Brickfest 5k

Well, it wasn't a p.r. but then again I wasn't expecting one today due to the heat and my allergies giving me fits. I did manage to make my goal of under 25 minutes--24:41 according to the Garmin, 24:44 according to the race results.

Did my warmup run of 1.29 miles with Elsie and was dripping wet before a .25 mile was done, ewww. Ended up killing the bottle of water I'd brought with me before the race even started and was looking for more to no avail. Not the way you want to start any race much less a 5k where every single second counts.

First time for me to run this 5k but I do run in the Malvern area at least once a month so knew it was going to have some small rolling hills. Nothing major, just enough to make it challenging, especially in the heat :-). Lined up near the front with some Cabot friends and it was soooo hard trying to breath with the humidity and being surrounded by other equally sweaty runners.

Took off way too fast--knew it when I was running but you just have those times when you're so hyped up and take off like a jackrabbit. You just know you're going to pay for it in 1.5 miles but still can't slow down. 1st mile was done in 7:20, ouch, fast for me on a 5k in cool weather much less a hot, steamy, sunny, hot day. Yeah, I know I wrote hot twice.........

2nd mile was almost a full minute slower-8:12 per garmin. I was one of those people that I hate to run near by this point because my breathing was out of control, very loud and close to being gasping, ewww. Started having a handful of women pass me on this mile, grrr. Legs were starting to feel heavy from fatigue. It was a fairly hard week of driving and I probably shouldn't have done the tempo run Thursday afternoon.

Mile 3 was over a minute slower than the first, 8:32. Heavy-ass legs and I was starting to swear somebody had tied bricks to my feet. It was all I could do to keep pushing and not take a walk break.

I did try and grab a water at the first water stop to throw down my back but just at the moment I started to reach for a cup the woman holding the tray turned away. Ended up with orange gatorade instead so no cooling down with that, yuck! Several people afterwards said they'd had the same problem with the volunteers not quite knowing how to do the drink cups. Can't have a good race without volunteers so I'm not going to complain too much.

All in all, I'm pleased with my race. It's the first 5k of the year for me with summer temps and I'm ecstatic that I met my goal of under 25 minutes. Would've preferred negative splits but hey I'll take this. It wasn't a race that I felt good doing but then again I've been told that you're NOT supposed to feel good running a 5k, LOL.

I started back to using the treadmill for my speed workouts 2 weeks ago (might as well get some use out of the gym membership). When I set my 5k personal record in 2008 at Batesville I was using the treadmill a fair bit during that training cycle and I think that made a huge difference. All my other runs will still be on the road but I think I need the treadmill to get my running cadence back up since I'm not able to make the Cabot group speed training workouts during the week.

The aftermath--horrible picture of me but that's what happens when somebody points a camera at me and then wants me to smile after a hellacious race, LOL!






















Final results:
18/160 females
100/330 overall
Took home 1st place female age 40-44. Actually 2nd in age group but the woman ahead of me placed in the masters division. I missed placing in the female master's division by 12 seconds!