How did this happen? I had to be in DC for work the week prior to RNR USA. I was elated once I realized that I could knock out one more RNR race towards my goal of 7 this year and my flights would be covered by work. After registering I realized that Shamrock run in Portland was the next day:( NO!!! I have run Shamrock the past four years and every year I PR the course by 5min or so. Plus the medals and shirts are AMAZING (you'll see). A year ago I would have cut my losses and picked one of the races but since I've already been averaging two events a month and I've been reading Skinny Runner (I mean if she can do marathons on back to back days, a half and 15K is nothing) way too much, I got the crazy idea to do both. And luckily I have this girl who is just as crazy as me who I recruited to participate in this madness:
DC 3/17 2:11:14
Since the fiasco that was Vegas, RNR has continued to impress me! I know they are overpriced, overcrowded and have a monopoly on a lot of races but they have some awesome locations, great swag and medals and they do a good job! The expo was easy to get to off the metro (granted I'd been navigating DC for a week at this point) and we were in and out of there quickly. Shirts are pretty darn cute; though Vegas is still my favorite shirt. Anywho, day of the race the metros were packed but we made it with plenty of time to use the bathroom and easily get into our corral. The race started on time and the weather was awesome - 70 and sunny! The first six miles were all around the The Capitol and the monuments which was really fun, very scenic. Afterward we turned up into the neighborhoods and it got hilly and never stopped. Hill after hill after hill but I didn't mind since I was taking it easy (so that I could maybe still run the next day). The spectators were great - lining the streets everywhere. I think it helped that it was St. Patrick's Day, there may have been a few people drinking green beer. Even in the neighborhoods, everyone was out on there front porches, cheering us on. Leslie and I ran together for 90% of the time and I am going to give myself credit for getting her to PR (she might disagree:)). All in all it was a great race with great company in a gorgeous city.
Note: This race sells out so register early.
Afterward we went to eat at this place Good Stuff Eatery! If you are going to DC, go there. I had the Farmhouse Burger and it rocked my world. By 4pm EST we were on a plane headed to Portland, by way of Atlanta. And by 10:30pm PST I was covered in compression gear in bed debating if I would really wake up and run the next day.
Shamrock 15K 3/18 1:28:38 (course PR by over 6min)
But I did! I woke up at 5:30am and sucked down some coffee while looking out at the rain and 40 degrees. What happened to my east coast sun? I put on my compression socks, running tights and DC shirt hoping that everyone would see it and think "that girl is a badass." Instead I had to cover it up with a jacket because it was frozen tundra outside:( The race started late because of trains but I still think we were running by 8am. At mile 3, MFR's achilles injury started acting up so we stopped to walk twice. He decided it wasn't worth it so he pulled out and I headed for the hills. My game plan had been just to do whatever I felt I could. If I was sore from Sat. I would just take it slow. Surprisingly I felt great the entire race (minus my purple/frozen hands)! I just chugged along and didn't walk even on the beast that is Terwilliger. The whole thing went quickly and when I crossed the finish line with a 6 min PR I felt great. Who would have thought? And I wasn't sore at all on Monday. Maybe there is something to this.
Check out that bling:
Tell me it wasn't worth it for the pint glass medal.
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