Next up: Fast running.

After such a good experience in the 10-mile race last Saturday, I'm going to keep the momentum going and run a 5K race on Sunday. It's another small race and since I seem to do well in those, I'd like to run it fast.

I finished my last 5K in 22:43, so it would be super to finish this one right around 23 minutes. But, I'll be happy with anything under 24 minutes.

So, I'm setting 23 minutes as my A goal, and 24 as my B.

Those are just my time goals.

What I'd really like to accomplish in this race is to run negative splits. In my last 5K, I ran 7:51, 7:05 and 6:51 for miles 1, 2 and 3 respectively (and then a quick 6:09 pace for that last .10). That was basically a perfect race for me. I've rarely been able to pull off splits like that! On Sunday, I'd like to run similarly. Maybe my times won't be the same, but I'd like mile 3 to kick mile 1's butt!

I'd also like to run in such a way that I finish feeling strong. That's how I felt after Sunday's race and it is a great feeling. These summer races aren't my goal races so I should finish feeling like I have something left in the tank -- because I'm going to need to tap that tank for my half marathons!

Well, folks, that's the plan. I hope you all have a great weekend!

Are you racing this weekend? Let me know so I can send you some good running vibes!

~ Felice

New addiction.

Check it out: We're a little more than halfway through 2012 and I'm gasp! catching up with late-2010 technology.

Word up.

(See? Still stuck in the 80s. 1980s.)

The technology in question? Instagram. And a kickin' new cool phone. (I'm in love, by the way, with my new Samsung Galaxy SIII. It is the best.)

Yes, I've become slightly addicted to Instagram. I've been snapping and sharing pics like mad.

Like these:

Half of the kale patch -- still going strong!

My speedy feet. OK, my speedy Mizunos.

Post-workout -- with my 5-year-old getting in on the action.

What's so fun about taking pictures of my kale? And my running shoes?

I don't know. It just is. Maybe it's the fact that I feel so 2010 -- maybe even 2011 -- that makes it fun? You know, because I feel so with it? Dunno. Could just be the fancy new phone.

Whatever it is, I like it.

Are you on Instagram? Give me a follow and I'll follow you back! 

Happy Thursday -- getting close to the weekend!

~ Felice

Clove Run 2012 race report.

I needed this race. I really, really did.

After all my talk about channeling my inner-Danell Leyva and moving on after my lousy experience at the Boilermaker, I was still in a funk.

Sure, I've had plenty of good runs since the Boilermaker. But my mind has been out to get me. It has been telling me that, yes, I can run. I can even, often, run well. Just not in races. Not anymore.

Not anymore? Nope, not anymore.

For some reason, my mind has been convinced of this -- convinced that I've lost my racing edge.

And that is why I needed the Clove Run. I needed race redemption.

Race redemption is what I got.

The Clove Run is a super small 10 mile race that winds through the small village of Castleton and then out on to sparsely-populated hilly country roads before turning back in to the village for the last two or so miles.

Oh, and there is a sick hill right around mile 9. Sick.

Last year, I won the thing. That's right! First female overall. It was awesome.

This year, I felt like I'd be lucky to finish. My racing spirit has been so deflated and I honestly did not know what to expect from this race. I wanted to run at my goal half-marathon pace, which is about 8:15/mile, and I was hopeful that I could do it.

I met up with a bunch of my friends and at a little after 9:00, we took off. I settled in to a good rhythm within a half mile and told myself to just run, nice and steady.

Running that way, I passed two women in the first mile and another two in the second mile. Then I was passed by a shirtless man a little before mile 3. I could see another woman ahead of me and I wanted to catch up with her -- for no good reason, other than I wanted to. But, I was just at mile 3 and I knew that all the big hills were yet to come. So, I calmed down and continued to run steady.

That strategy worked because I ended up passing her a little before mile 4.

And then I was alone. Running up two honking, big hills. Alone. Running over the country roads, alone.

Around mile 5, I heard foot steps and I thought the woman I had passed was coming up on me. The steps were behind me for about a half mile and all I could think during that time was, "Pass me! Just pass me!"

And then she did -- only, it was a different woman. She passed me somewhere after the mile 5 marker and just ran on, putting more and more distance between us.

Then I was alone again.

A little after mile 7, though, was awesome. There, I ran past my friend Jen's house and she was at the end of her driveway, with her kids, cheering and snapping photos. Like this one:

I wasn't kidding when I said I was running alone!

Seeing Jen and her kids was super! It was a much-needed boost.

Soon enough, the course turned on to a (relatively) busy road, a flat mile or so before the killer hill. I told myself to hang on and not push the pace, because I knew I needed to save whatever energy I could for the big hill.

Oh, that hill.

I don't like that hill. Not one bit. See, the hill is steep. That in itself isn't terrible. It is the fact that it comes at mile 9 that makes it terrible. After you've run 9 miles -- and already tackled a bunch of hills -- having to take on a steep one isn't really what you want.

At least, it isn't what I want.

But, I did it. I managed to run up most of the hill, before slowing to a walk at the end of it, and then trying to pick up the pace and bring it home.

In the end, I finished second place female overall!

I was psyched! Best of all is that all my friends had great races, too. Tami finished right behind me in third place, Karen was first in her age group, Elisa felt terrific and ran fast, and Bridget set a 3 minute PR! Woo hoo!

That's Tami and me, with our HUGE trophies. Seriously, these were the biggest trophies ever! 

Here are my splits:

Mile 1: 7:58
Mile 2: 7:59
Mile 3: 8:13
Mile 4: 8:06
Mile 5: 7:54
Mile 6: 8:06
Mile 7: 8:44
Mile 8: 7:57
Mile 9: 8:33
Mile 10: 8:23

Finish time: 1:21:54 -- 8:11 pace!

I needed this awesome race. I felt great. It really was race redemption.

As silly as it sounds, now I feel like I am ready to take on my fall half marathons. Mentally, I needed to find some post-Boilermaker success in order to truly refocus. Now, I believe I can do it. Watch out, half marathons!!

Thanks for stopping by and for making it through this super long race report!

Have a great week!

~ Felice

Injinji running socks (review).

Check out my weird green feet:

Funky, huh?

They are the Injinji toe socks and I love them. I was lucky to be sent two pair for review and over the past two months I've become a big fan.

At first, I admit, I thought they were the weirdest socks ever. Seriously. I mean, look at them. Weird.

And weirder still was putting them on. Poking each toe into the individual slots -- sleeves? toe thingies? -- well, whatever they are called, poking each toe into them was . . . odd.

But, to my surprise, I love my Injinjis and they've become my go-to socks. In fact, I wore them on this morning's almost-6 miler.

The individual toe things really keep my toes dry when I run, which is nice since I'm still feeling nervous about getting blisters after the Boilermaker Blister Incident.

They are comfortable, thin, low-profile -- just right.

My new favorite socks!

Thank you, Injinji, for being so weird. And so great to run in.

Have you tried the Injinji socks? Do you like them?

You can find the Injinji Performance Lightweight No Showsocks -- just like mine in the photo -- at Amazon and other retailers.

Have a great day!

~ Felice


Review disclaimer: I was sent socks to review and was not otherwise compensated. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.