2013 Carlsbad 5000 All Day 25k Recap

I’m just going to say it. Carlsbad is awesome. Every race put on in this town is legit. Organized, on time and sensational views of the ocean. There needs to be more than a few road race events each year. Hear that Cbad? NEEDS.

Last Sunday I participated in the Carlsbad 5000 All Day 25k for the second year in a row (here is last year’s recap). Running 5 5k races (not a 25k course) is awesome and exhausting at the same time. Let’s face it, runners I can’t help but getting caught up in the “race” factor for at least one race.

I got parked around 6:15 a.m. and made my way to the VIP tent. The all day 25k’ers are well taken care of!

After checking my bag and getting to know a few people and I headed out for a half mile warm up. My plan was to run hard in the first race and then go 10kish pace for the last 4. I also wanted to make sure I finished in the top 250 during my age group race so that I would medal (only the top 250 get medals in each division. Motiviation to run hard).

Around 6:50 I made my way to the start.

The first race was the men’s master (40+) and these guys are FAST. Smoking fast. It seemed like I was only waiting a few minutes before the gun went off.

We started out with a slight downhill followed by a quick easy climb that took us out toward the water. Once we made the turn onto Carlsbad Boulevard I decided I was not going to look at my Garmin and just run at an uncomfortable but not “I’m going to puke” effort (I needed to survive all 5 races injury free). I figured if I stayed with the pack of dudes I started with I would be all good. 

Look at what happened…

Holy toledo! More than a 1 min 5k PR! I was elated. Yeah it was a positive split but SO WHAT! I wonder if I would have gone sub 20 if I would have paid attention to pace and pushed a little harder??

My best pace? 5:33. BOO YAH! (ok, it was on a slight downhill at the end, but it still has a 5 in front of it!) I think I have been seriously underestimating myself and my speed. Only time will tell.

Squeeking out a smile while running fast.

I had a 25 min break between race 1 and 2, and then the races came fast! I think I had 10 min between 2-3 and 10 min between 3-4. I took race 2 much easier and then ran at tempo for race 3, 4 and 5.

Bring chased by a 12 year old 🙂

The hardest part on the day was the 90 min break between race 4 and 5. That long of a break is mentally and physically tough.

Final race results as follows:

Finish Time: 1:52:46, 7:16 avg pace.

26/267 all day 25k finishers (last year I was 44th)

4th female overall (last year I was 7th)

Yup that’s a bottle opener. If that doesn’t get you to run the all day 25k, maybe the sweet long sleeve will

If you have ever considered running a 5k this is the one to do. I can’t say enough good about it. The all day 25k is great for marathon training (heck, half marathon training too) and it just plain awesome. Race Grader offered a sweet discount this year so keep your eyes peeled for 2014. They are the ONLY ones that offered a discount off of the 25k.

This race seriously increased my confidence. I am going to see what I can do at La Jolla on April 28th.  Not as concerned with my finish time there as I am my endurance and ability to rebound after the big hill climb. If I can keep my pace sub 9 (say 8:30-8:45) up Torrey Pines reserve and then pace back into the low 7s in the late miles I will be stoked. It’s just all part of training for marathon May. Good times.

Photobomber!

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I’m off to get a few easy miles in before my boy’s baseball game. I was hoping to squeeze yoga in this morning but it doesn’t look promising. Maybe this afternoon. Hope you all have a wonderful Saturday!

Oh…one last thing…

I need you all to be prepared for my next post. Regardless of your faith I am pretty sure your mind will be blown. This is life changing people. LIFE CHANGING.

Carlsbad All Day 25k Race Recap

So after all the compressing you saw in the last post, I made every effort to go to bed early. I’m talking I was tucked in by 8:30 ready to get my REM on. And then it happened. Everyone and everything in the entire county plotted to disrupt me.

Sirens, neighbor deciding to throw a rager, wind, rain…you name it, it happened. By 9:45 I was playing the “I’ll still get 6 hours of sleep if…” and it went on and on. I turned the TV on to help and then I got sucked into some Dateline report on kids with schizophrenia. Good grief. You get the picture.

By the time I fell asleep it felt like my alarm was going off. 4:20 came fast. I made coffee and gathered my stuff. Before I knew it I was on the road to Carlsbad. It only took me about 35 minutes to get there and park. So glad I knew the back way in to a super secret parking spot. It’s genius really ; well, at least it is at 6 am!

When I got out of the car to walk to the All Day 25k lounge I immediately noticed the wind. SSE winds around 8 mph gusting to about 20 mph. Super boo. At least there was no rain. I checked my bag, used the restroom and made it to the start line. My original plan was to run the first 3 races at a 10k pace, race my age group and then take the last race easy. Yeah, as soon as I was lined up and felt all of the energy of the other runners I forgot all about that plan.

The gun went off and so did I. As we made our way through mile 1 it felt effortless. Like I was flying. And then we took our turn to head north and headwind sucked it right out of me. My pace slowed by 10-15 seconds. Hang on, I told myself. Its only 3.1 miles. Once we took the final turn at 2.5 I felt myself pick it back up. There was not many spectators at this race but the ones out were awesome. I sprinted to the end and crossed the finish.

Race 1: 21:59, 7:05 avg

As I walked back to the lounge I was mad at myself for running that hard so early. I knew I had 4 races left and I was supposed to be running slower, practicing pacing, just getting miles in. Got caught up in the moment. But it was a fun moment!

Race 2: 22:29, 7:14 avg

By the second race I slowed down to what is close to my 10k pace. I still was pushing a little too hard. I knew I would be running with my brother for race #3 so I would have someone to run and pace with. Wind was still blowing but the clouds were keeping the temperature perfect.

I headed back to the lounge to check my phone to see if my bro was still coming. My nephew ended up running a fever the night before so I wasn’t sure how we was. Low and behold the poor boy was still feeling icky so my fam bam was staying home with him. Poor kiddo!

Race 3: 22:56, 7:23 average

I only had 15 min between race 2 and race 3 and I could feel it. The wind felt like it was gusting more than the first two races. Likely because the clouds were clearing out, the sun was starting to shine. Since I was running solo I figured I would test my legs  to see how I would do when feeling fatigued.

I only had about 15 min again between this race and the next race. I jogged back to the lounge, used the restroom and headed back to the start line.

Race 4: 22:47 7:20 pace

Race #4 was my age group (F 30-39) Original goal of pushing it was over. Now I just wanted to place in the top 250 and medal. I found Chacha at the start and told her I would be chasing her. I was tired, I could feel my heel getting mad and well, the sun and wind were out in full force. I hit mile 1 sub 7 and then watched my friend pull away as I chilled back on my pace.

I did get a medal and if I am not mistaken Chacha had a big fat PR!

After race #4 I had a long break. 1 1/2 hours or so. Are you kidding me? My heel hurt, my legs were tired and my attitude was rapidly declining. I was going to run easy miles with Chacha but opted to go sit my grumpy self down and relax until the next race.

Grumps.

The time flew and before I knew it I was back checking my bag in, found Chacha and then we met up with the sweetest Kaitlyn from One Love Run for the final race!

Her energy was awesome and it made me excited to run. She told us that she had not been running much and that her time last year was 29:xx. Her plan was to pace between 8-9 min miles. It was time for a PR.

The gun went off and we had to so some serious weaving.

Chacha and I kicked into some kind of coach mode. No idea where it came from but it was super awesome. Kaitlyn hit mile one at 8:11. BOO-YAH. She was on pace to destroy 29 min. And we told her so!

We made the turn into the wind and slowed pace a bit.

We sw a giant running banana which gave us some comic relief.

I think we hit mile 2 around 8:30 or so. Chacha told her at that time if we ran 9’s she would still have a PR but that she could run faster than that. We were close to the end and it was time to kick it into gear. As we made the turn to mile 3 Kaitlyn laid the hammer down and was full on sprinting!! We were cheering, running, smiling for the camera and watching our friend make her way to the finish

She crossed the finish line in 25:36 (or so). A PR of 4 minutes!!! She finished in the top 250 and got her medal!! It was awesome. It’s one of the best races I have ever run. To see her light up, to watch her dig deep, to look down at my watch and see that she was running a 6:57!!! Are you kidding me?! I knew she felt that runners high we all long for. She worked hard. She was proud. I was proud. Chacha was proud. To get to experience the awesomeness of  a great race beside someone was amazing. Indescribable.

My other 4 races? Didn’t care. This one was by far the best.

We made it through the finishers area and took a pic

5 races done, 2 friends PR’d. AMAZING. 

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Final stats for me: 44th over all for All Day 25k finishers, 7th female! 15.5 miles, 1:55:44, 7:27 pace on the day.

I scored 2 medals: Top 250 for my age and the All Day 25k Medal/Bottle Opener

I also got a long sleeve tech tee that I am digging big time

Overall it was a great day! It was great for my training. I pushed myself. I had fun.

The best part? Running with friends. I will never ever forget that race. Thanks girls!!

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I will do a review of the race this week, share some photos of the elite race and then I will be done with Cbad talk. After all, Ragnar is in 3 weeks and I need to get focused. We have some serious racing to do. I’m talking about an all night, sweaty betty, old-fashioned 200 mile foot race. With some of my closest girlfriends. Game on.