After coming down with a head cold early last week, and taking a few days off from running as a result, I didn't really have high hopes for the race on Saturday. And, as I suspected I would, I woke up that morning feeling tired and rundown, so my hopes dimmed even further.
I really wasn't upset, though - I didn't have my heart set on a PR, and was just as excited about seeing the boys do their race as I was about doing mine, so I knew it would be a fun morning, no matter what my performance was like.
We got there in plenty of time to get my number and get the boys their t-shirts. "Matty's Mighty Dash" was held first, at 9am, and I was so excited to get the boys over to the starting line. They lined up and waited so patiently with the other kids, and took off as soon as they heard "go!" It was just a 50-yard dash to the finish line, and those kids were running FAST, so it was all over pretty darn quickly. But it lasted long enough for me to get a little teary.
I don't know if either of them will grow up to love - or even remotely like - running, but even if they don't, I'll be happy that we've brought them to my races, and to races of their own, at such young ages (2 1/2 and 4 1/2), because it's given me an opportunity to share this with them on some level. And that is a pretty awesome thing.
They both got their medals when they finished, and they were beaming with pride - as was I. We got them some water and some watermelon and popcorn, and a few minutes later I handed them off to Scott and his dad, and headed over to the start of the 5K.
The weather was surprisingly hot and humid. I hadn't really known it was going to be that warm - even at 9:30, the sun was just beating down on us, and with the high humidity thrown in, it was getting downright uncomfortable. Luckily I was only wearing a singlet and shorts, and you can't dress much lighter than that, so I had done all I could to stay relatively cool.
It was a small race (only 250 participants, some of whom were walkers), but the first quarter mile was still a bit congested and slow. Once we turned a corner, I made my way to the outside of the pack and started to pick up the pace a bit. I started out very conservatively, though - wanted to play it safe in the hot weather. I knew a too-fast start would really catch up with me later on in that kind of warmth.
And I had also seen a woman at the start who, although I wouldn't go so far as to call her my nemesis, is in my age group and has beaten me by about a minute in a few recent 5Ks - a few times knocking me out of contention for an age group award. When I saw that she was running, I knew my chances for another age-group award were getting slimmer by the second, and while I didn't throw in the towel, I did take it a little easier than I might otherwise have, so mile 1 felt pretty good at right around 8 minutes.
Mile 2 was where the heat got me the worst. We were running at a college campus, but we were in a part of campus that has virtually NO shade, and no breeze. Nothing. The heat was blazing down from the sun, and reflecting back off the blacktop, and it was just brutal. I was wiped out, and wondering how on earth I was even going to finish, never mind any thoughts of PRs or age group awards.
But then two things happened that gave me a HUGE boost.
First, we came to a turnaround at mile 2, and I saw my 'nemesis,' and she was way behind me - not because she was having a bad day, but because she was running the race with her daughter, and running at her daughter's pace. Seeing that definitely made me reconsider my pace and my chances for an award, and despite feeling hot and exhausted and miserable, I picked it up just a bit.
Then, the real kicker - I pulled up alongside a guy who was probably just a little older than me, and he looked over at me and said jokingly "Hey - you can't pass me!" It was clearly said in jest, but he should know better than to challenge a fellow runner, especially with the sentiment of "you're a girl - you can't pass me!"
I answered him very nicely with a "Just trying to keep up," but in my head all I could think was "I can't pass you, huh???!!! HA!! Watch me!!!!!"
I didn't pass him right then, but I did pass him somewhere around mile 2.5, and I checked the results later, and I finished about 15 seconds ahead of him. Talk about satisfaction : )
Around mile 2 was also where I pulled ahead of yellow shirt lady at the water stop. She stopped for water; I didn't. I knew she'd catch up with me again, as she had been just ahead of me for the whole race, and sure enough, she pulled ahead of me a minute or two later. And close behind her was black shorts lady.
At that point, I decided that I'd keep up with the two of them, and if I felt like I had it in me, try to beat one of them. I held steady for miles 2.5 - 3, sticking to them like glue.
As we approached mile 3, I picked up the pace just a little bit. I didn't want to pass too early, or I'd run out of steam at the end. I was right behind both of them now, and we were turning the final corner and heading into the final .1.
Still holding steady, I stayed right with them until there were just a few hundred yards to go. At that point, black shorts lady flew ahead to the finish, and I knew I wouldn't catch her. But yellow shirt lady was right there, and I could feel her slowing, so I ran with everything I had.
As I was about to pass her, I heard someone cheering her on, yelling "Pick up the pace - you've got someone on your tail!" And I thought - 'hey, that's me they're talking about!'
Then into the chute I flew, a few seconds ahead of her.
She wasn't even in my age group. I have no idea who she was. But for a few minutes out on that race course, I was honest-to-goodness RACING her. I've chased down PRs many times, and I've played the 'can I pass this person' game in races before, but I have never really, truly raced another person like that before - gutting it out in the homestretch, and really trying to beat just that one person.
And you know what? I LIKED it! I LOVED it!
I loved trying to figure out when was the exact moment I should pass her. And I loved digging down deep to find the energy to sprint past her - energy I never would have thought I had in me. It was amazing to feel my body do what I didn't think it could.
Sure, it was just a local 5K, and my award was just a medal, but that medal is incredibly meaningful for me. And this race was definitely a really huge moment for me - I like running races, but I also really like RACING races, and it was really fun to find that out!
In the end, I took home my first-place age-group award, and placed 8th out of all females, and 51st overall out of 243. And let's not forget that it was all for a very good cause.
My finishing time of 24:11 was nearly a minute off my 5K PR, but I will always consider this one of my best races.
The picture below is the only one I have of me running. It's pretty much my sprint to the finish - and yes, I am smiling - a picture is worth a thousand words, eh? : )
Ahhhhh... Great race report. Sometimes, racing against yourself just ain't enough :-) Keep bringing the boys. It might take a while for the running bug to catch, but catch it will...
Posted by: Wes | June 18, 2008 at 10:32 AM
I love it that you beat the guy!! Great picture!
Posted by: JMOM | June 18, 2008 at 04:13 PM