Navesink Challenge 15k

For the second year, my friend Eileen and I ran the Navesink Challenge, a 15k race that starts on a grassy field and then alternates between road and dirt paths. The only consistency? Hills. Lots of them! 

A hill? Try many many many hills!

I arrived early and parked at the same lot as last year, about a half mile from the start. I got my bib and shirt and walked back to the car to stow my shirt and pin on my bib. Back to the start again and I already have almost 5000 steps on my FitBit!

I found Eileen and we lined up towards the back. Last year, it took us 1:50 to finish and we hoped to beat that this year! The weather was great at the start, it really was the perfect day to run the hills!

I kept an eye on my watch and we managed to maintain just over 11 minutes per mile. The hills slowed us down but we made up time on the downhills and the flat areas.

We met a few other runners and we saw Dave at mile 1.5 and 8 which passed the time!

The last two miles were touch and go. I was so tired and the hills were ever present! The course ends with a bumpy trail that is about 1/4 mile long. I tried my best to run it fast, but I wasn't sure I could beat last year's time. 

My finishing time was 1:48, two minutes faster than last year!! Woooohoooo!

I was so tired but so happy!

When I got home and my FitBit synched, I was amused to see what all those hills looked like to my FitBit!

75 flights of stairs?

Nooooo, 84! Whoa! I ended the day with just over 30,000 steps!

To end the day perfectly, I convinced the hubs to hang the present my Dad made for me! It helped that my Dad was Facebooking us to see if it was hung yet.....

Isn't it fabulous!!!!!

It holds all of my Half Marathon medals, with room for tons more, and there are pegs for my Marathon medals along the bottom. I love it!

Did you race this weekend?