Dockweiler Beach, Los Angeles, November 1st, 2008

Setting: Los Angeles Beach

Weather: 70 degrees with rain threatening

Course: 3.14 miles on frontage road and bike trail near Dockweiler Beach (5 minutes past LAX)

Running Buddy: Bobbi, blogs at Nhershoes.

Training? Weight training, yoga, BOSU workouts, Spinning..umm, running? Nope! None since St. George.

Race: Skirt Chaser, put on by Skirt Sports.  All participants received a running skirt with the entry fees.

Goal Time: Under 25 minutes (to be discussed later)

Prizes: $500, $200, $100 to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Places and that’s it! No age group categories at all.

Here I am, not nervous at all. Mostly concerned with getting a proper warm-up and stretching prior to running three miles.   When we first heard about this event, I was really excited about doing it.  This is a first of it’s kind- that being a race for women, put on by women, given women designed and stylish clothing.  Yes, men got to run, but they had to start 3 minutes behind us and we were the carrots to pass.  Nicole DeBoom, founder of Skirt Sports, was on hand to start the event and even ran with the “middle of the packers”!  The race itself was really well organized, the sponsors were great- Starbuck’s was there passing out oatmeal and hot coffee, the food post race was excellent and fresh, and everyone seemed happy to be there.

However, the event was not without it’s problems.  The venue was changed two days prior from Culver City to Los Angeles, and the time was changed from 4pm to 8AM with like 4 weeks to go.  These are big changes to an event that is billed as  “block party”.  My husband and family could not attend due to my husband’s work schedule so it wasn’t as fun for me as I’d have liked.  And I left immediately following the race and missed the “block party” completely as it wasn’t going to start until 10:30AM.  The guilt of motherhood of leaving my kids on a Saturday (with a sitter) did not let me stay and enjoy.

Looking pretty tuckered out in this picture, but, really, I was fine!  I did NOT ever push the pace in this race.  I am not in any kind of shape to challenge my PR in a 5km one month post marathon.  In fact, I still have nagging problems in my hamstrings and knees so, I was just happy to run almost pain free and keep the pace under 8 minutes a mile!

Would I recommend the Skirt Chaser? Yes, of course I would!  But, It’s also running three mile for a new outfit!  Would you do it?