So this morning I ran my first 5K ever!! I am feeling really awesome! First off, the feelings pre-race. I was feeling pretty nervous. I was worried I would be the last person. I was worried I would get a terrible time- like be kicked off the course because I was too slow. (They actually do that!) I was worried because I was running with my aunt Emily (who is only 2 years older than me) who is in great shape and has been running for years, and I knew I was going to be pathetic in relation to. I was worried I would sprain my ankle or something. I was just nervous!
But I was also excited! My very first 5K! Plus, last Saturday Faith and I ran 2.98 miles (in the ice and snow!!!) in 50 minutes, and I felt like I could keep going. So I knew I would be able to finish it. Just maybe not in the allotted hour. Plus Emily lives in Logan, and I don't get to see her very often, so I was excited about that.
Things I did not think about but probably should have: hills. How hot/cold I might be. Cars. Carrying water.
How it went: It went pretty well! I did not anticipate hills, and the first half of the race was a gentle slope upward, with a BIG hill right in the middle. It was terrible! My track does NOT have hills. I did not realize how much harder that would be! So the first half, I was a little bit like- "I am going to be dying before I finish!" But I looked back, and realized I was somewhere in the middle of the pack, which was a big relief. And after the big hill, it was all downhill, so it felt really good for the last half. I felt like I was doing awesome! I was pushing myself to jog faster and walk faster during my intervals.
Funny thing: I wore a jacket over my tank top because I thought I might get cold. But I was too hot, so I tied it around my waist. Only it didn't like to stay tied. So I pretty much ran the whole race holding the knot of my jacket right over my crotch. I felt pretty stupid, but what else are you going to do? Ha ha!
Finishing: We decided to run in the last little while. My current interval is 30 sec running, 40 sec walking. (And I do not feel bad about walking REALLY slow...) And for the last stretch of the race we jogged faster than normal, for 1 min 20 sec straight. And in the last 20 sec we sprinted. I did not think I could do that! (A side note from another attempt at ending in a sprint that ended really badly...) But I did! And I felt sooooo good! It had started to drizzle, and the rain was so nice and cooling! And I felt awesome!
Pre-Race Goals: Avg Pace: Realistic: Under 17 minutes per mile Hopeful: 15 something per mile
Total Time: Realistic: Under an hour Hopeful: 50 minutes or so
Actual times: Avg Pace: 15:31 per mile (Yessss!! Hit the hopeful goal!!)
Total Time: 48:28 (Yessss!! Hot the hopeful goal again!!!)
Fastest Mile: 15:10
Fastest 1K: 9:16
I feel really good for hitting my goals, and for finishing the 5K! It was an awesome run! :)
