Oceanside Turkey Trot 5K Race Recap

I left off yesterday with the finish of the Oceanside Turkey Trot 5-Miler. The race organizers made the starting times for the two races far enough apart so if you wanted, you would be able to COMBO and run both the 5-Miler and the 5K, which is exactly what I did.

After grabbing my medal and goodies, Ryan and I headed back to the car for a quick costume change (he was playing my professional photographer during the 5-Miler, so he also had to change into his running gear). Since the 5K would be more of a "trot" compared to the 5-Miler (meaning I wasn't doing it for time and was planning on just having fun with the hubby), I knew my costume could be a little crazier... When I saw the TURKEY HATS at Target a couple months back I KNEW it had to be part of my outfit.

Racing Outfit includes: Brooks Ghost 6, PRO Compression Marathon Socks (neon orange), Sparkle Athletic Skirt (brown), Target Turkey Hat, Garmin Forerunner 110, Road ID Wrist ID Sport (red), Hunter Orange Gloves (from the Dollar Store), and Target Sunnies (pink). Also, timing chip for my shoe.

With the 5-Miler starting at 7:00am and the 5K starting at 8:20am, we had about 40 minutes to get from the finish line to the car, change, take a couple quick pictures, and get back to the starting line - perfect!

This turkey was ready to trot!

Check out my TAIL FEATHERS :)

Tried to forget about my earlier disappointing race
as to not let it ruin the 5K with the hubby!

If you've met Ryan, you know he is the crazy, creative one...
How is it that our running outfits never relay that?! ;)

As with the 5-Miler, the 5K was more of a self seeding start (NOT my favorite). They did have up signs with mile pace for the different corrals, but I would have to say the majority of folks did not pay attention to them... We seeded properly (in the 9-10 minute mile group) and ended up being in the 4th wave. (There were LOTS of folks walking by the time we started... one thing I dislike about a lack of timed corrals... OH THE WEAVING!)

The temperatures were QUICKLY rising. Although it was in the 40s when the 5-Miler started, it was already in the 60s by the time the 5K got under way. I kept on my gloves, mostly because I thought they went with my outfit (it is all about the fashion and my costume, #AmIRightOrAmIRight?!), but by mid-race I knew the hat and gloves may have been a bad idea.

There was a gentleman flinging fire about
on the course - pretty fun to see!

Ryan hadn't run since the Avengers Half last month because he was in Hawaii for working art directing a photo shoot. We decided to take the run nice and easy (I may have even been texting with Pavement Runner a bit while trotting along during the race). We said we would try to shoot to be around 30 minutes, but I knew 10 minute miles was normally Ryan's race pace and we may need to dial it back a little.

I really like the course. You get to see the ocean for at least half of it, and Downtown Oceanside is starting to come around too, so it is a great place to race. There were a ton of spectators throughout the course with high energy, which is always fun. The race is definitely family friendly and encourages everyone to MOVE YOUR FEET BEFORE YOU EAT. (Although if I am being completely honest I have to say I was a bit disappointed by the lack of costumes this year...)

Ryan and I having a grand ol' time
about 2 miles into the race.

We were keeping great time - around 9:45-10:00 minute mile pace for the first two miles. Ryan knew we were getting towards the end and I asked him if he wanted to speed up a bit. He nodded so we started kicking it in a little faster. Once we hit the Strand we knew we had less than a half mile left and gave it a little extra gusto.

The photographer yelled "HEY TURKEY LADY"
right before this shot!

Trotting in to the finish line!

Haha, not sure if you can tell, but I
swear Ryan sometimes enjoys running with me ;)

Our official finish time was at 28:47, which averages to 9:15 per mile - not too shabby (my watch even had us around 6:10 mile pace for the last tenth of a mile). That was good enough for us to finish in the top 1075 runners out of 6044 finishers!

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We grabbed a couple pictures, some yummy goodies (the apples were DELICIOUS!), and made our way back to the car.

Under the pier after we finished the 5K.

On the way back to the car we had someone
take a quick picture of us.

We tried QUITE A FEW TIMES to get a jumping photo, but were using the self timer on the top of the car and it wasn't really working out (I even got hit in the face a couple times with my medal), but I guess we got one decent shot ;)

Made sure to hold my medal for THIS shot!

Afterwards we drove home and picked up the pup so we could take him to the local school to let him run around. There were a couple of football games going on (LOVE that everyone was being so active before stuffing their faces ;)) and tons of people around. I almost forgot how crazy I looked until someone said "Ohhhhhh, I get it, you were at the race this morning...". OOPS! Maybe I should have left the turkey hat in the car...

Of course Walt is too cool to look at the camera ;)

Just like with the 5-Miler, I will definitely make sure this is on my calendar for future years that we are in Oceanside for Thanksgiving. And next time I will try a little harder to have Ryan dress up with me... Maybe we could go as GIANT TURKEY LEGS (like the nasty ones people eat at Disneyland) or a fork and knife...

HAHAHA! And just before I was getting ready to post this I got an email from the Oceanside Turkey Trot about taking a survey and a Post Race Costume Contest... AND GUESS WHO'S PICTURE THEY USED IN THE EMAIL?!

Ummmmm.... I THINK I KNOW HER!!

YOURS TRULY!!

Do you make it a habit to move your feet before you eat? 

Oceanside Turkey Trot 5-Miler Race Recap

As soon as we decided that we would be in town for Thanksgiving this year (both Ryan and my families live in Michigan), I knew I had to sign up for the Oceanside Turkey Trot. I did the 5-Miler in 2012 and the 5K in 2008 (OMGeeeee, CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS WAS ME?!). This year I decided to do the Combo, meaning I would run the 5-Miler at 7:00am and then the 5K at 8:20am. You know you gotta MOVE YOUR FEET BEFORE YOU EAT!

There aren't many 5 Mile races (at least around here), so my current PR was the 2012 Turkey Trot and I really wanted to rock that race. I figured I would run the 5-Miler for time and then the 5K for fun (we were originally going to "run" it with some of our friends' kids, but it didn't work out, so it ended up being just Ryan and I).

Obviously, even though I was running the 5-Miler for time, I still needed to get in the holiday spirit, right?! Well, I needed to find something that was easy to run in, but still fit the Thanksgiving theme. I settled on a pilgrim. I added a "collar" made of cream fleece to a blank running tee I had and then used another part of the fleece (the fleece was actually a scarf I bought from the dollar store and cut up) as an "apron". I didn't do a bonnet, but did rock my white Sparkly Soul headband to keep with the color theme.

Racing Outfit includes: Brooks PureConnect 2, PRO Compression Marathon Socks (black on black), Sparkle Athletic Skirt (black), Sparkly Soul Headband (white), Garmin Forerunner 110, Road ID Wrist ID Sport (black), and Color Me Rad Sunnies (white). Also, timing chip for my shoe.

Since the race is so close to our place (I think it takes us all of about 4 minutes to drive over), we ended up leaving the house around 6:30am or so. The starting line was near the Oceanside Library, so we parked near the fire station and walked over to where everyone was congregating. I tried to stay warm with a jacket on over my running gear (it was in the 40s at race time) and a pair of mitts on my hands.

When I originally signed up for the race I wanted to see if I could go sub-40 (but didn't think there was ANY way, so kept the goal to myself). When I started doing my tempo runs in my current training cycle I realized I could probably go sub-40 and decided to adjust my goals slightly. Goal A: Sub-38. Goal B: Sun-40. Goal C: Sub 44:55 (my current 5-Miler PR). Goal D: Finish with a smile on my face.

Before we knew it, it was time to line up at the starting line. There weren't corrals, but they did have signs that had estimated pace time. I knew I was trying for sub-8 minute miles so I was up at the front and didn't seem to have to do too much weaving (like most "self-seeding" races).

The start of the 5-Miler

Lately I have been able to keep my 5 mile tempo runs around 37:30-38, so I knew I wanted to be around that. If I was being completely honest with myself I would have LOVED to be around 35:30, so I thought I would try and go for it. The horn sounded and we were off. I know my body and if I can start at a fast pace I can usually settle into it, so I thought I would try and go as fast as I could (without sprinting, since it was a 5 mile race). The first half mile was around 6:30 pace and I knew I was going too fast. I saw hubby around that time and gave him a nod.

Going out too fast is always an issue of mine...

Fresh legs, high adrenaline, and wanting to RUN LIKE THE WIND...

If only I could figure out pacing a little better...

Mile 1: 7:18

I saw Ryan again right after the first mile marker. I knew I had started way too fast because my shins started to tighten up (normally this is my legs way of telling me I am going too quick and can't keep the speed). The family right by Ryan saw their mom/ wife and were giving her high fives. I was coming up behind her, but they took their hands down before I got to them... Made for some pretty funny pictures ;)

What?! No HIGH FIVE for me?! 

There ya go!

Of course I had to give my photographer a HIGH FIVE!

Mile 2: 7:45

This was NOT what I was hoping for. I was really wanting to keep every mile under 7:30 and when I saw the split for this mile I started to get a bit defeated. My left shin was tight and I could tell my form was getting worse (when my shin gets tight my foot tends to hit harder than normal and the wheels fall off the cart). There were a couple hills in this mile, so I tried to give myself a break, but knew that starting off too quickly hurt me in the long run.

Mile 3: 8:02 

SHUT THE FRONT DOOR! I tend to do sub-8 minute miles EVERY MILE in my tempo runs lately, why the crap was this one OVER 8 minutes?! GRRRRRRRR. I am glad I was wearing sunnies because at this point I may have shed a tear... I mean I run faster than this on a training run, why is this race kicking my butt right now?!

Mile 4: 7:32

Trying to pick up the pace again and not let this race get the best of me. I can still hit my Goal A if I hustle. At this point we left the Harbor and there were more spectators. As I am running up the pier (I don't know why they put this part in the race, it's my least favorite part), I hear them announcing the 3rd place finisher... KEEP GOING CARLEE, YOU GOT THIS! I hear Ryan call my name, he was on the other side of the pier. I give him a little wave and keep trucking. Right after I see Ryan I see Ericka and she cheers for me. It was just the little boost I needed to finish strong.

This is about where I heard them announcing the third place finisher...

I wish they could cut out this part of the race...

The hill isn't the worst part...

It is really the congestion (and how everyone ELSE slows down on hills)

I guess this is my "serious" face...

Mile 5: 6:57

I gave it all I had. Sure, I knew I had another race in less than an hour, but felt I could do a little more "trotting" if I needed. My watch had the course at 4.99 miles, so technically mile 5 wasn't a full mile, but was still under 7 minute pace, so I was happy with it.

Trying to kick it in for the last mile!

Coming down the final stretch

JUST KEEP SWIMMING...

Almost there Carlee...

Enough energy for a THUMBS UP while running a sub-7 minute mile?! 

I can see the finish line!

I just want to be done! 

My official time had me at 37:37, which is 7 minutes and 18 seconds FASTER than my current PR. That time was good enough to get me 5th in my division (females from 30-34), 38th female, and 173rd overall finisher [out of 1,404 finishers].

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Quick picture before I had to get to the car for my costume change ;)

To be honest, I was frustrated with my performance. I kept playing the 'what-if' game - "What if I wouldn't have gone out so fast? What if I would have tried for negative splits the whole time? What if I would have trained on the course for my tempo runs?". Ryan knew I was mad with my race, but I didn't want to ruin the morning, so I decided I needed to pep up, be thankful that I was healthy enough to be able to get out there and run, and know that the only person I am trying to beat is the me from yesterday (and LOOK at how far I've come - I would have NEVER imagined running sub-8 minute miles even a few months ago!).

Thankful for this race to be done seeing as it did NOT go the way I was hoping!

I know if we are ever in Oceanside for Thanksgiving (which doesn't happen too often), this is definitely a race I want to keep on my calendar. I would LOVE for them to figure out something with the "combo" run though... They require two separate bibs, two separate timing chips, and you get the same medal for both... Thankfully I was planning a costume change for the second race, but you'd think they would be able to make it a little more convenient for the combo runners.

Do you enjoy Turkey Trots? 

Motivational Mondays: Joe Raymond

I "met" Joe through runDisney (no surprise... are you seeing a pattern here?!). He was always super friendly, encouraging, and not to mention FAST. His girlfriend, Brooklyn (another SWEETIE PIE!), was moving from Orange County to Mississippi to be with him earlier this year, so when he came out to drive cross-country with her we just HAD to meet up. As I suspected from our online friendship, he is pretty FAN-FREAKIN'-TASTIC! (I swear, in the running community it is NOT weird to be great friends with people you have never met before ;))

• When did the running bug first bite you? What is your running story?

I started running in September 2011.  I was almost a year out of college, starting a career, looking at the next chapter of life and wanted to lose some weight to kick start it.  I started by running around a local college campus at night after work.  1 mile led to 2. 2 led to 3. 3 led to 5. I decided that if I was running the miles I should sign up for a local 5k.  Race day came and with it came a rush that only race day can bring.  My first 5k was just over 25 minutes and a 3rd place age group medal.  Less than a month later I ran my first half marathon shortly followed by my first marathon.  I went from 1 mile to 26.2 miles between September 2011 and January 2012 and I haven't slowed down since. 

• How do you balance it all (especially since most of us have other 9-5 jobs, families, friends, commitments, etc)? [PS What is your full time job?]

I'm a teacher.  I teach middle school and high school band.  With that my schedule is booked with not only 7-3 school day, but also 3-6 after school rehearsals, 6-7 private lessons, 7-10 football games, and all day Saturday festivals, clinics, and competitions.  Some days I complain that I absolutely can not find the time to run, some days I suck it up and am out the door at 4 am to squeeze in those miles before my first class starts in the morning.  It is helpful that my boss, my students, my family, my girlfriend are all aware of how I feel about running and the importance that my training has in my daily and weekly routine.  I hate the feeling of missing runs at the end of the week so I really try to get them all in no matter how early or late they happen.  

• What does your training/ routine look like?

Right now I'm on a 3 run per week plan combined with a cross training supplemental plan.  It consists of one trackwork/speedwork/interval run, one tempo run, and one long run.  I try to squeeze in cross training as much as I can, sometimes that's a few sets of core work and sometimes that means a 5k on the treadmill. 

• If you could impart one piece of advice/ wisdom for someone starting their running journey, what would it be?

Don't let frustrations hold you back or keep you down.  I have a lot of running goals, some of them I will probably never see come to fruition.  But I'll keep working towards them, and the ones that do happen are going to be incredible.  Every run takes effort, every run takes commitment.  You can never take them for granted. 

• What is one of your recent accomplishments you are most proud of?

In May 2014 I ran back to back marathons in a weekend in two different states.  The Mitten Challenge consists of running the Wisconsin Marathon on Saturday, driving 4 hours to Michigan, and running the Kalamazoo Marathon on Sunday.  Surprisingly, I finished Saturday's race in under 4 hours and was on pace to do the same on Sunday. (But someone at Mile 22 offered me a beer, I can't turn down mid race drinks)

• What are some of your favorites (i.e. foods, workouts, fuels, gear, etc)? Anything you can't live without (other than running and oxygen of course ;))? 

Headsweats! I bought my first Headsweats visor a couple of weeks before my first marathon and have only had a handful of runs since then without one on.  I especially prefer the kind that sparkle!

• If you could do it all over again, is there anything you would change?

I would wait longer to progress my mileage.  I went from nothing to marathon in a 4 month time period and I paid for it dearly later that year with an overuse injury to the hip flexor.  I'm beyond estatic that I have completed 14 marathons since January 2012 and am currently registered for 15-20, but sometimes I would have waited a few more months before tackling that first 26.2 race. 

• And don't forget your Social Media links - how can we follow you?

Instagram: @run8va

Facebook: Facebook.com/run8va

Blog: www.JoeBRaymond.com 

Not only does Joe run for himself, but he runs to help St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. If you are interested in donating, check out his fundraising page here (FYI - a GREAT holiday gift would be to donate to St. Jude in your family member's or friend's honor!).

And if you want join in on virtual run he is hosting, check out the Go Green for St. Jude virtual 5K (it even comes with this AWESOME Power Ranger bling!). The proceeds go to St. Jude. Stand up to defeat Childhood Cancers and Go Green for St. Jude!! 

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What do you think? Are you as excited about these Monday posts as I am? Did I leave out any questions you would have asked?