2015 a Run and a Plunge!

     New Years Day started with a 5K at my local fitness club.  The Commitment Day 5K.  I have been training  to improve my Half time. So I am in the middle of a training cycle or in other words my legs are not fresh. They didn't feel fresh, they felt stiff, sore and heavy.

     The weather was cold, damp, breezy with some winter mix precipitation. Rain, sleet and snow. 30 degrees with a wind chill in the teens.  Oh yay!

     I ran into my run coach Nate and his fiancé Cecilia. We chatted for a minute, he asked me what my goal was. I told him I knew what I wanted but I didn't know if I could do it.  He persisted in wanting to know, so I told him I wanted a sub 30 but I didn't have much faith in it.  He told me he thought I would surprise myself and it would be close. We wished each other well and headed off for the start line.

     We line up, listen to the National Anthem, cheer, and the BOOM! Go Time!  I love toeing the start line. There is such a sense of anticipation, nervous energy, and the possibility of meeting your goal. Mile one is flat and even and I am on pace with a 9:55. Mile 2 is flat then down hill turn around and straight uphill and I'm on pace at 10:07. I meet Nate going down hill as he is going uphill, he waves and shouts out encouragement. Mile 3 is the same as mile one since it is an out and back and my pace is 9:27. I can see the finish now, damn it a 15 yo boy passes me, damn kids! I sprint to the finish and cross with a 29:53!!!!!!

     I am so freaking stoked! I really didn't think I could do it! A freaking sub 30 5K!  My first 5K had a time of 45 minutes. My second 5K this same race on New Years 2014 finish time of 39:48! This summer the breast cancer 5K of 34:49. A PR anyway you look at it. I'm just happy with a stupid grin on my face.

     First person I see is my trainer Matt , so of course I have to tell him! We chat for a few then I leave to go cheer in the other runners. I see Nate and we celebrate!  It is a damn fine day!

     The next event is the Polar Bear Plunge at noon. Now when I signed up for this in September it sounded like a damn fine idea. Now today with sub 30 temps, sleet, rain & wind not so much. In fact it starting to sound down right insane.

     We line up outside at the start line after a free shot of Rumple Minze. I don't know why they didn't give us the good stuff. I think for jumping in an outdoor pool in Winter should qualify for a shot of bourbon!  Oh well! The gun goes off and away we go for a .5 mile run a jump and run through the shallow end of the pool! Holy Jesus that water is cold!

     Around we go for another .5 mile run and a wait in line to go down the slide. So we get to stand outside in line, unmoving in the sleet, wind, wet clothes and look at ice forming in the railing. Freaking great!  Down the slide, super fast in the dark. Splash! OMG that is COLD! Now Polar Bear guy is yelling at me keep moving, come on, come to the steps! Oh yeah big guy you just don't want to rescue my dumb cold ass!

    Around we go for the last .5. Mile run and jump to the bottom of the pool to retrieve my medal. Which is the size of a dinner plate!   I go inside to the indoor pool and get in. It is a balmy 70 degrees! Ahhhh! It causes burning tingles! Ohhhh! Feeling better!

    Now some of my run club friends join me and we take lots of pics. We say how much fun it is and yes we will probably do it again next year!  I think we are all crazy but that's ok. It is all just fun and games anyway!

Live Epic!
Michelle