Running On Island Time 5k recap

Saturday I ran the Running on Island Time 5k! It is the first race in the Space Coast Runners series. One of these years I'm going to sign up for the entire series. I missed the deadline again. Oops!

The race started at 7:30am. I arrived about an hour before the race. During that hour I swear it got 10 degrees hotter. Running in August, in Florida is always brutal. My only goal for this race was to finish. I had no hopes of finishing in the top three in my age group.

At 7:30a we were off! During my training runs I've slowed down due to the heat. I've been keeping a 10:00-11:00 min pace. And I know when I start a race I always go out too fast, it happens:) But when I got to the 1 mile mark and my time was 9:23 HOLY CRAP! I thought well I'll just keep going until I can't run anymore. Still no hopes of an age group finish, but let's see what I can do!

Luckily some of the course was shaded. The race started at a school and ran through a neighborhood. Apparently the neighbors didn't get the memo, because we had to dodge a few cars. When I got to mile 2 I had slowed down a little. It was a 9:38 mile. Still not bad, it was hot and I've been slower lately.

Just as I got to 2.60 I was done. I had nothing left. I thought well, I'll slow down and see what happens. Luckily that only lasted about a tenth of a mile. Once I got out on the main street, I knew the finish line wasn't too far away. Before I made the last the turn I saw some runners with medals. I was like we get medals?!?! Holy crap it's my lucky day! I was so excited I sprinted. I sprinted like I was on fire, it was hot enough I could have been! If you look on my Strava I went from a 9:03 pace to a 5:34 pace. I just about lost my breakfast.

I finished with a time of 29:31! That's really good for me in August! I finished 12th in my age group.

Next race is the Bird-In-Hand half marathon! Hopefully all my hot weather training and training runs up North help me get up those hills!!

Movie Madness 5k Recap

A couple weeks ago I flew up to Pennsylvania to run hills. Before I went up I wanted to find a race near by. I found the US Road Running Movie Madness 5k! When I read that there was a costume contest, I knew I was in!

The race was just over an hour away from my Aunt and Uncles house, which is where I was staying. We all got up bright and early! When we arrived at the race, I was a little shocked as how small the crowd was. We got there about 45 minutes prior to the start and there were about six cars in the parking lot.

After I got my bib and hit the porta potty, I was talking with some of the other runners. I found out the course was a two loops around the high school property. One runner even said that there were no hills! I'm thinking thank goodness!

Before the race started they had the costume contest. It was between me and another guy. All he did was put on a batman Under Armor shirt and a hat. Of course I won!

After I won the best costume award, it was time to run. The race started down hill. I looked at my watch and it said I was running a 6:30 minute mile. CRAP! I have to slow down! We got to mile one and I realized no hills, AND I was the 2nd overall female!

Just after the one mile mark, five other woman ran past me and the 1st overall girl. She was about 10yrs old. Then there it was, a hill. Crap again. It wasn't long, but it was steep. The course sorta flattened out then another hill.

The only bad thing about doing the same route again, was that I knew I had to run those hills again. Good news, I get to go downhill again!

The second time around was much slower. It was great for training with hills!

Oh, and I finished 3rd OVERALL FEMALE!!

Yes I know it was a small race, but finishing 3rd overall female. It made feel good!

This race started at 7:00am and as it turns out they were having another 5k at 8:00 am. Some of the runners were doing both. I decided not to run both.

Overall it was a fun race. Very well organized. I would recommend running with US Road Running!