It's 6AM and my alarm just went off. This time Abby and the kids were coming, so we had to move quickly to start getting the family ready. I was worried about the cooler temps and how to dress, but ended up wearing shorts and short sleeves and I was fine. At least during the run, it was a tad chilly after the run, but it was def the correct attire choice.
After I woke up, I ate breakfast - yogurt, lots of water, banana, and toast with peanut butter. Yep, it's race day. Then I got ready and proceeded to get the kiddos ready with Abby. We were out the door about 7:50 and the race started at 8:30 about 20 minutes away. If you know me well, 15 minutes before anything is on time to me. So I was a bit stressed. However, I was even more stressed about my first road race. Things were racing through my head like should I have started with a 5K first? Can I make the distance? How will I finish? I was a ball of nerves, not pretty!
This race was in the Coldstream Park and surrounding area. It was a beautiful KY morning and the course was scenic. There was a Fun Run that started at 8AM and then the 5K and 10K started at 8:30AM. Here is a picture of the scenery behind the finish line:
Before I get to the race, here are some pictures of the kiddos:
Abby had them in the double stroller. Baby A ate some breakfast and watched the 5K runners and early 10K runners come in while waiting for me to finish and C pretty much slept the whole time. Usually I am the one watching as a spectator and Abby is the runner. It was strange having the roles reversed. I look forward to running events together in the near future. Alas, I digress, back to the race...
There weren't a whole lot of people running so it was a great first road race for me. I was impressed that the race coordinators were on time too. According to my watch, we even started at 8:29AM, so they were on time versus being behind like the two mud/obstacle races I have run. The major downfall I saw was that it wasn't chip timed, but the times and flow seemed to work well and for a smaller race, it probably made financial sense not to have chip timing.
At 8:25, we all lined up and were off shortly after. The 5K and 10K shared the start time, start line, and finish line. After the first mile and a half, the 5K runners split off course to go a different route and the 10K runners continued on a longer path. I found an old co-worker at the start line and he gave me some words of encouragement. That helped settle down my nerves a bit.
The course was marked well and there were a lot of volunteers guiding and cheering us on. Once we got started, I took off. Took off very fast. Probably too fast. lol. I think it was a mix of adrenaline and trying to keep up with others. After the first mile, I heard my watch beep and looked down. Wow, a 6:49 mile. I knew I had to change pace right then as I usually shoot for a 8:00 mile pace. At least that is what I go for when training/working out.
I won't break down the whole race, don't worry. After the split off from the 5K runners, we ended on a wide road with some traffic. At the halfway point, we did a U turn and headed back from which we came. My legs were burning around that point and I was worried. I pushed through and kept on. I also got a cramp in my ribs after the fourth mile so I adjusted my gait and breathing and it went away after about a quarter of a mile. Other than that, no issues.
It was a beautiful morning for a run and it was fun to be in competition. Before I get to my results, here is a picture Abby took of me as I approached the finish line:
The best moment was when I made the final turn and saw my family near the finish line cheering me on. Baby A was in the grass walking around and I saw Abby point me out. Her eyes lit up and it melted my heart right then and there. I almost thought she was going to run on the course to me, but she didn't thankfully. A moment I will cherish for years to come!
After I crossed the finish line, I turned in my bib tear off, grabbed a drink, and went to find my family. Here are a couple of pictures after the finish:
So, how did I do? I think I did pretty good! Here they are:
I finished 10th overall (out of 94) and 1st in my age group/sex (out of 12)! Again, not a huge race, but a good one for my first experience. I was more than pleased with my results. I've only been running since March of this year and have never been able to obtain that pace during training. I think the course may have been 0.10 miles shorter than 6.20 miles, but pretty close.
Here is the sponsor's website where you can find out more about the CASA organization and what they do. You can also see the results there too. http://www.casa10k.com/index.html
One last picture from after the race with my medal:
OK, that's it for this post. What's next you ask? This coming Saturday I am in the Refuge for Women 5K hosted at our church. Abby is going to walk/jog/run this too. I am excited and proud of her for challenging herself with this so soon after having baby C.
Until next time blogosphere...
2 comments:
You rock J!! The 10k John just ran was set up the same way (5k all at the same time). Races always start crazy early here bc of the heat. We always shoot for getting there an hr early. John and I are like you and like to be early everywhere. What kind of warmup did you do?
Jen, I just do a few stretches and a moderate job, maybe a quarter of a mile about 10 minutes before the race starts to get my heart rate up and legs loose.
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