I am woman, hear me roar

I ran the Atlanta Women's 5K for the second time. I actually have signed up for this race three times, but last year's race got washed out by pretty spectacular lightning storms and rain.
Incredibly, the Atlanta Track Club-sponsored race was supposed to see rain again this year.
As I did last week for the Publix Georgia Half Marathon, I toted my rain poncho throughout the race, which staved off the wet! We managed to get the whole race in without heavy rain.
Erin and I ran this race together, and we both did very well. Once again, this race is very hilly, and we came in just over 36 minutes. I looked up my 2011 time. I was 40 seconds faster this year!
That's pretty darn nice.

Me and Erin before the race

For the second year, this race had some really nice swag. We got a Smart Glass  necklace and I got a cobalt blue necklace, which I had been Jonesing for since last year.
All in all, a great 5K.

Georgia was on my mind

I ran the Publix Georgia Half Marathon on March 23.
I did not expect to run this race, but I can be talked into just about any race. Does that make me race easy? :D
I signed up for this race on Dec. 31, 2013 at almost the stroke of midnight.
You know you are getting old when you leave a New Year's Eve party BEFORE the stroke of midnight. I had worked all day that day and I was tired, so I left.
I got home, logged onto Facebook and saw a message from running buddy Jessica, who had signed up for the Georgia Half and encouraged me to do the same, even sending me a code for a race discount!
So, I signed up. And I almost immediately had reservations.
Now, I've actually run this race three times before. The race started in 2007, but as the ING Georgia Half. I ran the inaugural year and it is a hilly course. That year the race start was in early April and it was 70 degrees at the start. The pollen was awful, the course was hilly and it's a wonder lots of folks didn't just stroke out along the course!
The morning of this year's race called for heavy rain. I dreaded it as I grabbed my rain poncho.
I took MARTA to the race, but a problem with one train meant I got there very close to race time -- not the best way to start a race!
Thankfully, I found Jessica before the start.

Jessica and me at the start

The sun came up along the first part of the course, and Jessica and I took a quick break to take a photo.

Jessica long the course

Me along the course

Jessica and I stayed together until about mile four and then I pulled ahead. I really didn't think I would do too well on this race because I lost a full month of training as a result of the car accident in January and the horrible weather in February. But mostly the car accident. I just couldn't run long distances! I couldn't run at all!!
So I was pleasantly surprised that I was only 10 minutes off my Nashville half time a year ago AND I did it on a harder course.

Georgia Half finishers!

Another half medal to hang on the wall

All in all, I was very pleased with the result, but Jessica almost immediately announced she did not intend to run this race again. That is, until I get an email from her saying she's signing up. And I'll sign up too. I'm easy that way.

Dropping the water

I'm so behind in the blog! I'm three races behind in fact.
Time to get cracking.
I ran the Water Drop Dash 5K with my friend Erin on March 15.
Honestly, I signed up for this race, a new one for me, because my friend Kellie did. And I expected to go to the race with Kellie. But Erin signed up, too, and we needed to take two cars.
The race was along the Chattahoochee River and started and finished at Chattahoochee Nature Center in Roswell. I'd never been there before, but I plan to go back.
Erin and I got to the race early, because the race started early, and just after the switch to Daylight Saving Time, so the sun wasn't up at the time of the race start. In fact, the organizers delayed the start a bit to allow for a little more light.

Me and Erin before the race

See how dark it is behind us? That was before the race.

The course was surprisingly flat, and Erin and I both had a fast race for us. That was a pleasant surprise.

At the end of the race, I finally ran into my friend Kellie, who was with here family. Her daughter Libbie ran the fun run. Daughter Mollie wasn't having so much fun that morning.

Kellie got third in her age group that morning!

Mollie and Kellie

As Erin and I were preparing to leave, I was curious about the aviary that is part of the nature center, so we walked up to see it. I'm so glad we did.

Look at the bald eagles that are in the aviary.

What was even more amazing is as we were walking up to the captive birds, two wild bald eagles circled around, calling out to their injured brethren.

Captive bald eagles at nature center

 Erin and I were in awe. We walked along to see the other displays in the aviary and saw barn owls, ringed owls, turkey vultures and red hawks. It was at the red hawks display we realized why the animals are here, captive. One red hawk was missing a wing. Without the nature center, he would have been prey for some predator a long time ago. Glad to see it gets to live its life out as best it can.

The majestic bald eagle

I'll be glad to go back to the nature center and the Water Drop Dash 5K, and hopefully drop some more minutes from my time.

Hitting the trail

I ran the Red Devil Dash 5K again this year, and remembered immediately why I didn't like this trail run.
I did this one last year with my friend Erin. Last year it was 34 degrees at the start and there were snow flurries.
No snow flurries this year, and the temp was a bit more moderate, but that straight uphill climb on the trail was still there.

Red Devil Dash 5K course

The other unfortunately thing about this race is the trail is only marked out for 1 mile, so you have to traverse it three times to make it a 5K. That means three times up this hill!
I may think twice before I sign up for this race next year, but in the end I'm glad I hit the trail this year.