5 km Personal Record - SHATTERED!

Yesterday I ran my first 5 km race of 2013, The Cardiac Care 5 KM Run/Walk. I was really apprehensive of this run due to the weather that was in the forecast. On Friday, the weather was very windy, cold and some rain. I have never ran in the rain for a race, nor do I have rain gear per say to run with. My girls were so excited for my race that I truly hoped the rain would subside.

When I woke up Saturday it was a little grey out, windy and cool. No rain I can handle this! 9 am hits and so does the sun! It is going to be a great day!

All ready for the race! My girls are so proud of me! As is my husband, but he hasn't quite put me on Super hero pedestal like my kids.. ( He really should)

The race was at our beautiful park here in the city that surrounds our Provincial Legislature.

 

 

10 am we started out racing! I have now started to join the front of the pack, I want my time to start as soon as they say GO! I don't want to add on any extras for anything! I noticed a group of runners who definitely hadn't trained for a 5 km, may have never ran it before. It definitely is interesting to see a group who runs as hard as they can, then has to stop and sit. I know running seems simple, but there is a lot of conditioning and training that goes into it. Even if it is only 5 KM. I had a couple of ladies that would sprint past me, and then I would have to off trail run around them once they dropped their pace to a saunter. This as a consistent runner can be really frustrating. You want to continue your consistency and not have to exert any extra energy running different paths to get around those who aren't there for a " race" per say. I know that is a negative comment and we are all out there for fitness, I just find this so frustrating! The runners there to race were respectful, kept to the right and passed on the left. There are some rules to such a sport... There's my rant!

 

The weather became quite hot, and there wasn't a breathe of wind! Thankfully, between 3.5 and 4.5 kms there was some shade. This is where I slowed down and reserved my energy for the last leg of the race. I was pretty impressed when I hit 3 kms at 27 minutes. I knew if I really ran hard I could get my 5 km under my last PR. I almost could have had it under 40 minutes.

 

The last moments of the race, there wasn't a breathe of wind and the sun was SO hot! I actually felt like I couldn't breathe at places. I was so close to the finish line so I started to pick up my pace.

 



 There is something surreal and emotional seeing your family waiting for you by the finish line! This is what gives me that extra get your ass moving! My girls jumped on to the street and ran their butts off with me!

 

 

And I finished strong! With my children and a 41:24 min time!

 

 

 

This is a 3 minute change in pace! I finished strong, not sore and barely walked a moment! Just a few steps here and there! ( more so up a small hill and for water stations)