Zombie Bash Recap

Last Friday was the first race that I've ran in a while. I went into it thinking that I would keep it really relaxed (AKA run as an easy run) since I was going to run with a costume for the first time. Basically, I just wanted an excuse to be able to run slow without pressure.

Thursday night, I went to Goodwill and bought a five dollar dress. I then proceeded to destroy it and put red paint all over it. This was the extent of my preparation for the race.

Extent of my artistic abilities

I tried all week to convince my co-workers to go with me, but I was only able to convince one into going. Good thing I'm not a lawyer and don't live off my ability to persuade. Apparently just shouting 5K! Zombie! Thriller! isn't convincing.

Joe (co-worker) and I arrived at the race about thirty minutes early, since he didn't do the early registration. I don't understand that. Why would you give up a chance to get a free shirt? I like to get the most bang out of my race bucks.

But since we were there early anyways, we decided to get our make-up done. There were people doing hair and make up. I actually would have preferred getting my hair teased and messed up (especially since once I started running, the some of the make up ran into my eyes), but the lines were way longer for hair.

Make up booth. That's Joe!

After we were sufficiently zombified, we were off! It was a really simple, flat out and back course. There was no chip timing (bummer) and I'm pretty sure the course wasn't exactly 3.1 miles. My garmin read something like 2.9 miles, but I'm going to call it a 5K anyway. I do what I want.

We finished the run in 24 minutes and I finished as the 15th women. It was a fairly small race and most people were in it for the zombie-ing and not the running.

After the make up but before the race. With the sun behind us, it just looks like our faces are dirty.

I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to keep up a 8 something pace especially since I had eaten an entire Chipotle burrito during lunch at work. To be honest, I really couldn't have been able to do it without Joe. He refused to leave me behind even for the last 0.1 miles where I encouraged him to sprint it in.

Since I didn't want Joe's weak finish on my conscience, I picked it up and sprinted it in. This is why I love running with faster people. I felt terrible the entire race, but the aftermath was worth it. Clarification, I love running with faster people who stick with me and push me.

Did anyone race? Have you guys ever dressed up to do a race?

Zombifying my run

So at work yesterday, this happened.

A spontaneous 5K!

I just found out about this race Sunday night. This is going to be awesome!

1. I get to run a race! (Always exciting)
2. I get to dress up like a zombie! (Super exciting, but I may not be able to do it. I haven't prepared zombie stuff yet because I just signed up)
3. I get to do a flash mob thriller at the finish line. (Umm, who doesn't want to do the thriller at the end of an awesome race?)

And now at a 5K

All in all, this race is going to be a fun one. Of course, I won't be able to set a PR or anything. Why can't I PR all the time? But I just want to run a race in my new city and have fun. Also, it's this Friday night, so after Thriller'ing, if I so felt inclined, I could move over the run party to the bars.

I also managed to convince a few of my coworkers to consider signing up. #winning!

On a slightly different note, this also happened yesterday.

Boom! 

I'm just chalking up this run as a tempo run. Notice how I held about a 8:45/mile pace the first three miles? I kicked it up for the last mile and cooled down with the fourth. There's no warm up because it wasn't a planned tempo. But I feel like that still counts.

I guess what I should confess is that the weather was unusually cool and not humid yesterday, so the faster paces were doable. Fact: I even considered wearing long pants and sleeves to run, because it was that cold. But I didn't,so that I would remember what cold felt like. 

After the amazing run, I spent the rest of the day trying out a new class at the gym, zumba fusion. Awesome! I also went to a dance studio after that to learn the moves to the flash mob Thriller. 

To top it all off, I went to Starbucks with a coworker and tried out their Green Tea Latte. Now, I have a venti cup of it next to me in the office. All in all, yesterday was a great day! Here's to hoping that today is just as good. 

Another zombie graph humor for your pleasure

Do you guys have any fun races coming up? How do you determine your pace for a 5K? I usually run full out for the first mile and then slowly deteriorate, which I realize is not the way to do things.