Yep, you guessed it. It's 4th of July season and here I am again - recapping the Siren Freedom Five. I guess after 5 years of running this race, what's … MORE
Yep, you guessed it. It’s 4th of July season and here I am again – recapping the Siren Freedom Five. I guess after 5 years of running this race, what’s another repeat, right? I first participated in this race back in 2011, then began recapping it in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 (with a brief hiatus of non-running in 2012 due to basically just being a cheap ass).
For 2017, since I am in no kind of shape, I decided to make the most of my “run” by theming my costume to the max. As you can see above, the night before I inflated about two dozen Lady Liberty torches (purchased at Oriental Trading Company). I figured … WTH. I’m already dressing up like a doofus, and I know I’ll have a stroller on race day to carry the torches … so why not just toss out crap to spectators – right?!? Right.
I think my brain is broken.
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Siren Freedom 5 2017 (Off the Deep End)
Yep, you guessed it. It's 4th of July season and here I am again - recapping the Siren Freedom Five. I guess after 5 years of running this race, what's … MORE
Yep, you guessed it. It’s 4th of July season and here I am again – recapping the Siren Freedom Five. I guess after 5 years of running this race, what’s another repeat, right? I first participated in this race back in 2011, then began recapping it in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 (with a brief hiatus of non-running in 2012 due to basically just being a cheap ass).
For 2017, since I am in no kind of shape, I decided to make the most of my “run” by theming my costume to the max. As you can see above, the night before I inflated about two dozen Lady Liberty torches (purchased at Oriental Trading Company). I figured … WTH. I’m already dressing up like a doofus, and I know I’ll have a stroller on race day to carry the torches … so why not just toss out crap to spectators – right?!? Right.
I think my brain is broken.
Siren Freedom Five 5K 2016 (Poopy Feet)
Husband to son: "There's poop on your foot!" Me, thinking to self: This is how this race is going to start? Really? *sigh* Mom of the year award over here. … MORE
Husband to son: “There’s poop on your foot!”
Me, thinking to self: This is how this race is going to start? Really? *sigh* Mom of the year award over here.
—
As I stated in my previous race recap, race day preparations sure have changed for me now that I’ve got a kid to manage. I can honestly say worrying about who has poop on their foot would never have been anywhere near to a concern of mine on race day prior to 2016.
Mom life.
Yes, I’m laughing at myself. Don’t take this too seriously.
Anyway, on 4th of July Monday this year, I again found myself getting ready for the Siren Freedom Five. This was officially my 5th year of running this race, with previous completions in 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2015 …
Siren Freedom Five 5K 2015 (Most Meme'd)
Since I had done packet pickup the day previous, my husband drove me right up to the race start right around 7:45, which proved to be more than ample time … MORE
Since I had done packet pickup the day previous, my husband drove me right up to the race start right around 7:45, which proved to be more than ample time to line up for the start scheduled for 8am. We spent some of our spare time people watching, which proved disappointing again this year. Well … not 100% disappointing. We did see an elite runner who ran the entire distance with red, white and blue elastic suspenders and shorts (no shirt). And apparently, there was a “strong man” running who had a 4 wheeler tied to his waist, per my husband’s report (I didn’t see him). But, overall the attire was remarkably drab given the festive nature of the race. At least we were amused by the race announcer, who always proves to be an excellent entertainer.
Eventually, with about 5 minutes until go time, the announcer called all runners to the start line. I said my goodbyes to my husband and moseyed over to the start…
Siren Freedom Five 5K (Lady Liberty)
You're not going to believe me when I say this, but I was really struggling with the idea of doing this race for 2014. I've run it twice in the … MORE
You’re not going to believe me when I say this, but I was really struggling with the idea of doing this race for 2014. I’ve run it twice in the past (once in 2013, once in 2011), and in remembering the long, sunny, hot run … well, I just wasn’t all that thrilled about the idea of doing it again.
However, after taking such a lax approach to race registrations this year, and actually kind of missing having a race on the schedule, I decided what the heck. I figured I’d be in Siren anyway due to the holiday, so this was kinda a gimme. Besides, the cost of this race is exceptionally low – just $15. You can’t beat small town pricing!!
So, just before the June 15th cut off, I mailed in my registration and crossed my fingers that I could start cramming in speed work to get my 5K pace back up. Oh, and I began costume planning, of course.
Siren Freedom Five 5K 2013 (Poopy Mood)
Do you ever have a day where you get up and you just know it's not your day? You can't put your finger on what, but something is just... off. … MORE
Do you ever have a day where you get up and you just know it’s not your day? You can’t put your finger on what, but something is just… off. It’s almost as if you could listen to Fred Durst sing Break Stuff about 100 times on loop?
Needless to say, guess who was in a super good mood to race on the 4th of July? This girl!
So. Race day. Hooray (*sarcastic eye roll*). I didn’t even know what my problem was. It’s not that I was crabby, or tired, or upset about anything in particular. The only thing I could put my finger on definitively was that my motivation was registering at about a -6 on a scale of 1 to 10.
If you haven’t read much of my blog, you’re going to think that my race stories always end up grumpy since my last few haven’t been super-duper chipper. Don’t worry – I do actually enjoy this stuff. It’s just that every so often I have a day like this. I think we all do. And for lack of any better way to describe it, I just call it a poopy mood day.
So despite the fact that it’s the 4th of July and I have a wonder woman costume picked out, I stuff down my standard race morning banana and proceed to the start line of the Siren Freedom Five in a poopy mood snit.