The rain slowed enough for a nice mile-ish warm up and it actually felt pretty good out. I decided to overdress due to the fact that I was not going to be running at top 10k speed, heavy rain was possible, and as they say, you should be able to be uncomfortable long enough for a 10k, right? I include being a bit too warm in the uncomfortable category, but as it turned out, I felt perfectly comfortable.
I am wearing my support belt for every run now, in addition to a new "belly sports bra" under it. Basically the latter is a spandex material tube with not nearly enough support, even in an XS size, so I use it just to keep my belt comfortable and in place. I don't recommend it, at least at this point in my pregnancy, unless you can score a free one.
I was absolutely not allowed in Corral B, since I had to prove a 10k time of under 40 minutes within the last year for that, and I don't tend to run many races of that distance or speed lately. Damie and I had to part ways so I could go back a quarter mile to the correct starting line, after the security guy spotted my bib and yelled, "She's a C!!" I was caught red-handed. I moved forward significantly within C and tried to find Damie, but it didn't happen before the race began.
Going out at a nice steady slow pace was my plan, but I didn't look at my garmin except for the mile marks. I hit my first mile in 7:48, faster than I had expected. A sub-8 minute pace didn't seem possible beforehand based on my daily runs, and I was expecting to average maybe a little under 8:30 for the whole thing.
Small rolling hills kept me constantly checking in on my effort level, since as soon as I ran a few meters uphill, my breathing got heavier and I backed off. If the little one would carry a bit of her own weight instead of just sharing my oxygen, maybe these little speed bumps wouldn't be so bad. I was near a pace group for a while, but let them go as my pace slowed on the hills. Surprisingly, miles 2-5 were very steady, all between 7:39 and 7:44. It was a nice change to run at a lower effort level in a big race, since I could look around and chat and listen in on conversations...and call out the 3:30 pacer woman who was in the process of destroying her own race by going out way too fast. But that's a rant for another post.
I am wearing my support belt for every run now, in addition to a new "belly sports bra" under it. Basically the latter is a spandex material tube with not nearly enough support, even in an XS size, so I use it just to keep my belt comfortable and in place. I don't recommend it, at least at this point in my pregnancy, unless you can score a free one.
I was absolutely not allowed in Corral B, since I had to prove a 10k time of under 40 minutes within the last year for that, and I don't tend to run many races of that distance or speed lately. Damie and I had to part ways so I could go back a quarter mile to the correct starting line, after the security guy spotted my bib and yelled, "She's a C!!" I was caught red-handed. I moved forward significantly within C and tried to find Damie, but it didn't happen before the race began.
Going out at a nice steady slow pace was my plan, but I didn't look at my garmin except for the mile marks. I hit my first mile in 7:48, faster than I had expected. A sub-8 minute pace didn't seem possible beforehand based on my daily runs, and I was expecting to average maybe a little under 8:30 for the whole thing.
Small rolling hills kept me constantly checking in on my effort level, since as soon as I ran a few meters uphill, my breathing got heavier and I backed off. If the little one would carry a bit of her own weight instead of just sharing my oxygen, maybe these little speed bumps wouldn't be so bad. I was near a pace group for a while, but let them go as my pace slowed on the hills. Surprisingly, miles 2-5 were very steady, all between 7:39 and 7:44. It was a nice change to run at a lower effort level in a big race, since I could look around and chat and listen in on conversations...and call out the 3:30 pacer woman who was in the process of destroying her own race by going out way too fast. But that's a rant for another post.
Thankfully those small rollers were the only elevation changes, nothing like the hills in my neighborhood that I nearly have to walk now, and the last mile was downhill. I ran it in 7:20, still not looking at my pace but just going by feel. I let a woman pass me around the 6 mile mark, because, well, the street leveled out and I just wasn't racing.
I'm apparently really bad at running tangents, because I came up a little long on the course. It seems I won the "5 months pregnant" division, and also my age group, since to be honest, most of the runners were doing the half or full marathon. And the little one and I got 4th (and 5th) overall female(s). Not terrible for being 22+ weeks, but it's no overall win like Hunter and I scored a couple times together. :)
These pictures just don't do justice to the largeness of my belly, whose muscles have all but given up completely. I find myself unintentionally holding them in, not quite ready to let this little one bounce all over the place.
Besides my satisfactory "race" Sunday, I found a little confidence in my sudden jump in bike wattage this week. Of course then I thought about the per kilo calculations and realized that since I'm about 5 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight now, I've essentially negated any power increase. Ah you take what you can get.
And since you asked, an update on the almost 3-year-old! He's so smart and inquisitive and the sweetest thing, but he has much stronger muscles than he realizes when he's pile driving me. He wants to be involved in everything I do, and needs details! While cooking with olive oil he said to me, "Mommy. Talk to me about oil. What are the ingredients?" Don't we all need to know things?
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