We Ran the Virtual Race For Grandma Lill’s 96th Birthday

Today we ran in honor of Rachelle’s Grandma Lill. 

I am not sure it was the inspiration from a lovely lady who is turning 96 soon, or if it was the Mizuno shoes, or the Tommie Copper calf sleeve and long-sleeved tee that I wore under my Running Diva shirt, or the fact that I have been feeling so great lately… or some combination of all of these things… but today I ran 5 km in 34 minutes and 39 seconds and I am thrilled!

I cannot recall the last time I ran 5km in under 35 minutes and I was really starting to wonder if it was ever going to happen again.  Thank Goodness that monkey is off my back.  I like to think that time doesn’t matter to me, but apparently it really does.

It started out like any other run.  I was going to head out alone while The Captain watched several curling draws on several different channels all at the same time… who says men cannot multi-task… and then he announced that if I could wait till 11 o’clock he would like to come with me.  Well, how could I turn that down?

So I made sure I was dressed and ready to go and just before 11 we set out to run what has become our usual 5k around our neighborhood.  It was about 5 C and calm and overcast and off we went… it felt a bit speedier, and my legs were feeling good so I thought I would just keep that pace as long as I could.  Our first 10 minute segment took us about  a block further than normal and we did a one-minute walk break. 

The next 10 minute segment took us through my favorite off-leash area on the path that parallels the Strait of Juan de Fuca and I was so happy running along watching so many different dogs running and jumping and playing with each other.  I know I picked up my pace a bit more there and the end of that 10 minutes found us a few blocks past our normal point.  Another one minute walk break and we were off again.

The third 10 minute segment was harder but I kept it up and by the time that one was done, we were only a few blocks from our 5 km mark.  I took the one-minute walk break anyway and then it was an easy 2 block sprint to the finish.

I knew it was going to be close to 35 minutes but was so excited when I checked my watch realized it was well under!  The last time we ran this same route was this past Monday and I struggled to get it done in 37:15… today was 34:39 . 

YAY!

W3 R34:39 @ 10/1 W3
stretch 10 minutes

I made sure to stretch out gooood and drink lots of water when we finished, and I got The Captain to take a celebratory picture, too.

Happy 96th Birthday, Grandma Lill!  You made my day.

 

Are you running the Virtual Race for Grandma Lill's 96th Birthday?

 

Check out the details at Livin the Sweat Life and get yourself entered.