Posts tagged 5k

Matt and I did our last organized 5k of the year. The Panera Bread 5k at Lake Hefner in OKC. It was one of the hardest I’ve done…but also the best time I’ve put up! First off, let me set the stage. It was on the south and east side of the lake, 30 degrees, 20-30mph winds blowing south east. The first half of the race was face into the wind. It was on average 20mph, but some of those gusts were up to 30mph easy! It was HARD and it took alot out of you. I was passing people on the first half, which is pretty rare for me, and felt really good the whole run…except for the watering eyes from the wind, and the occasional runny nose. My ending time was 29:19. Which is the best I’ve put up on an oranized race, I’ve put up a 25 min time on the treadmill a bit back. That is an average of 9:09 min miles, which is about right for me, I seem to be more of a pace running instead of a speed running, because even on my long runs I average 9-10 min miles. Which will be respectable half and full marathon times whenever I run those! My next event is the March in Okarche duathlon (5k run/30k bike/5k run) on March 28th. This will be my second duathlon, and I’m excited. Already have my fingers crossed for better weather conditions than we’ve had the last few races!

Matt and I did our last organized 5k of the year. The Panera Bread 5k at Lake Hefner in OKC. It was one of the hardest I’ve done…but also the best time I’ve put up!

First off, let me set the stage. It was on the south and east side of the lake, 30 degrees, 20-30mph winds blowing south east.

The first half of the race was face into the wind. It was on average 20mph, but some of those gusts were up to 30mph easy! It was HARD and it took alot out of you. I was passing people on the first half, which is pretty rare for me, and felt really good the whole run…except for the watering eyes from the wind, and the occasional runny nose.

My ending time was 29:19. Which is the best I’ve put up on an oranized race, I’ve put up a 25 min time on the treadmill a bit back. That is an average of 9:09 min miles, which is about right for me, I seem to be more of a pace running instead of a speed running, because even on my long runs I average 9-10 min miles. Which will be respectable half and full marathon times whenever I run those!

My next event is the March in Okarche duathlon (5k run/30k bike/5k run) on March 28th. This will be my second duathlon, and I’m excited. Already have my fingers crossed for better weather conditions than we’ve had the last few races!

Matt and I before the Resolution 5k run. It was COLD and WINDY (about 30 degrees with 25mph winds). I posted the worst time I’ve done so far in my four 5k tries, while Matt on the other hand finished first in his age group. <applause!>

Matt and I before the Resolution 5k run. It was COLD and WINDY (about 30 degrees with 25mph winds).

I posted the worst time I’ve done so far in my four 5k tries, while Matt on the other hand finished first in his age group. <applause!>

The after 5k shot.

The after 5k shot.

Before the Sand Ridge Santa 5k.

Before the Sand Ridge Santa 5k.

Saving the Boobies.

I ran my first ever race, it was only a 5k, but it was a race none-the-less. It was the Komen Race for the Cure in OKC. It was for a great cause, to help save the boobies from cancer, which I am 100% for saving them!

The night before the race I was sick as a dog! I had either come down with something, or my nerves got to me (which I have been known to have happen cause I get so worked up about stuff when I’m nervous). I had run a fever, could not sleep and was about as pale as an already whitey like myself could be. I slept like crap that night, but still got up and went to the race, cause I was not going to miss my first ever race!

There are THOUSANDS of people there. All skill levels, from people who walked to 12 min mile people to 5 min mile people. I fall in the range of 8-10 min miles depending on the length of the race and how well I’m running that day.

The first mile was really difficult, to say the least, there are so many people in so narrow an area trying to all move in the same direction. It was chaos. My first mile time suffered due to this, but once it finally opened up I was able to stretch my legs a bit and made up most of the time from the first mile.

I ended with the following results: 29.27 mins for the full 5k. Ranked 67 out of 172 in my age/gender group, and ranked 393 out of 1389 total.

Not bad. I learned alot at my first race.

  1. Your pace can be a little quicker in a race than in practice, it seems easier to push yourself and you are way less likely to slow/stop at any point.
  2. Water stops are really cool! I felt all about some awesome when I grabbed the cup of water, drank it and just threw the cup on the ground.
  3. The last 100 yards are the most fun, I went on a full out sprint to the finish (which also leads me to believe my pace was too slow because I had way too much energy left)

I did become VERY emotional on the last quarter to half mile of the race. I just got a flood of emotions. Mostly because this time exactly 1 year ago, I could not have walked this race, and now I’m running in it. It just all hit me right then and I was just so happy.

I hope everyone out there can experience this one day… it is so worth it, and more so when it is for as good a cause as saving the boobies.

From the Komen website:

Thank you to everyone who ran, walked, volunteered, cheered, or donated to this year’s Komen Oklahoma City Race for the Cure.  With over 15,000 participants and over $260,000 in donations to date, this is our most succesful year to date.

My First Run.

I signed up for my first 5k today, The 2008 Komen Oklahoma City Race for the Cure.  I am a little nervous about it, as I’ve never done a race before. I’ve run 5k miles many times before, no problem…but it was never in a race situation. Theoretically should make my time better, I always do better when I have to chase/keep away from someone.

I’m using the Komen for a race warm up for the upcoming dualthon I am doing on October 19th, the Fall Classic Duathlon (it’s 2 mile run, 14 mile bike ride, 2 mile run).

I’m doing all I can to train for both, including making my OperationBootcamp students do alot more running so I can get more runing in. I’m feeling fairly confident about both races. Not confident in that I think I’ll win, or even place…confident I’ll “amaze myself” and do well and cross the finish lines on both with my head up knowing I gave it my all the entire race.

If anyone would like to sponsor me in the Race for the Cure, please do!