Holiday In Lights 5K Results

The results are in! Okay, they've been in since Saturday, but someone is a slacker. I wrote most of the post yesterday, but never got to adding the all important photos.

[Allow me to add a disclaimer about the pictures. I forgot my camera, so these are from either my iPhone (not too bad) or my mom's cell phone (terrible). Forgive us.]

In case you couldn't figure it out, the Holiday in Lights 5K was a holiday-themed event. Based on my previous experience with the Jingle Bell Run (I volunteered with my Sports Management classmates for Xavier in 2002), I figured I should probably dress for the occasion. Unfortunately, I decided to dress up about 10 minutes before I got ready to leave for the race. Oops. I had enough time to put on my race t shirt and grab some obnoxious holiday socks.

Socks! I hate how tall socks make me look like I have cankles. I actually don't!

To make the socks extra visible, I committed the ultimate fat girl's sin. I wore spandex pants without something over them.

GASP! EEK! AVERT YOUR EYES! It's worth noting that I've had these pants since 8th grade, when I had to have a pair of "slimeys" for track. Had to have them. (I hope the bold italics help illustrate the drama associated with a 15-year-old's insistence on having these pants, because everyone else had them.) Well, they still fit, so a sound investment, I'd say.

My running "costume" and blatant misuse of spandex pants. Forgive me.

Let's get to the race. I won't make you wait any longer. Here are my results:

• 44:24 chip time
• 14:19 minutes/mile
• 351st place out of 732 (women only)

Not so hot, huh? Five letters, people. H-I-L-L-S

Waiting to start. I think I was a little more than halfway back in the group here.

To say the course was hilly does not do it justice. I wish I had some visual way to demonstrate how un-flat it was. First, I'd say 7/10 of the first mile was up a massive hill. Not a gradual incline ... no. A monster hill. I walked up it and was hugely out of breath.

Mile 2 was completely downhill, so I ran the whole way (with the exception of a stop at the water table and a brief walk (less than a minute) at a flat-ish part.

End of mile 2 from my mom's camera phone. Note the tall socks.

A hot second later that the previous picture.
I'm in there somewhere, entering the Holiday in Lights loop--the beginning of Mile 3.

Mile 3 was through the Holiday in Lights loop, which is essentially a roller coaster full of bunny hills. Up and down, up and down, up and down.

A relatively flat space between hills, and the fitting "bah humbug" sign.

Since I have ZERO training on hills, I knew the up wasn't going to happen. I ran down the hills, ran through the trough, then walked up the hills. I felt useless, but knew I couldn't do better.

Let me expand on that thought. My legs could have done better. That was clear in the way I finished (I'll explain later). My lungs could not handle the hills. It's like they close up or something. Hills and stairs ... my kryptonite. Now, we all know I'm accustomed to being out of breath. It's how I roll. But the kind of "out of breath" I get on hills (including several times on Saturday), is literally out of breath. Nothing to draw in. Closed throat. What the heck?

My guess is this is where my weight actually affects me. My legs are strong from years of carrying myself around. My legs are powerhouses. Allow me to give an example. My freshman year of college, while lifting for track (shot put, discus, hammer, javelin), I leg pressed 400 pounds for 8 reps. 400 pounds. I was pushing more than the dudes, folks. BEAST! My lungs? Not so much apparently. To steal my friend Jeff's example, I will collapse from doing a set of lunges too quickly.

I digress. Back to the run.

Despite the terrible time (very close to the time of my first 5K, the Redlegs Run for Home 5K this spring), and the poor performance of my lungs, I'm pleased with myself. Considering how much I walked, I did well! I ran the whole second mile, the last quarter to half a mile, and SPRINTED to the finish!

Crossing under the timer arches at the finish line! Whee!

I actually sprinted! I kicked my heels up and took giant strides, swung my arms and crossed that finish line like a champ, high-fiving the Hamilton County Parks mascot (a raccoon) and Santa Claus. Did I mention it was a downhill finish? No? Well, it was. But it was awesome.

I'm also glad my mom got to go. Thanks for standing in the cold, Mom! Someone (not naming names) apparently got a little teary-eyed at the start of the race. Don't worry, it had nothing to do with her overwhelming pride in her only daughter's accomplishments. No, she was crying because she saw Santa running and they were playing Christmas music.

So yeah, good experience. Holiday fun. Striped socks. Spandex. Oh, and the post-run food was fabulous! Cookies, granola bars, bananas, bagels, miniature Skyline 3-ways, and LaRosa's. Nom!