not too warm and no breeze.

The route was around Quarry Lakes and about 95% flat (much nicer than my last 5k!)

 

I probably jogged about 40% of the course and fast walked the rest, which worked out well as I finished the race in 53:35 (it was just over 5k). Was super pleased when I checked my phone as I made a new PR for my 5k - I took 2mins 45secs off my previous PR :)

One thing I did notice is that I need to work on my breathing during the times I jog, as I tend to hold my breath - don't know why! So need to try and work on a breathing strategy so I can work on jogging for longer. This time I had no aches during or after, so I think this is a great sign my body is coping well, also this week I have done lots of walking too, which I am sure has helped.

Another medal and bib for my display, my medal rack is now full so need to look at buying a new one.

 

 


















I love the super cool shirts and medals from Brazen racing - definitely makes it fun to participate, and as usual there was lots of yummy snacks available after the race. My next 5k is a virtual one, its the Jelly Bean 5k, which i will be running on March 23rd, not sure which location I will choose for it yet though. 
My April 5k I am still trying to decide on - I really want to do the Diablo Trails Challenge, BUT the elevation over the course is 558ft and that is putting me off - I haven't found any other races for April yet - so I think I may need to take the plunge and sign up for this one, I certainly won't be making any new PR's that race!!

Weekly Weigh In

I'm actually posting my weigh in on the day it happened for once :) Today has started well, I have tracked my breakfast, hoping the rest of the day works out and then the rest of the week. The last time I tracked was Jan 31st, so it's time to sort that out.

I am doing really well at wearing my Active Link all day, and haven't missed a day since I purchased it. My goal did increase last week as I was achieving it almost every day - this week, I only hit goal once, but to be fair I never really worked out. As a result I hit my goal 82% and only earned 10 AP's - which is a bit embarrassing really.

This week I am on a mission - yes I said it, this is the proof! I will hit my goal everyday - no excuses. Feel free to nag me during the week to check up on my progress :)

Numbers time:

Previous Weight: 279.4

Today's weigh in: 278.6
 +/- :  -0.8lbs   

Total loss 26.4lbs 

Yes it was a loss, but nothing to really be proud of, especially after the huge gain last week. My body is really craving proper food, so hoping that will help keep me focused, plus I have a 5k to run this Saturday which I am excited about.

If you haven't had a chance to check it out yet, I am hosting a giveaway for some chocolate goodies in my previous post, so make sure you enter.

Have a great week and thanks for stopping by

Sarah x

Weekly Weigh In

Welcome back

How did I get on this week? Here is my tracking overview. Although I didn't exceed my points (well not the weekly ones), I felt I didn't make great choices food wise this week.  Yes, Sunday did consist of mainly cheese and salami!! However I did earn 15 activity points on my ActiveLink and hit my new (higher goal) 98% overall this week, which is 4 more AP's than last week.

I was a little better at logging my healthy checks this week!

This week's stats
Previous Weight: 276.4 Today's weigh in: 275.6
 +/- :  -0.8lbs  Total loss 29.4lbs 

I want to try and work on increasing my exercise this week, and really making a dent in the number on the scales. My diet bet ends next week, and to hit 4% I need to lose 6.6lbs, so don't think that will be happening. This morning I walked 2.4 miles after class, and I went to a friends house and did a mini workout on her TRX system, and I did squats without my knees hurting :) I was so impressed with it, I have just been online and ordered one - so am looking forward to making that a regular thing in my workout routines..

Nearly forgot, I went to my Weight Watchers meeting this morning and I won a prize

It was a cookbook of my choice and I chose this one, I'm excited to try some new recipes this upcoming week.

Plus I have another giveaway planned (probably for next week), which I think will be very popular among you sweet toothed people!! 

Also I signed up for a 5k for February - Ill be doing the Bay Breeze run. Need to find one for March now.

For those of you who also missed me post on Facebook and twitter - we booked a vacation last week. We are going to Maui in June, I am so excited as I have always wanted to go to Hawaii. Plus I get back on the Sunday and the following week it is Fitbloggin, so lots to look forward to.

Have a great week and thanks for stopping by.
Sarah x

New Year and New Records

I was up bright and early on New Years day to run my first 5k of 2013.

I did the Brazen New Years Day 5k, which was the same route as last week's 5k - around Lake Chabot.

It was a lot colder this morning last week so I ended up running in my hoodie. Did you notice I used the word 'running' there? Well I jogged even more of it than last week :) Which of course means only one thing - a new PR - in fact I set 3 new PR's today!

A new 5K time of 52:24 - which is 3.16 faster than my previous record from July 2012.
A new 1K time of 9:22 - which is 1.00 faster than my previous record from Dec 2012
A new 1mile time of 15:19 - which is 2.13 faster than my previous record from July 2012.

So many new PR's I guess I will need to work hard in 2013 to beat them :)

Official chip times:
Last week I completed it in 1:00:29 and was 38/39 in my age group (female 35-39)
Today I completed it in 57:20:17 and was 44/47 in my group, so faster by 2:40:12

My husband completed last weeks in 1:00:52 and was 14/15 in his age group (male 30-34)
Today he completed it in 55:01:16 and was 13/16 in his group, so faster by 2:19:01

So an extra special well done to my husband Dave for an awesome finish time, and also well done to Marisol for completing the 5k just ahead of me.

 

Another bib and another medal for my collection. Today's medal joins together with last weeks medal, and we got a 3rd medal to create the Mega Medal.







My next 5k isn't until June and then it's a progressive marathon. So I am now on the look out for some local 5k's as I want to complete one a month in 2012.

Happy New Year
Sarah xxx

Final 5k of 2012

This morning I completed my final 5k of 2012. I did the Brazen New Year's Eve 5k, don't worry you haven't lost a few days, yes it is 29th Dec today, they did it this morning as NYE is a Monday this year.

All week I have been checking the weather forecast and it kept saying rain, so I wasn't looking forward to the race, but the rain held off for the race. The 5k was around part of Lake Chabot, it was an out and back route which included a few small hills. Dave took part with me and we walked the first half together, but then I got adventurous and started jogging on the second half, it felt really good, at the time that is, especially when I ran over the finish line, but now my back is really sore, so think it was a bit too much impact on my slipped discs - Ill survive though :)

Even though there was no rain it was still cold out there - a chilly 7 degrees, I think I was one of the few people who was stupid enough to not wear a jacket or long sleeves!! As you can see the route actually showed as being  3.44 miles, so just over 5k, so I don't know how fast I did the 5k in, the official chip results haven't been posted yet. However I did get a new PR for 1k - I did it in 10:22 :)
I ran at an average pace of 17:38/mile, I checked my app and my fastest pace is 17:21, so I am getting close to the speed I ran a 5k in back in July. I would love to start the New Year by beating this PR on Tuesday in the 5k.

 

 

This is the first time I have taken part in  Brazen race and they lay on an awesome spread of food at the finish line, including the local It's -It ice cream, I have always wanted to try their ice cream sandwiches  - they were so good. For those of you who don't know I am also taking part in the new Years Day 5k (which is actually on New Years Day!) and they make a special medal that goes with today's medal, you get the one below for today, and then one for NYD and then a third medal so you can make them into a mega medal. I also loved the fact my name was on my bib, this is the first time I have had a personalized bib.

This was my 9th race of 2012 (8 5k's and 1 10k), and I got my sixth medal for my medal rack :)  Planning to fill it with lots more in 2013. Yesterday I signed up for my first ever progressive marathon for June next year.

 

 

I was excited to plug my active link in after the race, yes I finally earned some points - I got 5 points for the race, and I still plan on walking the dogs later so may even make it 6 points.

 

Sarah xxx