Race Report: 2011 Los Angeles Susan G Komen Race for the Cure 5k

With Will before the race

Today is my 1 year Runiversary!
I went back to the very first race I ran: The Susan G Komen Race for the Cure in Los Angeles.  This was at Dodger Stadium.  It was a beautiful day, great weather!

We got there at 7:45 am.  I was a team leader this year and I wanted to meet with everyone before the race!  They had a gate up to separate the runners from the walkers.  That was a good idea but one of the woman "in charge" was drunk on power and she was yelling at the runners to go lined up 20 minutes before the start so we had to take our pictures minus 3 people.  Sorry Julie! :(

My TEAM minus a couple people, I am in the middle with the hat.

All of these fine people walked except me and Rebekah my wonderful babysitter.  She is on the far left in pink top.  Shana, in the pink survivor t-shirt is the reason we did this!

After that I headed to the starting line with Rebekah:

Lot's of people at this race.  Lot's of pink everywhere, lot's of survivors, this is a special race.  I was feeling OK, not great, thanks to the allergy season in action here in California.  Right at the start we had to go up  a nasty HILL.  I remembered from last year.  That was hard.  It is long and steep.  I had trouble breathing during that but I kept telling myself that it would go down eventually!  And it did!  Rebekah and I stayed together for the most part.  First mile pace faster then I thought.  I was wondering if I could keep this for another 2.  I don't like 5k I am so not a sprinter.

They had 3 water stations on the course and I decided to skip all of them, I did not want to walk and I cannot drink and run.  Rebekah stopped at one but she caught up with me at the end.  At the second station some guy took a cup and tripped on someone and his water ended up on me making me look like I had peed on myself! Thank you dude in the black hat!



Nice look I know!  Jonathan said " Mom you KNOW they have toilets here!!!"

I finished 6 minutes faster then last year: 29:52.  I placed 10 in my age group.  This is my first time under 30 minutes for a 5k.  I am happy with that considering the HILL at mile 1 and that I am not 100%.

   



With Rebekah at the end.  She beat me by 22 seconds! I am OK with that.  She is 16 yrs YOUNGER then me!!!



With Julie from The HotLegs Runner

Julie it was so nice to meet you today!  I look like a giant next to you!!!

Jonathan working on his quads!!!