5K reality check

I received a huge reality check when I ran the "run your cookies off" 5K in Edmond on Saturday.  It was an extremely small race in Mitch park, which is probably 5 minutes from my house.  I have never ran in Mitch park before, but will definitely be adding it to my running routine.

The race started at 7:30 and the weather was perfect (a stark contrast to last week's 10K).  I started off running fast, but it felt good.  I was extremely naive to think that I could keep that pace for the entire 3 miles, especially since the last 2/3 of the race was nothing but hills.  Why is it always in the middle of races that I discover there are, in fact, hills in Oklahoma.  I really should incorporate more hills into my training.

Anyway, I started running at what felt like a comfortably fast pace and quickly discovered that I was the second place female, with the first place female not too far ahead.   This was extremely intimating but I knew that I wasn't running that fast, so there must not be any superstars running their cookies off this morning.   I was able to maintain that pace and actually ran next to another female, with her and I alternating second and third place, for a mile or so.  It was awesome.  For the first time in an extremely long time (as in since High School), I actually felt like I was competing.  Not just trying to race better than my previous times, but racing to win.  It felt amazing and reconfirmed what I thought I knew about my running all along.  I love the 5K and I love to race.  

Long story short - things went downhill in the last mile of the race.  I am not sure if it was the hills, my lack of training, or mental fatigue, probably all three, but things went south fast.  I ended up finishing 9th overall for females.  Just so you know that I wasn't completely insane for hanging out with the top three runners for a while, my top time in a 5K in the year prior to pregnancy would have placed me in 4th place overall and 1st in females.  I say this not to brag, but to confirm that I have found my place in running.  What works for me, and what I love, is finding 5Ks that may be small by others standards, but that allow me to push myself to the max and actually compete.  So, while this race may not have turned out as I would have hoped, I am extremely happy to have experienced that feeling again.  Ahhh, the thrill of the race.

Now for a few post race photos:

I did get a metal for 3rd place in my age group, Woop Woop.

Race Stats:

Date: March 31, 2012

Time: 7:30 a.m.

Weather: Perfect, early spring run

Course: Hills, Hills and More hills. The course consisted of mainly small sharp inclines.

Overall: Fun, small race.  I learned a serious lesson during this race.  Know the course before you start!