Run for Recovery 5K Race Recap

Preface this with: Saturday I ran 7.5 miles with Woodlands Fit.  3 by myself ahead of time, then 4+ with the group.  It went really well.  I don't know why, but I was nervous for it - for some reason, going over 10K is a big deal in my head.  I 9/1'd the first 3, but once I was with the group I found my buddy from last time and chose not to walk so I could talk to her.  She really kept me going!  The rest of the day we worked at AD's house, and Sunday when I woke up I was shocked that I wasn't sore!

On the way to the race.

We headed downtown and easily grabbed parking and my packet.  Then we just had to wait around until the race start.  P and I tool turns wandering around with Z, and it was nice because there were little statues with bases that I could sit on while we waited.

Z on her own racecourse.

Finally it was time for the start.  I seeded myself near the front because it looked like there were going to be a lot of walkers (they had an "untimed" category).  That turned out to be the right move as I dodged little, passed some, but was passed very little.  I've run this route before (I think Dad's Day 5K?), but of course had forgotten about the beasty little hill right off the bat.  I was not sore from the run the day before, but my legs were definitely tired.  Once I got up and over that, though, I was going pretty well.  I'd just pick out a rabbit group in front of me and slowly reel them in, then do it all over again.  When I glanced down at my watch, I was seeing sub-9's!  I decided to go for it and hang on as long as I could, not knowing how my legs would hold up.

It really went quite well until about 15 minutes in, when I started desperately wanting a walk break.  I was able to talk myself out of it until about 18 minutes in, when I realized if I was doing 9/1's, I'd have a break coming up.  Before I knew it, I was walking.  I immediately started chastising myself - I really don't think I physically needed the break, so it was a mental problem.  After the great mental success of the Toughest 10K and the 7 miler the day before, it just felt like a real give-up.  But since I had started, I walked my minute, then immediately started back up, only to come upon the only water stop a few minutes later.  I took a quick walk there to grab some water, then ran it home.  I had a little queasy moment after the water - I'm really going to have to look into this - this is the second weekend in a row where I've felt unwell after taking fluids, and I need to be able to take in fluids!  I was definitely slowing in the last mile, but I really wanted to shoot for a sub 30 and hopefully a PR, so once I got over that dag-blasted hill again, I booked it to the finish.

29:26, an AZ PR!  On the day after a 7 miler!  In 80 degree heat!

Seriously.  This is how hot it was.  That is not water, it is sweat.

I cannot possibly explain how excited I am about this.  If it was about 30 degrees cooler and I was on fresh legs, I bet I could have taken another two or three minutes off, which would be a big AZ PR.  More importantly, I'm not training for 5Ks right now, so this is really representative of the gains I've made by the consistency in my training.

And, and!, I'm not sore again this morning.  My legs are tired.  Definitely tired.  But this season is just going so well so far in terms of the gains I'm making and my recoveries.

Yay!

And the post race party was nice, and yummy (though I missed bananas), and Z enjoyed herself.

A successful 5K if I've ever heard of one!