The Race and the Pace: Tri Fest 5K (PR edition)

It's 5K season!  As much as I love longer races and training for them, it's nice to have a break from the long runs and to just focus on getting a little un-turtlelike faster. This was my first 5K since the Jingle-Bell run in December, so I had no clue what to expect.  Last week I ran an 8K at a 9 minute pace, and I knew I would need around an 8:45 to PR this 5K, so I knew it was possible.

Pretty excited about the shirt:)

Chilling in the car and playing Angry Birds.  It was cold out there!

I am usually running right on time for races (also known as slightly late, but still making it to the starting line).  For some reason, I managed to get to this one an hour and 20 minutes early.  It was cold so I chilled (literally) in the car until it was Porta-Pottie time. I was worried how my legs were going to feel since it was cold and I had been sitting in the car for 45 minutes.  I found some E-ville racers I knew and we took a lap around the park to get warmed up.  Everything felt great, and we stayed loose with some Cupid Shuffle and Wobbling before the race finally started.

Ready to Run!

I don't have a Garmin, I just run with a stopwatch and hope that the course is marked.  Unfortunately this one wasn't, and you would think after running long enough I could guess what pace I was running by how I felt, but I just can't.  I did luck out at mile 1 and pass by someone who's Garmin chirped the first mile, so I know I did the first mile at an 8:40, but after that I had no idea until I got close to the end.

My main goal was to run well, with a sub goal of PR-ing (former PR was a 27:14 last November). My secret goal* was to break 27.  When I saw the finish line around the corner I was at 26:13 so I booked it and made it under 27 (26:47)!!!  I then tried not to puke on the chip cutting lady, but you'll have that...

The official time was a 26:47, disregard the fact that my watch  is somehow 5 hours slow.

Since my ultimate 5K goal is a 25, I've still got a ways to go, this race really boosted my confidence and I feel like I can probably do it.  My goal now is try actually working in some speedwork and see where that gets me.

Speaking of speedwork, I found this on RunnersWorld.com and it made me laugh.

*Secret goal: the goal you kind of want to do in your head, but don't tell anyone because you don't think you will hit it but it will make you look kind of BA (in your mind anyway) if you do.