5k Tune Up Race Recap

Shamrock Run

Distance: 

3.16 (according to my Garmin so a longer 5k)

Purpose: 

 Tune-up race

Training for: Marathon

I also thought this would be a good time to participate in Jeff's virtual 5k.  

Goal:  To get a good workout, have fun, and push myself without all those old feelings of fear and nerves to slow me down and causing me to doubt myself. And to not let my "off" week get in the way of racing a good race.

Weather:  Cold, Damp, Rainy, Wet, Wet, Wet!  My shoes and socks were sopping wet the entire race.  Along with my clothes.  

Travel/food: 

By Max Train!  Soooo many people ran this race.  The train was full of other runners.  We stopped at Starbucks and got an egg sandwich, banana and coffee (vanilla latte with half the vanilla for me).  I also had some of the energy/protein drink from Jill right before the race.  I was like a giddy little kid!  So excited.  I slept great and wasn't nervous AT. ALL!  This was great!  :)  

Course: Here is a picture of the course elevation.  It was pretty hilly.  Especially mile 2.  There was a good amount of downhills too but .75 to 2ish felt like quite the incline...not sure how it would relate to the incline on a treadmill.  Definitely not the easiest 5k I've run but not the most challenging either.  

Splits:  

Mile 1:  6:25.86

Mile 2:  7:04.38 (this is where we should have pushed it waaaay harder up those hills)

Mile 3:  6:20.97

last .16: :55.76

Overall time (unofficial.  on my Garmin.) :  20:46/  6:35 average  14th out of 6,000 plus.  

Official time:  20:48; 3rd in my age group

Reflections:  

This was just the race I needed to shed the rest of my old college/high school baggage.  I don't have any regrets.  I used this as a good workout and I pushed myself enough to where I was able to end the race knowing that I can do better next time.  I had FUN and it felt great to feel strong.  

Goals for next 5k:  To leave it all out on the race.  I ran this race comfortable but working it and didn't push myself to pain. I would want to push myself to that pain level more next time.  At the end of the race I felt like I could still run 10 miles at base pace and be fine.  For a 5k race where I know I gave it all I had, I would not have this much energy left and I would have felt some pain and not stayed comfortable for the entire race.  However, the fact that I was comfortably pushing myself at this pace tells me that I'm where I want to be as far as marathon training right now!  Which is what this race was all about.  

One of the best parts!  A beer and music with my best friend (and no kids)!  

Thank you so much for your love and support in my last post!  Your comments were just what I needed to read!  Seriously, when I woke up this morning to a full inbox, your comments were just what I needed to start off on the right foot.  As Ana Maria suggested, I didn't think too much!  

Amanda