The Nerdy Girl's Guide to the Gym: March 2018

Sunday, March 18, 2018

Lake Chapman 5k (Trail 5k)

This morning I ran the Lake Chapman 5k.

Beautiful morning for a run.

Let me preface this with

1. I am sick. I woke up sick Tuesday and have been running through whatever this is.

2. I did my normal training and it was a tough training week.

Tuesday hill repeats, Wednesday 6 hilly miles, Thursday mile repeats, Friday long run. So I'd run my 24 miles (what I run in a normal week) before coming to the course.

No taper. I rested Saturday and that was it.

I wanted to run under a 26 minutes for the race. I did a 26 minute trail 5k last year. But it wasn't in me today. My legs would not move.

Pre-race

Mile 1: I thought should be about 7:30 so I held back the first half mile and then I couldn't speed up. There's a hill about .7 mile in. First mile was 8:49. Which was way too slow but there was a giant hill. (I passed a girl on this hill. I've run with this girl before. She always goes out in front of me and finished WAY behind me)

Mile 2: I couldn't get my legs to match the pace I wanted them to go. I was trying so hard. 9:08 (And another big hill)

Mile 3: 7:45. The last half mile was on the road and I didn't look at my watch. I was just hanging on. I felt like I was running another 9 minute mile. It hurt. But I wanted to catch that girl in front of me and didn't want to let anyone pass me. I didn't let anyone pass me.

And my last .2 mile was 6:39 pace.

I finished 8th overall. Fourth place woman. Two ladies from the racing team got 1 and 2. And I never caught the girl in front of me who was in my age group, so I got second in my age group.

I was happy with the last bit of the race. That when I was on roads I could run close to what I wanted on tired legs. And that last mile always hurts the most. I couldn't have done anymore. My legs were trashed afterwards. (And so sore Monday and Tuesday).