So training has been phenomenal this year but I haven't had a good race since last November. I haven't had many *bad* races, but my A race for the whole year was also my first marathon, where I was coming down with a cold and turribly nauseous for the last 16 miles. Summer was wildly hot and humid and while I had some good train-through, tempo-type races, I couldn't race to my full potential. I don't perform well in heat at all. I raced a hot hilly 10K in 48:46, I ran a 10 mile race where I totally fell apart and ended up in the medical tent, and I ran Falmouth, which was super fun but not a PR-type of race or day for me.

Basically, my race confidence was in the toilet and I really needed something good to happen yesterday.

The race I chose is in its 22nd year and benefits a local HS cross country program, and plus it was close enough to my house that I could run it and still be able to leave for Thanksgiving dinner with the in-laws on time. The field tends to be pretty fast based on past years' results, so I was just hoping to have a few people to pull me along to a decent finish.

Pre-race:
Woke up a couple hours ahead of race start, began by getting dressed and jogging a shakeout mile before breakfast and coffee. A+ will do this for all half-marathon and shorter races from now on. Got to the race location, picked up my number and hit up the indoor bathrooms, only had about 20 minutes to warm up but thanks to the earlier shakeout that was plenty. Jogged a mile and change, changed into racing flats, jogged toward the start where I ran a couple strides, edged my way into what looked like a good spot a few rows back behind the start line, good to go. A mom and two youngish boys hopped into the space right in front of me and I moved up again - the kids actually had decent race etiquette and I think finished in a pretty respectable time, but with kids at the start of a turkey trot you just never know and I definitely didn't want to wind up tripping over one of 'em.

The Race:
I was ungodly nervous for this. A bundle of nerves the day before, and once the gun went off and we started moving I was battling a total mental freakout. No pressure, who really cares besides you if you have a bad day, you're not going to be an AG contender no matter how slow you run, just shut your brain off and go!

Mile 1 was surprisingly comfortable once I hushed the demons in my brain. I had started in a pretty good spot - wasn't blocking anyone and didn't have to dodge anyone either. Minimal shuffling for position in the first couple hundred feet, but then it was smooth sailing for the entire rest of the race in terms of people around me. Through the first mile in 6:59 by my watch, a couple more seconds by the volunteer shouting out times at the mile marker. Not much slower than the first mile of last year's turkey trot 5K (which was 6:57), but infinitely more comfortable. The first 1.5 miles are flat and gently downhill, so I wasn't even starting to feel like I was working at this point even though I was moving at a pretty quick clip for me. Cool!

Mile 2 goes downhill and then starts to go up a bit, but really nothing awful. Still feeling great. No issues. Found a couple targets ahead of me to just keep in my sights, one in particular a woman with a Lululemon top and purple tights who didn't look like she was struggling with this pace in the least. 7:05 by my watch.

Mile 3 is pretty flat again, net downhill, but I'm aware that there are some hills coming up so I just sort of cruise comfortably and try to conserve energy. Keep my targets in sight and just keep moving. Some dude pulls up alongside me, sounds like he's struggling, and nearly elbows me - I got cranky 'cause it looked intentional but then he dropped off a bit to take off a shirt and I gave him the benefit of the doubt that he was just maneuvering to get his shirt off. 7:12.

Mile 4 is where the rolling hills kick in. They really wouldn't even be noticeable on an easy run but at 5 mile race pace life is kinda hard. Starting to feel the effort a little bit here but I know I don't have much longer and I definitely feel like I have reserves in the tank so I just push on through and stay latched onto the woman I sighted earlier. Some of my other targets have moved ahead and a couple have dropped off, but she's still there so I just follow her! 7:12

Mile 5 has the last long uphill going into the high school complex where the start/finish lines are located. The same dude who's been huffing and puffing and spitting around me off and on for the last couple miles finally pulls away from me. PLEASE just go, your breathing and constant spitting totally bums me out and I'm still irrationally annoyed about your elbow, because I can't do normal logical emotions and run hard at the same time. I reel him in a little on the hill 'cause I'm a strong hill runner but I'm not going to kill myself to catch him at this point - you are not my gender or age group so I really don't care bro.

That last hill is about 1/4 mile long and not super steep, ends at about 4.6ish, so I reach the top feeling like I can pour it all out now. Past the football stadium, past the parking lot, downhill and the finish is in sight. I realize at this point that, while I'm not going to break 35, I can get damn close, much closer than I thought, so I kick as hard as my little legs will go and cross the line in 35:11. 6:42 for 0.97 miles by my watch for that last mile and I hit and held a sub-6 pace on the kick, if Garmin is to be believed. I ran tangents like a boss and my watch sometimes shorts me distance on tight turns, so I'm fairly certain the course was fine.

I saw the woman I'd been following after I caught my breath, told her I'd followed her to a faster 5 mile than I thought I could do and thanked her for being so consistent We chatted about running and training for a bit and ended up exchanging numbers to maybe do some long runs together, so I'm excited to have a potential new local running buddy! She's going to be training for Boston and I've got Sugarloaf in May, so it'd be really nice to have company on some of my early-ish longer runs.

Post-race:

I ran the fastest mile I've ever run in the last mile of a 5 mile race, where I also picked up a small unofficial 5K PR (through the first 3.1 in 22 flat). Can't complain about any of that!

If I'd known I was going to be that close to 35 I might have been able to shave off those last 11 seconds given how good I felt for the first 2-3 miles, but really, I just needed a race where I ran smart and felt good to get my confidence back, and I got exactly that. Super happy that I have *something* to show for all the training this year!

Oh and after I jogged a couple miles of cooldown, I poked my head back into the school in time for the awards ceremony - really glad I did, because some of the fast folks apparently stayed home this year. My pedestrian 35:11 got me 3rd F30-39! Icing on the cake Oh and the rest of it by the numbers: 55/909 OA, 13/492 F, 3/100 AG. Sweet!

What's next?
McMillan tells me a 35:11 5 mile is equivalent to a 21:13 5K and a 44:04 10K. Looks like I'll be attacking one or both of those before I start marathon training in January!

Nice job, Lauren!  And I'm with you on getting annoyed by people who are constantly hacking, grunting, and spitting.  I had one of those near me for almost an entire HM a couple of months ago.

 

Congrats on the AG award WHAT DID YOU GET.

Ugh it kills me, I don't know why or how but it always makes me feel like I'm working harder when I have to hear them!

Just a medal! Nothing cool and exciting beyond that. OA winners got whole raw turkeys, haha.

Congrats!!  I'm with you on those "noisy" runners... though sometimes I am thankful to them, since I'm so eager to get away from them that it motivates me to run faster.

Can't complain about any of that!

Well, actually, you could.

I breathe heavy like a mofo during the latter stages of a 5k, it must drive those around me crazy. I don't particularly care for foot slappers, but can tolerate them over someone trying to draft behind me. GET OUTTA MY PERSONAL SPACE YO.

Earlier this month I had some dude in Indy ease up into my arm pit trying to draft. I sped off.

Congrats on a great race, AG award, and what sounds like a huge confidence builder. That race will keep you motivated for a while.

I do my share of spitting (whether a training run or a race), but of course try to avoid people. True confession: due to my current climate I virtually never use the treadmill anymore. However on a recent business trip I decided to use the one at the hotel for a short run. Without thinking, I let one fly. Fortunately there was no one else in the fitness center at the time. Oops.

Congrats, Lauren!  Sounds like a race well done!

Congrats Lauren!