This past Sunday I ran the Inagurual Cinco K 5k race held in Quail Ridge Park.

This is my recap.

I actually went to bed fairly late for me, the night before. It was almost 11 p.m., but since the race started later in the day at 9 a.m., I wasn’t too worried about it. Also, it’s only 12 or so miles up the road from my house, in a park, so parking wasn’t an issue.

I didn’t eat before this race and I really need to remember to do that, because I’ve found that if I don’t eat before a race, I tend to have a headache the rest of the day, no matter how soon afterwords I get something to eat. So that is definitely something that I need to focus and work on.

I wore my newest shoes, the Brooks Adrenalene 13’s, my Nike pants, a lululemon tank top, and then a lululemon Swiftly long-sleeve over that. It was a little chilly at the start, but I warmed up quickly once we started running.

It was a super-small race, only 68 people and I remember thinking that I was probably going to come in last place. Since I’m trying to not discourage myself, and actually be a little nicer to myself, I changed my tune to, at least I’m out here and actually doing something versus sitting on the couch.

We lined up, and took off and it quickly thinned out. I’ve run a few 5k’s in the park before, so I know the course we generally take. The park course is actually a little challenging, because you run downhill for a bit, then circle around and start running uphill for what feels like forever. I’m pretty certain the whole park was contructed into the side of a hill. I started running and immediately thought that I was going out way too fast. So I choose to slow it down and found a couple pushing a jogging stroller to pace my first mile off of. I was running quite a bit faster than I usually do, at a 14:30 pace, so I was a little worried that I was pushing too hard. But I was actually feeling pretty good at that point, so I held on and kept telling myself to stick with them. Just after the first mile they passed me by and there went my pacers. I clocked the first mile in 14:35.

Mile two is always my worst mile of every race. I don’t know what it is, but that is when I start to struggle. Mile two of this race started with a fairly decent climb and just kept going up with only a few declines or flat spots. I remember walking twice during this mile and thinking that I was going to possibly die. It was also my slowest mile of the race, coming in at 16:34.

Then of course like magic, everything got better once I started in on the third mile. I was able to run nearly all of it. And I picked up my pace as well. There were three ladies in front of me who I was trying to catch, but every time I got close it felt like they picked up the pace and scooted away from me. I actually passed them when they paused to take a picture at the 3rd mile marker and then used nearly everything I had left to stay a head of them and finish the race. I completed mile three with a nice time of 15:32 (nice for me!).

I literally thought I was going to die when I realized I was going to break 50 minutes on this 5k. The last time I broke 50 was 2 years ago. I was running so hard to the finish line, saying “holy crap, holy crap, oh sh!t, holy crap”. I managed the last bit at a 11:41 pace.

Overall time 47:39! 52 seconds slower than my 5k PR. I was (and am) very proud of myself for pushing so hard and realizing that I have a lot more in me than I thought I had. Now I don’t have any excuses for not pushing harder during training, and I know that I’ve been playing it “safe” when it comes to running. I’m very excited to share this little recap with you guys, and I hope I have more positive news for you in the future! Thank you all so much for taking the time to read my little blog, and for not running off when I whine and moan and fail to hold up to the promises and goals I make for myself.

Final Results

• Gun/Chip Time- 47:45
• Garmin Time- 47:39
• Pace- 15:27/mile
• Overall Place- 65/68
• Gender Place- 47/50
• Age Place (20-29)- 10/10