Hello, friends.  I am now two weeks post-shitty marathon.  The last time I ran a 5K two weeks post-marathon, I had a good race and broke 20:00 (19:57) for the first time.  I was hopeful that I could do that again today, though given my marathon performance, I really didn't know what I'd be able to run today.  I was wondering if I had gotten slower all around.  3:26 marathon predicts to a 21:07 minute 5K.  But whatever...just run.  Today was the first time I ran hard since the marathon.  I hadn't even done any strides.  I was shooting for another sub-20:00.  PR is 19:45 but I wasn't thinking about that.  I just wanted break 20:00 again.  That would be a good race to me.

I felt good during my warm up...I felt light and bouncy.  I spent a few minutes trying to size up the competition.  Meh, everyone looks fast to me. Tucked in singlet guy looked like he might be trouble (he won).  I lined up on the front row.  Race weather was 54 degrees and cloudy.  Rain ended about 30 minutes before gun time and the humidity was still in the air.

Mile 1 - 6:21.  The rest of the front row shot out like gangbusters.  I was in about 12th place very early (I counted).  I didn't care...just run my race.  I was surprised at the fast field.  Prior year results didn't point to this.  I felt good though..under control, breathing well, running my own race.  Slowly I started moving up.  A gentle incline was enough to slow people down.  By the end of mile 1, I was in 5th place.

Mile 2 - 6:19.  Gentle incline turns into a gentle decline and I open up my stride a little.  Confidence is gaining.  5th and 4th place were running side by side.  I move past them rather easily.  As I pass, their footsteps fade behind me.  I am running fast and it is beginning to feel hard.  The 3rd place runner is getting closer.  As I pass him, he tries to match me.  He is sucking wind though and I know he's toast.  I move past him quickly and he drops.  A quick check of the Garmin and I realize it's the first time I looked at it.  I have no idea where I am in relation to my goal.  Dammit.  OK, just run.

Mile 3 - 6:42.  Really starting to fatigue in the early stages of mile 3.  As I turned into a roundabout street, it's another incline and my pace is slowing.  My lap pace is north of 7 minutes through the first half of this mile.  I approach the roundabout and give the leader a thumbs up which he returns.  I turn back towards the finish and start to dig.  I see the 3rd place runner and know he won't catch me, which is fine and all but I want sub-20.  I lose sight of the leader for the first time, as we turn towards the finish.  I am running as hard as I can but I am in serious pain.  If I can break 20:00, I might as well keep 2nd place locked up.  When I see the finish clock is at 19:40 as I approach, I know I have it.  I run hard through the finish and pump my fist a few times, on the verge of puking.

Officially 19:55.  2 / 124 overall.  First place beat me by 30 seconds, officially a "shitload" in a 5K.  I shook his hand, gathered up some free coffee and cookies, and happily chatted with a few fellow runners who congratulated me on my finish.  That was cool.  

I wouldn't call this a redemption, since only a good marathon can ease the memory of a bad one.  It certainly felt great to have a good race though.  I needed this.  Having never broken 20:00 before this year, I've now done it three times in my last four tries.  I am really, really happy with this race.

McMillan predicts a 3:14 marathon off a 19:55 5K.  lolololol rofl roflpotamus.

What a great race!  Congratulations on the sub-20 and the 2nd overall!  I hear you on the shitload; the girl that beat me in my 5k was like 2:40 faster than me.  

I must have missed what happened in your marathon; sorry it didn't go well.  Sounds like your fitness is fine though.  Have you considered a mile race? 

_{don't know how you can do this so soon after your marathon - that's crazy... i like the way you just ran and let the details work themselves out...congrats!}

Congrats. That time, 2 weeks post marathon is impressive.  And 2nd OA is pretty cool.

It's like you did the post-marathon shuffle to the starting line, then busted off a sub-20. Can't imagine where you'll be after giving yourself a few more weeks to recover and get a little speed work in.

That's pretty much exactly what it felt like.  I've got another 5K in two weeks, and then another on Turkey Day, because racing.  If my first week of Ironman training is any indication, I am looking at lots of hard running the next two months.  Two quality runs plus a LR every week, without the volume of marathon training.  My early 2016 HM's should be fun.    

Congrats!!!

Having had some experience with less than stellar marathons, I'm not too surprised by the results. It's probably an indication that you were just flat and possibly hadn't tapered sufficiently to be well rested for the marathon. I'd take the sub-20:00 as a very positive indication that overall your fitness overall is improving.

Well done!  I'm really impressed by how quickly you got your legs back after the marathon.  Congrats.