Race Report: Mule Day 5k

Sometimes there comes a point in a race where you just realize... "ehhh.. this is not going to be my best effort." For me, that point came Saturday morning about 2 minutes into the race.

It's come to my attention lately... that running fast sucks. I don't like that feeling of wanting to barf for 24 minutes straight. I don't like to feel like my lungs are going to burst out of my chest and splatter all over my expensive running shoes. I just don't. I hate it. And the past few 5ks, that's how I've felt. Like I was about to die.

So, needless to say, I wasn't all that enthusiastic about Saturday morning's race (well, I wasn't except about the t-shirt prospect... until I saw it).

The race location happened to be a town out in BFE, TN. And Vandy-Montana and I ended up staying with a couple of his friends who live closer to BFE, TN, than we do. This was a good call for multiple reasons. #1. Vandy- Montana had signed up to volunteer at the race and was required to be there at 6am and #2. Our 20 mile training run on Sunday was 5 minutes away from his friends house. So, we spent the weekend in Franklin, TN. It was like a mini-vacation for chrissakes and saved a lot of gas.

Back to reason #1. Did you catch that, by the way? Vandy-Montana had to be at the race at 6am. 6 am!!!!!!! This posed quite the conundrum. Should I be a good Nashville Strider and volunteer before the race, too? Or should I be the normal, lazy, free-loading bitch that I am and just snooze in the car for 2 hours before the race?

I think you know what I chose.

So, yeah... here I am trying to stretch out in the passenger side of Vandy-Montana's truck and trying to remain as obscure as possible, so that I don't look like the complete tool that I am. I did manage to doze off a bit here and there, until the onslaught of car doors being opened and closed roused me for good around 6:45. Who gets to a 5k that freaking early?????? People!!! There is no need to arrive at a 5k 1 hour and 15 minutes prior to the start of the race. Jeez.

It was chilly. Chillier than I expected and I was glad that on a whim, I decided to bring along a long sleeve shirt to wear. By the time I got out of the truck and made my way to the start line, I was stiff and cold and kind of grumpy. I blame the napping in crazy, uncomfortable positions.

So, the gun goes off (rather unexpectedly, I might add) and we're off. Like a group of stampeding mules. I mean talk about a jammed start, I had walkers trying to run me over before I even got close to the starting mats. Hold on there, Granny... that's what the chips for. No need to get up all in my grill until we hit the mat.

I just couldn't get warmed up and by the time I hit the first mile and my time was something in the neighborhood of 8:05ish, I wasn't surprised. I just decided that marathon training and setting 5k PRs do not go hand-in-hand (at least for me).

I ended up with a 25:16. But, the strange thing is... the race went by faster than any other 5k I've ever ran. Seriously, it was like gun goes off and immediately after I'm crossing the finish line. So, that was nice. I came in 4th in my age group out of 41 girls. And I think I got second place for the Grand Prix points. Boo-ya.

I'm honestly glad to be done with 5ks for awhile. Bring on the marathon, baby.