Ryan's Reindeer 5k

So I decided last minute, and I mean last minute, to actually roll out of bed Saturday morning, for the third year in a row, to do Ryan's Reindeer 5k. Meh...it's just a 5k.

The race start was 8:30 and I got up at about 7:15, still undecided. Of course I had to take a poll on my facebook page (big mistake) and it was nearly unanimous that I should get my rear out of bed and race. So I did. I wasn't really looking forward to it since all my friends were busy. It is a busy time of year after all.  I was almost to the race site when I was stopped. I had to wait for a stupid train that came to a complete stop. I thought I was going to miss the race. After waiting about 5 minutes I decided to find another way...surely there was another way!

And there was!!  So I rolled up to the race and registered with about 10 minutes to spare. It was cold but not freezing like last year, so I left my jacket in the car.

While waiting to register a short, cute blonde chick cut me in line. I almost punched her in the back of the head....then I realized it was my friend Andrea and The Heezie!  For the record, I would never punch anyone in the back of the head for cutting in line. That would be really mean. I was so excited to see them and to not be racing solo. Last year at this race The Heezie paced me to a 5k PR. I knew it wouldn't happen this year.  I had a plan to chillax, just run, you know like out for a short Sunday stroll, on Saturday....

This race is actually a fairly difficult 5k in my opinion. The first half mile is uphill. It is a pretty significant uphill at that. Once the race started I still had plans of just lopping along. It was crowded and I had started near the back with a lot of walkers, dogs on leash, kids in strollers with adults, and just other little kids who like to weave in and out and get under your feet. But once I got to the top of the hill the crowd has thinned a bit and I was warmed up and felt like going just a bit faster. Not to mention up the hill and turn then there is a nice quarter mile downhill. So down I went....then up again.  Just before the 1 mile mark the road levels out a bit with only smaller ups and downs. At the turnaround I was going at a pretty good pace. I'm not sure what it was but it was certainly under 8:30. Once I made it up the steep quarter mile hill to round the corner toward the home stretch I was feeling a bit queasy...but I was almost done. Half a mile down down down.....This is where this race always gets me. It is a fast finish and sometimes I am just not supposed to run that fast. The last half mile was under a 7 min pace....and I had to work hard at not throwing up my breakfast. Gross. My time was ok...I'm not sure exactly what it was but it was 26 something. Certainly not a PR but it certainly could have been had I started out with that as a goal and not been near the back (gun start). My first mile was over 9 minutes. That killed my pace.

I'm glad I got out of bed to run.

So what's next? I need to start working on my 2013 plan....

You know what's weird?

A 12K PR....THAT'S weird. 

I had no intentions of getting a PR on Saturday. I actually simply hoped to finish. To not die, or throw up...or make a huge spectacle of myself.  All of which were certainly very legit possibilities. I figured this would be just a run.

I showed up for the race with no expectations other than to freeze until we started running.  It was cold, in the mid 30's, which is actually good running weather, just not good stand-around-and-wait-to-run weather. Luckily we didn't have to stand around too long before it was time. Once we started running it didn't take long to warm up since the first half mile was a nice incline. It was nice to run with new scenery, new people, and new music on my iPod. I quickly fell into a nice pace that felt comfortable as my running crew disappeared around a turn and weren't seen again, until the finish.  I had hoped to keep each mile under 9:30. I succeeded in this until mile 7 which ended up being 9:32. Not sure what happened there other than I was bored and tired.

I remember back in 2010 when I could run for miles, holding each mile pace within seconds of each other. I just ran at a comfortable pace and it was steady. It became a game to keep each mile at the same pace,  or within one second faster or slower. The best I ever did was an 18 miler where 15 of the 18 miles were right on at around 8:53 min/mile. My paces were kind of close during Saturday's run: 8:55, 8:41, 8:58, 8:58, 8:56 ....9:26, 9:32, last .44 was an 8:06.

Unofficial Garmin Time.

I finished this 12k in 1:07.20. That's a 9:02 pace.  A PR!! My stupid last two miles brought my pace way down. I can't say I am exactly disappointed though, especially since I had no plan or intention of going out and actually running hard and I probably could have held the last two miles to a 9 min/mile but there were hills, I got warm, I was bored, there were lots of walkers all over the course, and a stupid girl in front of me was driving me crazy by A) running on her tippy toes in a very unnatural way and B) speeding up when I got right beside her, pulling a head then slowing, then speeding up...That drives me insain. I just wanted to run. I didn't particularly care to pass her, I was just running. She was the one who couldn't hold a pace to save her life.

Either way this race was a new PR. My previous PR was 1:08.43 at Sound to Narrows 12k, one of the most difficultI have ever run, on a very hill course though North Tacoma's Point Defiance, but Saturday was a PR nonetheless of 1 min 23 seconds. That's a pretty good PR if I do say so myself. And the race bling wasn't too shabby either...

So I am looking for my next race....In the mean time I'll up my weekly mileage and work on speed.