Race Report: Pound the Pavement for Peter

Past Stroller Races
Shamrock 'n Roll 5K 2016 29:02, 1st Overall Stroller
Women's 5K 2016 29:43, 3rd Overall Stroller

Result
24:14, 3rd Overall Stroller/1st Female Stroller
(course was about 0.1 short by most people's watches, which means I still broke 25 with a STROLLER)

Pre-Race
So, real talk: I do not enjoy stroller racing. Pushing a stroller on hills is HARD, and navigating strollers around other runners/walkers is stressful. I only signed up for this race because the Atlanta Women's 5K decided not to allow strollers this year, and half of my Running Mamas group had been really looking forward to pushing their babies in strollers in it this year. It was important to me to give those women as close to the experience I had at my big stroller race as I could. 

This is the first charity race I've done in a loooooong time, and it was really awesome to see such a different community vibe than the typical ATC races. Lots of fun for families, lots of gratitude, and next to NO ONE warming up, which was weird, but also really relaxing and chill. 

I'd planned on a one mile warm-up, but that didn't happen. Instead, I got a 0.1ish mile warm-up when my training partner kindly watched my baby (Jerry was off warming up on his own, after having decided to race a couple days before). 

Race

I'd had tentative plans on trying to win the stroller division... until I saw our friend Dave and his son there. I figured I could start with them, though, and let them clear the way off the line... and then hopefully finish as the first female stroller. 

The first mile was great. Though I had a really stressful first 400-800m off the line, trying to get up to speed without clipping anyone's ankles, the crowds thinned quickly. By the half mile mark, I had zero trouble navigating around others, which is always my biggest fear in stroller races. I was a bit shocked to see my first mile pace register at a sub-8, and attributed that to off-the-line excitement and a mostly downhill first mile. 

As the hills and curves started coming, I pulled off to the side to unlock my front wheel. While I'd resolved to race with it locked for safety, the crowds and terrain weren't such that I felt like I needed it locked, and I wanted to have a little more freedom (and less resistance) to push the pace. It took me forever to get the wheel unlocked because I kept turning the wheel back into a locked position.Eventually, I got it, though, and it made a huge difference the rest of the race. 

By mile 1.5, I was hating everything again. Racing is hard. Racing with a stroller is harder. That feeling of "ugh, this is hard" was taking over, which meant I was doing something right. I didn't have a time goal for this race, but did want to to push myself. I wanted to make the other Running Mamas proud of me, and I wanted to be proud of myself for knowing I did something hard. 

elevation profile

Just like Shamrock and W5K, I found myself totally crushed by pushing the stroller up the hills. I knew I could walk and still finish in really good shape, but walking would mean I'd have to acknowledge that I gave up. When I got to the last hill, though, I didn't care. I felt like I would actually be faster pushing the stroller while walking than I was running. So, I stopped, walked up the last 30' or so... and promptly got passed by one of the Running Mamas's husband AND the second place stroller. 

I considered, for a moment, trying to catch the second place stroller, but then realized I just didn't care enough. I was still going to finish as the first female stroller, and WELL ahead of my goal of PRing a stroller 5K (29:01). I was able to kick going into the last bit, knowing it was downhill, and crossed the line with a smile. 

pace overlaid on elevation

Reflections
A year ago, I was just hoping to break 25:00 in a 5K. Today, I did that pushing a stroller on some hills. While the course was a little short (0.05-0.1mi, depending on whose Garmin you ask), I still would have come in at or under 25 on a full course. :) 

and even faster if I hadn't taken like 20s to unlock my wheel

I'm sooooo glad I did the stroller hills at Newtown this past Thursday. Today's course was tough, but paled in comparison to that workout. Definitely a huge confidence booster to know that I'd done something 10x harder two days earlier. 

Also, it was really cool to finally get to accept an award together with my little potato! You can't see it in the pic, but I made all the Running Mamas' kids little Atlanta Track Club shirts since ATC doesn't sell anything in toddler or baby sizes. Puffy paint for the win! 

lol. race bib under shirt looks awkward 

If more stroller races were like this (not having to start in the back, and having enough room to move freely on the course without fear of hitting anyone), I might consider making them a regular part of my training. It was so much fun to have a family running event where both Jerry and I could participate at the level we wanted, and hang out with so many of our friends. I think we'll definitely be doing this race again next year :)