Seal Beach 10k the Green Way

First off, I want everyone to visit Wine and the Finish line, It was because of them that I got to actually be chip timed this weekend at the Seal Beach 10k and I'm so thankful that I didn't have to run as a bandit! I hope your foot gets better asap Kristen! They are such a cute couple and I love reading about their training and races.

So as I mentioned last week, I ran to the starting line and back home after the Seal Beach 10k this weekend. It seems lately that I don't just want to race but I want to take it to the next level and do some extreme racing. I thought that running to and from the race would also be 'green'. It actually worked out pretty well. I woke up and put on my new Zensah arm warmers, my running skirt and my favorite racing tee, my Nike Women's Virtual Half Marathon shirt. I got maybe the worst bar ever, a Roman Meal bar. Don't even try it, it's DISGUSTING. I could only eat half of it and then I threw it away. I had my hydration belt and two gus ready to go when I felt the urge. I had to go number dos.

I ran my last 10k and thought I was going to poop my shorts the ENTIRE time, so I knew I better take care of it when I was still in the comfort of my own home. I always get nervous before a race and I have to go. So I did that and then forgot to check my watch before I left to know how much time I had to run there. I had allotted myself a solid 45 minutes but then with the bathroom issue I forgot to check when I actually left. I had about two miles to go and I started to freak out that I wasn't going to make it there in time. So I ran faster, and got some strange looks while running to the race by the people walking there from the surrounding parking lots. I got there with eight minutes to spare. Perfect. I had half a gu, drank some of my water, said hello to a few random people I saw. I took off my hydration belt and left it under a tree by the starting line and then tried to figure out where I needed to be in the pack of people surrounding me.

Now, I totally understand some people were walking the 10k, running the 5k, had strollers, had dogs, had small children. I'm not exceptionally fast and I reminded myself numerous times that this was just a part of my longer run. I had ALREADY run three miles to the starting line anyways. But this starting line was a MESS. I was dodging kids, dogs, strollers, faster people were trying to get by me, it was just a jumbled up chaotic hullabaloo. I don't want to sound mean but if you are going to walk a 5k, do not be in the front of the starting line. I wasn't even that close to the front of the starting line, but the zigging and zagging was a little bit to much for me, and I always feel bad when I have to almost cut someone off to get through, but sorry I don't want an elbow in my boob. I was trying to make my way to some open space when someone tapped my arm, it was the speedy LA Runner. He was zooming by but we exchanged some quick words and then he powered ahead.

So after the 5k-10k split things started to get much better, it was much more open and I had to tell myself constantly, "Self, DON'T RACE TOO HARD". When the 90 year old grandma passed me I let her go, when the 5 year old kid ran past me I let him go. I was a-okay with letting people pass me and just chugged along reminding myself I had to go home later. I worked really hard at getting my splits even, which Claude was saying I was right at a 8:15 pace. I tried to keep that pace even throughout the race without burning out or going fast and then slowing down and going fast again. Call me Miss. Consistent, because I got all my splits to be within 10 seconds of 8:15. When I rounded to the finish line I saw all these people eating Popsicles and thought that they would be at the finish. They weren't and I never even found them. LAME.

The course was long and boring, 10ks are not my thing but for being a free race, 'inside' my long run, it worked out perfectly. My final time was 50:34 with an average pace of 8:09. I came in 357th overall out of 1576. I was 9th in my age group and the 76th girl overall.

I traveled with LA Runner to his car after so we could of course take pictures, we slow jogged and got some cool pictures and then I headed back to my hydration belt under the tree. It was still there so I took the remained of my gu and headed back home. Once I got home I had two more miles to run according to Claude for my long run. It was getting hot so I ran in my sports bra. I haven't done that in forever, nor should I do it ever, but it was fun and it felt good to finish my run and feel so free. That was a really lame line. So I finished with 16 miles, including my 10k race.

LA Runner and I... I don't know what in the world I'm doing. I look like I was giving a thumbs up, or running, it's just a strange picture. Yet I am glad Billy wasn't without his camera or I would have NO pictures. Thumbs down.

Another great photo of yours truly. I was very skeptical about the armwarmers, but I'm going to post about those tomorrow.

Tomorrow I will write a review of the Zensah Sports bra and arm warmers. :) Also, tomorrow is the last day to sign up for the $100 Giveaway to OnlineShoes.com! I will be announcing the winner on Thursday morning with my deals post!

I am also so glad many of you enjoyed the beginning of Adoption April. I can't wait to share more with you all.

xoxo