Name: Let's Go 5K
Date: February 7, 2009
Distance: 5K (3.1 miles)
Location: Bedford, Indiana
Course: Flat and fast (Click here to view course.)
Time: 26:50
Pace: 8:39
Place: 13 of 44
Division: 4 of 26
Results Link: Click here.
Weather: 55°, south wind 15 mph
Notes: This was my first race since the fibula fracture. I was nervous for two reasons. First, I had only been training four days a week in order to avoid another injury. Second, I had made a pretty lofty goal of breaking 28:00 in order to qualify for preferred seeding for the Mini Marathon. Luckily, though the temperature was warm, we ran the flatter "modified course" due to ice that was still on the roads from a winter storm. I surprised myself when my first split was 8:14. That time made me excited and nervous—excited because I felt that I was going to reach my goal, and nervous because I didn't want to have gone out too fast and lose steam in the end. I hit the halfway point at 13:19, and decided to go for broke and try for a PR. When I hit the top of the hill on the final tenth of a mile, I glanced at my watch and it said 25:59. I knew then that I could make it to the finish line in under 27 minutes, so it was just a matter of kicking hard to get there. Getting a PR was great, because it showed me I hadn't lost fitness as a result of my fracture, and that my training plan was on track. I was thrilled that no one passed me during the race, and to learn that I was the fourth woman to cross the finish line. Success! It was also exciting to see a lot of my running friends achieve PRs as well. What a great race!
Photos: 10 — See below.