Blog Posts From Kat Ran Antarctica Tagged With 5k

Run Around The Square 2009

DCtoPgh — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 15:16:02 GMT

Pre-Race

I love this race. Half the reason I love this race is that it’s a trail 5K in a community that rallies around the run, and the other half is because packet pick-up is one block from my favorite bar that I never go to. D’[s Six Pax and Dogz|http://www.regentsquare.net/ds6pax.html] does just that… beer and hot dogs. And cheese fries. They have a beer cave with hundreds of brews. I clearly rounded up ten of my closest friends (okay, friends who I knew would be up for several hours of drinking) for happy hour. Beyond just being awesome because I was with friends at my favorite bar, happy hour was also cool because two guys who claim to have been motivated by my running were there:

Daniel, a former collegiate runner who signed up for Run Around the Square as his first post- hip surgery race (he was shooting for a sub-3 at Pittsburgh and tore his labrum playing soccer right before the race- ouch!).
Dave, who biked across the US and was inspired to run the Spirit of Pittsburgh half marathon in November (still not sure how I motivated him to do that).

As far as I’m concerned, I could have crawled the race backwards and happy hour bringing people together would have made this race worth it.

Race

I woke up and surely felt the effects of 6 hours of drinking, hot dogs and cheese fries. Smart people do dumb things sometimes. Or frequently if you’re me and keep signing up for ultras. That’s a separate point. I needed to run 10 miles and 20 miles this weekend so I made Saturday my 10 mile day and planned a route that would let me run a 7 mile roundtrip route to the race.

Per usual at race start I see current friends (Lisa who I coached with, Sarah who’s one of my classmates, Jen #1 with whom I’m on a treatment grant, and Justin who was my cheerleader at Drake Well) and make new friends (super fast female Pharaoh Hound, Terp Alum) at the start. I’d like to beat my course record (26:49) but I’ve been putting a lot of mileage on my body and all of my runs have been slower than normal recently. We wait for the start, which has been delayed by-- are you ready for this?-- a raccoon on the trail. Seriously? I have now had the following animals interfere with race courses: penguin, wild turkey, ground hog, and raccoon. Once the raccoon has been cleared (when did I think that phrase would make it into a race report?) we get started.

Mile 1: Brick streets and lots of spectators. I see an ambulance a half mile in and think that it is really good positioning because the streets are so treacherous. Right before the first water stop I see Sarah’s fiancé, Scott, who cheers for me like he came to cheer just for me. So awesome. Scott’s a really talented runner but he was out there to support Sarah and did a great job supporting me as well.

Brick Streets in Regent Square

Mile 2: Going into mile 2 there is the champagne stop that was there last year! But it’s better than ever because it’s manned by my friend Jen (#2) and her husband, Jon. She yells at me and holds up a cup of champagne and I consider taking it since I know today’s not going to be a PR day. I decide against it and tell her I might come back. The men in tutus from last year’s water stop were dressed as Steelers this year- including a Troy Polamalu wig ! There was also a musician playing “She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain” (elevation increase for this race: 1,144 feet). As we head onto the trails there is an a capella group AND I see Scott again. Awesome. I finish mile 2 at around 19 minutes and realize that’s when Daniel wanted to finish. Man I wish I was fast sometimes! Ok, I wish I was fast all the time.

One of the only web images I could find of the Frick Trails. Of course this was a flat part that didn't exist in our course.

Mile 3: About 30% of the participants are walking since it’s such a long nasty hill but I know we’re coming up on a killer downhill so I try to encourage people to pick it up. Yelling “it’s all downhill from here!” while true, does not make friends at mile 2.5 of an uphill trail 5K. There are musicians placed at half mile intervals and I hear the bagpiper before I see him. I love this race! I finish and I hear someone yell my name but there are so many faces I can’t figure out who it might be. I’m over a minute slower than last year, and in some ways that’s disappointing, but I also think that my potential for speed would be better accessed if I was a) rested and b) training for speed and not endurance

Post Race

As I go through the chute, they clip my chip, and hand me water and a long-stemmed carnation. I almost immediately run into Sarah, Scott, Daniel and Daniel’s friend, Michael. Sarah didn’t have a strong run, but Daniel had what I would consider a pretty impressive 19 minute finish on his first race post hip-reconstruction. Vendors, dogs and kids are out in force (there were at least three 4 year olds who ran the 1.5 mile fun run- with times around 16 minutes!!) Daniel and I seek out puppies (there was a dog race so dogs abound) and befriend two ENORMOUS St. Bernards. The bandanas for the dog race matched the race t-shirts. There aren’t words for how cute it was.

We grab Rita’s Italian ice, which is the best post-race food that has ever existed in the history of the universe. That good. Panera cinnamon crunch bagels also top the list and wouldn’t you know D’s was there serving beer right next to a grill with hot dogs and hamburgers. We stuck around the after party for about an hour where I also ran into Kasey and David (who I found out was the mystery finish line cheerer) and some other friends.

Mornings like today make me wonder why people don’t run. Actually running the race was maybe 10% of what made last night and this morning so awesome, but it set the stage for everything else. As I ran home from the race I was floating and running felt good for the first time in a long time.

Readers, feel free to post in comments: What is your favorite part of racing? The competition? The spectators? PRing?

20 miles at Elora Palooza

DCtoPgh — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 17:36:12 GMT

Today I was up at 5:30 to run 20 miles around the lake at beautiful North Park.

Pre-20

I get to the boathouse around 7 (it's at least a half an hour drive from where I live) and I see about 10 Team In Training members, balloons and maybe 20 volunteers. This is either a really big Team event or a race. Either way, people come to North Park to run the 5 mile loop and there isn't much of a way around it. I may be in trouble.

I ask one volunteer what is going on and I find out there's a 5K, Elora Palooza, starting at 9 am which would benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. She doesn't know the route, so I ask another volunteer who directs me to "the man in the white hat" who is standing with another man who is wearing a MCM 2007 shirt. Our conversation goes something (very roughly) like this:

Me: Oh! I ran MCM last year!

MCM shirt: Yeah? Me and my dad (he points to White Hat) ran it together last year.

Me: It's such a great race! I'm training for it again this year. Actually, that's why I came over. I'm running my 20 today and if I can avoid it I don't want to interfere with your race- what is the route?

White Hat: We're just running an out and back. Don't worry about running around us.

MCM shirt: If you hear a thunder of runners, it's us on the way!

White Hat: Do you want a donut?

Me: No, I'm okay.

White Hat: No really, you can have a donut!

Loop 1

I ended up leaving them without taking a donut. But, what I did leave with was this incredible impression of very nice people. Early in the morning, trying to get a race together and organizing volunteers, the race director took the time not only to explain the route, but to offer me food. As I ran my first 5 mile loop I couldn't stop thinking how nice they were. It made me realize how much I love running and the camaraderie. I don't think you'll ever meet people who are friendlier than runners. I also thought about how great it was to have father and son involved together not only in a charitable cause, but also as running partners! One day, many years from now, that is the relationship that I want with my child. With all of that milling around, the first five went by quickly and easily.

Loop 2

Before heading out for my second five, I realized that even if I couldn't run the race, I could still donate. I didn't have much cash on me, but I donated something and suddenly realized that I'd be finishing up my 20 around the time they'd be closing up shop. As I was filling out the form for my donation, I asked if I could volunteer at the end and they said I could, I'd just need to find them. I was leaving the parking lot for my second loop when I realized that MCM shirt had changed- he was now wearing a bib that read "Elora's Brother". This might have seemed transparent, but I don't think clearly in the morning or while running, so I was sort of suprised by this (maybe Elora's dad should have offered me coffee instead of a donut?). Running my second loop I couldn't help but feel so thankful. Thankful for all that I have and my good health that I was able to be out there running 20 miles. I passed a man in Army PT clothing and said thank you. He looked confused until it clicked and he said "You're welcome." I cheered on other runners. I don't know what got into me but I didn't feel like I was running for me today.

Loop 3

Before embarking on loop three I stop to talk to another runner I had passed several times. We're both out for 20 but he's a loop ahead of me. He's training for Chicago, loves the finish at MCM, and just comes across as another genuine, happy, runner. I really can't believe my good fortunate to be meeting such nice people this morning. The first three miles of this loop are rather uneventful; if anything they are a little fast. But at mile 4, I intersect with the 5K walkers. I also notice that the mile signs are pictures of a young girl beaming at mile markers. I got extremely choked up. I didn't know Elora, or her story, but meeting her wonderful family and seeing so many people out in her memory, combined with seeing her sweet smile just broke me a little. I ran towards the finish line with the other runners and walkers, so happy to be peripherally part of such a wonderful event.

Loop 4

The last loop was just a pretty darn uneventful five miles, unless you count man #1 who was running while talking on his cell phone or man #2 who was running with a huge Sunday edition newspaper under his arm. Runners are such a wonderfully quirky bunch. Honestly, what kept me going strong for the 20 was my promise of volunteering at the end of the 5K. I wanted to get back in time to help clean up. I finished my 20 miles in 3:19:47, for a 10 minute pace. A strong run that I was very happy with.

Post-20

I tried really hard to volunteer- I asked three separate people how I could help. They only told me to take their food. I'm stubborn and I wasn't going to leave without helping, so finally one woman said that the most helpful thing would be to tell others about the race next year. I told her that witnessing the event was so moving that I was already planning to blog about it. She thanked me and sent me off with some Powerbar meets Sport Bean things.

It was a beautiful day and everyone looked so happy. There were cute little kids eveywhere, as it was very much a family event. They even gave the kids teddy bears, which I thought was such a sweet and thoughtful gesture. From what I could tell, it was really a great event.

Very post-20

It's a few hours later and with the help of Google I learned a bit more about Elora and her story. Taken from the website, Eloras Hope ,I learned the following: "In April 2006, Elora, a 7th grader in the North Allegheny school district, lost her life after a courageous battle with Leukemia. Elora faced her illness bravely as she had faced so many other challenges in her life. Before she was two years old, she was hit by a car and sustained a brain injury—but her academic and physical struggles did not stop her “can do” attitude and her loving spirit. She loved school but required adaptive education. Elora especially enjoyed 5K Races in spite of always finishing long after the other runners crossed the finish line. This never stopped her from encouraging others along the way. Elora brought out the best in others and Elora’s HOPE Foundation wants to continue this tall order." Last year the Foundation raised $11,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and also has a scholarship for a college student majoring in special education.

I feel really privileged to have been part of today. A lot of people ask me why I run, but after today I really wonder why other people don't.

I should also mention that while I was running and being so inspired by those who are helping to fight cancer, I didn't yet know that my step-Aunt Carol lost her battle with ovarian cancer early this morning. I found out as I was finishing this post. This is the point where I lose my words, but more can be read here.

Race Report: Run Around The Square 5K AKA A Trail Run with Lots of People

DCtoPgh — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 17:18:01 GMT

Today I ran my first trail 5K and it was awesome. I got to the race early, got my chip and timed it perfectly so I could run a mile warm-up and get to the start about 10 minutes before the gun. As I was starting my warm-up I ran into two of the girls I coached Girls on the Run with, Lisa and Megan, and they told me they just finished their warm-up- an 11 mile run! As I was warming up, I saw some of the kids from the 1.5 mile walk that had finished earlier. They also had a dog race so there were lots of cute pooches- with bibs on their collars! At this point I am SO pumped for this race. It's a beautiful sunny day, but warm (for Pittsburgh, not for the month of August) and humid. I stretch a little and head to the start where I chat with other runners before the National Anthem... and we're off!

The race starts on time and we take off down residential streets that aren't paved, but brick! I can only imagine the horror that would be me tripping at this point. And for those of you who know me, the potential for me to trip is more likely than not. I'm running dead on an 8-minute pace which I'm very happy with and a third of a mile into the race Lisa hauls right by me and as we turn a corner she is gone. I stick with my pace and I'm feeling great, but my mouth is getting a bit dry- yay a water stop! Boo a kid that could be no more than 8 years old cutting me off to grab water. Option A: Steamroll kid, possibly kill us both and maybe get water in the process. Option B: Hope there's another water stop soon. I curse the kid for being so stinking fast as I pick Option B. Mile 1 highlight? Not just a spectator-manned beer stop, but a champagne stop complete with plastic champagne glasses! Pittsburghers are classy! Mile 1: 8:10.

This is where the race starts getting... fun? Is fun the word I'd use? Interesting, maybe. This is the part of the "race" where it become much less of a race and, as Lisa put it, more of a "trail run with lots of people." Highlights of this part of the race: A steep downhill hairpin turn that is so steep and so sharp that again I only envison a downward death roll and headlines of "Runners Bowls Over Human Bowling Pins: A Strike with Casualties in Regent Square." And while I mention this downhill, please do not be confused. This was not a downhill course. In mile 2, there was a 300 foot rise in elevation on trails. The elevation was a barrier to speed, but so were the multiple turns, the texture of the trail, and all the runners stopping to walk because they couldn't tackle the hills. Mile 2 highlights? The water station where the volunteers, men included, were wearing huge tutus. So awesome! My friend, Kristin, also came out to cheer, but I didn't get to see her even though she saw me. So excited I have so many wonderful friends! Mile 2: 9:40 (I swear it was the hills!)

The first part of mile 3 still had some pretty substantial uphills, 430 feet worth of hill in the first half, to be exact (in case there was any confusion, 430 feet UP). Every quarter mile or so they had a musician stationed, which was almost a little creepy to have a lone trumpeter standing in the woods on a Saturday morning. Mile 3 highlight? The bagpiper! In one 5K I had men in tutus and a bagpiper! I love this race! At mile 2.5 on the nose there is a sharp downhill to the finish. Let me repeat that: sharp downhill. Again, visions of me tripping and falling are flooding my mind and these are only made worse when a man behind me yells to his friend "Ow! My ankle! I rolled my ankle" (thankfully, he turned out to be fine). Falling while running this section at any substantial speed could result in the kind of tumble where at all once you knock out your front teeth, break your arm and sprain your ankle. And yes, if I wasn't careful, it would have happened to me. Over the 600 foot drop (yes! 600 feet in 0.6 miles!) I was fast, but reigned it in a bit for safety sake. Mile 3: 8:20

The finish came up quickly and I hammered it out at 6:42 pace for an overall finish of 26:46. Even with the challenging terrain and the "group trail run" environment, that is still 20 seconds faster than a hilly road 5K I ran in April. Awesome! At the end they did the customary things like giving you water and clipping your chip. But this race had one of the best post-race set-ups I've seen. Runners got carnations, which I loved, and they had lots of food, including a grill with hot dogs, and booths (and the dogs from the dog race were out, too!). I got to spend some time with Lisa and Megan and it was such a lovely morning for a race. Lisa and Megan raved about this race and I can see why, today I added the course to a list of favorites, and a 20 second PR (even on trails!) to the record book

Race excitement!

DCtoPgh — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 01:10:39 GMT

Tomorrow I'm running a trail 5K. I've never run a trail anything, I haven't run a 5K since April and I haven't run a race since June (10K). Back for the other races I was really nervous to get back into racing after a winter full of injury. Right now, the night before this race, I'm not nervous, I'm just excited! How cool is it that I get to run a trail 5K?! I'm not expecting to PR, but even with what sounds like a tough course (I've heard of 6-8-6 splits... guess where the hill is?!) I know after a summer full of training that I'm capable of surprising myself and that is a very exciting possibility. Tonight got me excited for tomorrow, too. The packet pick-up was two blocks from one of my favorite happy hour locations so I was able to meet up with some friends for a beer and some carbs (was it a bad idea for me to split large cheese fries as my pre-race carbs?!). And I must say that one of the things I love about races is how nice everyone is... I love being around the volunteers and other runners. And I most certainly can't wait to have a great morning tomorrow Until then, I won't ask for good luck, because I don't need it because I've already put in the hard work.

RR: Father's Day 10K; AKA The Accidental 10 Miles

DCtoPgh — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 15:20:22 GMT

Today was the Father's Day 10K, a race that I really love because it was my first 10K in about 10 years last year. Last year I had a pretty good race and came in better than I expected but it was the type of race where I fought and dug tooth and nail to get myself across the line. Leading up to today's race I was worried (see my blog about nerves), but got myself psyched up and per Toby's advice, paid a lot of attention to my nutrition and hydration.

The Start

I woke up at 5:45 before my alarm at 6. I had some cereal and a cup of coffee and was rearing to go. Chris was on the fence about, well, everything. He wasn't sure if he was coming and he wasn't sure if he came if he was going to run or not. This delayed us a bit, but we got to the race about a half an hour before the start, enough for me to grab a chip and get stretched. Last year the start was a combo 5K/10K start along a pretty narrow riverwalk which made for a very slow and congested start. To counteract this I tried to seed myself closer to the front, but thankfully this year the race organizers split the starts so the 10K went and the 5K followed 15 minutes later. As a result, it was actually a very fast start- probably the fastest I've ever had.

The Middle

My first three miles were solid and I was keeping pace. I made a friend, Nathan, who was running next to me for a while. I introduced myself and said at this rate we were going to be each others' rabbits. He was slowing at an uphill on ramp so I told him "what goes down must go up!" and what-do-you-know the sucker passed me (but he cheered me on while he was doing it!). At the three mile mark I actually came over a minute faster than my most recent 5K and I lost Nathan after I passed him. This stretch was hard because it was very windy and it was on a gravel trail. Looking at my Garmin I slowed down a LOT, about thirty seconds per mile below my goal pace. At this point I was feeling good but not feeling strong enough that I could have made up that time. So, I decided to have fun. I continued to thank the volunteers. I was cheering for the runners around me "If you're gonna pass me like that, you'd better finish strong! Don't let me catch you!" I was also cheering at the accidental spectators... yesterday was a Kenny Chesney concert so drunk concert-goers were waking up on their boats on the river to start to drink again. Nothing like yelling at drunk guys to cheer for you!

The Finish

This is a hard finish. It's about a 1.2 mile straightaway so it's very hard to gauge when to kick. Last year I kicked too early and this year I kicked too late. But the real kicker? Without trying I finished less than 30 seconds slower than my time last year! And I had more fun than I've ever had on a run. It sucks a bit that I could have had a course PR today, but there was nothing like cheering people on and running on a beautiful day by the river... screw 30 seconds on a clock! And unlike last year I wasn't fighting tooth and nail and gritting my teeth and digging deep for all I had... I was laughing and smiling and having a blast. This is the way to run a race, my friends.

The Aftermath

I was so hopped up on endorphins Chris wanted to kill me. I was like a 5 year old who just got back from camp and had 10 cups of coffee... "And then I was running, and then I cheered someone on and then I saw...." He wanted to go to the gym so I thought I'd keep him company since he was a good sport at the race. I had so much energy I thought I'd run another 2 miles so I'd knock out 8+ for a long run today. Well, I started and I felt so good that I decided to run another 5K. So I did! Not only did I run another 5K, I ran it so fast I beat my 5K PR for the season. At this point I had 9.3 miles under my belt for the day so it only made sense to run a little further to make it 10 miles, so I did!

Totals

TONS of fun

10 miles

2 good runs

Girls on the Run 2008 Recap

DCtoPgh — Sat, 31 May 2008 19:06:07 GMT

About 2 weeks ago I finished my first season as a coach for Girls on the Run (GOTR). For people who are unfamiliar with the program, volunteer coaches from the community sign on for 10 weeks to train 3rd to 5th grade girls for a 5K while teaching them age-appropriate lessons (e.g. values, promises, self-esteem, communication, healthy choices). I love running, kids and volunteering... this was the perfect opportunity for me. So, some of my favorite moments from the season (with thanks to my co-coach Megan whose pictures I used):

Community Service Project

One of our lessons was a community service project that the girls planned and we made cards for soldiers.

While we did this, I was speaking with the girl above about my trip to Antarctica and the conversation went something like this:

S: You're going to Antarctica, right? Are you going to die?

Me: Um, I hope not. In fact I hope to take pictures of penguins and when I come back I'll send them to you.

S: (pause) ... I like penguins! But if you do die, I'll go to your funeral.

Thanks...? Other cool moments were when two of our older girls broke out and recited the entire Gettysburg address completely spontaneously! I am so proud that our girls are so sweet, such great athletes and smart cookies, too! And three girls worked together to make a card. One accidentally wrote "Dare" instead of "Dear" and they ended up with a card that said "Dare to be brave." I couldn't think of anything more fitting!

Coaching Highlights

I have so many great memories from coaching, but two really stand out, for very different reasons.

The girl in the picture above, on the right, was a little spark plug. She had so much energy and always had a smile. Once she ran by me and she had been going for what seemed like forever. I was cheering her on and telling her to keep it up and as she sped by she only yelled.... "I..... AM.... HYPERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!" I think everyone who witnessed it was just doubled over in laughter because she was such a great source of energy. I will definately be channeling her for my next marathon. I should also note that at the end of the season she won the "Most Likely to Stand Tall" award because whenever we asked the girls what their favorite promise to themselves was, she would reply "I promise to stand tall because I'm short!"

Unlike our other little balls of energy, we had a small handful of girls who were really hard to get moving when we started. One really stood out and at times she confided in the coaches that the kids made fun of her and that she didn't really like herself. At first, she was very unsure of herself and she would walk more than she would run and it was tough to get her to participate. But over time she started not only to open up, but to participate, run, and smile while she did it. One day she came up to me and asked for a challenge. I told her to run two laps without stopping and come back and do situps. She did that, got lots and lots of praise and went off to walk the next lap. When she came around again, she asked for another challenge. This time: three laps. While she was on her 2nd lap another girl (K) came up and asked for a challenge. I told her to wait until the first girl (A) finished her laps so that the two of them could run together. Not only did they run together, but they cheered each other on the whole time. At the end of the session, we have girls nominate another girl who did something good to lead the stretches. K nominated A because the A motivated her! I was SO PROUD. Here's a picture of A finishing the 5K with Sarah, my Antarctica companion, and another one of the other coaches:

Wondergirl 5K

It was a miserable day for a 5K. I woke up and wondered if there was any way I could possibly pull of staying home. It was cold and rainy. Poor Lisa, (bottom left) was shivering and chattering But, in spite of it, most of our girls and their parents toughed it out and made it anyway! I am so proud of their accomplishment! Here's a picture of the coaches running while shedding clothes to pass off to Megan...

...and me and Sarah with one of the girls at the finish line. This girl broke her foot something like 3 weeks before the race and finished anyway!

What did we get out of GOTR?

Almost all of our girls have now run a 5K!
They've helped support our troops
They've learned about how to stay healthy physically and emotionally. I found out at the end-of-season banquet that one of our girls had a big falling out with her friends at school during the season. Her dad said that because of the lessons she learned at GOTR and the friends she made there she was able to cope with it really well.
They made friends! Even though they were different ages and from different schools at the end-of-season banquet they all sat at the same table together.
I really benefited from their positive energy and they really motivated and inspired me.

I can't wait to coach next year! (That is, if I don't die a slow, painful, penguin-induced death while in Antarctica )

5K Race Report

DCtoPgh — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 20:50:54 GMT

Today I had the honor and pleasure of running with my friend, Rich, who is an incredibly accomplished (read: FAST!!!) runner. He's sponsored by Powerbar, has been in Runner's World, and was one of four men selected to compete in The Greatest Race on Earth. I've never, ever run with him before because his race speeds are roughly 3 minutes/mile faster than mine. (read: I'm terrified to run with the man). We decided to run a new 5K because it worked better for our schedules and the "cost" of registration was a bag of non-perishable food for a good cause. I should say that I've never really raced a 5K before. And, after a 6 month running hiatus I'm not in the best shape I've ever been. But, I'm one of those "If you shoot for the moon and miss, you fall among the stars" people. So, I took my 10K PR from last September and using a pace calculator thought I should shoot for 7:5x mile splits. Rich was willing to pace me, so let's see what happened. Some facts:

1. I finished 4th overall for women

2. I finished 1st overall for my age group

3. My 5K PR (from my 10K PR split) still stands at 24:30 even

This means that I ran slower than my goal, but that's ok because I had a blast and I can accurately gauge where my training is and how I'll improve in the future. Running with Rich also allowed me to learn from him (he thinks I should keep running after the top of a hill when I practice hill repeats because I peter out, and that I should practice strides at the end of my long runs because I had NO kick left at the end today). I also have a newfound respect for the man's speed... let's just say by the time I hit two miles, had he been racing and not pacing, he would have been done already! That is so amazing! And what a very nice person to pace me on a rainy, humid morning.

What did I get from today? Training tips and hardware (which will be mailed to me since they mixed up our bibs so they thought I was the third male finisher). I didn't PR or come close. I didn't have as strong of a race as I would have liked. But I had fun and I hope there will be lots of room for new PRs in my future