Today was one of maybe a handful of days this summer that I had to set an alarm to wake up! After a busy couple of days and late nights (Freedom Fest, parade, grill out, fireworks), I woke up tired! And slept 10 minutes past my alarm! So, I woke up about 6:50, with plans to leave the house by 7:15. The race brochure said they wanted packets picked up by 7:30 for a 8:00 race start. So, I got ready as quick as I could, grabbed a banana, a gu, and my keys, and was out the door! (The gu was because I didn't have time to have a real breakfast and I didn't know if I would be hungry. I don't normally take a gu for a 5 mile run/race!) However, I forgot to grab a bottle of water, and didn't dare take the gu without some water.
Before we get into race day events, let's talk about the goals I had been thinking about for today.
Goal A - I've put together two 9:40ish 5ks, so my A goal was to run the 5 miles in 50 minutes.
Goal B - For sure I thought a finishing time around 52 minutes, or a 10:30 pace was doable. This would give me a comfortable PR for this race and is a pace I thought I could keep for 5 miles in a race (I don't typically get this pace in a training run).
Goal C - 55 minutes would be 11 minute miles.
Goal D - Less than an hour! Just to have a goal that I shouldn't have any issues meeting, and to still feel good about reaching a goal should I not have a good day.
I got there just before 7:30, grabbed my packet, which just consisted of my bib, my shirt, and a pamphlet advertising the Spamtown Triathlon going on in a few weeks! It is another event put on by our awesome local YMCA. Some year, some year. I went back to my car to put my shirt away and walked up and down the path a few times.
Fun story - after Grandma's Marathon, I
About 7:50 they had us move towards the start line which was up the road slightly from the packet pick-up/finish area. A few brief announcements, a run down of the course, and we were off! The field of runners was smaller than the previous two years, but the new course was great! Trails that I am very comfortable running on! I am starting to love these local Austin races, even if they are some fast field of runners!
It was really hard not to jump with the crowd and go out too fast. Our first mile ended up being around a 9:50! It wasn't an overly fast pace, but I knew it wasn't a pace I could maintain for 5 miles - at least not comfortably! And I don't have good experience with truly pushing myself in races. After that we settled into a more comfortable pace and were regularly running between 10:00 and 10:30. Just over the half way point, I mentioned that I don't normally talk this much while I run - especially during races! We sort of joked that we could have been a tad faster if we weren't winding ourselves by holding a conversation! The only water stop was about just before the mile 3 marker, and we stopped to drink a glass.
I went into the last two miles feeling good. Right around the mile 4 marker, I commented that my head was telling me it was time for a walk break! Race or fun run, most days I probably would have given in and walked over the bridge we were on. Running with someone else, kept me going and I am thankful for that. Even though we picked up the pace around mile 4.25, I let Alena know that if she had a push in her, she could go at any time! She said she was still feeling good, but after the last downhill she had more of a final kick than I did, and finished about 10 seconds ahead of me. I did push, but couldn't quite go that fast.
As we crossed the finish line, my Garmin read 4.93 miles and 49:51. It was a new experience for me for my timing device to be under the race distance. So often, I am over! At Mile 1 - I was right on the mark, so I don't know if was truly short or just how we ran the tangents! Either way, the official results - which can be found here - had me finishing in 49:46.2. A 7 minute PR from when I ran the Hog Jog in 2012, and my only other 5 mile race. I am more than pleased with this time! To run (an assumed) 5 miles in under 50 minutes?!!? Wow. I didn't expect that at all. Going through some of my run logs (on Nike, where I can see the splits), I think 53 is the fastest I have ever ran 5 miles! I think running with Alena helped immensely. I also think I am getting more comfortable pushing myself in shorter races. Likely a perk of the long distance training? I can have the mindset of "If I can run (insert any double digit mile), I can push myself for these miles!"
It was a great way to start a Saturday. After our late night of fireworks last night, Ava slept until 8:20. Chad got her a quick shower, and then they came down. I am sure they were hoping to see me finish, but they showed up during the awards. Truly, it is the thought that counts and this helped to make my day! Instead of wasting their attempt of getting out of the house, we headed to Perkins for breakfast.
I leave you with a picture the Y had posted on facebook, my splits, and a shot from breakfast!
 |
| not much of a close-up, but I promise it's me! The clock is about a minute off the chip timing? |
Split
|
Time
|
Distance
|
Avg Pace
|
|---|---|---|---|
Summary | 49:51.7 | 4.93 | 10:06 |
1
|
9:50.3
|
1.00
|
9:50
|
2
|
10:25.5
|
1.00
|
10:26
|
3
|
10:34.4
|
1.00
|
10:35
|
4
|
10:12.5
|
1.00
|
10:13
|
5
|
8:49.1
|
0.93
|
9:26
|
 |
| from trips to Duluth to rushed mornings and more - these two are my biggest fans! She is such a sweetheart! Two of the questions she asked me this morning were, "Mom, why didn't you let us see you run?" and, "Mom, why you not get a medal?" My bug! Don't know what I would do without her! |
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What was the highlight of your day? Do you have any recent race results, or just really good running stories, to share? Leave a comment or link!
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