New 5K PR!

I started running a bit last March. I ran the UNC ZTA Franklin 5K. It was the first time ever that I had run a 5K without walking. I ran it in 31:08. I was so proud of myself and something in me clicked that said "You CAN run".

Since then I ran a 5K pushing my daughter in the jogging stroller and have done some non timed color runs. So when I signed up for the Tuxedo Trot 5K I wanted to push myself to set a PR. I knew I would PR for my race time because I have been consistently running sub 30 minute 5Ks since I started half marathon training last year. I also knew I was getting faster at the distance from the tempo runs and progressions runs I had been doing for my Raleigh Rock N' Roll Half training with RunnerDude's Fitness. So I knew I should not have a problem getting my time under 30 minutes. Now the question was how low could I get it. I secretly wanted to finish around 25-26 minutes.

That weekend my brother and his wife were in town visiting us and they also signed up to do the 5K. My husband decided not to do the 5K so he could take pictures and watch our 2 year old daughter. He also was going to help our daughter run her first "Kids' Fun Run".

So we got up early the morning of the race. I was excited. It was nice to race a smaller distance. The weight of 3.1 miles is so different than 13.1.  There is such a different strategy as well. With a half marathon you gotta make sure you pace yourself so that you can finish the distance. Of course you have to do the same for a 5K but it is very different. The total time commitment is a whole lot less for a 5K.

I'm usually pretty nervous before a race. I was surprised to find that I did not feel nervous for this one. I just kept pretending like it was a group tempo run without the warm up and cool down miles.

Walking to the "start line"

The start of the race was a little strange. We had to walk from where the finish line was to what seemed like a random area on the course that took us about 5 minutes to walk up to. I kept wondering if the race had already started and if I should be running (this was their first year so hopefully next year it will be more clear).  Finally we all came to a stop and they announced that the race would start in X number of minutes. Once they said go everyone started running. I held off starting my Garmin because I am used to first crossing a start sensor to mark the start of the race and starts your time. After a ways I realized there was not one so I started my Garmin a little late. The race had 296 people so it was relatively small. I guess they just started the time right when they said go.

Once I got going I felt really good. I passed a number of other runners. I let myself just go faster than normal hoping I did not burn myself out. I think I still could have gone a little faster. I ran my first mile in 8:12 according to my Garmin (again I did not record 0.1 of the race). The course was a little hilly but not bad at all. I did not really like doing the loop twice because you knew exactly where the hills were and I would dread those spots. At the same time it helped me know where the down hill portions were.

I ran the second mile in 8:38. I still felt good and just hoped I could keep up my pace. The last mile I did in 8:32. I had been running near a father with his 12 year old daughter most of the race. They were really cute. He would ask her periodically if she could give anymore and she would always reply no. Then we were about a quarter mile from the finish and they just all of a sudden turned it on. They beat me by 9 seconds. I was so proud of her. I gave her a high five after the race.

Once I was on the straight away coming into the finish I picked up my pace and sprinted for the finish. My official time was 25:41!!! I came in 41st place out of 296. So I finished in the top 14-15%. I felt awesome and of course started thinking about my next 5K goal of getting under 25 minutes, hehe.

Start of Kids' Fun Run

My brother's wife ran it in 29:51 to get 75th place and my brother finished in 30:37 for 86th place. She was pretty happy to beat my brother. I was glad she did too.

Hannah running her race :)

Then we headed over for my two year old daughter's Kids' Fun Run. It was a little race for kids under 8. They got to run through the Science Center's little Zoo. She was so cute running with my husband. He said she ran really far before stopping. Once they came back into site my husband pointed me out to her and she started running really fast. It was so adorable. Her little tongue hanging out cracked me up.

I'm so happy to be setting a good example for her. More than once before bed she has asked me if we are going to go running tomorrow. I love it! Hopefully some day she will love running and we can run a half marathon together :)

A very Successful race indeed!