At some insane moment I registered for this evening race.

• Course is “fast and flat- A PR- maker”
• Stay at the Y after the race for food & fun

I think it was only $15 when I registered. It supported the YMCA.

Then I got scheduled to work late on that day.  I brought my clothes (sort of) but thought I may have to DNS.  I had to pack up my equipment, load it in my car, change my clothes and head up the Northway during rush hour. I wasn’t sure that I would have enough time.

Luckily someone helped to clean up and I was able to leave earlier than expected.

I changed my clothes and realized that because it had been raining and cool when I left home in the morning, I didn’t bring a tank.  Mistake #1.  I also forgot a sports bra.  Not a big deal but I was wearing a strapless bra (that may fall down if I ran in it). Mistake #2. I hadn’t eaten much for lunch because they were technical issues to attend to. Mistake #3.

I could give more excuses on why I really felt like skipping the race.  But the big one was that after 10 hours on my feet, I was exhausted.

Nevertheless, I navigated myself up to the race and got there in plenty of time.

It was small race and I didn’t think I would know anyone but I did meet a nice lady and we hung and chatted (about running, of course.)

There was a guy dressed as a Camel.  It took me a while to realize that it was because it was “Hump” Day.

This small local race gave out cotton tee shirts and had a chip to tie to your shoe.  Both were fine with me.  I have enough shirts and I wasn’t planning to PR.

We lined up for the race and waited and waited.  Finally it started about 15 minutes late. The course was interesting and quite varied with a lot of turns.  We ran on the road, around an apartment complex, on a dirt path, along the road but on the sidewalk and eventually back to the Y where the race started.

It was warm and felt even warmer because at this time of day, the sun was going down and right in your face.  It was breezy and you were running into the wind for the first half. There was only one water stop and that was a little after mile 1.  No mile markers at all.  I knew where I was because my Garmin beeped.

How did I feel?

Lousy!

My legs were tired and I don’t think I have run fast since my last race a month ago. My clothing goofs made me uncomfortable. And I was thirsty and hungry.

I never looked at my pace.  I didn’t want to know but I did know that I was getting slower and slower and running out of gas.

I walked at the water stop (during mile 2) and then I walked TWICE during mile 3.

When I approached the finish line and saw that I was already over 28 minutes, I ran as fast as I could.

I guess I crossed at 28:36.  My slowest 5k time this year and maybe in years.

Not to be Debbie Downer. I actually enjoyed this race.  They had discontinued it for 5 or 6 years but plan to run it again next year.  And I’m in (if I am in town.)

As soon as I finished, I grabbed a water and headed to the BBQ.

As I was waiting for the posting of the results, I bumped into my FRW coach and fellow Skirt Sports ambassador. (She finished 3rd overall woman after recently completing the Lake Placed Ironman.)

The awards were for 10 year age groups and only to first place. I checked the results and saw that I did win.

This was an older crowd but a fast one.  In other words if you finished around 37 minutes, you came in 74 out of 75. Some runners over 60 were running 7 minute miles…

So as I always, I never regret a race (even one I’ve run poorly.)

Splits:

Mile 1: 8:43
Mile 2: 9:07
Mile 3: 9:24
.16 : 8:40

Yup, those darn positive splits!  It would be less painful if I did some intervals, tempo runs or speed drills…

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