That. Was. Fun. I loved a 5k?
Things started off nice and early (gone are the days I can wake up and be out the door 5 minutes later for a race), and then I met my friends at the finish line at 6:15. We did a two mile warm-up down to the starting line, used the restrooms, did our drills and stretching and finished up with 5 strides before lining up at the start. Next year, I will be planting water at the starting line the night before the race because I always find myself thirsty at this starting line.
The woman (she is amazing) coaching us for this race told us to run the first mile at the pace that we wanted to average for the course, the second mile to race and try to catch people ahead of us, and for the third mile to make a plan for each quarter mile (breaking up that last mile into quarter miles was so helpful because the last mile is uphill (you gain 70 ft in this mile) and the pain is REAL.
PS the first 15 seconds of this race are terrifying haha. It is a massive race and you feel like you are going to get trampled. I am surprised nobody tripped!
I saw Andrew right where the hill begins.
I think the secret to the 5k is to stay in the flow.
With all of my reading from ‘Run Elite,’ I decided that my goal for the race was to stay in the FLOW. At one point in the beginning, I felt like my eyes were darting all over the place, focusing on all of the things. I was feeling too many things (ie I can’t maintain this pace, I’m nervous, I’m thirsty, my hamstrings are feeling it) and I said to myself, Nope, your only job is to flow, relax, and ‘focus on what is necessary.’ I let go of the thoughts of pain, or fear, or people around me and just focused on the task of getting to the finish line fast. Oh. My. Goodness. TRY THIS. It was weirdly so relaxing. To let go of allllll of the thoughts and give my energy to focusing on running forward. Is it possible to be in meditation while racing? Because that is kind of what it felt like… I’m telling ya, this book is GOOD. 30+ second course PR from 2022.
2 mile w/u, 3.1 mile race, 3 mile c/d.
They were passing out Great Harvest bread (didn’t have the patience to wait in that massive line) and Built Bars (IMO the best protein bars).
My brother and his family (the nephew that is bffs with Andrew) came over for a big breakfast. Can’t family always just be in town??!
And then back up to the Baron’s for the day! They always do a gourmet hot dog bar.
So much pickleball… we lost.
And Skye is currently obsessed with tennis!
Beck thrives with his grandparents and great grandparents… he was glued to his grandma all day.
“I like fireworks a big bit.” -Beck
Anyone else race yesterday??
Any protein bars that you think are good?
What are you up to today?
The post The secret to the 5k… (recap and the 4th) first appeared on The Hungry Runner Girl.
