Race Report: Peachtree 2023

Previous PR: 47:53 (5/6/17)

90% Goal: sub-10:00/mi 
50% Goal: sub-60 (9:20ish/mi)
10% Goal: sub-9:00/mi
Result: 54:46 (8:49/mi)

Training: A lot of false starts... finally got through long COVID only to deal with a "flat arch" injury, and then bronchitis a few weeks before. There's been no training, just "riding the waves" of life. 

Pre-Race: Met up with the 10KTuesday crew for a photo, got roped into a warm-up with my TP that felt like sludge, and then still hadn't really figured out a "plan" by the time the gun went off... typical. lol

Race:

I didn't know what pace I was running until the first mile split. I just wanted to run "comfortably uncomfortable" this race... whatever that meant.  I think I felt good-ish for the first 5K, even after I realized I was running sub-9s. I just kinda told myself to enjoy the first part of the course, since it's downhill. 

It was hot. It was moist. It wasn't sunny, but that didn't make it comfortable. 

I passed the 5K split at 27:24, and was pretty pleased with myself. Now I could accept that the second half of the course (the uphill part) would be slower, and I'd still probably be able to hit that sub-hour goal. 

After Cardiac Hill, the course gets into the city, and you're able to count down the blocks from 26th street until you make the course's one turn onto 10th. This part of the course is always the   l o n g e s t  for me. I think it's because I've already gotten through the big landmark hill, and you're just hoping it's "almost over"... but it's not, cause you're barely halfway through and still have a LOT of race left to run. The streets tighten up, and there are lots of uphills. 

"Just keep running."

When we finally turned onto tenth, I knew better than to be excited about the impending finish. I still had nearly a mile to go... but if I pushed, I could actually break 55. 

Lezzz gooooo

And push I did. It felt both good and sickening to have a nice, pre-COVID Angelina-style kick. I crossed that finish line well under 55, and promptly felt like I was going to puke. (but didn't)

Reflections:

This was a solid race.

Check out that kick.

a 200m at a sub-6 pace to close this race out? 

Yasssssssss

But, real talk : the only goal this year was really to show up with a Patriotic outfit for a change, and my fireworks shorts and red sports bra helped me nail that. I'm grateful for another fun run, and hopeful that, yet again, maybe I've turned the corner on these health struggles...