2012 Mermaid Run

Joanne had this race on her calendar for a while.  She enjoys the exercise that running gives her, but she really craves the competition and loves the atmosphere of these races.  Preparing for an upcoming race is most likely the reason that she decides to go out for a run in the evening after all of the kids are in bed and her chores for the day are done, and she is dead tired.  But she finds motivation in the fact that she wants a good showing on race day...

There they go!

Joanne, coming down the homestretch

Rounding the corner to the finish...

She wanted to beat her time at this race from three years ago, and she was able to reach her goal:
32:20 for a new personal best at the san francisco mermaid 5k run.

There they are, the two mermaids.

Hayley, in typical Hayley fashion kinda just lined up at the back of the crowd of the "mini-mermaids", the 6-9 year olds.  When they said go, she just weaved herself through the crowd and continued to pass her other competitors throughout the race.  This race was 1.5 miles long, the farthest she has ever ran in one stretch.  She did great.  The picture below is her coming around the field for the finish, so obviously she was having a good day...

She made a big deal out of the fact that she didn't walk the whole race and she finished with a graceful long stride around the field, showing that she has the chops for this kinda thing.  She talked about how she liked running the downhills at the Quicksilver Challenge, but wasn't a big fan of the climbs.  I think in trail racing you have to embrace the fact that you are going to go slower on the climbs and it is not such a bad thing to do some hiking in a "race".  I have set a course record with hiking some uphills, it is just about managing a race and maintaining an effort that you know you can sustain throughout.  Anyways, Hayley did great.

Do you think she is having fun?