What's a PB without a painface?

This past weekend I had a double header with steeplechase on Saturday afternoon and a 5km road race Saturday night (best way to spend a weekend!). Saturday morning, as planned I did "supposedly easy" shake out ride to keep my legs loose and race ready for that night. They did not however feel very good. I was tired and my legs felt heavy and slow.

Put on a happy face and the legs will feel good right?

Not much I could do at that point, so I shook it off, and went about the day. My husband was also competing that weekend (throws) so it was a busy, busy day - but pretty normal for us!

First up: steeple.

Warming up felt pretty good and surprisingly come race time my legs didn't feel like lead (always a good thing). The gun went off and away I went, working at my paces best I could and counting down the steeples in my head!

I'm very new in this event and still learning my pacing around the track all while jumping over those black and white barriers. The water hazard is a technical event to it's own that I have yet to discover the best way to tackle it.

Pretty sure this is not the best technique for speed

Even with my stumble in the water I crossed the finish line, saw the time clock and was stoked with a PB time! I was thankful my legs decided to come around!

Once steeplechase finished I had about an hour and a half until my road 5km! Enough time to catch my husband's final hammer throws, pack us all into the car, down a picky bar and drive over to my next race!

Waiting under my umbrella to start;
excited to get going!

I really wanted a good time at this event. I felt as though I could PB, but had to expect to hurt.

Throughout the race I kept checking my pace and telling myself to "pick it up, just a little". Over and over: "just a little".

At the 2km mark I was thinking "good I'm on pace", but also wondering how I was going to keep this up as I was hurting and still had 3km to go. At the 3km mark, I had my doubts but just kept grinding. At the 4km mark we had a slight downhill and I just gave it all I had, knowing the hurt was going to get really ugly.

At the finish chute I had my littleman running across with me, who brought me home in PB style! I was thrilled! A 40 second PB and hug at the finish. It took this face to get me there, but what's a PB without a painface right?

I came. I steepled. I survived.

I wish I was exposed to track when I was a kid, but I just wasn't. I played sports, but they were team ones: soccer and basketball were my thing. Track and field was never even on the menu.

My running passion started in University with triathlon, Ironman mostly, and grew from there. Over the years since (which have been many...) that passion has only grown. Both from the love of being a spectator and the fire that ignites with being a competitor.   

 IMCanada 2002 - Heading out on the run

My training and racing over the most recent years has become *a little* wiser; I hope. I am I taking chances and trying new distances or events that I never did in my "younger" years in hopes to keep improving into my future ones. I'm playing with pacing on roads, trails and most recently the track.

A few Friday's ago I had my most unfamiliar race to date: steeple chase.

Pre-race thoughts: yah, I can jump this

I toed the line with a bunch of ladies who looked at me behind my sunglasses trying to guess my age. Let's just say I was older, much older.  

The gun went off and away I went. Steeples wear on you; you think pacing is going ok, but legs get heavier and heavier with each steeple. And I swear the steeples got taller. Steeple chase is an event that requires some serious respect; and I love that about it.

Did I survive my steeple race? You bet I did. Do I need to work on my steeple technique? Oh yes. Will I do another one - you bet! I learned a new way to experience pain, and I really, really enjoyed it.

Finish line hugs: no better feeling!

Vertical again - pain face.
Loved every minute of it!