Arlington Heights Frontier Days Stampede 5K Race Recap

I really enjoy this race and am beginning to run this yearly.  The course is fast, flat and residential.  It's also very organized and recently implemented chip timing, which is even better.  And, I love how some people who live along the race course will turn their sprinklers on so we can run through them.

I finished in 25:06 which was good enough to get 3rd in my age group.  I won this super cool race themed glass.  My time was disastrous, but thankfully, not my worst time ever.  *WHEW*

Mile 1: I really HATE how the 5k and 10k runners start together.  The start is VERY crowded and it's really hard jockeying for position.  Also, we arrived at the race with about 25 minutes to go.  I really didn't get a chance to warm up since I had to pee prior and the lines were somewhat long.  It was so weird since there was a huge line for all the potties.  Usually, each potty has a line of people.  I found that a little weird. 

Anyway, I couldn't really get into my usual speed on mile one.  In the past races I've done, I get there in around 7:30 and that's me being "conservative".  Today, I got there in 8:18.  Oh shit!  Way too slow!!  So, I immediately revised my goal to running 9 minute miles as opposed to running sub 8:00s and breaking 25.  I really doubted that breaking 25 would be possible with that slow of a start. 

Mile 2: The legs definitely were feeling sore from yesterday's 10 miler.  But, I figured that I could try to make up for lost time.  I tried my best to run with people so I could just drift along with them.  The strategy must have worked since I ran 7:40 for Mile 2.

Mile 2.5 to Mile 3:  The course splits around mile 2.5 and I was so glad that I wasn't running the 10k because I really couldn't deal with that at the moment.  My legs just felt fatigued and I felt fatigued.  My ITB and knee weren't bothering me, but honestly, I was just TIRED.  And, it was starting to get HOT.  And, we all know how much I HATE running in the heat.  Mile 3: 8:07!

Mile 3 to 3.1: We round a corner and I can see the start line in the distance.  For some reason, long straightaways to the finish really just beat me up mentally.  I had no energy whatsoever to sprint it in.  I started to pick it up as the finish line got closer, but I knew that it would not be a sub 25 effort.  I crossed the line a little past 25.  I sighed, shook my head and walked over to the hydration tables to down some water and Gatorade.  Mile 3 to 3.1: 1:01

I definitely am going to move toward the front the next time I run this race.  I lost a lot of time in the beginning jockeying for position and getting stuck behind slow runners.  I think I'd rather try to go a little faster at the beginning to improve on my time.

But hey!  I got a course PR! :)  And, I got 3rd in my age group!  It was so weird because originally, the results showed that I got second, but I checked just now and I was third.  Thankfully, I was third.  Otherwise, I would have to give my glass back!

Great weekend of running and look forward to next week.  I keep saying that I'm not going to race anymore and that my next race is the Chicago Marathon, but who knows what else might pop up along the way.  Besides, I'm just running 5ks so it's not like it's that crazy!