urban cow re-cap

To get it out of the way…my knee…it hurts. It hurts a lot. But I ran through it. And then I hobbled my way back to the car. And today is better but not normal by any stretch of the imagination.

But the race? It was amazing!

p.s. my pink Lucy 10k top is one of my new favorite things

First of all, it’s the first race that I’ve really done with a big group of friends. From the start of my training way back in May until yesterday I had a group of Sole Sisters that were there to run with, laugh with and complain to. We didn’t all run together…but we checked in once a week to keep the motivation going.

When my knee took a turn for the worse they were upset along with me. But they are also the reason why I pushed to do the 5k still. I couldn’t bear to have run this journey this far and not be there to cheer them on to victory. Then I thought “I can run 3.1 while I’m waiting for them.”

And I did. I ran a lightening 11 mile pace. Then about halfway through I thought maybe I should give my knee a break and I walked. Right as I slowed, an older lady ran by. She was dressed in cow shorts. (Get it, it was the Urban Cow race?). She looked over her shoulder as she passed and she complimented me. It doesn’t really matter what the compliment was. Let’s just say it was nice to hear that all my running had made a difference in my body…so much so that a stranger made mention of it. Yes, I realize that (1) I was probably someone she had pegged as someone she wanted to pass so she had been eyeing me and (2) it may have actually been that she was hitting on me. But never the less, the compliment made me feel good. So good, in fact, that I picked up my pace and decided that I was capable of running the rest of the way.

And I did.

I kept checking in with my body…how was the rest of me feeling? The answer: GREAT! Everything except my knee. My breathing was awesome, my mental game was on. The best part about that, is I haven’t run consistently for 5 weeks or so. But I’ve been working hard at spin class and strength training…so I hadn’t lost much. If only my knee would cooperate.

At about mile 2 I realized that I could possibly PR. Now, remember…I am a slowpoke. SLOW. But a PR is just that…a personal record. So I picked it up and ignored my knee cranking out.

As it turns out, I missed a PR by about a minute. But I was faster than my first ever 5k by about 30 seconds. I was so stinking happy. But then I was mad…if I could do that on a cranky knee…what could I do with the healthy knee?

I will say that I had several emotional moments. Watching my girls take off at the start line for the 1/2 marathon was the first time. I was supposed to be at that starting line. This was supposed to be my first. Ugh.

Watching my girls round the corner at  mile 12 made me emotional too. First of all, they were smashing their time goals. Woot Woot! Second of all, wow, they are fast. I was hoping to break 2:30 and they were hovering around 1:45…I’m slow. Lastly I was emotional because they were about to cross the finish line and it was the end of a long process that didn’t end the way I had planned it to end.

Final thoughts:

1. The Urban Cow is so much fun! A race with 5,000 people has such a fun vibe. And you can’t beat the lovely, flat course through Land Park. I’ll be back next year to conquer that 1/2!

2. My knee is not getting better with my little once a week tests. I need to rest it completely. That means no running for the month of October. I’m continuing physical therapy, which I know is helping. But I also need to give my knee some non-running love.

3. My new goal will be the Shamrock Half in Sactown. I’ve heard it’s just as fun as the Urban Cow and it’s in March which gives me time to heal up my knee and work back up to the 13.1 distance.

4. I love my Sole Sisters and am so proud of them! Allie and Heather…you ROCKED your first 5ks! Megan, Amy, Marsha and Trish…you guys inspire me and I’m in awe of you. I don’t know if I’ll ever go as fast as you…but you give me something to work towards for sure!

and 6. Those of you who keep saying that we’re inspiring you to start running…what are you waiting for? You know how you are (M! B!). Choose a race and start running. I’ll be there to cheer you along the way as I rest up my knee.

Happy Running…

Kristen

“Even when you have gone as far as you can, and everything hurts, and you are staring at the specter of self-doubt, you can find a bit more strength deep inside you, if you look closely enough.” Hal Higdon