Race Report: Dash into the New Year 5K

Gen and me

Spoiler alert: I PR'd.

Awhile back, me, my BFF Genevieve, and some of my local online runner friends who I don't think I had yet met in person, signed up for a local inaugural 5K through a Schwaggle deal on Active.com. I think it was $15 for the race and the shirt (which turned out to be a long sleeve tech shirt).

After almost PR'ing for real at my last 5K-that-wasn't, I was eager for this race so I could actually PR.

Going into the race, I knew I probably wouldn't place in my age group. They were doing 10-year age groups, and only doing awards for the top 2, and between the fast women in my running club and another local fast gal who we knew would be there, I didn't have my hopes set on placing. (Spoiler alert: I didn't place.)

The race course was nice. It started off at the Matteson Community Center, headed to a street that went over the expressway (hill), did a small loop through a neighborhood, came back over the expressway (again with the hill), did another small loop through a different neighborhood, and finished. There were a few spots that were a little slick, but not too bad.

Also doing this as a New Years Virtual 5K

Also, note to self: don't eat anything in the morning before a 5K. Not even a few bites of a Clif Bar. Just don't.

I started off the race closely following Amanda, who has been taking some time off from running because of pain. Between miles 1 and 2 I passed Amanda, but Kelly caught up with me. We stayed together until pretty much the end, I kicked at the end, and she kicked too, and she finished before me.

When I was telling my husband this story, he asked why I didn't trip her. He said he would have tripped Jason [his BFF]. And they think women are the catty ones.

After catching my breath and getting some water and a banana (and my phone out of my car), I backtracked on the course to find Genevieve. She was run/waking with a really sweet woman she met on the course, and that woman helped her PR as well! Runners are so awesome!!!

Amanda and Kelly both placed second in their age groups (I placed third, behind Kelly). I was just so happy to PR! Considering just eight months ago, I PR'd in a 5K with a time of 28:15. Also, I beat Kelly by one second at the Turkey Trot, and she beat me by a second today, so I guess we're even? Perhaps this will become our thing? Heh. 

You may have noticed (if you read my last post) that I PR'd a lot this year. I've only been running for two years, and my training kind of fell off last winter (as you can see by a screen grab from Daily Mile), so I'm still improving as a runner. Eventually, I won't PR as much, but hopefully my times will be more consistent (hopefully consistently fast). So I'll enjoy it while I can!

Official: 23:41.8, pace 7:38
Overall: 42 / 253
F20-29: 3 / 21