As I mentioned in my last post, life has intervened on my blogging and stress and anxiety have lowered my workout motivation to almost zero. Although a little less zealously, I have continued to run, and I still do yoga, but am more likely to skip a day.
I signed up for fewer races this year, because we have a lot going on and because we are trying to save money (the race fees can add up!). This morning I completed my first 5K race of the season, The Fifth Annual Jack Roth 5K Rock & Run/Walk.
I ran this race last year, with a time of 25:09. I enjoy this race, as it takes place in Bexley - a place I love and where I am moving in a month. It's perfectly lovely to run with a group of people that you know and be cheered on by your (soon-to-be) neighbors and friends. I convinced my husband to walk the race as well, with our youngest two kids in a double stroller (a regular one, not a jogger), and our 6-year-old walking/running herself.
Because of my recent lack of motivation and this being my first race of the season, I had very low expectations. Before the race began, I told my friend that I would only be jogging this one. She distrusted my concept of "jogging" and said she wouldn't start with me, so I started with another friend's husband. When the race began, I realized that I couldn't keep up with him and told him just to go on, and I would jog at my own pace.
Running on the streets is a completely different animal from running on the treadmill - my usual habit. I found myself feeling winded fairly early on, but I just persevered. Since I almost never run outside, though, I don't own any of the fancy gadgets that give you information about your speed, so I never have any idea about what my pace is. I felt like I was moving along fairly evenly, though.
At about mile 2, one of the volunteers shocked me by calling out to me, "Number 2! You're second! The second girl! Girl Power!". I couldn't believe it! Second?! That was definitely the motivation I needed! I wasn't really able to speed up much, but I certainly didn't want to lose that place! I powered it in to the finish line, maintaining that second female finisher position (out of 213 women), coming in twentieth overall (out of 355 total runners). My time was 21:45, at a seven-minute mile pace. That's 3:24 faster than my time at last year's Jack Roth 5K, and 1:44 faster than my personal best for a 5K!!!
After I finished, drank some water and ate a banana, I ran back and caught up with the family and jogged and walked the rest of the way with them. It was wonderful morning, and it has energized me for racing for the summer.
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