Valatie Veterans 5K Race Report

I’ve been going through withdrawal – no 5k races in over a month. I’ve been doing longer runs on the weekend in preparation for the 10k that didn’t happen. But this race fit right in because it was on a Thursday when I usually run 3 miles anyway.  The problem was that I work and we don’t have Veteran’s Day off like most offices.

So I asked for the morning off and contacted my runner friend Mary and asked her to run with me (& taper for her half/recover  from her 15k).  She was skeptical about the idea but finally agreed.

Another new race and a new course:

The Course: Run will begin at Glynn Square and proceed up Church St. and north onto Route 203. A right onto Garrigan Rd. and a right on County Route 28A brings the runners onto Main St. with a final right up Church St. (the only hill on the course) to the finish line.

I had decided not to have a goal for new races but just go out and enjoy the experience (even if the race ends going up a hill!)

This race also counts for

I hadn’t run since Saturday.  I can’t remember the last time I had 4 days off.  But my quads hurt so much, I thought it was best to rest them.

They felt so better this morning but not 100% and I decided I would run cautiously.

Unfortunately, my friend Mary pulled a calf muscle running on the treadmill and is out for 2 weeks.  Her friend Kelly would be there, though.

The weather was beautiful!!!! Sunny and cool (37 degrees when I left).  I wasn’t sure what to wear but decided that the sun would keep me warm and wore a running skirt and a long sleeve cool max shirt. 

Although my GPS got me to the right street in the wrong town, I managed to still arrive early. I immediately bumped into Kelly and we took a photo before the race.

This was a small race – probably about 100 racers. 

Getting ready to start the race

 

And we're off...

I was cold at first but other than my hands (which I tucked into my sleeves), my rest of me was fine after the race started.

I said that I would run the race cautiously and not try for a PR – That’s a lie!  Though Kelly immediately left me in the dust as well as did other runners, at mile 1, they called out: 8:35!  That’s fast for a 10 minute mile girl!  I tried to slow down but there were no water stops or any other timing available so I just ran.

The course was supposed to be flat but it always seemed that we were running up hill (not steep ones) until the last mile.  The last mile we had 3 real hills and then the steepest one was the END.

I yelled: “What race ends with a hill?” They replied: “This one!”

I was struggling but refused to walk and figured that my time would be slow.  I was shocked when I saw that it was under 29 minutes.  I am sometimes under 30 minutes but only once before under 29 minutes!!!

I don’t know my official time but it seemed to be around 28:53 or so.  Not a PR but close and it could have been. (At my 1 mile pace, I would have finished at 26:40)

(The official time is 28:59)

I was supposed to be working today.  Only a real runner, takes time off from work for a race!

Since my time was decent, I hung around.  There were Veteran’s Day ceremonies followed by the awards and raffle prizes.

 

 

waiting for the results

I WON FIRST PRIZE IN MY AGE GROUP!!! I got a ribbon – not a medal but it still made me feel good.

 

I love races!

 Happy Running and Happy Veterans Day!