Or, the PR that was. And wasn't.
Yesterday was the Mother's Day 5K and I'd been looking forward to it for a while. It's a small race for women, just a month before my goal race (Freihofer's Run for Women) so I was hoping the race would be a confidence builder for that.
I got to the race and met up with some friends:
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| Bridget, Darlene, me, Amanda and Tami |
We caught up, chatted, and then it was time to head to the starting line.
I knew that the course was a good one, flat roads that wind through a residential neighborhood so I wanted run a good race but I didn't want to get swept up with the front-runners and start too fast.
I got swept up.
Once the race started, I just went and when I checked my Garmin a quarter mile into the race, I was running just under 7 min miles. I cannot keep up that pace, so I pulled back and told myself to try to run steady 7:30 miles and see what happens.
After we passed the one mile mark (which, according to my Garmin was .85) I could tell I was running well. There were a handful of people ahead of me but not too many and I quickly closed in on a group of three runners and passed them. I ran by myself for a while, with another group of three runners a little bit ahead of me. By 1.25 miles in to the race, one of the women in that group fell off and I passed her.
I started to close in on the group of two and I figured that I would get close and then just try to hang with them for the rest of the race. You see, I recognized one of the runners in the pair: A local runner who is always faster than me in races. So, I thought I needed to be behind her.
But then I caught up to the pair and before I knew it, I was passing them. And putting distance between us. What a weird feeling!
I was running alone again and could see another lone runner quite a bit ahead of me so there was no way I could catch her but I wanted to keep her in my sights.
As I ran along, I kept telling myself that I was having a great race but that I needed to hold back. I wanted to finish strong. Yes, I felt great and yes I felt like I wanted to really push it but I also didn't want to implode and have the pair of runners I had passed, pass me back. That would be embarrassing.
At 2.75, according to my Garmin, I looked down and saw my time and felt like I was going to easily meet my A goal and I told myself to get ready to start picking it up. But then I saw the finish line and was confused. Completely confused.
I picked up the pace and ran on. Here I am right around then:
When I crossed the finish line, my Garmin said 2.95 miles, 21:36 (7:19 pace).
Um, wasn't this a 5K?
Yeah, apparently not so much. After a good bit of excitement over a monster-sized PR, a conversation with the race director who assured Bridget and me that the race was, in fact, measured correctly, we learned that the course was short.
No, duh. I've never come close to running a 21:36 for a 5K in my life.
OK, so it was a 3-miler. That would make my 21:36 a 7:12 pace, which is awesome! And would put me on track for a 22:19 5K, if I had continued at the same pace. Great!
Only, today, the road runners club posted that they "think" the course was about 2.9 miles, meaning my 21:36 was more like a 7:26 pace.
I am going with my Garmin: 2.95 miles, 21:36 total time, 7:19 pace.
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| Bridget and me after the race |
Whatever. So, I almost got a PR, but didn't. BUT! I did run the best race pace that I have run post-babies. Even if the course was only 2.9, the 7:26 pace rocks for me because I know I would have pushed harder if I had known the finish line was so close.
All in all, I'm happy with my performance but disappointed that the course was short.
HOWEVER, I am happiest with my placement in the race:
Not only that, I placed 5th overall!
Here's the official stats:
21:36
Age group: 1st out of 33
Overall place: 5th out of 120
I know! It's a small race but, still. Fifth place! I couldn't be happier! OK, if I won the race, I would be happier but, you know, 5th rocks.
With that, thanks for stopping by and making your way through this long race report. Happy Monday, everyone. Have a great week!
~ Felice
16 comments:
Congratulations on a STRONG race, whatever the distance was! (so frustrating)
And well done on the age-group award & 5th overall!!!
Nice Job Felice! These post baby races are so important to getting our "running mama mojo" thriving! Nice job on the award...sounds like a great way to spend Mother's Day!
You did so well! Congrats! I feel the same way. I know I ran well but I want the 5k PR that I know I would have had!!!
Great job!!
Congrats! Small race or not you did awesome!!
KICK ASS JOB!
The course being short has ZERO to do with your placement, either. You earned that 100%, which is AWESOME!
AWESOME! Congrats on a great race! Who cares if it was only 3miles - you still totally rocked it! I know you are going to get your PR when you run a 5k next. 5th place overall, and 1st in your AG - you rock!!
Kinda sucks that you were mislead, but you did awesome, regardless!
Congrats on a great race and an almost PR. What a great way to spend Mother's Day! And awesome about the age division win!!!
That is so awesome! And I'm confident that even if it was a full 3.1 you still would have been first. Nice job, Congratulations!!
Short course or not you ran a great race! Congrats on the ag win and fantastic overall place! Youre in great shape already mama!
Congrats on the almost PR and coming in 5th! that is great! that does stink that the course was so short but you know you have the speed so I am sure you will get your official PR in your next race!
Ummmm...... 5th place MORE THAN ROCKS!!!! Congratulations! And first in your age group, no matter how small the race is, is FAN-friggin'-TASTIC!!!!
Sorry the course was short, but that doesn't lessen the victory! Count it!
AWESOME JOB :) I get discouraged when it falls short (or long sometimes) as well!
that's totally awesome that you ran that fast. I would have been pretty annoyed that it wasn't the correct distance. Don't they check those things before hand??
wow that is awesome! congrats!
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