Friday, January 02, 2009

The Perfect Day

I planned to write a glorious epic post recalling all my dreams, hopes and wishes for 2008, assessing how they came out, including charming Christmas photos showing all the new loot I got gave, but all I can think, or write about, is my NEW 5k PR that I set on Jan. 1, 2009.

Montgomery County Road Runners New Years 2009 5k:
1/1/09: 53/126 5/10 Jeanne McCann 51 29:48 (9:36 min./mile)

(Feel free to skip the rest of this post, as that's really the best part right there.)

You will recall the sad episode of the 5k Christmas Caper, where I missed running sub-30 by 1 second and had the audacity to try to sweet talk the race director into changing my time (or something like that). He held firm, though, leaving me no choice but to run yet another 5k.

I rang in the New Year with my BFFs at a PJ party where we drank champagne, talked about boys and sex, and laughed our heads off.


As much fun as I was having, and despite many tempting pleas to spend the night, I'm an ATHLETE darnit, and in training. There was nothing for it but to bundle up and and drive home, because I had a date with a 5k the next morning, and one of us was going down and it was NOT going to be me.

I set my brain for 29:30, since last time I had it set for 29:59, which was obviously not enough of a cushion. I fell asleep around 2 a.m., champagne bubbles floating above my head, listening to the 50mph winds tearing up the trees outside my window, a smile on my face.

New Year's Day dawned cold, 25F, but the wind had died down. I went through the motions of getting dressed in my nice new Christmas present Nike cozy warm turtleneck (thanks, E.!) and the blue vest that is known far and wide around the Metro D.C. area, because, well, it's all I ever wear (Brooks Motion Vest--shop around, you can find it much cheaper).

Unsurprisingly, I had the road to myself at 9 a.m. New Years Day. At times like these, I just try to turn my brain off (I hear you sniggering) lest it talk me out of things. Which I knew it was trying to do. So I stopped at a 7-11 to get some of my secret weapon

and since I don't drink caffeine, this stuff really gets me going, if you catch my drift.

I hopped around outside waiting for the start. Hopped because I was hopped up on no sleep and now plenty of caffeine and? I was freezing to death.

Old School Runner was there volunteering, as is his tradition, and documented the occasion. Here I am hopping:



This is a double-loop course, starting with a rather large downhill to a cul-de-sac, back up on the other side, where the course flattens out to another cul-de-sac, then repeats.

My canny plan: Run like hell until you drop.

mile 1: 9:10 (and that includes stopping to tie my shoe!)
mile 2: 9:30
mile 3.1: 11:00 (i've got the dropping part down, cold)

Finally running with both feet off the ground, the way the Big Kids do it.

Not hurling, just stretching. All photos courtesy of Old School Runner, thanks, Kent!

Montgomery County Road Runners New Years 2009 5k:
1/1/09: 53/126 5/10 Jeanne McCann 51 29:48 (9:36 min./mile)

1/1/08: 63/98 5/12 Jeanne McCann 50 30:22 (9:47 min./mile)

1/1/07: 63/83 10/11 Jeanne McCann 49 33:16 (10:42 min./mile)

As usual, I texted and wrote everyone I knew to tell them. And for once, the official results were the same as my unofficial one. Hells yeah!

The rest of the day I did nothing but snuggle on the couch, read and nap.

Like I said, it was The Perfect Day.

30 comments:

Old School Runner said...

I'm glad I was able to capture the event! Congratulations!

LBTEPA said...

OMG OMG OMG! Sub-6 minute kms! You legend!!

Lesser is More said...

Way to start the new year off right! Here's hoping for a successful 2009.

Kelly said...

Congats!

Or... oh no! Because you PRed on the FIRST day of the year! What a precident to set!

Nancy Toby said...

wooo! Well done! PLUS you moved up to rock-solid MIDDLE OF THE MIDPACK!

Danielle in Iowa in Ireland said...

Rock on wit yer bad self! Congrats! And here is to us both PRing at National!

Susan said...

I'll take it!

Way to go. Your results (comapred to the years past) are astounding! I am so impressed! I'l KILL to break 31:00!!!

Sunshine said...

What a fantastic New Years Day.. from turning off nay-saying brain.. to snuggling to warm up .. in well-earned celebration!

Here's to a Born-to-Run !
athlete.. and a great 2009.

MJ said...

Go Jeanne! Woo hoo! Congrats on the PR, on the improvement over the years, and on the determination to achieve your goals. I love reading your blog...and you and I are similar pace, which makes me celebrate (or sympathize as needs be) with you just that much more. Way to start 2009, may it continue to rock!

Runner Susan said...

You are my hero. Staying up till 2am, drinking champagne, AND running a 5k PR? Hero, I say.

Runner Susan said...

You are my hero. Staying up till 2am, drinking champagne, AND running a 5k PR? Hero, I say.

Runner Susan said...

Hey, my twin said the same thing.

Oh, and you are rocking the blue vest! Love it.

Neese said...

aw i'm sorry i missed this news when it happened :( - WAY COOL though! so glad you were able to quickly recover from the previous 5k time that was so close. way to start of 2009!!

21stCenturyMom said...

You stud! That is awesome!!!

peter said...

Nice time, Jeanne! You've come a long way since that surgery in 2007. You're not getting older you're getting better! (That famous powder blue vest. When I was running Haines Point a few weeks past, and a 5K race went by us in the opposite direction that I knew you were running in (your 30:00), I didn't scan faces looking for you, I scanned colors.)

Jade Lady said...

So cool - big congrats! It was a perfect day for you!

Wow..your running has really improved this year! I don't know how you get out there in that cold weather.

Happy New Year Jeanne!

Thomas said...

Congratulations! I did tell you last time that this would make it easier to run a new PR, didn't I?

And your cunning plan to slow yourself down by starting with wonky laces worked to perfection. Now you know that you will be able to beat even that time.

Kelly said...

Hellooooo

My email is kel.schultz [at] gmail [dot] com.

That THAT spambots and semi-illiterate adults!

Mary Ellen said...

De-lurking to say, YEA JEANNE!!
That's fabulous!!
Also, to ask: Fodderstock 10K?
Have you ever run that one?
Is it crazy hard??

a.maria said...

HUZZAH!!!! truly truly the perfect day!! AWESOME job, woman!!!
i am actually thinking of signing up for a 5k myself.. you're now gunna be my bunny!!!

GOOD JOB and happy new year!

Petraruns said...

Wow! WEll done! What a way to start the year! Start as you mean to go on...

Rainmaker said...

Congrats! I think you can fully call yourself a single-digit runner now. :)

Anonymous said...

Never before has "snuggling" sounded so good to so many. You really did have the perfect day and we are all celebrating your running and your writing. Keep it up! Happy New Year!

IHateToast said...

you never talk to me about boys and sex. i feel neglected.

Vickie said...

Congrats!

The Devil's Dance Floor said...

Way to go ringing in 2009 with a 5k run! I finally found a website that lists upcomming runs in my local area and am planning to do my first one in Feb. Hopefully I can be as successful as you have been!

-Mommy in Motion

scmorgan said...

I'm late to the party, but you know...you did it. And I need to say YES! You are the woman.

Rae said...

Congratulations!!!! WAY TO GO!

ShirleyPerly said...

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

That's a hell of a way to start out a new year. Hope you have many more PRs throughout your year!

Nicole Feliciano said...

Hi there, I'm doing a little fitness blog tour to promote my blog, Momtrends. This month is devoted to fitness. I've nabbed an exclusive interview with Gabby Reece:

http://momtrends.blogspot.com/2009/01/exclusive-interview-with-gabby-reece.html

Plus I am giving away more than $600 worth of fitness prizes like a Kelty jogging stroller, workout gear from Rese and Lands' End and much more. I hope you'll stop by!