Last Run Albany 12/19/15

~ Chocolaterunsjudy

Last Run Albany definitely lives up to its fun run reputation! This was my third year bringing my racing year to a close with this race and it didn’t disappoint.

Packet Pickup
There were multiple opportunites before the race to pick up your packet, but I’ve just always done day (or night, since it’s a night race) of pick up; none of the early packet pickup locations are convenient for me and I had a lot going on this week.

It’s always been easy and I’ve never “run” into any problems.

Plan — what plan?
My only plan for this “race” was to go back to my 4:30 run/walk intervals.

So how’d that work for me?

  1. Mile 1: 12:45. It’s a popular race, it’s a holiday race, it’s a race that always sells out — that means there are a lot of non-runners doing it and it’s very congested in narrow city streets the first mile. Even though I knew, without looking at my watch, that my pace was frustratingly slow, I didn’t try to weave and just relaxed. I thought maybe it would help me later on. Oh, and I almost faceplanted somewhere in this mile, tripping over my own feet and using the 2 ladies in front of me to catch myself — sorry! At least I didn’t cause them to fall.
  2. Mile 2: 11:30. The crowds thinned out somewhere in mile 2, but then someone called out my name — my running buddy from my summer running group! She hasn’t been doing a lot of running; yes, I could have definitely run faster on my own (the irony being she’s a faster runner), but I hadn’t seen her in a couple of months so it was fun to catch up and we finished the race together.
  3. Miles 3: 11:14. At least it was negative splits . . .
  4. Last .1: 8:54. Downhill to the finish so I pushed my running buddy to pick up the pace.

The weather & dressing
All week long it was unseasonably warm. Right up until Saturday. Then it got windy and it was in the 30s but felt like 20s with the windchill.

I wore last year’s long sleeve tech tee and my North Face Thermoball jacket (thank you, Wendy @ Taking the Long Way Home, for the recommendation last year — pricey but worth every penny, and hey, it was even green!).

I wore my fleece lined Champion tights from Target. And my new Champion touchscreen gloves from Target, too. I wanted to take more photos of the lights, but I needed those gloves and was afraid of dropping my iPod.

Yes, I got sweaty, but on the other hand, I never unzipped the jacket, so I think it was the right outfit.

 

Prerace fireworks

What I Saw/Felt
I wasn’t actually feeling all that great. The stye had started developing the day before — I woke up and underneath my lower eyelid was a little sore, and when I looked at it Friday night I could see it was red.

By Saturday evening I was pretty sure it was a stye and it was even sorer, plus I felt like I had a slight temperature. It’s such a fun run, though, and I know a lot of people there, so I chose to go. I even wore my contacts just for the race.

I saw Darlene almost immediately, and chatted with her and her friends for a bit. Then I went off in search of some of my other friends. I ran into Michele, whom I met at the Jingle Bell 5k (and it was her birthday); after meeting her family and wishing her luck, I next ran into my friend Lisa D. And then our coach from USAFit Albany. I chatted with them for a while, and then went in search of my running buddy (I knew she would be there) and some others from our group, but I never found them.

I hung out with Lisa D while the fireworks were going off, but in the end, I lined up by myself.

Was the race well run?
Yes, it always is and this year was no exception.

Will I run it again next year? Hopefully! My first year it was snowing, and driving home was a white knuckle affair; the next year was actually fairly mild temps and I had a decent “time”; this year snow threatened but thankfully didn’t deliver and as always, despite everything going on in my life, I had fun.

2015: 37:09

2014 – 34:27

2013: 38:10 (snowing!)

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I’m linking up with MCM Mama Runs, Marcia’s Healthy Slice, and My No Guilt Life for the Tuesdays on the Run linkup; today’s theme was strange running dreams, but I rarely remember my dreams.

I did, however, have a very strange dream before my Redding Road Race Half in 2015: I dreamt we were at a hotel on the farm where the race starts, and I saw one of the people from my running group. Only she didn’t seem to recognize me.

I said to her “there’s a race, you know”, and then another friend from the group showed up, and then I woke up.

Do you remember your dreams? Do you dream about running?

23 thoughts on “Last Run Albany 12/19/15”

  2. Sounds like a great race! I’ve got the Thermoball as well. Although I’d melt if I ever ran in it. Yeah dreams are crazy. I’m sure I have so many I never remember. Thanks for linking up!

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    1. If I lived where you live, I’d probably be living in my thermoball. Although we get pretty cold, too!

      But I tend to run cold, or maybe I just don’t generate a lot of heat being slower . . . but I can run in it with just a tech tee on very cold days. 🙂

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  3. I seldom remember my dreams…but I will hear or see something (the next day?) that will evoke a deja vu thing…..and that will help me recall bits and pieces. I do have a lot of difficulty sleeping the night prior to a big race, though….mostly out of fear that I won’t make it to the race on time.

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  4. Sounds like a great race, despite the stye! I’ve had one before, and they’re no fun!

    As for running dreams, my mind has definitely been playing tricks on me this past week as I get ready for a big race. Here’s hoping things settle down before Saturday!

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  7. I remember parts of it, so my running dream didn’t make sense. I guess that adds to the anxiety. I was so confused in the dream and and nothing made sense and I couldn’t get any where.

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    1. Sometimes I sleep; sometimes I don’t. I don’t remember my dreams very often, either — occasionally I will on waking, but usually it’s before I actually get up, and I stay in bed, and by the time I do get up, it’s gone.

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  10. Yah for dreaming about races, so fun! I usually have trouble sleeping the night before a big race too, like Darlene was mentioning! I am not sure if it’s nerves or that I am just too excited! Great race recap!

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    1. The biggest thing about the stye was not wearing my contacts for a week and a half.

      It’s actually not completely healed still — that lid is still much redder than the other — but at least I can wear my contacts again.

      I’ve only worn my thermoball once this year, although if I’d actually run outside this week, that number would go up (and it might be cold enough sunday to wear it).

      I want a longer one, too, for those rare occasions we fly somewhere in the winter. Dragging along my ankle length down coat on a plane is a pain.

      But I want a second short one, too, because by the time I bought it last year, all they had left were smalls which is just a little tighter around my hips than I’d really like.

      Since we don’t have plans to go anywhere this winter, unless we decide to go see my MIL, maybe I’ll just go ahead and buy a second short one and then next year I’ll think about a long one (or if I find a really good deal).

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