Fitness Friday || Kentucky Derby Festival Mini Marathon Recap

Half mary # 4! 

It never fails. I get butterflies in my stomach at this point. As soon as I cross the start they go away.

I was freezing in this picture.

Something Christine said a week or so ago has stuck with me ever since and I realized I was approaching the whole 12 in 2012 with the wrong mindset. Not intentionally but inevitably with every race this year and I was sabotaging myself without even realizing it. Not this time. I ran this race with no thought of a PR and with no thoughts of running faster. During the race I started describing it as “I ran my smartest race ever.”  I literally smiled. My goal was to use this as a training run (that’s a first!) and to maintain a pace of about 10:15 the entire 13.1 miles. A pace that left me with a little kick at the end. I probably could have run a faster pace but in the end I accomplished what I set out to do. I crossed the finish line thinking I want to feel like this every time. Success!

Thoughts on the race:

• Running through Churchill Downs was amazing. My favorite part of the course.
• The weather was perfect!
• The morning was so cold but I was glad I decided to bag-check my jacket.
• I like my pre-race routine. I tried out of my “comfort zone” and  didn’t like it.
• Chad is my race coordinator. It took him not being there for me to realize he truly takes care of everything. All I have to do is run
• Oranges! Cold orange slices were handed out on the course twice and I swear they were the best oranges ever. Somewhere around mile 9 I spent a few miles trying to figure out how I could carry my own orange slices (probably not going to happen).
• I should have taken more photos.
• I finally met a blogging friend, Sandy, who was my P90X2 90-Day Challenge partner. I felt like I’ve known her forever instead of meeting her for the first time. Later, I heard Alyssa telling Chad that they were so much alike it was creepy. I should have taken pics! Next time!

• We played yes to the dress and helped Sandy pick out her Derby dress. My daughter and her friend loved this!
• Yes. I will run this race again.

One last thing. What I thought was a cold (and made it difficult to breath during the Gulf Coast Half ) turned out to be allergies. Really? I’ve never had allergies in my life! And allergy medication? What the heck? While it makes you feel and breath better it also sucks any and all existing moisture out of  your body. Ugh! With this being so new to me I was concerned about staying hydrated. I had the perfect solution. iFitness! My favorite belt is the neoprene double pouch and with the add-on option of a single water bottle it was perfect. Which, by the way, I didn’t need but I loved having a little extra just in case I needed something more than the water provided on the course.

(photo not taken at the race)

What’s next? The Cincinnati Flying Pig Half Marathon this weekend!

Have you ever been to the Kentucky Derby? What are your running plans for the weekend? Any tips on having allergies? Do you set a goal every time you run a race? Do you get butterflies in your stomach at the start line?

Tagged: 2012 goals, 2012 Race Recaps, challenge, Fitness Friday, goals, half marathon, iFitness, product review, running, Twelve In Twenty Twelve