Foot fat?

Yes - I said foot fat. It does exist and unfortunately I'm feeling the pain of having it!

Today was the Shamrock 10K around Atlantic Station. Woke up not liking the "spring forward" - sick joke/combination with the race! Anyhoo, got there with 20 minutes until the start (8:40) and it was cold. I was looking all spiffy with pink shell, pink/purple L/S over-shirt and new long tights. It was appropriate at the beginning of the race... oh how I forget how you WARM UP! :-p

10K = 2 laps of the 5K course.
Goal: less than 60 minutes (or just finish to baseline)

Mile 1 - large group, clumped together, didn't notice the "start" of where my timing chip would beep?? maybe we all got the same start time... Not too shabby course (10+ min/mile)

Mile 2 - ugh it's warm. why am I wearing layers that don't unzip? (9:40 ish min/mile)

Mile 3 - the zig-zag to up one side and down the other of the same street (add mileage) is NOT entertaining but I'll remember that for the second lap: go slower on the first part so 2nd feels like you are doing "better" :-p (9:30+ min/mile)

Mile 4 - 3.5 mile point = why didn't I do the 5K? hah - time is not too shabby. I'm on pace for less than an hour. Feel like kicking it up a notch but trying to remember 2+ miles left! (sub 9 min/mile)

Mile 5 - attempt to remember to thank the police officer directing traffic at the top of the hill (northside) as that's the only one I forgot the first lap - out of breath caught me off guard! ARE WE THERE YET? (eh, still 1,000,000x better than feeling that way mile 10 of a half or mile 20 of a full marathon)

Mile 6 - YAY! final zig-zag on 17th and it's to good techno-ish beats from the dj. Attempted to thank him (2nd time) and he didn't see/acknowledge. Whatev - hope you felt the love! :) (sub 9)

Last .2 - woot woot! Kicked it up "another notch!" "BAM!" (Emeril...) and strided it out. Thanks for the at least .1 downhill before the flat stride out to the finish line! (sub 8)

Final time: sub 57! :-) this means I averaged less than 9:10 min/miles!

Results:
1. I either never get into "great" shape and stay at this baseline of 9ish min/miles for EVERY race (i.e. I never train consistently to surpass this pleauto) or I just pulled this surprise

2. Sore part of body is at the top of the ball of your foot - it gets squished towards your toes and that's foot fat. My foot fat has soreness/potential blisters!?! ugh - never want that again! Need my feet to be in shape :-p

Next Steps: 90 min half is NOT completely out of reach. I have to actually DO the training regimine and get GOING! Let's see how it goes :-) Anyone up for running?!

-alternate 5K/10K every 4 months to test progress ?

-half marathon in fall ?

what's everyone think?