Race Report: Alpharetta Women's 5K

Previous PR: 22:18 (Hearts & Soles '20)

90% Goal: sub-30

50% Goal: 9:30 average
10% Goal: sub-9 average

Result: 26:42 (8:35/mi avg)

Training: HA. I don't think anything I've done since February could actually count as training. Long COVID's been a pain. I've been run/walking regularly for the 3 of the past 4 weeks. The most recent past week I had symptoms of whatever RSV-ish thing my youngest had so I didn't run at all (and only did two LIIFT4 workouts). 

Pre-Race: I got to meet up with two of my best running buddies who were doing the half, which was nice. I had zero thoughts of really any sort of pacing. Until this morning, I hadn't known if I'd be doing this race solo or with a stroller. I'd kinda wanted to have a good stroller race with my littlest (he's gotten the short end of the race stick with COVID), but this course is NOT a stroller-friendly course (despite the race itself being stroller-friendly). Ultimately, I decided I didn't want the stress on my body of pushing a stroller up the Westside hill and just wanted to enjoy running without working hard. Solo, I can vary my pace to what my body wants to do. With a stroller, even walking up that hill is WORK. 

Race:

I let myself run whatever felt good. There wasn't a single moment on the course where I wanted to slow down. In the first mile, I was a bit alarmed that I was sitting in fifth place. I looked at my watch- 8:30s. That was faster than I had thought I'd be going, but it must be a slow crowd if I was sitting in fifth. Eventually, I got passed by some faster ladies, but I ended up finishing 15th overall, which was a real shock considering both my finish time and the state of my training/body. 

Reflections:

Really happy to have had such a great experience (and performance) today, and hopeful that, despite all of the setbacks this year has brought, maybe I'm finally on my way back up. 

family came to cheer for me :)

awesome friends :D