Races, Races, & More Races

I got an email the other day from my friend Molly, saying the she and two other friends had signed up for the Cooper-Young 4 Miler and wanted to see if I wanted to run as well. Being the race obsessed enthusiast I am, I immediately went online and registered before even replying back.

I did this race two years ago and had a blast. It starts at 7pm, so you end up running in the dark -- which is a fun change for me. What makes this particular race a good time is that it runs through the Cooper-Young neighborhood and residents are out in full font yard party mode! (Think couches, red solo cups, peer pong, kegs, and corn-hole littered across 4 miles of neighborhood front yards. Drunk partiers offer water, gatorade, beer and encouragement the entire route. Stereos blast the likes of 'Eye of the Tiger' and 'Push It,' as well. #GoodTimes) So it's you, 2500 of your closest running friends and the drunken house-party goers enjoying Friday evening together! There are also bars and restaurants along the course, so you have those drunken fools cheering you on as well! #SoFun.

So anyway, my friends and I carpooled to the race, where I ran into Caroline, Beth, and a lot of old friends who were racing as well. I even saw a pastor from my church. I did mention that the entire city of Memphis was basically there, right? The small neighborhood quadruples in size during this event.

The after-party was cool too, with a band, food (VEGGIE friendly food!! Wahoo! Thanks Start 2 Finish!) and some of old friends performing a few silks routines. (Below is a video I caught of part of their first performance... Pretty cool if you ask me. Feel free to watch if you'd like. Don't mind my annoying voice and cackling in the background!)



As far as the actual race goes, I wasn't really worried about my time too much. Though I definitely wanted to beat my time from two years ago (37:26), which I did. In fact, I got another PR (from Zoom Through The Zoo), which was cool. In fact, if I am not mistaken, I think all of my friends may have PR'ed as well! #TeamRunBigRocks

Splits = Yard Sale!
Mile 1 – 8:27
Mile 2 – 8:46
Mile 3 – 8:39
Mile 4 – 8:35
Time: 34:41 (8:36 pace)
Age Place: 38/279
After the race, we decided to skip out on the 2500+ population of the Cooper-Young area restaurants/bars and headed to Brookhaven, where we yet again ran into more old co-workers and friends, including my old boss and CEO. So yes... Everybody and their dog was out on the town last night. (And I literally means dogs... At the race, I had more than one pooch cross the finish line before me! Nothing like Fido killing 4 miles faster than you to deflate the ego.) I wish I would have done this one last year, I'd forgotten what a good time it is. So all in all, it was a great night of racing and hanging out with friends.

Team Run Big!
LtoR: Kelly, Me, Elizabeth, & Molly

Come to think of it, I guess I haven't updated the 'ole blog on my past 2 races either, huh? #whoops

So here you go:

RRS 2nd 5 Miler: 42:44 -- I wasn't feeling completely up-to-par and it was hot as hell (No excuses, right?? ;-) ), though I still did okay and put in a decent time.

Splits:
Mile 1 – 8:20
Mile 2 – 8:21
Mile 3 – 8:26
Mile 4 – 8:43
Mile 5 – 8:37
*I just LOVE when I do positive splits... pause NOT.
Time: 42:44 (8:33 pace)
Age Place: 15/60
RRS 1st 10K: 54:53 -- Often times, my running coach (a.k.a. my tyrant loving husband) & I get into fights. This day was almost one of them, until I decided 6:45am is not the time to fight since I was basically still asleep. He wanted this race to be more of a training run, where I paced myself and focused more on the hills during the course (i.e. run like hell up them & pace myself on the flat). I, on the other hand, looked at it as a race. I mean, I paid for it, right? I should run the crap out of it.... right?

But whatever.... I listened to him. He's the expert, right? #StillHaveAHardTimeAdmitingThat ;-)

Besides, if I had not given in and continued to be stubborn, Memphis Road Runners definitely would not have caught me using his jacket snuggling with him, as seen in the photo below. #HeWouldNotHaveReceivedAHugWhatsoever

Splits: All over the place with the hilly route and my pushing up those harder than normal!
Time: 54:53 (8:33 pace)
Age Place: 15/55