Anyway, I am still going to stay on top of my race recaps because they are a huge part of this blog.
Just over a week ago, I decided to randomly sign up for the Nick Adenhart 5k. Originally, I wasn't going to do it. In fact, I wasn't going to do more than a couple of races this year, but nostalgia hit me with this one. I have always done really well in it and I know that this could be the last time I could (more on that this week, I promise!). So I put down my $20 because hey! It was only $20! Also, it is so close to where I live and I have run this route dozens of times. I know this course like the back of my hand. Hell, a road on the course is named after my family!
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| Britner Ave! |
This is the first race out of my 30+ that Peter couldn't make it! He has supported me more than anyone, but he had plans to go to Annapolis that day so I was on my own for this one. Fortunately, I had a TON of friends participating! So I did not feel alone at all! But with that being said, not a lot of pictures were taken!
I came into the race with a few goals in mind. I wanted to get a PR, I wanted that PR to be within 20-22 minutes, and I wanted to earn a age group award. Though I had the belief that I could accomplish all of this, I was a bit skeptical of my high expectations. I was coming off of 22 Minute Hard Corps' Hell Week, which was BRUTAL.
I was sore, grumpy, and tired all week. I also only ran a total of 2 miles that entire week so I wasn't sure if my body was capable of getting the time that I wanted. Still, I prepped that morning the best I could. I did a warm up lap (which I never do before a race) and I drank my Beachbody Performance Energize about 30 minutes before the start.
At the starting line, I was a bit ansy since I set the bar high for myself, but I was trying to hold the adrenaline for the last bit of the race.
I am guilty of starting out too fast for about any race. I wanted to keep in mind the previous 5ks I have done and how awful I would feel during that last mile due to a fast start. I wanted to maintain rather than drain myself. So when the gun went off, I started out as if I were alone. As if it were any typical Saturday morning run.
It was a little intimidating seeing a whole mess of people pass me left and right, but I knew that they were starting too fast. They were letting the excitement pulse through them like I would have and it took everything for me to just let them go.
Within about a half mile, I was already catching up with these people. They were now settling into the rhythm as I was hitting mine. I kept counting how many girls I could see in front of me because I knew where I wanted to place. Ideally, I wanted to be first in my age group, but I would have been satisfied to be in the top 3. Just under mile 2, I passed the last girl I could see. I wasn't sure where that put me, but as long as I could stay ahead, I was happy.
Once I hit mile two, that's when things began to get rough. The sun came out, the temps began to rise and the sweat began to pour. My legs felt a bit uneasy, especially as we made it through Williamsport Park. There's a section of trail that goes behind the park and towards the baseball field, which is a very steady uphill. Right before you connect with a road, this little trail takes a steep incline. Seriously, it is the shortest distance of a hill ever, but with how steep this baby was, it wore me out. Then, once you hit the road, you are greeted with your last uphill. Again, it was nothing too terrible, but I was feeling the burn. I could feel my exhaustion coming through from the Hell Week I just finished and the lack of mileage I put in.
That's when I glanced at my watch. I just hit mile 3. I was in the 21 minute zone. I needed to kill it to hit my goal. So I sprinted the last .1 to the finish line.
Ehhh...does that count for being within the 20-22 minute goal? I mean...it WAS in the 22 minute range! Oh who cares! I'll take it! It was nearly a minute PR and I hadn't run a 5K in nearly a year! Not too shabby for signing up just a few days prior!
I placed 2nd in my age group and 5th woman overall! I was proud of myself. I felt strong!
Several of the CFARians were there, as well. Most of which who also placed in their age groups.
So all in all, it was a great day for a race and I am happy that I decided to just do it! The Nick Adenhart 5K will always hold a special place in my heart. It represents so much about the small town in which I grew up in and if ever given the opportunity in the future, I would definitely run it again to support a past schoolmate.
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