Starting 2014 off with a bang

So back in, like, September, the WSTF (the Tevis foundation) had a fundraiser race to bank some money to help rebuild the trail after the American Fire this summer.  I decided I should put my money where my mouth is re: the awesomeness of the Tevis trail, so I signed up for the 5k.  Mel came down too, and we ended up walking the whole thing talking nonstop, yet for some reason I decided it just wasn't all that far and I could've run it.

I ran a little more often / a little further in October, and my legs didn't fall off.  I have historically gotten up to where I could run 5k and injured myself, so this was fairly impressive for me.  When Mel suggested that perhaps we could sign up (and actually run) the New Years run at the same location, I immediately slapped down my money and signed up for the 10k Resolution Run.  (Mel wanted to run the 10k, but I convinced her that she can run 10 miles in the time it takes me to run 10k.)

So then I started really running.  Dixie's always been my running partner, but I started running solo too, doing HIIT hill sprints and slowly increasing my mileage.  December rolled around, and the week before Christmas I freaked out because I was either going to forfeit my twenty-five dollar investment or completely disgrace myself, and I went out for a short run and just kept going.  I managed about 5.5 hilly miles in two hours, but I didn't hurt myself or heatstroke out or realize that none of this is worth a tee-shirt, so I decided I was probably ready.

The weather was perfect.  It sure looks like California is headed into a bad drought, but since I can't do anything to make it rain, I'm just enjoying the sunshine.  It was about 60, and I ended up taking off my long-sleeved shirt and soaking up a little sun.

The run had at least 250 in the 5k, and I was 112th in the 10k - it was packed!  It started from the Overlook, which is one of the Five Places Where Things Happen in Auburn (along with Echo Valley feed store, In'n'Out, and the two Starbucks - if you can find all those places you're good.)  We went down toward the river, then wound our way up the side of the canyon to Hwy 49, then back along some of the Tevis trail to the finish.

I sulked through the first hour, then somehow magically perked up and started "trotting." I made it to the big climb back to the finish in a pretty good mood, but the last mile and a half was all uphill and my legs were like "fuck you we quit" so I ended up walking most of the last mile.  I do march uphill really quickly, at least.  Mel ran quite cheerfully past me on the long uphill to the finish, so I knew she'd be waiting at the water tank.  I passed my phone off to her and she played with it...

 And got a really awesome finish pic!

I ended up running 6.2 miles in 1:46.  I know, that's really, really awful compared to serious 10k trail runners, much less road runners, but I couldn't be happier. It's the furthest I've ever run, and nothing's injured and I didn't even fall, and it's not endurance riding but the runner's high is pretty fulfilling!

Oh, and Mel's been doing a lot of HIIT, and she went out there and owned her distance.  She did 10 miles about 15 minutes faster than I did 6.2 miles, and it ended up being both a PR and third in her age class!  WOOOOO!

PS Happy birthday, Dad.  :)