WPLR ShamRock & Roll - Run5k

Started more towards the front as I figured with 1000 folks there would be lots of congestion at the start. It was different to run with so many folks and try to have some room. I felt pretty good and about 1/2 mile I see the hill my husband forgot to tell me about until this morning. It is long not steep but probably .6 of a mile. Hills are hard for me as most of last year I would run/walk and time the walking on the up hills.

Hill had a band and a DJ playing music in different sections which helped keep motivation up and still with lots of folks. A few folks were walking here and there, knew it was good for me to push on. Got almost to the top of the hill and kids were yelling out the time..9:52..I was like ahh...that slow crud..maybe today wasn't going to be so good.

Went around lollipop area and slight hill going out and again coming back. Good think I knew from then on no more hills. Felt pretty good, stayed with the thought run hard, not lots of thinking going on.

I got to mile 2 at the top of now the down hill kids said 19:15 I think and thought well I got faster. I enjoyed running down the hill and I actually passed lots of folks here. The grade was such that it felt easy to do...breathing started getting louder. Once we got to the flat again it was about .5 mile and I ran fast as I could.

I near the finish line hearing the announcer say you that are finishing now are under 29 minutes...I was thrilled then he said something that made me think I was over 29 minutes...but I misheard him. Finished...surprised well stunned 28 something...wow!

splits:
Mile 1 9:43
Mile 2 9:12
Mile 3 or 1.1 9:26 or 8:35 m/m pace
Avg HR was 160 which is about 12 lower than 2 weeks ago

2 weeks ago
mile 1 9:11
mile 2 9:19
mile 3 10:01
last .1 45

PB for an official 5K race which rocks given I'm only back running for 3 months since my time off. Top 25% in my AG and almost MOP overall. I used to be wicked slow and always at the very very bottom, it feels good to be average and sort a little kind of fast for my age group. I can only control how I train and race not who shows up so the cool thing is I did well for me.

Great lesson on focusing on the moment and now as the race I did great for me. If I had been disappointed and frustrated by my first mile split which was slow and stuck on that thought I would not have done my best. I was better at just observing and letting the thought go. This is real progress and great learning thing for me.

I was thrilled to improve 54 seconds in 2 weeks given the course was harder. I suspect being well rested helped as well.

Pretty cool I negative split the race as I used my energy better, course made it easier.

I think my lungs were happier today as I finished breathing hard and only a little wheezy. I did my inhaler about 20' before the race and again 1' before which may work better.

Walked around, caught my breath, got some water, found Kevin who was thrilled for me. He wanted me to do this race put on by his favorite radio station WPLR and start and finish at his favorite bar as a young adult.

Founds some food and water; left pretty quickly. Visited some of Kevin's favorite hometown sights, had a healthy lunch at a fried seafood place, and headed back home.


I did well for me. I do hope to get to sub 26 this year...


Fun race raising money & collecting diapers for a good cause.