So i finally decided to get my magically expanding ass off the couch and get back to it. Best motivator for me is to enter something that will take a lot of work to finish. Decided on the Detroit marathon as training for long distance running races has a positive effect on the aforementioned magically expanding body part. I grabbed a training plan off the Marathon website and got to work. I don’t like the plan so far, seems too easy on short days and too hard on some of the long days. However I will stick to it until I find another I like better. Plan said to race a 5k this weekend. I was gonna blow it off and just run a hard 5k or fartlek instead. At the last minute I found a local 5k a short distance away and decided to do that. Decided to give a mini race report more for myself than anything.
Decided to have a beer the night before, somehow had three, which is the magic number to keep me from sleeping well. 1 or 2 I sleep great, we don’t do the 4 or more thing anymore. Ended up tossing and turning all night.
I had decided to ride the bike to the race because I haven’t been on it enough lately. Mindful I was racing I gave myself an extra half hour to ride the 20 miles so I wouldn’t wear myself out. Packed everything for the race in a messenger bag.
Got up on time since I couldn’t sleep anyway. Threw some coffee in a travel mug that fits my cage and headed out. No i did not eat anything.
Made decent time and got to the race early and hungry, killed a gel and some gatorade and wandered around looking for something to eat.
Found some trail mix in my bag I forgot about, woohoo breakfast is served!
Decided not to warm up since I rode 20 miles.
Stood around admiring the women, nobody in my office looks this fit. Started to feel fat standing there. As the runners got ready I noticed a couple of girls I took to be high school cross country runners way up front looking especially fit. Being a gentleman I take pains not to gawk, but DAMN!
I listen to the course explanation, which doesn’t make sense to me, decide it doesn’t matter cause I won’t be in front for any portion of the race.
I listened to people talking during the wait for the start and parked myself by a couple of people who were talking times similar to a bad 5k for me. I suck at pacing myself and often latch onto someone else for a race.
We’re off. first half mile feels good and I am thinking about leaving the people I was pacing off of.
2nd half mile, I get dropped by said people.
mile and a half, I feel ok and decided to go on RPE pushing myself a little but deciding it is after all a training run.
Last half mile, starting to have a couple of people pass me and I feel pretty good so I open it up for the full half mile repass the guys that pass me and come across the line. I feel great!
I look at the clock, I don’t feel so great. I wanna throw up and it ain’t from exertion.
Exit the finish area and head for the water and snack table.
Really hot looking runner I had noticed earlier is waving and calling my name, wtf?
Takes me several moments to realize I know her, she is not a high school crosscountry runner but a 30 something mom of one of my former students. She used to help out with classes when i taught Martial Arts, last time I saw here she was pregnant with number 3. She immediately wants to catch up on stuff, and asks me how I did in the race.
I manage to fill her in on my little life and feel incredibly out of shape and self conscious all at once.
We chat for a bit and then they give out awards and prizes, I hang around waiting to see if I won a prize in the drawing and she collect womens overall.
She asks again how I did and I mumble some stuff about just getting back into racing and not really being up to speed. She starts the pep talk and it actually makes me feel better. My time was 4 and a half minute slower than my PR and over 2 minutes slower than I was aiming for. I end up feeling pretty good seeing as I have only been running again for 4 weeks.
I realize it is not my worst 5k time ever
I say my good buys and head out to see my 2 yr old niece who lives a couple blocks from the race, that always makes me feel good.
Ride the 20 miles home after a nice visit.