Run the Valley 2008 Race Report

It felt great!!

We had beautiful weather - in the low 40s at the start. A little cool at the beginning, but just right once I had warmed up. The threat of rain held off, it will probably be here tonight.

I just recently started using a HRM during my runs. It helps me to not push the pace to hard during my long runs, and make sure I do push the pace during my shorter runs. This was the first race that I wore it. What I found most interesting, is that my HR was about 10-15 bpm faster than usual before the race actually started! I must have been a little nervous, I guess!

There are typically a couple hundred runners in the 5K portion of the race, it was probably about the same today. I started toward the end of the pack and held steady through the first mile, which is really the only part of the race with any hills. I had to force myself to keep it slow, I was so tempted to increase my pace - especially when everything had settled from the start and a few people were still passing me.

I managed to settle into a pace just behind a few older ladies. Now all I had to do is keep it up for another mile and I could have a short walk the mile 2 water stop (my goal was to only walk at the water stop).

About half way through mile 2, two of the older ladies took a walk break, and I lost them.

At the water stop I decided it was getting to hot to wear the long-sleeve shirt that we got for the run and so I took it off and had to move my number to my sleeve-less shirt that I had underneath. When I had that all figured out, it was time to switch it into higher gear and finish this race! I finally passed the remaining older lady (I couldn't let her beat me) and that made me feel better...until about a minute later when a girl, I'd guess about 12ish, passed me...that is nothing new though.

I crossed the finish line at about 34 minutes, but there was a mess handing in numbers, so hopefully the official time I get is actually MY time.

In the end, I felt really good. I was out of breath of course, from the sprint to the finish, but by the time I started walking back to the school to get my water/bagel I felt great. I felt like I could easily run another mile or so!! That is great news! That means that in my next 5K I will allow myself to push the pace a little more and hopefully get a new PR. Also, my goal of the TC 10 miler seems more doable!!

Stats
Race: Run the Valley
Date: April 5, 2008
Distance: 5K
Official Time: 34:05
Average Pace: 11:00
Overall Place: 186/232
Place in Age Group: 32/44