On Sunday I ran in the Run to Remember 5k held by Charm City Run and sponsored by the Mercy Foot and Ankle Institute. This was my third time participating in this race, and it’s always a great one.
The race didn’t start until 8:46 which is much later than I usually go out running. I woke up around 5:50 and had some coffee. At 6:30 I ate a banana but knew I would need something more to hold me over until the end of the race. I foam rolled and did a warm up, and then ate a Honey Stinger Waffle at 7:30. I continued my warm up and headed out to do a warm-up jog a little after 8am.
I ran 2 easy miles and then made my way over to the start. After waiting in line to use the bathroom it was 8:40 so I went over to line up. The race didn’t end up starting until close to 9am, so I felt like I was standing around quite a bit and was no longer as warmed up as I had been. The weather was great- high 50s and sunny but not hot. This was a nice change from last year when it was about 80 degrees and humid.
Once I started running I was able to get into a comfortable pace around 6:50 based on my Garmin. I mean, it wasn’t truly “comfortable” but you know what I mean:) Rob wasn’t racing (he did a different 5k the day before) so he was able to take my picture in a couple different spots.
Nice hair, huh?
Mile 2 is always really tough because we go up a steep hill. I have actually been doing my hill repeats on that hill so I think that helped to get me through it. There are a few more hills with less downhills because the race ends at a higher elevation than it starts. I know this about the race yet I complain about it every time.
Apparently I like to run with my eyes closed
I was able to hold my pace based on my Garmin but my watch was not matching up with the mile markers. By the time I finished my watch read 3.19 miles. It flashed to say that I had a new 5k PR of 21:04- but that was based on my watch, not the actual course. The time I read on my watch was 21:40 and my PR is 21:38. I knew I couldn’t have been off by 3 seconds so I knew right away that I didn’t PR.
I grabbed some snacks and updated Rob about how it went. I talked to Sarah for a few minutes and then waited to get my award.
Official Results:
21:39 (6:59/mile)
1st female 30-39
5th female overall
30th overall
While I was a little disappointed at first I had to put things in perspective. I ran this race after running 38 miles in the past 6 days which included mile repeats, a tempo run, and a 16 mile run. I ran well over a minute better than last year. It seems that the course is measured slightly long- and to be fair, I’m pretty sure the course where I set my PR was measured a little short.There is also a net elevation gain, so there isn’t as much of a benefit from the downhills to make up for the effort of the uphills. Also, my splits looked pretty even and consistent. And physically I felt good and strong.
So all things considered, I think it was a pretty marvelous race!
What is the closest you have ever come to setting a new PR but not quite making it?
Anyone else race this weekend? How did it go?!
Awesome race and you should be proud! Great job! And you’re right – really not bad at all after a mileage heavy week …
… and I was going to ask about the closed eyes as well until I saw your caption. Funny how race pics work out, isn’t it!?!
Haha I know and since Rob took the pictures I had someone to blame:)
I think my problem with 5ks will always be that I will never be just training for a 5k…I’ll always have some other longer goal in mind and the 5k will just be for fun or training purposes. It may be fun at some point to see how I do without a heavy week of running!
Awesome job! It always stinks when a course doesn’t quite measure the right distance, but you surely killed it!
At first 5k I did since running again in May I missed my pr by 1 second. It was such a tease! I don’t even know how I ran that fast because I haven’t been that speedy since. But I definitely have more reason to chase it down now.
I’m glad I’m not the only one to miss my PR by 1 second! People I have told asked if I was looking at my watch and could have gone 1 second faster. But honestly at the end I think I was going as fast as I could! Besides, my watch was only screwing with my head since the distance was off. We will both get it next time!
Looks real good to me! Sometimes I don’t even realize the tired effect my miles from the days before may be having on my legs.
Exactly! Even though I felt good, I’m sure my legs weren’t as fresh as they could have been.
Hot damn girl, still a great race! And that is a pretty sweet award!!
Thanks! And yes its a fun award:)
So impressed! Congrats!!
Thank you!
Well done!
Thanks!
Amazing race! I haven’t done a 5k in almost 2 years and I don’t have any lined up. I literally have no clue what I’d run one in! Your time was really good, and I would basically consider that matching your PR, one second is nothing 🙂
I’m kind of thinking the same thing:) But hopefully next time I will break the time officially!
Congrats! Awesome job.
Thank you!
That’s a great time, well done! 5k’s are probably my least favourite distance, I feel like I only warm up after mile 3 and sprinting for pretty much three miles is so tough!
They are really tough, but I like that you don’t really have to “train” for them or taper or recovery, you can kind of just throw them in at any point in training and just see what happens:)
I still think you killed it! I want to do it next year now that I know the course- I probably wouldn’t have gone out so hard had I known there were pretty good sized hills towards the end! Even though you may not have “officially” PRed, you technically did since the course was measured to be longer than 3.1 anyways. So I say you still count it 🙂
It’s a fun race but I think I’ll need to remind myself not to expect any miracles on an uphill course that’s measured long:) It was definitely a PR on that course so its helpful to know that the website said it was a little long. I’m sure now that you know the course you will kill your time next year!
Wow, that is nothing to be disappointed in my friend! Great job!! The weather was great for running. I am in awe of how speedy you are! Someday I’ll get there!
Thank you! Honestly 3 years ago I ran this race hoping to run 8 minute miles. So looking back its amazing how far training can take you!
GREAT job–Impressive too, coming off a big workout week!
Thanks!!
Great job on your 5k. Awesome time! Your award is so cool.
Thanks Lacey! And yes its a nice little plaque:)
Those are really good splits! Congratulations on a great race after a really solid week of training at that!
Thank you! I neededed to keep in mind that I am in the middle of marathon training. I decided to think of the race as a workout and I can’t complain about how I did thinking of it that way!
Great job! 1st in your AG! 🙂
Thanks! It’s always exciting to get an award, I think:)
Nice run! Dang you’re speedy! I don’t like 5Ks only because I’m not a fast runner…I just like to run the same speed the whole time, whether it be a 5K, a 10K or a half marathon. I guess you could say I just don’t have that great of running discipline haha
Haha I used to actually be the same way! Once I started doing speed and tempo workouts I learned that it can be fun to change up the pace. 5ks are still HARD though!
I know it wasn’t a PR, but I think those splits are AMAZINGGGGG! Marathon training really takes a toll, so just imagine how unstoppable you would have been on a regular day! I only run in 6:00s in my dreams!! 🙂
Oh well thank you! You are making so much progress in your running I think you will be there sooner than you think:) I ran this race 3 years ago and my goal was to run 8 minute miles (I think I did just slightly under that). So the training really does work!
So impressive!! Congrats on the age group award!
Definitely no reason to be disappointed with this race especially given that you ran 38 miles in the days leading up. Race season is just beginning. There is plenty of time left to PR! 🙂
Thanks! Its all about keeping things in perspective. If I had run 2 seconds faster, would it really be that different? (Not at all.)
Your eyes may be closed, but at least you’re smiling 😉
Congrats on the AG win – and even if it wasn’t a PR, a minute faster than last year is pretty great! The idea of a net uphill course terrifies me…
Haha that’s true! I must have known that there was a picture being taken:)
While it was a fun race, I always question how it can end on the top of a hill. That just seems mean:)
Congrats on the race! Even though it wasn’t a PR, that’s still pretty darn awesome. When I raced my last half marathon, I managed to run a PR but wanted to break 1:40 and just missed it by under 2 minutes.
Thanks! I think its great that you PRed your race even if you didn’t hit your goal time. I usually like to have a few goals so that I don’t end up totally disappointed:)
Congratulations my friend!! I think you did awesome! Especially after running 38 other miles!!!:):) mad congrats on first in your age group, YAY!!!!!
And…Rob took GREAT pictures of you!!!!!
Thank you! He did a good job taking my picture I just did a terrible job keeping my eyes open:)
I just saw that I wrote “mad congrats” ….I have never said that in my life!!! I must have been nearly asleep while writing it!!! LOL!!!!!
Haha and I didn’t even think it was weird at all. Sometimes I hope that I don’t write anything weird when I am tired and responding to comments:)
Damn!!! Amazing pace, and killer award!! Excellent job!!! 🙂
Thank you!
Awesome job! On a day with less humidity you will crush your pr!
Thanks!