Here’s the thing. I didn’t tell people I was running this race because I didn’t want to open a can of worms of negative comments. Which I drank some haterrade when posting the below picture, BUT I DID ALSO RECIEVE SOME GOOD LUCK WISHES! (and don’t die wishes…so thank you for that!)
Honestly, it was hard enough to decide I wanted to run this and I needed all the positive support I could get. What if I didn’t finish? What if people expected something that I couldn’t live up too? What about negative judgment (which I got enough of anyways). What if (and my biggest fear) I got more injured.
But first and foremost, I left this run at the same as when I entered. I’m not anymore injured then when I crossed onto the race course.
Second, I had absolutely no goals in my finish other than to leave at the same injury level as I came. I hadn’t run quickly at all since September 8th. I had no clue of how this race would shakeout. With that, I normally am one to do a 5 mile warmup, but I didn’t want to push my luck and just kept it at 2 miles.
During my warmup, I felt like I was going into cardiac arrest even when I warmed up at roughly 9 minute pace. I did a few striders, decided I was freezing and to wear both arm warmers and gloves (and I was in the minority with that).
There were close to 300 runners and we all lined up in our respected boxes…my college always has the worst box assignments and we were box 42 out of 49…last year we were box 2 out of 50 something. Even at the start line, I was a nervous wreck. I was deathly near tears and I can’t tell you why. It was actually when I saw one of my twitter followers (who is awesome BTW) that I was like going with flow for real. I was an emotional wreck and at that point I just wanted the race over with. I wanted to know if I was making a wise choice or an idiotic one.
The gun went off and we were off. I thought I was going really slow, because I was probably 250th place in the first 400 meters. I have never finished anything other then first for my XC team…not being cocky, it’s just the fact. So when I saw myself getting out as 6th on our team, it didn’t bode well. I told myself, Hollie none of these girls have been injured the entire season chill out. It wasn’t until I passed my coach at mile one and he told me my time (6:02) that I realized how fast people were taking it out. I heard from a far someone yell, a little aggressive to be taking that out HT and knew exactly who was saying that…so I did the normal thing..scanned the crowd for the voice, winked and kept on keeping on. I tend to wink at people a lot at races…
I had no idea of how fast I would run beforehand, but figured it would be around 7 minute pace. (We all have secret motives)
The rest of the race was a big muddy blur. The men had run first and tore up the course and I got swamped a few times. I actually continued to pass females (which I was surprised…what endurance do I have?) that had taken it out faster and it was great motivation. I think continuously passing people really allowed me to keep my drive up. The race itself went by pretty fast. I figured I would be preying that it was almost over the entire time but it was just a blur. Before I knew it, it was mile 2, then 3, then I was moving through the finish shoot.
So I surprised myself with an overall finish of 95th place and a time of 24:03 (6:28 pace). I can honestly say, I layed it all out on the line out there and have no regrets and my friend was right. It was aggressive and I’m okay with that.
Where will I go from here? I don’t know, I’m still taking it day by day.
Questions for you:
1. Do you purposely hide certain topics off your blog?
2. When was the last time you surprised yourself?
1. All the time especially if the topic can “scare” people or change their perception of me.
2. Last week when I managed to complete and, for the first time, fully enjoy a cross country race.
Well done
Congrats on an awesome race. Can’t wait to see what amazing things you accomplish next, Ms. Speedy.
I can’t wait what speedy things you accomplish yo!
Wow congrats! And gosh you sound so much like me it’s actually worrying as I think “am I posting under myself” haha… Anyway, I too raced on the wkend, and didn’t really mention it on my facebook to friends… I however have NOT maintained such great endurance and speed as you (I’m actually jealous) haha… Hope you continue to race and get stronger to where you should be! 🙂
ahahaha. I have that same issue too! How did it go? Feel free to email me at lolzthatswim@gmail.com if you would prefer to talk about it there (if you want to talk about it!).
Great job Hollie!! You did amazing for not running since September and you did amazing just in general! I have def not mentioned things on my blog… Usually as a surprise haha.
GREAT JOB! Really girl it is amazing how much strength you have. It is OK to hide certain things on your blog. We all do. Somethings are just better left private until or if we are ever ready to share. I am glad you shared this with us! CONGRATS!
Amen, I had planned to share it with you guys afterwords, just not beforehand. A lot of races, I decide pretty day of the race moment so I never even know I’m racing until then LOL.
Way to go, Hollie! I’m so glad you got to race one last time. Oh I just hated when the guys raced first and the course was already torn up! So proud of you and glad that your foot let you do your thing! I would have done the same thing if it were my last cc race ever.
I think sometimes other people are far too invested in other people’s lives – criticism is appropriate when someone is obviously ill and in denial about it, or negatively influencing others, but you clearly have your head screwed on and at the end of the day you know your body and your limits better than the rest of us. You’re handling this situation far better than I would and your high level of fitness shows in how much speed you retain even with some time off.
You look great in your photos – I wish I could get away with such short shorts! Seriously leg envy over here.
I don’t leave much off my blog, but recently I’ve been omitting the whole ‘this is what’s happening in my life’ element because it makes me uncomfortable. I prefer reading about other people’s day, and leaving my posts quite infrequent and opinion rather than recap-based. Plus my life is very boring, and the more I post about it the more apt I am to whine. I have a confession complex and feel like I’m lying if I don’t post every single minor detail, so it’s better that I leave that element of blogging alone. The only major thing I’ve avoided recently are some medical/GI issues because everyone and their friend will have an opinion on them, and I neither need nor want judgement or feedback on it from random anonymous people or forums. I’d post about it if it was just you and my other blogging friends, but then I’d have to go private with the blog and I’m still not sure I want to do that either!
I wish I didn’t have to wear those booty spanx actually. I personally don’t like the briefs but that is what we have to race in for school.
I really enjoy your blogs (I wonder if you get my comments because they disappear) but I like how open and honest you are!
good for you for putting yourself out there and running!! Yeah there I things i keep private from my blog, there are just some things I dont want to talk about or dont want to be judged on!
gosh you freaking blow me away, I want your speed! glad the race went well. I mean you totally deserved to have a rocking race.
AWE thanks girl!
You are awesome! Do I hide stuff on my blog? Of course! lol. Congrats on a great race! I have no clue how you run so fast on grass and mud.
LOL you crack me up. How I run fast, I wonder how you run so fast in general with everything. I still want to be you when I grow up LOL.
awesome job!!!!! I’m glad it went well 🙂 and don’t worry what people say.. they can be such grumps sometimes. I do tend to hide some things… like every food I eat (reason I stopped WIAW lol) and of course personal stuff…. we all deserve to have a private life 🙂
Love this! I still don’t understand why some people are so critical of you! It’s like no matter what you do, you can’t win! But at least you did what was right for you and you know what? I think you should be even prouder that you were able to run the race without any expectations for yourself. That’s more than I could have done. Plus, a 24:03 is pretty freaking fast if you ask me! That’s what my coach paces me at… ummm oops? You are so fast- ignore all the haters who are just jealous of your speediness, and the ever so flattering racing underwear 😉
You are awesome. I wish we were in the same region. How awesome would that be?
Oh my gosh I was thinking the exact same thing the other day! If I saw you right in front of my holding the splits I was supposed to be hitting, I’d totally run my butt off to keep up 🙂
Congrats!!! I don’t blame you for running one bit, no regrets right?
Passing people is huge motivation for me. I may not be the fastest marathoner but I’m consistent with pacing and am rarely passed in the last 6 miles (but I do a lot of passing ;)). It definitely makes me want to run faster!
So you’re injured, and ran a 6k with a 6:28 pace..PPSHHH Giveeee me your legs!! AAWESOME job!!! I think it’s great that you did this and that you didn’t push yourself to far, YET you still did so damn good!
CONGRATS GIRL! Yes I definitely kept my injury on the DL until a couple weeks ago. I struggling with my decision to put it out there because I was afraid people would judge/offer their own opinions. I think sometimes it is good to keep things to yourself because at the end of the day, you know your body more than anyone else.
Hollie, you are AWESOME!! Congrats!! I don’t talk a lot about my job search/social life (unless my friends say I can mention them and post pictures) on my blog for privacy reasons. Oh, and I also have nothing to report on the job-front so … 😉
Oh I keep stuff off my blog all the time! But also- CONGRATS! Way to kick butt!
Isn’t it sad that we feel we have to hide things on our own blogs?! Ugh!!!!
Great race!!!! I know I would have a heart attack if I tried running that fast!
First off – congrats on your run, I am super proud of you and your time is amazing! I love these questions and I am totally answering. My bf’s office mates are SUPER nosey and somehow found my blog through some cyber stalking, so now when he goes to work they will say “Oh I saw you did this this this and this over the weekend” and it makes him very cranky because he wants his private life private. So I pretty much write everything as an “I” instead of a “we” now. Hehe, lets see if commenting this bites me in the butt : )
Way to kick some butt on the race, girl 🙂 I definitely feel ya on feeling like you need to hide certain things on your blog… There are certain things that I don’t like to bring up because people are quick to judge, and it’s annoying when they don’t know the whole story.
wow! You owned that race. What a pace!! Congrats!
Your crazy! (But in an amazing way!) so jealous of your abilities!!
Wow congrats girl!! Not that my opinion matters or anything (it shouldn’t because this is your life!) but I think you did everything right – you listened to yourself and your body and it rewarded you with a great race and an amazing finish. Looks like all that cross-training paid off as well 🙂
Congratulations Hollie! I am so proud of you & I cant help but smile just thinking of how exciting & happy you must of felt <3
Congratulations again girl! So happy and proud. And I most definitely keep things off the blog..mostly for safety/privacy of some of my loved ones.