Race Review and Seeing Stars

May 18th, 2013

Hillsboro Park and Recreation is offering an "All Comers Family 5k" series with a 5k in a local park in May, June, August, September and the last one in October.

"Lace up your shoes and gather the family for the All Comers Family 5k Running Series...  Whether this is your first 5k or your fiftieth... run, skip or walk your way through to the finish."

This is a perfect series to introduce the family to a race in a non threatening, easy pace race that is also inexpensive.  $5 registration fee for 18 years and up and 17 years and under are free.

Living in Oregon, you can't be afraid to run in a little rain now and then...  The park was absolutely beautiful!

On my way through the park to the registration table (with a screaming knee injury) it occurred to me that though I had been to this park many times, I was really just seeing it.  I wanted to "feel my race, be my race" and not focus so hard on a PR that I ended up destroying any recovery my knee had made.  I needed to run and appreciate my surroundings a little more instead of being so intense on my breathing, pace, and gait.  All of those things are important, but I needed to back off a little and just enjoy this Saturday morning.

This was the first time that my new chapter of Moms RUN This Town was getting together for a race.  Though our picture is missing a few other shoes, it was very rewarding to see these amazing, beautiful women come together and support each other.

Throughout the race, if you weren't being passed by and given a high-five by a familiar face, there were encouraging notes on the ground.  Or attempts to help participants stay on the right path.  I wonder what Robert Frost would have to say about this?

Over all, this small community race was exactly what I needed.  I finished pretty poorly in terms of time and previous races, but my knee thanked me for walking those hills and I gained a lot more in the park that day.  I heard the birds twittering, the rain hitting the tree tops over head and bonded with my new running buddies.  

And with this cathartic quote about running and enjoying it, I'd like to mention that I spent the afternoon after my race at a Health and Fitness expo where Kara Goucher was speaking.  What a great close to a racing day!  Kara spoke a bit about her balance between who she is and how people see her.  Balancing her competitions and training and her family.  Something that I have been struggling with a bit lately...  It's hard to run at times, we all get that... but it's also hard to get that time in to run, meet the demands and responsibilities required of a mom, wife, friend, blogger, patient in physical therapy, volunteer chapter leader for a running club... You get the idea.

As I walked away from Kara, feeling inspired that she can handle these demands and still train, but not really getting yet how I was going to manage it,  I ran into Sarah Bowen Shea.  Yeah.  One of the authors of the book about balancing the role of "mom" and "wife" with running your heart out.  If that isn't serendipity, then I don't know what is!  I learned a lot yesterday... I still have a lot to learn.  I'll keep you posted on my journey.  :)