On Saturday morning, my family and I loaded up in the van to head to the race. Unlike the previous weekend with a -12°F windchill at the peak of the day, this Saturday was set to be a sunny +18°F!
We didn't have a super early morning, leaving at 8:00 am to make it to the packet pickup before 9:15. The kids are up at the crack of dawn anyways. They were rarin' to go!
When we arrived at the race, I jumped out to get my packet and race number while Leo and the kids found a parking spot. They had a parking ramp just across the road with plenty of room that made parking a breeze.
After my family parked, we met up inside the school where all the pre- and post-race activities were being held. We were very thankful to have a warm place to wait, especially with a new baby and the big kiddos in tow. At 2 & 4 years old, our "big" kids are still too small for the really cold days.
I used my new BibRave Pro BibBoards to secure the number to my jacket and they worked wonders! They snapped easily on to my jacket and stayed in place all morning.
Around 9:15, I gave my guys hugs and kisses before heading out for announcements and takeoff. It felt chilly outside but I very much enjoyed this break in the weather and being able to run by myself. Getting outside for a run is something I don't take for granted with a young babe in the house!
The 10k'ers lined up at the Start and after a few announcements we were off.
I took off too fast for my current fitness level because A) I was really excited to race again and B) It's been a while! When I peeked at my watch, seeing the 6:40 pace helped me calm it down a bit: either I slow down now or I will need someone to drag my body across the Finish later.
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| Image Source: Frozen Feat 5k/10k Facebook Page |
Mile 1 - 7:02
Mile 2 - 7:33
I ran out of gas about right... here. Mile 2. The top two women had blazed by me long ago and honestly the lack of ease in maintaining a sub-8:00 was discouraging. Somehow my brain was remembering 2016's marathons and forgetting that we just had a baby. Every mile after this was ran on determination because my endurance didn't last long.
Mile 3 - 7:41
Mile 4 - 7:46
Mile 5 - 7:57
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| Image Source: Behl's Photography Facebook Page |
Mile 6 - 8:16
Mile .26 - 1:53
The course ran mostly down a bike path with some road running mixed in and there was very little ice/slush to avoid this year! While last year was warm (40°F), staying below freezing this year made the path much more pleasant to run. I crossed the finish at 48:07 according to my watch and felt very glad to be done with that first race back.
After crossing the finish, I walked around to cool down before heading inside. The race had a great turnout and it took me a while to find my family. A very sweet volunteer lady knew exactly which "guy with two kids and an infant carseat" I was looking for.
"All boys?" She asked. Yes, m'am. That's my crew!
We found a place for the kids to sit down and then I made my way to the post-run refreshments. They had an AMAZING spread this year! I'm talking mega huge doughnuts, beer cheese soup with popcorn (and possibly chili, too?), hot chocolate, coffee, bananas, bottled water, etc. They really rocked the post-race refreshments. When I passed the doughnuts, I just stared. Such life-altering decisions shouldn't be rushed.
I loaded up on all the food and ran into fellow small-town runner Lauren. We had connected via Facebook and it was great to meet in person! She ran a nice time in the 5k and we were able to visit as we waited for door prizes and the awards ceremony. Finding other runners in tiny towns isn't easy to do and runner fellowship is something I have missed since our last move!
The little boys and I attempted a picture in front of the race backdrop and that turned into a near drama. E looks guilty because he nearly made the backdrop literally "drop". He was also embarrassed to take a picture with mom. Aren't we a little too young for that yet?
C looks angry in his little carseat and W was purposely facing the opposite direction. Typical family picture for us. Leo did an epic job keeping these boys out of trouble all morning!
Frozen Feat 10k Results:
Finish Time - 00:48:04 (48:07/6.26 miles per my Garmin)Average Pace - 7:41/mile
Placing - 20/118 Overall 10k, 3rd Female
I finished 3rd place female (same as last year) and received a plaque, mug and $20 gift card to Scheels. After the race, we ran our usual "big city" errands... Sam's Club, Menard's and Chick-Fil-A (the kids' favorite). The Scheels gift card will have to get used another day.
A day out of town with the kids is exhausting enough, let alone racing a 10k in the mix. Overall, it was an awesome race day!
Post-Baby Comeback: 3 Months Postpartum
It's now or never. I will keep this post-baby update brief!Baby C was my easiest pregnancy and birth yet my most challenging postpartum recovery (so far) because of the mastitis issue at 3 weeks postpartum... that was terrible. The challenge of having a third child is that, despite having a newborn in the house, life goes on! Big kids still need to be taken care of and the usual responsibilities are still there in the mix with exhaustion and around the clock nursing.
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| Running + Breastfeeding Life |
I am SO thankful that we are through the newborn stage, as cute and cuddly as it is. We have found a more regular routine and I am PRAYING that Spring comes early so we can all go outside again.
After carrying C to 40 weeks on the dot, I feel like I have been more patient with postpartum recovery this time. I have been focusing more on pelvic floor exercises, regaining core strength and started rebuilding my running base in January.
I'm feeling pretty normal at 3 months postpartum minus being extra tired! God has graciously blessed us with three healthy, energetic little boys and we are enjoying the chaos thoroughly. So much in fact, that some days I need to drink two cups of coffee ;) The 10k race was a nice gauge to see where my fitness is at: speed is coming back gradually and endurance needs some work (or more so, time).
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| 39.5 Weeks Pregnant with #3 & 3 Months Postpartum |
Marathon training officials begins next week and my motto will have to be "graceful" training. By graceful, I mean that my run time and energy reserves are limited, so I'm going to do my best and give myself grace for the rest! In the end, I just need to cross that finish line in some shape or form, not run a PR (though that would be nice now wouldn't it?).
Four months until Grandma's Marathon in June and thankfully our littlest will be 7 months old by then. In the meantime, I'm enjoying each day with my boys and praying for a full night of sleep someday soon. One can hope!
What races are coming up on your calendar?
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Linking up with Holly and Wendy's Weekly Wrap Up.
