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Firefly Run 5K Race Recap

April 18, 2012 · by Ari · 6 Comments

Saturday evening I had the opportunity to participate in my first night race!

Heather, Emily, Nicole, Me, Bethany & Jason

Decked out in glow gear. We take night racing very seriously.

Steve, Jason, Bethany and I arrived pretty early so that Jason could register. We quickly met up with Nicole, Emily and Stacey, and hung out for a bit before lining up for the race.

Jason, Bethany and I started towards the back. It was Bethany’s first race, and we had all three planned to run it together. Usually, I’m a big jerk and I ditch my friends at races (or if I race with Nicole, I tell her to just leave me because I will never make it at her pace haha), but I really wanted to run Bethany’s first race with her, and I was excited about the idea of running with my two best friends.

When we started running, I was amazed at how nice it was to be able to look around and enjoy my surroundings. The only thing I usually see during the race is the face of little Garmi. And she’s cute, but Phoenix at night kind of is too. The weather was perfect, and it just felt amazing to be running through the city at night!

The race was an out and back route, so shortly after mile 1, we saw Nicole and Stacey racing back. We all shouted and waved at each other. I was ridiculously energetic, and I kept trying to talk to Jason and Bethany, but they were not feeling as chatty as me haha. Emily and Heather were pretty close to us for the majority of the race as well.

At mile 2, I could tell Bethany was getting tired, but she turned it up a little bit and surprised Jason and me. I started thinking at that point

10 years ago, who would have thought that we would be here?

10 years ago I was near the end of my “first round” of weight loss. I was ridiculously unhealthy, and in a very bad place in my life. We had all been through an impossibly tough and life changing situation together, and the three of us were doing the best we could to get by. Sometimes I can’t believe we’ve made it to this point in our lives–not running a 5k, but maintained our friendship through thick and thin, grown and changed so much as human beings, and found even deeper love and appreciation of our friendships.

I began to get a little lot sentimental, and started to wish that our whole group could be together, but mostly, I was just happy to have these 2 amazing friends in my life, and to be accomplishing goals together. We’ve always been really different. Neither of them are into theatre, and we’re all just really different, so it was awesome to be going after something together.

Bethany kicked some serious ass, didn’t stop once, and ran the fastest she’s run in this stage of her life. I couldn’t be more proud of her!

Before we finished, Steve caught Stacey busting through the finish line with a rockin’ PR!!

You PR that shit, Stacey!!

Then at the very end, Jason picked it up a little and finished a few seconds before Bethany and me.

So serious!

Shortly after, Bethany rocked it out and pulled out a sub 9 pace for the last stretch. I finished with the biggest grin on my face.

Running is fun!!

WHEEEEE!!! I love running!!!! Usually at the end of a race I hate running. This was a pleasant change 😉

After the race,  we headed over to Papago Brewing Company for food and drinks, where we met up with Nacho.

And Miriam and Scott who were visiting from Indiana.

Jason and Nacho had been to Papago Brewing Company before, finding it after we had all been huge fans of their brews at various other restaurants. The beer selection was ridiculous, and the food was incredible! Almost everyone ordered pizza.

Everything I tasted was delicious, and I absolutely loved the atmosphere of this place! I was worried it was going to be a little stuffy since it’s in Scottsdale, but it was definitely beer people atmosphere if that makes sense. I absolutely loved it and will definitely be back in the future!

Final funny note: I mentioned to Steve that he didn’t get a single picture of Nicole after the race began and he commented “She ran by so fast at the end, the camera couldn’t focus on her!” Nice job, Speedy Gonzales. 😉

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized · Tagged: 5k, az bloggers, firefly run, friends, papago brewing company, phoenix, race recap, restaurants, running

I Think I May Have a Problem

March 20, 2012 · by Ari · 7 Comments

Hi, my name is Ari and I have a running problem. That’s step 1, right?

Okay, let me tell you a little bit about how today went down. I woke up, got out of bed and was immediately in pain. Stumbling, struggling to walk across the room kind of pain. It was super fun, let me tell you. Both of my achilles were on fire, and the outside of my right knee that had been hurting, then gone mostly away, was back with a vengeance. I started to really think about at what point running was still worth it, and at what point it started being harmful to my body rather than helpful. I seriously contemplated taking a break. A real one. Not like that time I didn’t run for a week and called it a break.

Then I went to the gym for spin class, missed the last sign up spot by one minute, said some 4 letter words, and set out on a 15 mile bike ride outside. It was lovely. The only thing that would have made it better is if Linda and the woman that always yells during class had come with me. I love that woman that yells. She cracks me up. By the end of my ride, I was feeling a little better. First thing in the morning is always the worst. Once I get moving and stretched out a little, the pain is still there, but manageable.

I started to think about what constitutes an injury. I can run. It hurts, and it’s not easy right now, but I am not in enough pain that I can’t do it. And to be honest, it’s always hurt. It just used to hurt slightly less, and while my knee pain is fairly new, it’s not like it’s bad enough to make anything impossible. This may be ridiculously bad logic, but it’s my logic, so instead of taking a break, I decided to say F you to my injuries and sign up for 4 races.

You can judge me. You can think I’m crazy, or stupid, but I refuse to let some pain tell me I can’t do what I want to be doing. Have you ever tried to tell me I can’t do something? It’s the fastest way to get me to do it. In fact, if Steve were to tell me he didn’t think I could clean the house, he would all the sudden find himself living with an obsessive neat freak. Please don’t try that. I really hate cleaning!

Anyway, here is my calendar for the next couple of months

March 24: South Mountain Classic 5K
    Impulse decision when I realized I hadn’t run a March race, and I’d really like a shiny new 5K PR. But I haven’t been running fast at all lately, so we’ll see how that goes.

April 14: Firefly Run 5K
I’d been planning on registering for this, but just hadn’t yet. You wear pretty lights! How fun! Plus I will be running this with my best friend! It will be her first 5K and I plan on running the whole thing by her side.

April 21: Pat’s Run
Again, I’d been planning on this one, and even though I am super annoyed by their registration process (Ummm, listen Pat Tillman Foundation, I am NOT a jogger), all my real life running friends and blog running friends are doing it, and I give in to peer pressure 😉

May 5: Whiskey Row Half Marathon
Let’s talk about Whiskey Row. Specifically the elevation.

Yeah, that’s over a 1,500 ft difference in elevation, and the entire first half goes straight up. I honestly am not 100% sure I can even finish this course, but I feel like I am ready for a challenge. I am ready to be training for something again. The last month has been pretty lack luster in the training department, and I miss feeling awesome and strong after long runs, and excited after speed sessions. This is what I’m doing, and my body is just going to have to keep up. Got it body? Okay, good.

And last, but not least, I have my eye on a half marathon PR race.

That would be RnR Seattle. I’ll be in the north west at that time anyhow, and if I can make it happen, I would absolutely love to do this race! I have my heart set on a sub 2:00 half in 2012, and I am pretty sure it’s not going to happen at Whiskey Row…let’s be honest. I know I could find a goal race in the fall, but I also don’t want to wait until then. This isn’t a flat course (and it has an awful looking uphill finish–I mean seriously?!?!), but I actually don’t mind a little rolling hill variety, and I really love Seattle. Fingers crossed that life works out, and I’m able to do it!

What’s on your race calendar?

Filed Under: Uncategorized · Tagged: firefly run, injuries, pat's run, racing, rnr seattle, running, whiskey row

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