Leaping Leprechauns 15K Recap

I’ve decided to give you a long and short version of my recap of the Leaping Leprechauns 15K.  If you are running low on time, just read the short version of my recap and you will get the idea of how my day went. 

The short version of my Leaping Leprechaun 15K recap would be something like this…

• A 15K training run for Rock ‘n Roll Dallas, let’s do this! 
• Whoa, those guys wearing short shorts and sporting mullets with their 70′s sweat bands are awesome!
• Remembered to start my Garmin as we crossed the starting line
• Oh, here are the Hills. 
• Look, more Hills. 
• Oh my GOD, I did not know McKinney had this many HILLS! 
• Trying to chew a chomp while I have a cold.  Can’t chew and breathe at the same time.  Lots of snot.
• Hills suck, when is this race going to be over?
• Good thing my knee does not hurt… 
• Am I ever going to see another water stop?
• Ok, I made it to mile 8 before my knee started hurting. 
• Running DOWNHILL makes my knee hurt!
• Almost tackled a guy on a bike
• I may have to limp/run the last 0.3 miles.
• FINISH LINE! 
• Yay, bagels!  Boo, no beer.

If you are still reading, you must want to hear the full-blown version of my race recap which, (no surprise) is full of me whining about the hills.

I got up around 6:30 AM on Saturday and got dressed in my St. Patrick’s Day running attire, which included a green Under Armor shirt and seasonal socks from Target.  Since no one else in my family was awake yet, I had to resort to taking pictures of myself in the mirror in my master bedroom closet.  During the 30+ minute drive to McKinney, I ate my breakfast of peanut butter toast and a banana. 

Since it was not a huge race, I chose to pick up my race packet that morning.  Unfortunately they were out of small t-shirts and I ended up with a medium.  A men’s medium.  Which means I would have to gain about 50 pounds and became a man if I ever want to wear it.  My lucky husband gets another race shirt for a race he did not run! 

I signed up for this race as a training run for the Rock ‘n Roll half marathon that is now less than two weeks away, because long runs are (usually) more fun in a racing environment.  I also had a friend who was running the race and thought it would be fun to run together.  At 8:08 we walked up to the starting line and I saw a group of guys who were sporting silky short-shorts, 17-year-old barely there mustaches and shaggy hair topped with 70′s style sweat bands.  I kid you not, one of them even had a mullet!  I immediately wanted to take my picture with them, but there was not time because the race was getting ready to start.  I started out running with my friend Emily (who I gifted my Nike Women half marathon entry to last week) and warned her that I had looked at the elevation profile.  Basically the first three miles were going to be uphill, followed by two more big hills. 

THEY LIED.  We started out uphill right away and I kept looking at my Garmin trying to maintain a 10:00 – 10:15 pace.  Emily and I ended up parting ways after the first mile.  The entire race felt like it was uphill, with the exception of the underpasses for major roads where we had to run down a steep decline, through a metal tunnel, then up the other side to get back to the sidewalk.  This became a big deal around mile 8 when my knees decided they HATED steep decline running.

The course took us through the neighborhoods of Stonebridge Ranch so there was lots of houses to look at, but not many water stops.  Around mile five I figured out that I can’t run, chew a chomp and breathe through my mouth at the same time.  Running uphill makes you out of breath!  Since I have not run more than six miles since the Hot Chocolate 15K last month, I was pleased that my knee was still holding up when I reached mile 7.  Then we started running uphill again and I got mad that some guy decided to ditch his girlfriend he was running with and pass me.  Dude, you’ve already ran 7 miles with your girlfriend, just finish the race with her! 

Around mile 8, I guy on a bicycle passed me on the road and I had the fleeting thought to tackle him, steal his bike and ride across the finish line.  Too bad he was riding super fast and was out of reach before I could spring into action.  I slowed to a walk during the last two steep downhill portions and worried I would have to limp across the finish line.  Mile marker 9 never appeared but suddenly the finish line was within sight distance.  And so was the first race photographer, so of course I plastered on a (fake) smile.

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The look on my face says, “Running is all glitter, rainbows and unicorns!” while in my head I was thinking, ”I need a beer after this race!”  Despite the hills and the short walk breaks at the end, I finished in 1:31:02!  I think it was the socks that helped me get through this race!

I kept walking around and stretching a little after I finished, waiting for Emily.  I also helped myself to some post race snacks of bagels and Gatorade.  No beer tent at this race (boo!).  I cheered for Emily as she crossed the finish line and the first thing out of her mouth was the same thing I was thinking, “Those hills TOTALLY SUCKED!”  At least we got in a good training run for the Dallas Rock ‘n Roll half marathon – it is less than two weeks away!!!!!

Are you running a St. Patrick’s Day race this weekend?  Do you think it is good luck to have a bad run before a big race?

Tagged as: Race recaps, Running