Another race recap for the win; then my lovely friends, you will have a nice 2 week break before another recap for the Portland Rock’n’roll 1/2 marathon. 😉 My spring, summer and fall is always busy with running, but no complaints here.
All week long we were watching the weather leading up to race day. It was a nice week with high 70’s. Not ideal for racing, so when the forecast was showing clouds and rain for Sunday’s race I wasn’t to disappointed.
It turned out to be a perfect day, just a little windy. There were some strong wind gusts during the race but they didn’t seem to bother me. It rained through the night, but stopped by 7 a.m. on Sunday morning. It was definitely a cool morning, so trying to stay warm was a challenge. They didn’t do a gear check this year (unless you were elite or second seed, but I opted out).
Bloomsday is a big deal for the Spokane community, and it’s always nice doing a local race. It’s a 12k or 7.46 miles, so after Boston it felt short. It’s one of the largest road races in the U.S., with over 34,000 from just the state of Washington and over 44,000 finishers in total this year. It’s one of those races you want a good starting wave so you don’t get stuck behind loads of people.
Marc and I enjoyed breakfast and then made our way downtown early since I had a team photo at 8 a.m. with my local running team, the Swifts.
We headed back to the car and tried to stay warm, and then stripped down into our race day attire.
Race morning, 15 weeks pregnant
I was in Second Seed, so I started right after the elite men and women. Marc was in the start group behind me in yellow. He missed qualifying for Second Seed by seconds. I lined up with some Swifts and was glad for the large crowds, as it helped to stay warm.
I wasn’t shooting for a PR, just going to run the race by feel. I know I say it alot, but when you are pregnant your race day goals are entirely different. I took my last minute pee break, hoping I wouldn’t have to stop during the short race.
It’s a tough course. Lots of hills, with the infamous Doomsday hill (recognized in Runners World) at mile 4.5 which stretches for nearly 1/2 a mile. You reach the top at mile 5, and you know it’s smooth sailing from there. Flat, with a gentle downhill for the last 200 or so meters to the finish.
Before long we were off. I wasn’t nervous about the race, but I was nervous about my already full bladder. Within 1/2 a mile I already wanted to pee. I kept telling myself, “Just go one more mile” and thankfully I didn’t stop once!!
My legs felt heavy the first mile and I was thinking “oh boy this isn’t going to be a good race.” I felt tired. You start your first climb at 1.5 miles. By mile 2, I was feeling better and fighting the urge to stop to pee. I felt slow, but I wasn’t paying attention to my garmin.
Finally made it to Cemetery Hill before it flattened out again at mile 3. I felt good, but I kept thinking of how slow I must be going. I resisted the urge to look at my garmin, because it wasn’t about time for me. I knew Doomsday was in a mile.
Mile 1:6:21Â Mile 2: 6:27Â Mile 3: 6:40
People always zoom by me on the down hill, and there’s a nice downhill before Doomsday. We rounded the corner and up Doomsday you go. I was passing all those same people who passed me on the downhill, but I felt like I was trudging up the hill. It was painful!!
I could see the mile 5 marker and thought almost to the top, then it’s smooth sailing. “Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming….I mean running.”
I finally took my first look at my watch when I finished the climb and saw that I was going faster than I thought. I thought to myself “Wow, I am going to PR.”
Mile 4: 6:31Â Mile 5: 7:02 Mile 6: 6:55
I turned left onto Broadway street and new it wasn’t long before I would hit the Monroe Street bridge, where the finish awaits. The last mile was by far the hardest. I didn’t seem to have anything left in me. I reached mile 7 thinking I was going to begin my kick but I couldn’t.
Mile 7: 6:36  and .50: 3:18
I gave it a little kick at the end once I hit the bridge and stopped my watch at 49:53, race clock was 51 something but I know that was off since I had some lag time before I started. My official time, was 49:49, with a 6:40Â average. Â A new Bloomsday 12k PR.
I couldn’t believe I PR’d and was so surprised I held off peeing. I congratulated some Swifts and waited for Marc. Marc and I then did a 4.5 mile cool down (we’re in marathon training) with a pee break of course, before heading home.
From the above photos, I have learned to work on my arm swing!!
Quick stats:Â
I was 370th overall, 24th out of 3,590 people in my age group (23-29, females), 54th out of 26,081 females, and 4th out of 490 people my same age (females).
It was a great race for both Marc and I. He ran a 47:58, qualifying for Second Seed for next year. So proud of my man. Love doing races with him.
Oh and here’s my most recent baby bump photo update (not much for a bump yet)
Until Next Time Be Whole and Be Fit
Anyone have a race this past weekend? Any races coming up?
Way to knock it out of the park! Congratulations on a great race and a PR.
Thank you Kimberly!!