First Quarter - DONE!

Three months into 2013 and I have completed ten races. 25% done! These are the races that I ran:

1.1.2013 - Commitment Day 5k - Detroit

1.12.2013 - PoHo Hot Cocoa 8k - Port Huron

1.27.2013 - Polar Bear 5k - Okemos

2.3.2013 - Super Bowl 5k - Novi

2.9.2013 - Paczki Run 5k - Hamtramck

2.10.2013 - Riverview Winterfest 4-mile - Riverview

3.10.2013 - Corktown 5k - Detroit

3.17.2013 - Shamrock & Roll 10k - Plymouth

3.24.2013 - Run du Nain Rouge 5k - Detroit

3.30.2013 - April Fool's Run 10k- Clarkston

The loot: one AWESOME Nike pullover, two short-sleeved tech shirts, one long-sleeved tech shirt, three t-shirts, two hats, one pair of gloves, one pint glass, two medals.

Total race mileage: 39.96

Races 9 & 10 Run du...April Fool's...?

I'm doing just one blog post for races 9 & 10 because there's just not a lot to say about either one of these. Also, I'm just feeling...well...tired and lazy.

Race 9 was the Run du Nain Rouge 5k in Detroit. This was a race that coincided with the Marche du Nain Rouge, an annual parade to rid the city of Detroit of the evil red dwarf. The 5k itself was put on by the same people that did the Paczki Run, back in February. Jeez, that feels like it was forever ago! Once again, they did a very nice job organizing this race. It was pretty no frills, not even a water stop along the route. But it was a nice route. I did NOT stick around for the actual march later. It was cold, there was a long time between the two, and I was by myself. And going to a parade alone just seems sad. I put this race in the same category as the Riverview Winterfest Run - nothing really wrong with it, but I don't see myself doing it again.

Race 10 was the April Fool's Run 10k in Clarkston, my hometown. :) I'm not gonna lie, this one was a struggle. It was early, it was cold, it was far away. (I'm from Clarkston, but I don't live there anymore) In fact, when I woke up yesterday morning, I seriously considered skipping it. But I was determined to complete the first part of this quest for 40 and this was my last chance to get ten races in the first quarter. So I dragged myself out of bed and hauled my butt north.

The race didn't start well. I just wasn't into it. The route was...odd. And not well marked. There was one section that went through a park and the 5k people took a right and the 10k people went straight to run an additional portion, then loop back and meet up with the 5k people again. Well, the route met back together on a narrow trail and I wound up getting stuck behind some women walking the 5k and it was a struggle to get past them. There also were a couple different portions where the route crossed over each other. Literally crossing over each other. I'm not THAT concerned with time and pace, but I care enough that these things were more than a little annoying.

So I'm running along, not really enjoying myself that much, when something wonderful happened. I was about fours miles in and I caught a glimpse of a woman and she was right on my heels. At first, I was annoyed. Again, I just wasn't feeling it yesterday. I wanted her to just pass me and get off my heels. But then it turned into a game. All that mattered for the rest of the race was NOT letting her pass me. All of a sudden, it got real. So I picked it up for the last two miles. She pushed too. And pushed me right along with her. But she didn't catch me. So what started as a nice, easy (and, let's be honest, grumpy) training run turned into a two mile RACE. It was a blast.

The April Fool's Run didn't start well but ended up being really fun. Although, because of drive to get there, the issues with the route, etc, I really don't see myself doing this again. I ran it because it fit nicely into my schedule and I need forty! But this isn't one I'll do again.

So there it is - 10 races in three months. Now...to do this three more times! I get a weekend off next weekend. It's Tigers' Opening Weekend and NOTHING is going to interfere with THAT! In April, I have the Martian Invasion of Races 10k in Dearborn, Run with the Cops Not from Them 10k on Belle Isle and....dun dun DUUUUN...the half marathon for the Let's Move Festival of Races in Mt Clemens. Something I realized this week is that my 13th race of 2013 will be a half marathon (13.1 miles). I swear, I didn't plan that!

Happy Easter, yo!

Race 8 of 40 - ShamRock n Roll 10k

For my first 10k of this year - the ShamRock N Roll Run in Plymouth, put on by the Kona Running Group. This is the second year for this race; I've run both years. The Kona Group does such a fantastic job.  In addition to the two times I've run the ShamRock N Roll, I ran the Wicked Halloween Run last October. I've had a blast at all three.

Joining me this time were my cousin Melissa, Becky and Ashleigh again, and Nicki, a friend from high school. Due to different paces I only actually ran the race with Nicki. And we took turns pushing each other - ran a great race and had such an amazing time. Also - finishers medals!!!

Not only does the Kona Group have finishers' medals for 10k races, they have something new and fun for 2013 - The Triple Crown! Run the ShamRock N Roll, the Kona Run, and the Wicked Halloween Run and get a special Triple Crown medal! Three races - FOUR MEDALS. I dig finishers' medals, can you tell? ;)

As this was a St Patrick's Day theme, Irish Wonder Woman made another appearance. Thanks to Becky, Irish Wonder Woman had a tu-tu this time!! No more tu-tu envy!! However, we all completely failed in the picture taking department. I can only hope that the official race photos will include a good one of IWW. 

Running in costume does get attention, that's for sure. In fact, I was stopped at the end by a very nice guy named Jeff. He took my picture and asked several questions about my running goals. I may or may not be featured on his blog, http://fitnessat50.net  (maybe THAT'S where I can find my picture). Jeff turned 50 last year and he has a fun blog about his journey as well.

I have races the next two weekends - the Run du Nain Rouge 5k in Detroit on March 24th and the April Fool's 10k in Clarkston on March 30th. That will make 10 for the first quarter. Just gotta do this three more times. As of right now, I feel great physically and more than ready to take on the rest of 2013!

Race 7 of 40 - Corktown 5k

Next up - the always a blast Corktown 5k. This is an annual race which takes place in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit and coincides with the annual Detroit St Patrick's Day Parade.

A bit of a history lesson - Corktown is Detroit's oldest neighborhood, founded mainly by Irish immigrants from the County of Cork. Corktown was also the home of old Tiger Stadium *sadness*

The Corktown race is really more just about dressing up and having fun than pretty much any other race. There is no possibilty of too many pieces of flair for Corktown! I ran with Ashleigh and Becky - we got dressed up in our St Patrick's Day best! Tiaras, beads, scarves, bow ties, you name it! Ashleigh and Becky both wore tu-tu's, I was Irish Wonder Woman. And I gotta say, as cool as Irish Wonder Woman is, I did have a little bit of tu-tu envy. So Wonder Woman and tu-tu girls completed the 5k and were rewarded with finishers' medals at the end. A finishers medal has got to the best swag there is!

Funny story - during the race, a random guy fell in step with me and said, "What do you think, Diana, should we team up?" At first, I just chuckled politely, wondering why the heck this guy was talking to me during a race, then I glanced over and saw he was wearing a Green Lantern shirt. So I yelled, "Wooooo Irish Justice League!!!" Then we fist bumped and he ran off. Turns out Irish Green Lantern is faster than Irish Wonder Woman. Who knew? Just further proof that runners are, for the most part, a very friendly bunch.

Corktown is definitely one of the bigger events; I didn't hear final numbers, but I know they were expecting roughly 10,000 participants!! That's crazy huge!  And with the St Patrick's Day parade following the race, the entire neighborhood becomes just a big party. So we met some friends at Nemo's and celebrated/recovered with a few pints of Guinness. All in all, a fantastic day! The weather was warmer, the sun was out, we ran a great race, got medals, had a blast. Not really much more to ask for!

This was the first of four race weekends in a row. This coming Sunday is the Shamrock n Roll in downtown Plymouth, my first 10k of the year. After that, the Run du Nain Rouge 5k in Detroit on March 24. Then the April Fool's 10k up in Clarkston on March 30. This will then complete my first quarter goal of 10 races. Now I just have to do this three more times! :)

THEN - the weekend after that is Tigers' Opening Day!!! Can't wait for that!!! There will be no races run during Tigers' Opening Weekend!

I have races the following three weekends, ending with the Let's Move Festival of Races, which will be my first half marathon of 2013. I'm REALLY excited (and nervous) about that one!