Race Report Triple Crown 5k, 10 K 15K

 The Louisville Triple Crown 5K, 10K, 15K

I signed up for this series to keep me getting up on Sat to compete.  Compete is a very liberal word here right now.  I'm unable to do much actual running.  My HR keeps spiking.  The Herceptin for HER2+ cancer causes some heart damage, so I must be aware of my HR most of the time.  There was evidence of some damage, so I don't want to over-tax my heart before it is repaired.  The other problem is that all the chemicals used to fix cancer settle in the joints, so my hips and my knees are often pretty painful.  I can usually ignore it, but yoga is much tougher these days, and running makes the pain ramp up pretty quickly.  I end up cussing up a storm and slowing down or walking.  It's a process.  

I'll only need to run a maximum of 5K for the races in Irving, Tx, so I'm not too worried about the long-distance runs.  I have been doing the first 5 K with a run/walk, hoping to run more than I walk and then walk the balance.  This seems to be working pretty well for me.  Some soreness persists, but using my Epsom salt baths, my massage gun, and the infrared heating pad all help reduce these problems and keep me going the next day.  

The 5K and the 10K were both very cold races.  The temps were down in the 30s in the morning and never really warmed up much.  The 15K wasn't as cold, but the wind was powerful like

40 knots in some places.  Some gusts nearly knocked me down. The race path for the 5K and 10K were through town.  The 15K followed that but included a long run out River Road and back.  I was surprised I wasn't last for any of these races.  There were plenty of folks who came in up to an hour after I had finished, so I'm happy with how I did in any of them. 

These races are good training for the Louisville half and full marathon races during the Derby celebrations.  However, I will not be here this year for the Derby. I'm headed to FL for a couple of months.  I'll do some triathlons and runs down there.  

I admit that I was ready to quit at mile 6 on the 15 K.  I felt so sore in my left hip I wanted to stop.  I decided I could walk slower, and that relieved the pain a bit.  I'm hoping that continuing to lift weights and walk every day will eventually help these pains to reduce.  Who knows..the doctors don't seem to have any idea.  Of course not..why would they?  They fixed cancer...that's their goal.  Walking without pain is not on their list of goals.  I'm being caustic, but not really untrue.