Alaska Run for Women 2015 – Race Recap

What a beautiful day for a race–clear skies, sunny, warm, and so much energy from 6000+ women running and walking to fight breast cancer at the Alaska Run for Women.

Per my coach, I was instructed that I was supposed to do this race as a training run since I will end up racing three weekends in a row and my performance at next week’s Mayor’s Half-marathon is more important.

I still ran hard and was happy with how the “race” went.

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I stayed right on target and ran an average pace of 6:28 for the 5 mile course. (My target tempo goal was 6:30 pace.) I was happy to finish 7th overall with a time of 32:18.

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I really liked the course and was glad to not have a big hill at the end (which so many of the races in town have!). A good portion of the course is on the Chester Creek Trail (which is also very common with many of the other races I do), but it was fun running through downtown Anchorage.

I call my outfit the ‘clash of pinks.’

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I’ve never mentioned it on my blog before, but my mother-in-law was diagnosed with breast cancer last summer. She is cancer free today, which is a blessing, so I ran in her honor on Saturday.

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After the race, I had a 5 mile cool-down to do, which was fine because we had to wait around until the awards ceremony anyhow.

Cullen and Craig played and napped while I ran. Classic that he only has one sock on.

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Then we hung out on the infield while waiting for the awards. Look at those teeth. The other four broke through this weekend as well.

Love my happy boy.

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7th place for the women–I’ll take it! (The first and second place women–on the right–got cut off.)

(The third place finisher also had a baby. I thought her baby was just a few months older than Cullen, but she was actually 1.5 years. I forget how big Cullen is!)

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This week I’ve got 75 miles on the plan with a half-marathon on Saturday. Let’s get after it!

Hi, I'm Michelle

I love running around the lakes of Minnesota, running after my two boys, and racing anything from the 5K to the marathon. I have been blogging here since 2010 when I ran my first marathon. I finally secured my sub-3 hour marathon after trying for 8 years.

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6 Comments

  1. 6.15.15
    Sarah said:

    7th place in a training run! congrats πŸ™‚ glad your mother in law is cancer free!

  2. 6.15.15

    that is amazing! You always amaze me with your race times though. Nice work! Great story too πŸ™‚

  3. 6.15.15
    Brooke said:

    Great job and glad to hear your MIL is cancer free! Love your tank, where is it from?!

    • 6.17.15
      Michelle said:

      It is a Nike tank from a couple years ago. πŸ™‚

  4. 6.17.15
    Karen said:

    Congrats!! I love the message races like these represent. Glad to hear your MIL is still in remission.