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Check it out! And be sure to follow Team Rabbit's training and racing fun adventures in 2013!

Next up:

Fairfax 4 Miler 12/31

REHAU Resolution 10K 1/1

Race Report: Virginia Run Turkey Trot

Well, two weeks yesterday ago I ran the 24^th Annual Virginia Run Turkey Trot! I had been working on my speed since recovering from Ironman Lake Placid in July as I was hoping to PR the 5K distance. My 5K PR of 25:14 is from May 2001 and my course PR of 25:56 is from November 2000.

Thanksgiving morning I picked up my friend Lisa (who now has the running bug and was doing her second 5K) and her brother Rick, our sherpa, and headed to the race site. Boy was it chilly! I went for a short warm up run then lined up as close to the front as possible in hopes of getting a new PR. The start was pretty laid back – I think the race director (or someone) just said on your marks, get set, GO! 

I started off running and felt so slow. But I was actually below the pace I was hoping to keep. Maybe I should have slowed up?! My watch was showing my overall average pace and I just focused on running hard. I probably kept up the pace till about the halfway point or so. I know by the time ‘the hill’ appeared I was slowing. Bummer. I was even passed by the guy dressed like a turkey running with a gal dressed like a chef! They were so cute! Anyway, I kept plugging along and did not stop running even though I was slowing up. I saw Rick who was freezing but cheering us on anyway as I approached the finish. After I crossed the line I was able to double back so I could see Lisa finish! After she crossed we were able to check our official finish times at a tent at the community center. Lisa took 2 minutes off her prior time! Woohoo!! Well, I did not PR but finished in 25:45 for 22 out of 362 women in the 40-49 age group. I was 166^th out of 1,973 female finishers and 670 of 3,664 overall.

So not a 5K PR but a course PR! And seeing that a couple days later I came down with bronchitis (maybe I was already getting sick?) I’ll take it! I have not given up on trying to PR the 5K as I still sit here recovering from this bronchitis…and I’ve coughed so hard that I think I cracked a rib! And I am totally not joking about that.

So, remember that duathlon I blogged about in my last post? Well, I got my correct award in the mail: Third Female Overall! And not long after that arrived, I received an interesting e-mail from USAT: “Congratulations from USA Triathlon” it said, "With your finish at the Du It, USA Triathlon would like to invite you to the 2013 USAT Duathlon National Championship, presented by TriSports.com." The 2013 USAT Duathlon National Championship is on October 26, 2013. Yikes!

Yikes, is right! 

Anyway, I have not done any workouts since two days after Thanksgiving, November 24. I am keeping my fingers crossed that my ribs feel better soon, the coughing goes away, and I can start training again! I have a race this Sunday, the Blue and Gray Half Marathon, that I will unfortunately again not be able to run in. Seriously – I think I am not meant to do this race (what race?)! Every year since we first heard about it (2009) I’ve had a conflict: In 2009 I was recovering from sinus surgery so I ran the 5K. In 2010 I was dealing with plantar fasciitis and could not run at all. In 2011 I was headed to Alabama to get my son from college for winter break. This year I was so psyched because I had no conflicts. Well…there’s always next year!

So next up for me now is the New Year’s double header:

12/31 - Fairfax 4 Miler

01/01 - REHAU Rotary Resolution Race

Happy and Healthy Training!