SOME DC Trot for Hunger 5K

This Thanksgiving I ran my 2nd SOME DC Trot for Hunger 5K in Washington, DC. This fast, flat course takes place at Freedom Plaza running along the National Mall with many out and backs. This year I’m super thankful for my many running accomplishments including my Chicago Marathon PR at 2:53, being accepted for the 2016 Boston Marathon, and continuing to stay injury free.

Prior to racing this morning, I ran a 20 minute shakeout run to help loosen-up the legs while incorporating 15 second strides throughout to help prepare me for the race. This shakeout run was a slow pace averaging 7:45 for the 2 miles that I ran. Leading up to the start of the race I continued to do some hip stretches, high knees, and butt kicks to keep my legs loosened while I waited for the start. Since this was my second SOME DC Trot for Hunger 5K I was mentally prepared for the course and where I needed to be for the start.

Mile 1: 5:23
As I’ve always said, the first mile is always the hardest mile for me. Mentally it takes me a few minutes to get into my groove and settle down with my pace. Since I’m very familiar with this course I was able to line myself at the front of the pack so I didn’t have to run through slower runners while finding my pace. The first 1/2 mile was super fast, running around 4:43 while trying to get out of the pack and getting into my groove and finding the right group to follow. Once I was able to relax and settle down my legs started to feel great and my breathing was down.

Mile 2: 5:28
During the second mile I fell into my groove while mentally feeling relaxed and sticking to my pace. It was during this mile that there were 2 out and backs which slowed my pace down a little however, didn’t stress me out like previous races. I was able to stay focused and take these turns wider than most so that my pace wouldn’t slow down as bad. It was also during this mile that I was able to catch-up to some of the other runners who passed me at the beginning and start picking them off one-by-one. This really helped me mentally and kept me focused on keeping on pace and remembering my ultimate goal, a sub-17 minute 5K.

Mile 3: 5:20
The final mile was my strongest mile with a 5:20 pace. There was a slight downhill section that helped increase my pace and catch another pack of runners in front of me. It was during this mile that I felt my strongest with my legs feeling great while my breathing was on point and staying relaxed. I continued to stay focused on my pace and time while still being able to decrease my time and pass the final runners.

Final Push
During the final push I really focused on the person in front of me and sticking with him. This individual had a really good pace going and was decreasing his time during his final push so I felt comfortable sticking with him and continuing to push myself. It was also at this point that the crowd support started to pick back up, which is always a huge support for me. I was able to complete this year’s SOME DC Trot for Hunger 5K in 16:49 with a 7th overall place which is a Personal Record (PR) for me. I owe a lot of my success to my Run Coach, Personal Trainer, and Physical Therapist who continue to improve my running. 

Overall, I am very pleased with today’s race outcome and look forward to many more
smaller races and my 2016 Boston Marathon in April. You can continue to follow me through my progress on Twitter at @iRunFitDC or my blog. If you ever have questions or want to run together in DC please don’t hesitate to reach out to schedule a run.

SOME 5K Turkey Trot

Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for those in your life as well as the accomplishments you’ve concord within the year. This Thanksgiving I’m more than ever thankful for the amazing support system of my family, friends, and coworkers as well as the two amazing legs that have helped me accomplish so much in my running career this year!

This Thanksgiving I had the honor and privilege of running the SOME (So Others Might Eat) 5K Turkey Trot in Washington, DC. SOME is a community-based organization that exists to help the poor and homeless in our Nation’s Capital by providing food, clothing, and healthcare to those that are less fortunate. This year hundreds of local runners came out to show their support towards a case that helps fight back against hunger here in the Nation’s Capital be fundraising and collecting non perishable foods. To learn more or to make a donation please visit, www.some.org. 

This year’s turkey trot was a bit on the chilly side with temperatures hovering around 40 degrees and cloudy. Since I was unfamiliar with the course, I was able to not focus on speed or an outcome but rather on having a good time and showing support towards a great cause and organization. The outcome was amazing, I was able to PR with a time of 17:28 finishing in 14th overall, 3rd in my age group, and with an overall pace of 5:33. I owe my continued accomplishments and PR’s to ENERGYBits, VIDA Fitness, Capital Area Runners, and the many individuals who have helped encourage me along my journey. Here’s to many more races!

iRun.Fit and I wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving from our running hearts to yours! Please take this time to be thankful for your accomplishments, individuals in your life, and for showing appreciation to those who have supported you throughout the year.

Turkey Trots, Family and Self Control

It’s that time of the year again, Thanksgiving time! This is the time when families, friends and loved ones come together to see extended relatives, consume delicious foods and of course now run the popular morning Turkey Trots. With Thanksgiving having earned the reputation for being a gluttonous holiday associated with the unbuttoning of pants, stomachaches, and feelings of guilt due to an excess amount of consumed calories, many individuals are taking part in the growing 5K Turkey Trot phenomenon.

Turkey Trots have been around for quite some time, however, recently due to an increase in individuals fit & healthy lifestyle changes, these runs have become even more popular. Most runs occur first thing in the morning ranging from 8AM-10AM and range from a 5K-10K, allowing individuals plenty of time to get back and spend the remainder of their holiday with family and friends. Runs like these are of course are very family friendly, fun and energetic with many individuals not runners and just out enjoying a fun activity prior to the big meal. Of course running is a great way to make Thanksgiving meals feel a little less guilty, but there are other tips below that can help make your Thanksgiving a little more healthier and not hazardous.

#1 Change Your Mindset
Thanksgiving might only come once a year, but we still have access to the foods year round. We understand that most families don’t prepare such large meals on a regular basis, but what’s the point in consuming all these items in one sitting? It’s important to remember that you don’t have to go into the lunch/dinner with the mindset of all or nothing. You have access to all of these foods year round so you shouldn’t think it’s your last “good meal.”

#2 Have a Plan
You always hear it, have a plan. Planning out what you will eat at your Thanksgiving meal is key to helping you identify what you can eat, can’t eat and what items you will splurge to help with your self-control. Do your best to create a mental list of items you plan on eating along what a desert you plan on splurging on to help keep your portions in check. If you create and follow your plan you will be good to go!

#3 Don’t Starve Yourself
This is one of the biggest mistakes many people make during the holiday session. It’s never a good idea to starve yourself all day waiting for the big meal. By doing this, you are only making yourself more hungry for the big meal and by then your plan and healthy efforts will be thrown out of the window. Instead stick to smaller, balanced meals throughout the day so by the time the big meal comes you can continue to follow your plan and not just scarfing down food.

#4 Smaller Plates Another great way to stick to your plan is by using smaller plates. Most individuals tend to want to fill their plates with food and then clean them by eating everything. The bigger the plate the more calories are consumed. To help cut down on all of these problems, individuals should use smaller plates to help with portion control. In most settings family and friends won’t event notice the plate difference.

#5 Enjoy Yourself
By now you are probably wondering, how am I suppose to enjoy Thanksgiving?! The answer, you can still enjoy that homemade pumpkin pie with fresh whipped cream or those mashed potatoes but in moderation and self-control. You can enjoy all of those delicious dishes by simply cutting down on the portions, not eating the whole pie and sticking to your plan. You see, eat healthy and being fit isn’t about cutting foods out, but instead by learning portion controls, planning and self-control.

I wish all of you a Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving! Remember to enjoy that homemade pie today and then hit your  workout routine once again tomorrow!