Bad race and a HUGE Trophy

Yesterday was my second running of Jeremy's Run! And just like last year the temperatures did not disappoint. I knew it was going to be bad when my neighbor had said that it was a Code Orange day already.

On Thursday, I was disappointed that I had not signed up for the 10k, but come Monday morning, I was thrilled that I *only* had to run 3.1 miles. The family (Kiera, Brock and Lyle) along with my neighbor A were signed up to walk the 5k. TG was going to "pace" me to a PR (or so he thought) and his family was running the 1 miler. My friend Beth also was running the 5k.

I had been told that the course changed and it would be less hilly and in more shade than in years past. Unfortunately, neither was really accurate. It was in full sun... about 95% of the time... and the hills were not as bad but seemed to come at all of the wrong times.

As we were approaching the race, I realized that my Garmin (despite being charged all night) was dead so TG would have to fake this whole pacing thing. My stomach had been upset since Saturday and apparently, TG's was too, so it seemed like a PR was not in the cards.

TG and I lined up near the front to start the 5k race. As soon as we were off, our legs were totally feeling the 47 mile bike ride we did on Saturday (not to mention TG ran 9 miles the day before at 3pm - total heat). TG told me to slow down several times because I was running too fast. Since we had no Garmin, we really didn't know. Our goal was sub 8s. Let me just tell you know that did NOT happen.

I was starting to feel chilly despite being in the full sun. TG did ask me to tell him about the ball game (We went as a family to the Nats game on Sunday) but I said, 'I cannot talk". I was feeling fatigued already. I was not used to running in the heat. We caught the 10k racers (they started 5 minutes ahead of us) and TG was telling me to pick them off one by one. I tried to focus on that... but I was mentally defeating myself with negative thoughts. At the first water station, I told the girl to throw it on me... not a completely new idea, but apparently, the water girl did not exactly understand. When I said it again, she did... and it landed right in my ear.... yeah... FUN!

We reached the turn around and I started looking for my family and my friend Beth who was running this 5k. I high-fived Beth and barely was making it. I wanted to stop to walk. TG was coaching me to pick it up, to try and catch my breath, but I just could not. My breathing was ALL OVER the place. I could not even muster strength to high-five my kids as I passed them. And right after that I gave up. I walked. *gasp*. Yup! I walked 2 more times too. I even walked when we were approaching the last hill to the finish line. I felt like I had disappointed TG. Our time was bad. I was actually embarrassed.

But do you know what? I was the 3rd overall women to finish the race and 2nd in my age group. CRAZY! It did make it a little better, but when I saw my time, yeah... not good. 28:20, average pace 9:14. Were we really running that slow? Did I really walk *that* much? UGH!

I began to worry how was I going to make it in Philly in a month for my first Olympic Tri. And I am still worried about this. I think I have the endurance runs down... but I just do not know how to turn my steps over enough to run fast 5ks.

Oh, did I mention my trophy. It is HUGE. It is sad that at such a horrible race, I got my first EVER trophy. I was afraid to let Brock hold it for fear he would drop it, but I gave in. He held it proudly.

See Brock sneaking in on the left, he couldn't wait to hold it!

Which reminds me... I am a full time working mother training for her first Olympic Tri this week. I am not sure how I am going to get it all in. Wish me luck!