I had a choice of 2 races last Saturday, a grand prix 5k (Brickfest at Malvern) or a 5k/cycle tour combo at Morrilton. Since my niece's birthday party was later that afternoon in Russellville and I needed to get time in the saddle, I opted for the Pig Out festivities at Morrilton. This was my first year doing this and I was unfamiliar with the 5k course and didn't bother looking or asking anybody about it.......I thought since it was a smaller race that it wouldn't be that difficult of a course......yeah, that bit me in the ass, lol. It was also the first time for me to wear my Brooks Running ID race kit, not very comfortable with the top at all. The shorts I love, but the singlet......gives you absolutely no breathing room. It's not made for those of us who are carrying a bit of weight around the middle.
Don't laugh too much, I was laughing because of trying too suck in the gut so that I didn't have too much fat rolling occuring, lol. And of course I think James waited 'til I was making the weirdest face ever before snapping the picture.
Several of my Cabot friends were also participating in the Pigout race/tour so it was nice getting to catch up with a couple of them I hadn't seen in quite a while. Russ even told me that I looked fast in the Brooks uniform!!! What a nice compliment, if only it were true :-).
The 5k itself......I would describe this as a challenging course. Rolling hills, with a couple of significant ascents, one as I mentioned before right before the finish line. If I could only figure out how to save the graph from the Garmin Training Center I would post a pic of the course. Took off fast, first mile was 7:25 which actually felt comfortable but yeah, not good for what awaited me. around mile 1.5 I caught up to a teenage girl that didn't want me to pass but I could tell from her breathing that she wasn't gonna be able to sustain what was now a slower pace for me (started hitting the uphills) so we just ran side by side for 1/3 of a mile before she ended up having to back way off. I slowed to a 7:47 pace on mile 2 and was passed by a woman who ended up winning, she obviously was more familiar with the course than I was, LOL!!! I'm starting to struggle, we turn a corner and there's a huge-ass hill staring at me. That's such a mean thing to do in a 5k that close to the end!! Ended up passing a handful of guys on this section but couldn't enjoy it, I was struggling to keep moving forward without having to walk. Mile 3 was a slowwww 8:20, didn't think that stupid ascent was ever gonna end :-(. It was awesome to crest the hill and see the finish line in sight though, had a little bit of kick left and did the last .13 at a 6:38 pace.
Garmin time was 24:25 but I didn't shut it off right away, gun time on results was 24:24, still a minute slower than last year's pr. James came up to me while I was in line waiting to get my card (17th overall male & female) and said that I was 3rd place female, I was ecstatic! While I've placed 3rd in a duathlon, that's the highest I've finished in a 5k :-)). So this is where my grumble comes in.......at the awards ceremony when they were announcing the female overall winners, another woman was called out as the 3rd place finisher and I was given the 1st place master's.......grrrr. Evidently they didn't understand that the first 3 are not given the awards based on age. Results are here so y'all can see I'm not making this up, lol. Might seem petty and childish to some but who knows if I'll ever place this high again :-))).
1 comment:
well at least you know you placed!! You could always make your own medal-I've thought about doing that!!
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