Does this picture give you an idea of what’s different this week? Yes, it’s blurry so you’ll have to work harder to see it – okay, I’ll tell you – I got new shoes this week! YAY! Here’s my big “shout out” to Kimmi V. at my favorite local running store. Kimmi works harder than almost anyone I know and she seems to be “on the clock” seven days a week, whether it’s at the store, participating in fun runs, or working the PA system at the local races!
So before I get into my training report for this week, let me tell you the story of how I got the shoes. I was eating dinner and I got a text from a friend saying she had been at Kimmi’s store earlier in the day and saw that there were some Hokas on a clearance section in my size and they were PINK. She didn’t know which style or any other details, and I’m not even sure she knew that I had any contacts there. I texted Kimmi, asked her the 411 on the clearance Hokas and she sent me pictures immediately of what was there. I didn’t see any pink Hokas that were appropriate for my training, but I did see a pair of Hoka Odysseys in my size. They were black with PINK shoelaces and that was exactly enough! I snagged those babies at a fantastic price thanks to the sale along with a recent blogging job that paid for them! Here’s a picture of the shoes for real:
Once again I broke the rule of “don’t wear something new on race day” because I just couldn’t help it with these hot shoes! It was only a local 5K so I wasn’t too worried. The last pair of Hokas I bought I wore for a 5K the next morning, and then did an evening half marathon and I didn’t have any problems, so I felt pretty confident wearing these shoes. As it turns out, I finally got a post-accident PR that broke under the 14 minute mile marker so these shoes have officially become my golden slippers♥
So now that I’ve gotten the cool new shoe announcement out of the way, here’s my short training report for the week:
Monday – rest day as always
Tuesday – 2 Miles (Mile 1 – 14:20; Mile 2 – 14:09)
Wednesday – didn’t run – should have but didn’t
Thursday – same as Wednesday
Friday – Ran Saturday’s 2.5 Miles (Mile 1 – 14:14; Mile 2 – 14:09; Mile .5 – 7)
Saturday – switched with Friday rest day
Sunday – Boca Grande 5K – (Mile 1 – 13:46; Mile 2 – 14:04; Mile 3 – 14:15; .12 – 11:26)
So that’s it for this week’s training, but let me tell you a little more about the Boca Grande 5K. It’s very, very special to me for two reasons:
(1) The Boca Grande 5K is the first race I ever ran in February of 2008 having recently started walking/running/jogging with a neighbor. I had no idea that people actually paid money, got a free shirt and ran as a group to cross a finish line unless they were in the Olympics or something. Of course I became immediately addicted to races and learned how to actually run, and by February of the next year, I was doing my first half marathon (which remains my PR to date).
(2) After my car accident, they told me I “might” start walking by spring of 2013. Of course, those doctors didn’t know the powers of my God, and they didn’t know how determined I was to get out of that wheelchair, so I was walking with a walker by fall of 2012, using a walker by early 2013, and by the beginning of February I had stopped using the cane and was walking – slowly walking – by mid February. That caused me to sign up for the Boca Grande 5K in February of 2013! I beat a 93 year old guy with a cane by 3 minutes, but other than him, I was dead last… but I finished.
This year, my friend Jan and I decided to do the race but of course, when I realized it was in the 30’s that morning, I really wanted to cancel. I didn’t move to Florida to freeze – heck, I could have stayed in Cleveland, Ohio for that! I don’t even own running pants, only shorts and capris, so I wore a jacket while I was waiting for the race to start but never took it off! It wasn’t even a running jacket but I really didn’t care because I was cold!
As an aside, my PR for a 5K is 30:52. That was achieved back in January of 2009 and it happened when the temperature was 32 degrees. I only remember that because when I started my car that morning it warned me that the roads might be icy. I had no idea I had that feature in my car at that time but it always stuck out to remind me how cold it was that morning.
Just like that old PR in the cold in 2009, the Boca Grande 5K this year gave me similar results – well, not fast like the good ole days, but still – I FINALLY broke under a 14 minute pace for the very first time since my car accident in August of 2012. I’m not sure yet, but I think the results of this race might signify either or both of two things for me: (1) my new Hokas are amazing and are going to help me continue to shave time off my pace (and weight off my body) over the course of the next couple months of training; and/or (2) I hate running in the cold so much that I run faster just to get it over with and get back inside where it’s warm.
I’m not sure which – or if both – of these things are the answer, but I guess I’ll keep training and I will let you know. Until next week, happy running!
It would be great if you would stay connected with me!! You can follow me on Twitter @DebiL1611, like me on Facebook at 2014 and Beyond, circle me on Google+, follow me on Tumblr, Instagram and Bloglovin’, subscribe on YouTube, or connect with me on LinkedIn and Pinterest.
Please make sure to visit my homepage and subscribe to my blog for more great posts on running, fitness and lifestyle topics as well as food, product, music and book reviews, and more!
