For some reason, I haven't been able to make it to March in fairly decent running shape. In 2011, I was out for a few months with the blood clot. In 2012, I just didn't feel physically ready since I was kind of slacking with the training during the winter months.
You know you have that race. You have that race that you do because you can do well there and it's your confidence booster. It's the race that gets you fired up for the rest of the season since you can run well there. Well, that is what Loop the Lakes is for me.
The race went pretty well and improvements were made to the course due to the creation of a walkway over the lake area by the sled hill. The rolling hills, which were not included in 2011's course were now in 2012's course. Yay... NOT. Like other runners, I do not enjoy any type of a hill at all.
The weather for the day sucked - it was about 35-40 with rain. But, that's the perfect running conditions for me. I ran in running tights, a long sleeved top and a light running jacket over it and that worked out well. Though, after the race, I was pretty cold.
The first mile went by too quickly (as it always does with me) and I posted a time in the low 7:00s - like under 7:10 (that low). Oops. I guess I was excited. Oh well. That's sort of my "strategy" - book it in the first mile, go a little slower in the second and just hang on in the 3rd. I can't seem to run negative splits at all for any distance - even my training runs are similar to my races in that I start too fast and peter out significantly toward the end.
Mile 2 is a little slower and I'm feeling pretty good, but not looking forward to the rolling hills toward the end. I also have a man in my sights who I'm still tailing behind at this point. I think I can maybe pass him up if I can give it a little more gas in the end.
Mile 2.5 to Mile 3: Trouble starts brewing and I'm starting to fall off the pace. I know that I'm the first woman so I figure that I can definitely win that so long as no other women come up behind me. I start doing the look behind me thing since I'm all along at this point. The man in front of me has now taken off like a bat out of hell and he even passed up the person in front of him. Gulp.
I see a pack of people behind me and I see the woman since she's easy to stop with her bright yellow running jacket. She's a bit behind still so I figure that I can get this still so long as I don't crap out, but let's be real here - I'm totally fading.
Mile 3 to Mile 3.1: The hardest part for me - I can see the finish line and I know I need to sprint, but I'm so tired and I really just want to stop running and call it a day and go home into my warm bed, but no... I need to keep going. I get passed by a little boy on the sprint, which sucks, but I still am able to haul it in and finish as the first place woman. Whew.
I won a trophy and a $50 dollar gift certificate to Dick's Sporting Goods. Overall, it was a great race. I finished with a 23:17, which is way off the PR, but good and a PR for the new course and I went sub 24 which always is the goal for a 5k.
No comments:
Post a Comment