Race Recaps: Turkey Day Run + Santa Dash 2018

Three races in 3 weeks (ish)?! Who is this girl and what happened to the girl who was refusing to race just a few months ago?!So, yeah… I’ve done 2 more races in the past few weeks. And I know I haven’t been talking about running a lot this year at all, but it’s definitely still a priority in my life.What hasn’t been a priority is racing. But, I think I actually needed it. And if you read my last race recap, you read about everything I learned from my first race of the year.Well, ever since that race, I found out something HUGE about me + my personality…I DON’T PUSH MYSELF.Unfortunately, after quitting my job, I knew I was going to have to cut back on some expenses, and one of those expenses was my beloved running coach. It’s not that I really needed a coach, but I really need someone to PUSH me. To help keep me accountable. To tell me that I’m not working hard enough and that I am capable of so much more.And after my first race, I knew I needed to figure out how I could get over my damn self and push myself OUT of my comfort zone.So, I went into my second race - the Turkey Day Run in Kirkwood - knowing that it was OK to get uncomfortable. That I had something to prove to myself - like that I can, and still will, accomplish hard things.I have never run this race before, but my aunt asked if I’d want to do it with her + 2 of my cousins, and how could I pass up a race on Thanksgiving?!HOLY MOLY… this was one CROWDED 5K. I’m thankful I met Sally before heading to the starting line because there was no way I would have found them at all had we not done that. In fact, I didn’t see anyone else I knew running it because there were just so many people.The starting line was packed and I knew from the beginning that this race was not about placing or PRing… this was just about proving that I could push myself to be better. So, my goal was just to do everything I could to run a really good, strong race.And as soon as I started, my legs felt like lead. I thought that it was going to be a horrible race, but by the first mile mark, I had eased into a really good stride and was surprised by a 6:30-something pace for my first mile. I felt GREAT! I was excited and knew that I could definitely hold on to that pace the whole time because I felt so good.There were some rolling hills that made it a little tougher, but I appreciate some hills on a course compared to a flat one. The race went by so quick - thank goodness - but I would venture to say that it was one of my better races. And maybe it was because it was a LARGE race and super competitive, but I am stinking proud of that race. And I took a FULL MINUTE off my 3-mile time from 2 weeks earlier! Turns out, my body really, REALLY needed some lower mileage.I wish I could say the same about the Santa Dash 5K. I mean, I felt good going in - I knew that I could definitely do what I did the week before at the Turkey Day run, but my body did not feel nearly as good. My piriformis flared up right at the beginning which made the very few downhills tough and a sprint to the finish out of the question.But, I still ran a really good race. I pushed myself to catch up and pass people, and not letting the girl very close behind me pass me. But, it was a mentally tough course. Very few people around, quiet, just hard to push yourself when there’s nothing really to motivate you.Yet, I was happy to see the beautiful view of a 20:52 when crossing the finish line. Again, a whole MINUTE faster than what I ran in Silver Dollar City.Moral of the story: Sometimes it’s ALL in your head. When you have some self-discovery around how to be your best self or why you do certain things, it helps you to push you out of your comfort zone to achieve your goals.Let the off-season training BEGIN! Looking forward to some lower mileage, more strength training, and getting geared up for a KILLER 2019!