Beat the Heat 5k

Remember that whole, "I don't want to focus on running a 28-flat 5k" business?

Yeah. Today I ran a 27:40. BOOM.

Gorgeous morning for a run!

I went into this race aiming for around 30 minutes. I've been running almost exclusively on the treadmill in the AC this summer, and haven't really been sure about what my "real time" pace would be. On top of that, today's race began at 7:30. It was already in the mid-70s, sunny, and humid.

Pre-race!

The only reason I even ran the race today was because Steph was in town. She wanted to run a 5k, and we were lucky enough to find one!

We got to the venue with enough time to use the bathroom the necessary four times and pick up our bibs. No time to warm up. That was alright; the sun was warming my muscles enough.

Pre-race!

This was a race without a mat at the starting line, so we lined up right at the front to make sure the times were as accurate as possible. The run took us through a beautiful and quiet neighborhood. Some of the streets were shaded by houses and trees, but as we wound through the course there was plenty of sun and not enough of a breeze.

I knew I had started too fast in the beginning; I didn't feel tired necessarily, but I knew I might have trouble keeping up my 8:30 pace. I mean, I'm usually struggling for a 9:20 pace in a 5k! But by the time I got to the halfway point and was still holding in the 8:40s, I knew I had already PR'd.

I purposely bypassed water (I hydrated really well the night before) and cut back a little at 2.5 miles to conserve a little energy. As I rounded the corner at mile 3, a couple ladies passed me, and I was going to just let them go...But then the clock made an appearance. Seeing 27:25 on the clock stoked the flames, and I sprinted the end, beating out the two women and finishing in 27:40 flat; I broke my PR by 59 seconds.

I felt so strong and unstoppable at the end!

Best moment of the race? My sister said she teared up as I crossed the finish line because I was so fast and looked so strong, and she knows how hard I've been working.

This was my first run in my new shoes. I like how they feel a lot, but I'm not sure about the color. It may take some getting used to. Luckily, I get 30 days of wear before the return policy expires. I plan to take them out for my first long run of training tomorrow to see how they feel at a slow-steady-and-long pace.

Rocking our bling!

Matt came in 4th in his AG and PR'd by 50 seconds, coming in at 24:58. Steph placed 4th overall for women and 1st in her AG (she was the only one in her category, but her 22:43 time is nothing to sneeze at).

And for the first time ever I placed! I came in 3rd in my AG! Woop!

This never happens! I have to keep finding small races!

I wore the bracelet flipped today, and I think it really helped me mentally.

This was such a great race. It really made me realize that the running streak, the marathon plan, and my personal dedication is finally paying off. I was trying today but I never expected to see such progress so quickly!

My legs felt strong the entire time; the hardest part was breathing through the humidity. But I committed to embracing the discomfort and just ran through it. Mentally tough, baby.

Final stats: 18/47 women, 60/114 over all. Not terrible!

Three PR's today...can't beat that!

Needless to say, I'm walking on air. I feel like things are just falling into place.

Tell me about your latest PR!
ABK