Wednesday, June 10, 2015

2015 Run 2 Save Our Youth

On Saturday, June 6, 2015 I ran the 9th annual Run 2 Save Our Youth 5k. As I mentioned in my training check in, this 5k was not a new PR and I pretty much did everything wrong when it came to getting ready for this race. All things considered, I am really happy with how this race turned out. Also I was a terrible blogger and took approximately 0 pictures.

Goal: just run fast and see what happens!
Actual: 21:36 
Since I finally bought a Garmin I can now analyze my splits. Look who started too fast and faded hard in the last mile!
Three things I did wrong leading up to this race...
  1. Ran 9 miles the night before the race. Literally less than 24 hours before the race.
  2. Ate and drank all the things while on vacation the week of the race.
  3. Filled my vacation with ATVing, which can be really hard on your quads. I know I'm sitting in the picture, but imagine me standing and using my legs as shock absorbers. It was basically a million squats every day of vacation (plus a run on top of that). 

I have run this race every year since 2009 (okay, fine, I walked it a few of those times), but this year they moved it to a different location. Instead of being a lovely out and back course, it is now a twisty loop with 15 (!!!) ninety degree turns and one 180 degree turn. That is a lot of turns for just 3.1 miles. I miss the old course, even though it had a few rolling hills and this one is pancake flat.

The morning of the race I could tell that I was just not in peak performance mode. Mr. Shoe was not aiming for a PR, my friends who were running were not aiming for PRs. It was just not a PR sort of day. My warmup felt slow and sluggish. I did not feel ready to race mentally or physically. When it was time to line up for the start, I had no idea what to expect. I managed to hold the lead for about half a mile when a woman (Amy, I would later learn) passed me. I managed to stay with her for the next mile.

As we neared the halfway point of the race, a guy slowly started to pass me and Amy. I forced myself to follow him and reclaim the lead. Unfortunately Amy was not about to give up and she stayed right on my heals. Amy and I both slowed during the final mile, but as we rounded the corner to the finish line she shot passed me.

This is the one part of the race that I am not thrilled about. For a few seconds I didn't even bother trying to stick with her, I just let her pull away. Then I realized that I still had a bit of speed left in me. I tried to catch her, but in the end I ran out of road. She crossed the mat just 2 seconds in front of me. If I would have treated this race as a goal race and went into it rested and prepared, it might have turned out differently. But I didn't and that's that. On the upside, I was still almost 40 seconds faster than my best 2014 race!

Next year's goal: learn to execute a stronger finish!
After the race I congratulated Amy on her win and had a really nice chat with her while I waited for my husband and friends to finish the race. She and her husband are aiming to run a marathon in every state, which is like the super version of our plan to run any race in every state. Mr. Shoe came in at 27:14. After the race we really only stuck around long enough for me to claim my award; we had a busy day of brewery visits ahead of us. And also a concert. And also a middle-of-the-night-milkshake because I was hungry after the concert.
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6 comments:

  1. The Famous MudderJune 11, 2015 at 8:15 AM

    I can't get over how fast you are! Totally awesome! Also, for not preparing properly, you had a fab race! Congrats on the 2nd woman finisher award!

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    1. Heather [is probably running]June 12, 2015 at 10:23 AM

      Thank you! Honestly I can not believe how much faster I have gotten in the past few years. I still remember when I was running 12 minute miles!

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  2. Gretchen BraunJune 11, 2015 at 11:02 AM

    Sounds like a tough race! Can't believe how many turns there are. Great time though, especially considering the circumstances. I would love to go on an ATV! Sounds so much fun. Which breweries did you visit? I always love stopping by and trying new beers!

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    1. Heather [is probably running]June 12, 2015 at 10:25 AM

      We went to Latitude 42, which is a pretty small brewery. I don't think they distribute outside of Michigan. But their beer was excellent and so was the food! We also went to Bell's, which is the oldest brewery in Michigan. They do distribute outside of MI, so you might be able to find them! It isn't summer in Michigan without an ice cold Oberon!

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  3. HannaJune 11, 2015 at 4:07 PM

    Sounds like a tough race! You did great, though, despite not feeling prepared. 2nd place! I found this a very interesting recap because I rarely get the perspective of a race from someone who is racing competitively, for most of us, we are just racing ourselves. I think it would really psych me out trying to race someone else.

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    1. Heather [is probably running]June 12, 2015 at 10:30 AM

      During the race I kept reminding myself to run my own race, but then wondered if that is really what I should be doing. That was the first time I had actually been racing against someone as opposed to just the clock. Since I wasn't trying for a PR I think it would have been smarter to let her set the pace for the last mile and then tried to make a move at the finish. Oh well, live and learn! At larger races and especially at longer races, I am no where near the front of the pack. So this is really a new experience for me, but I am definitely hoping to improve on it in coming years.

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