Monday, March 18, 2024

LA Big 5k 2024 Race Report

 


The LA Big 5k was great! My favorite was the last mile and the finish. It was a fast course with hills and trees. It started and ended in Dodger Stadium with views of the LA skyline at sunrise and traversed the arboretum of Elysian Park. I was grateful to a man running in front of me for the first mile who was blasting some good music. I didn't bring headphones or a speaker so I relied on the ambient noise to entertain me through the race. During the second mile, I was very aware of the uneven pavement and I was focused on not tripping. I skipped the water stop.

The event was well-organized. There were about 8000 runners in the 5k. Parking was free. The race is organized by the McCourt Foundation and Mr. Frank McCourt was the owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Dodger Stadium from 2004 to 2012. In 2008, McCourt bought the operating rights to the Los Angeles Marathon. In 2019, he donated the Los Angeles Marathon to his Foundation. The post-race expo was outside, and more than 60 vendors were present. It had big marathon energy because it was part of the LA Marathon weekend.
 
The weather was great, it felt chilly at the start but was ideal while running (48-54 deg F, partly cloudy, 1-4 mph wind). I sported my new Mama shirt and new Freya Women's Dynamic Wireless Sports Bra. I had on arm-warmers and my CRZ YOGA Women's Naked Feeling Biker Shorts - 8 Inch inseam. High Waisted Workout Yoga Gym Running Spandex Shorts Side Pockets X-Large in the color they call Savannah which is kind of a terra cotta. I love the pockets.

I had my Nathan Trail Mix running belt with only one water bottle. It was handy to have the running belt to collect the post-race snacks. They gave us fruit snacks, chips, banana, electrolyte drink, Pocky, some kind of granola bar. I felt so salty after drinking all the electrolyte samples at the race expo on Friday and the chips they gave us were super salty too. Before the race, I had french toast sticks between 4-5am and then 4 egg whites between 6-7am. I didn't drink much water before the race, but I drank about 20 oz after.

Overall, I wanted to report that I tried to do too much this weekend. I almost cried today during my cross-training workout (a group fitness class with Fit4Mom). It went by so fast, I wasn't able to be fully present for any of it. I wasn't able to accurately document all of it. I was hoping to get photos of every person who attended Albert's birthday party, but it was too hard. And I don't think anyone took a photo of me, so it kind of became a blur.

I might be crazy, but I just spent the better part of today entering in mileage for my workouts for the next year. My training buddies said they might want to run the full marathon next year, and I was wondering how that would fit with the runs I already have planned. It wasn't too difficult to fit it all in, actually. But the thought of running 15 miles continuously is very intimidating right now.

I ordered another Coast-to-Coast Bounce Back Back Travel Kit from Fluffy Fizzies because I love the sugar scrub, the body butter, the massage bar, and the massage oil. If I ordered them separately, it would be the same price or more expensive than buying the bundle. And the travel kit comes in a super-cute clear zip bag. I have yet to try the bath bombs, and that's the first thing I wanted to try when I originally placed my order. The website says that the bath bombs dissolve in hot or cold water so it could be for a bath or just a foot soak. I'm not sure I would use the compressed towels on my face, but maybe on my feet after a treatment to prevent slipping and falling.

I have yet to try the Samsung Galaxy Watch that was gifted to me by a friend. I don't know what features it has that would help my training. St. Patty's Day had me thinking I need a lime green sparkle skirt. We need to bring back the Tinkerbell half!

Thank you Rise and Run Podcast for all the training tips and motivation.

  • The event itself: Where? How long? When? Weather?
  • Course description and evaluation of event logistics
  • How you trained for the event
  • Your gear and nutrition
  • Specific experiences (this might include)
    • Thoughts at every mile
    • Mantras you may have used
    • Falls (if any—always entertaining)
    • Conversations you’ve had with others
    • Conversations you’ve had with yourself
  • DNF experience (if applicable) OR
  • Your finish and associated emotions
  • Your overall evaluation of the event

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