FIRST RACE REPORT IN VIBRAM FIVE FINGERS!

Before the race, it's amazing how happy I always look, but that smile hides, the fear, the tension the nerves and the dodgy stomach.


Today I got up early again to hit the 5K time trail at Black park, part of the Parkrun group who organise free 5k runs every Saturday 9am in the morning come rain or shine.

I managed a 3 mile run in the Vibrams this week which was great, ran back and forth to the gym with them yesterday, managed 30 mins on the treadmill with the Vibrams which felt lovely. I also knocked out a spin class, and if I feel good tomorrow I will get out again depending on the achilles, which sadly yes is playing up again, but that's another story.

Here I am ready to take off or fail miserably in my Vibrams.

Was contemplating wether to wear the Virbams or not, as the weather had not been great and I didn't fancy wearing them if the ground was wet or muddy, it was a very cloudy day, with the possibility of rain,  hard to believe last week was soo nice and hot, well that's England for you one minute it's the  Sahara, next Iceland, okay I'm exaggerating it wasn't really cold. I wore my Ascis and took the vibrams along, but when I got to Black park the ground looked great and there was no reason not to try them.

Three reasons I was a little nervous about running today, 1. Racing in Vibrams for the first time. 2. My achilles is not perfect. 3. I've been eating very little carbs this week, so had no idea how my body would cope, so there were plenty of reasons for me making a fool of myself, but as a performer I'm used to doing that on a regular basis, so to be honest it was not a great worry. I have eaten well though, vegetables, salmon, veggie mince, omelettes,pastry free quiche, and lots of water, I can assure you I have not been starving, Kat doesn't do starving, you wouldn't like me if I was starving.

Good turn out again, quite a few kid's who I was sure would smoke us adults,, the weather was holding up, long speech in the begnning by one of the organisers, about not forgetting your bar code, and making sure you register, blah, blah, blah, not insured if you don't blah,blah."Can we race now please?"

Has a little warm up running up and down, warmed up the ankles, and kept moving, clothes wise I had a 3/4 length running tights and a new Nike top, felt good in my clothes this week, dropped a few pounds this week and I tell you even a lost pound can do great for your self confindence and esteem. I still got a way to go, but the journey has started again.......................

There was a mixed couple at the back,white guy, black woman, he was pushing the baby in the buggy and they would run together, I thought that was really sweet, she looked very nervous, but I told, her she had nothing to worry about, I would catch up with her later, and although she looked exhausted she also looked very pleased with herself and so she should be.

Started off well, probably started off a little too far back, being a bit cautious so had to do a bit of weaving before I hit my stride, next time I'll move up a bit, not much though, I'm still a good ten minutes behind the gazelles at the front. At one point I passed a girl who could only of been about 8 years old at the most, and gave her some encouragement great to see so many kids out an running, rather than sitting in watching Saturday morning TV.

The Vibrams felt great no complaints, had a couple of little flinches when I stepped on stones, but I was just being a baby, it's a new sensation feeling the ground so much under my feet, so it will take a while to get used to, but the trail was great, and if there was a grass verge I just ran on that instead. There is not much dog mess on the trail but on the grass there was bit, so sometimes I was doing more of a hop, skip and a jump than a run. The terrain was in fact perfect for them.

I have nothing bad to say about them, I felt very light footed in them, passed quite a few people but that was more to do with the fact that I started further back in the field than I should've rather than being super speedie.  Kept the pace steady and felt good, the lack of carbs was not having a major effect on me, and in fact I felt pretty strong, stronger than last week, there were places I remember struggling last week, where I felt better this time. It was nice to be running that way.  Knowing the course made a big difference.

The last half a mile was probably my worse started to run out of energy, and got passed by two girls who I passed earlier, but no shame in that, I will be strong enough to finish on a strong point one day, just not yet. In the above pictures I was just around the corner from the finish.

I finished in 27 minutes 46 seconds which I was really not expecting, that is my second fastest 5k time ever, and that was with those three things already mentioned working against me! I was 94th out of 162 people, 18th women back, not very hard since there were way more men than women! I was pleasantly surprised, now if i could just keep injure free.........

Here I am just after the finish as you can see with an official photographer in tow there is nowhere to hide, sorry if this pictures offends anyone, but ever since I hit puberty I've sweated like a beast,without even having to exert myself very much,  not much I can do about it, but next time I have to remember to bring a small towel, so I can at least dry myself off!

If I remember correctly  I'm chatting to a couple of women here, their asking about my Vibrams, obviously I am happy to report that they are great.

Was limping about afterwards not good, physio on Thursday really need to get on top of my achilles  I don't want my running to be messed up again this year, so fingers crossed this physio will be good and sort me out once and for all.

Finished and snug in the boyfriends coat, thank you boyfriend.

All in all a good week, a few pounds lost, feeling better in my clothes and a little lighter when I ran,  a 5k time I'm happy with and Vibram five fingers that I am very happy with. Next Saturday I will volunteer at a 10k race, which will enable me to run 3 of there subsequent events for free, in July, August and September, which I think is a great deal.

Don't know if I would want to run a 10k on low carb, I don't have a 10k until end of June so I've got enough time to figure out what works in training, I find 10K's quite a brutal distance, and would not want to mess up on the nutrition.

Here are the couple I spoke about earlier at the finish line, they're the exact reason why I love Parkrun, family orientated and friendly and did I say they were free, you can't ask for more.

I am so ready to get in the car and head back home, feeling good but all my energy has gone, maybe it wasn't a great ideas to do a spin class yesterday, but you don't know what you can do until you try, and I think I did fine,so no regrets, about the Vibrams, low carb or spinning.

It will be a few weeks before I return but I look forward to trying to beat my latest time, and holding off those ladies who keep passing me at the end. I know I got more in me, I've done no speed training or any sort yet, and I still have weight to lose,with less to carry around I am sure I will be stronger and fitter and faster!

Thanks again to the boyfriend Rob, for yet again being my official photographer, as always your support is much, much, much, appreciated.

That's me done for now, so it's good bye from me and my Vibram Five Fingers.