Running Not-So-Wild

Happy 4th! I got up early, early, early today to run the Run Wild 5K in Uptown Park. Pulled into the little upscale shopping center, fully expecting to duck into Starbucks and get some calories. Ack! Closed! What? What? Oh, right. Holiday. I found a McDonald's around the corner, though...and an english muffin. Ok, that disaster was averted. Disaster, heh.

Finally met up with my friend, Ken. We are often signed up for the same races. I see him at the start. He's faster than me. But it's nice to see a friendly face. (I never saw you again after the start, Ken...hope you had a good one!)

Light sprinkles, cloudy sky. It seemed deceivingly cool. It was humid as all get out. A woman sang the National Anthem and we were off. I felt it again. The same old heart-racing, can't catch my breath, adrenaline charge that I get at the start of each race. It would be super if only it didn't pull a mind f* on me. It does. I tried to pull back, but I was sucking air before I even got into the first quarter mile. I wonder if hypnosis would help?

Anyway, first mile, 8:30. Ok, that's good. I was calming down a little. 2nd mile, 17:00. Pace still where I wanted it to be. Then, I have no idea what happened. Well, maybe I do. I watched someone I know pass me. I recognized her as she ran by. I was surprised, because I knew she was there, but I would have thought she'd be quite a bit further up in the pack. I shouted out, "Go Maria." She waved a hand as she turned on her kick. And I felt my energy flag. Oh no, I was slowing down! In my training, the 3rd mile is where I speed up to an 8 minute pace. I rounded the 3 mile mark and had to push to come in to the finish at 28:30. That's a 9:08 pace.

It was a good time for me. I don't know where I finished in my bracket, although I suspect it wasn't as high as I had hoped. And this is where I think I need to get my head in line. I need to compete with myself, not the rest of the pack. I'm only running for myself. This is a solo sport for me. But when I was passed up, I felt deflated, I slowed down. There is work to be done around this. I feel it. Oh, and there are Clif bars to be purchased and to be kept in the car. No more showing up on race day with an empty stomach. Bad form, that.