Commemorative Memorial 5k Race Results & Pics

 With My Twinkies ♥ I LUV them with me on Race Day- Whitney had a Good time too♥

I don't want to spend too much time reflecting or explaining as there is major comfort in my running decision. I never do anything that ever leaves me with an ounce of regret.

I was training for Buffalo, NY Marathon- did 16's 17, 20 and some other longer runs and changed my running goals to focus more on speed on my half marathon so I can carry that speed over to a FASTER Fall 2012 Marathon. With my knee tendinitis recovery and running again I knew it was best for me to wait it out and get stronger/faster.

I was going to run Buffalo Half instead but the cost of the trip (travel 2 hrs, hotel, food, entry) I would at least be $400 in the hole and well I decided to save the money and just do my OWN 13.1 this week to see where I was for all the training I have done this past month hoping to break 1:50 and get about a 1:48 and that much closer to my goal of 1:45! I don't need a race experience or medal to make me feel more like a runner- I already am :) I love my Running wings and I don't race that often and when I do they mean something to me.

What meant something greater beyond saving the money on that race I was able to join some CCRG's at a Local 5k and it was just simply an easy and pleasant Morning :)

Race details:
Up at 5:45am- Coffee/toast
Kids up and out the door by 7:10am
Pre-Register
Start of Race 8:35am

Race Entry on race day $25.00
Commemorative Memorial 5k Race in Waterloo, NY the Birthplace of Memorial Day!
Gun Timed- PCR Timing Company

Weather: Sunshine- Blue Sky's and warm. Temperature time of Race approx: 75 degrees with pretty low humidity.

5k Course- Rolling Dips- we won't call them hills- just lots of dips and LOTS OF TURNS, lol left, right, left, right, right, left, right, left, right....blah, blah, blah, lol - dam!

Timing mat at mile 1, water table at 1.5 miles, HOTT State Trooper at Mile .8 & again at 2.3 ;-p ( YUMMY )

Gear:
$3.88 tank top from Walmart- I was going to feel like a STAR Today :)
Moving Comfort Bra
Under Armour Compressions
Nike Structure Running Shoes
Garmin 305
Under Armour HeadBand
IronMan Sunglasses

My Race:
Five minute warm up- lined up with lots of little kids all around. I loved the small town feel to this race- I loved all the kids- wished the race director told them step back but I knew as always they would speed out and fade out pretty quickly and with a smaller race field there was plenty of room to run around them ....sorta giggled when so many were walking and we were not even a 1/4 mile in! GOTTA LOVE THEIR RUNNING SPIRIT! ha!

Mile 1 split time: 7:21
Feeling Good- adjusting to the increased heart rate and breathing pretty well

Mile 2- 7:41 - I slowed down some and I was ok with that- by about 1.5-1.75 I attempted my move to work back down to a 7:20 pace but my guts said no- I started to stitch- not sure why- but I'm sure it's just a sign I need more training on my breathing in the mid to lower 7's

Mile 3:- 7:41- Now I won't lie to you- I was feeling 'taxed' but not in a bad way like pain or inability to run but more like "this sucks and not much fun pushing so hard" sorta of way, lmao. I was like "Ok, I'm ready for the finish line now" Glanced down and saw my time of 18:xx and some change and thought "hold on for 4-5 more minutes Connie- there was NO way I'd ever stop or slow down- just dug in and keep my stride despite the beginning urge to slow down- I was really getting hott out there at this point.

.1 - 'this would be a great time to sprint- nope- got nothing for you here, sorry lol

23:36- Personal Best- Not by much though- last time was 23:50 but it is a PR none the less- I work on intervals but they are generally at the 7:20 pace and what I need to do is work on HOLDING it and doing more concrete fast runs at least once every two weeks in my distance training- hard to juggle a speedy 5k on top of speed intervals and long runs, tempo runs, hill runs, etc but that's the best part of training- I never get bored!

So what am I most happy about? My splits. I love that I never really "hurt" I never wanted to "puke" and not sure I had the energy to get to that point anyways- which sucks- I want energy to push hard enough to puke, lol

I love how consistent I was in this 5k compared to last Decembers where my splits if I recall correctly was 7:20, 8:00, 7:41 .....so you can see my PR today is because I didn't' fumble in mile 2! So that is progression and I see more than ever I am going to step up my 5k training pace and start working on 6:58 pace now and work on a 22min 5k for Fall :) I KNOW I CAN - MARK THESE WORDS! :) :) :)

I had a GREAT time with these CCRG's and so Proud of all of them! Each so special to me in their own way!

I brought Home a First Place Gold Medal for My Age Group Win~!! So maybe there wasn't a Full Marathon or Half Marathon Finishers Medal for my Boom Wall but an Age Group One and well I'm HAPPY- BOOM'TASTIC!

9th Female in-
37th Runner to cross out of 344 Runners
First in my Age Group- (30-34)

I am well on my Way to being the Fast & Competitive Runner I know I can be ♥!!

What's cool is being to look half way down on the FIRST sheet of many to find my Name- WoW! Running Boost for Sure!

 Do you celebrate your PR's with a concentration on more than just your overtime like maybe overcoming something in a race or looking at your splits, etc?