Nike Human Race-Los Angeles
Thank you to my wondeful student Sarah. She told me that she was running the Nike race in Singapore. And thank you to my LA Leggers group who shared their 50% off registration code to the Nike human race.
It was a great experience. It was a reality check for me since I have not ran nor trained in a year since the LA Marathon in 2007.
This time it was very different. Knowing it is just going to be a very short run (10K) so no preparation was needed like what I used to do before. But training runs are a definite must to get a better time which at this reality my energy could not afford being a full time mom. I know it is easy to say that I could just toss Michael in the baby jogger and pretty much run all day. I could do that if I am only thinking of myself. I do not think that it would be very enriching for him if that is all we are going to do.
Tony looked after Michael while I was in the race. It was a very good bonding time for the two of them. I told them not to wait for me because I am going to take my time. Since it was held in downtown LA, there is a lot of chance I would see salons or spas open. I jokingly told my husband I may swing by to get a spa during a race so don’t wait up.
Like in most races I have done, this is the only one that I have done at night. The race started at exactly 8:31 in the evening. Usually, that is our time to get ready for bed. Meaning, I will be done when it is past our bed time. I really hope I wont fall asleep while running.
It was very chilly but when you are out of shape and trying to finish the race and thinking about the 7 month old baby that may be crying looking for mommy, I didn’t have the chance to just think of myself. It was very different running when I was still a single and now that I have a baby and a bigger baby.
There were 12,000 runners but I managed squeeze in myself to the very front of the start line, an old habit that’s hard to break even if I know I am not competitive. I ran my fastest mile ever at 9mins 6sec. I told myself, my husband is right women tend to run faster after giving birth. But of course, there are a ton of faster and much more competitive people on the loose that were passing me. I just took a good pace and enjoyed my Ipod. There were times I had to run-walk because I was just too damn tired catching my breath. But towards the end it all felt easy and it all went so smoothly however, for some reason I was lost in the conversion of km-mile marker. I thought there were still 2.5 miles to go when I saw the big 7.5(km) sign in the dark. I guess not running for a long time makes me an idiot. Maybe I was already dreaming because I finished when it is time for bed.
The happiest part was when I finished, my two babies were waiting for me. I finished in 1 hour 10mins 57 secs and went back to being a mom soon after.
Feels great!!!
