Friday, June 11, 2010

Hollis Fast 5K Rast Recap

Yesterday I finished my 3rd 5K of the season.  The race was scheduled to start at 6:30, but because it was a point-to-point race, I needed to get there early to catch the shuttle to the start.  I started getting ready around 4:45, and that when I heard it.  Rain.  It had started to pour rain.  All day it had been overcast, but had stayed dry.  Now it was raining buckets.  Great.  My mom decided to come and try to run too.  When we got in the car I was trying not to think about how long and miserable this race was going to be.  Yeah, this was the view from the car:


When we got to the packet pick-up it was still raining pretty hard.  We had to park kind of far away, but at that point, what difference did it make?  Luckily the packet pick-up was inside and we were able to hang out inside until the shuttle came.  My mom lucked out and was able to get a number!  We caught the shuttle and we got to the starting line with about 10 minutes to go.  We stood under a tree to try to stay dry. 

Next thing I know, we're at the starting line and ready to go!  It was still raining steadily, but not nearly as hard as when we left the house.  Thank goodness.  Honestly, I've never run in the rain before (because I'm a wimp).  But I paid to race and I wasn't going to miss it.  I've been wanting to do this race for a couple of years because it's one of the top 3 fastest 5K courses in the US.  I thought that was pretty neat.  The start was a little congested, and I definitely felt stuck.  It took me about a half mile to break free from the crowed.  I had to do a lot of weaving - what an energy zapper!

The race itself is entirely downhill.  Talk about the best race ever!  It's almost impossible not to PR.  I was bummed that I didn't have my iPod because of the rain, but I was able to chat with other runners instead.  I did wear a hat (thanks for that tip) and I managed to stay relatively dry.  I was having a blast.  I had a smile plastered on my face and I was loving it!  And by the half way mark, the rain had almost stopped completely.  I just kept chugging along and before I knew it, I was crossing the finish line.  Here are the results;

Miles:  3.1 miles
Time:  29:31 minutes
Pace:  9:32 minute/mile
Place:  446/684
Age Group:  13/21

That time is about 1 second off of my PR.  But I set my PR when I was about 15 pounds lighter, so I am quite satisfied with this performance.  I haven't run this fast in a long time and it feels really good.  My mom did awesome too!  This was her first race since having foot surgery about a year and a half ago.  She had to recover for an entire year!  Her goal was to finish and she did it.  Maybe I'll be able to sucker her into coming to more races with me.

I hope that I can run this race again next year and shatter this time!  I also wanted to mention that this race was pretty well organized.  With not a lot of space to work with, the race directors got everyone parked, shuttled, and gear shuttled back to the finish line efficiently and the race started right on time (which I appreciate!).  They also had all 3 miles marked, as well as markers letting you know that there was 1, 3/4, 1/2, or 1/4 of a mile to go.  That really helped me push it at the end.  Overall I think it's a great event for anyone in the area to try out.  Since it was raining at the start we didn't take pictures until the end:












7 comments:

  1. Great time! I have to ask. I've heard of other runners in the rain and their feet being a mess from running in soaked shoes. How were your feet afterwards?

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  2. awesome job with your time! I've never run in the rain....snow yes, rain no!

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  3. wow, awesome time! so proud for you :)

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  4. Congrats on a great race! I knew you'd do well! Coolest thing ever to run with your mom!

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  5. Great job!! Sounds like a good race. I love running in the rain... living in the Pacific Northwest I kind of have to. :)

    Cute pics. I really like your shirt, "Start strong, finish stronger"... great racing shirt!

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  6. Way to go! I actually love running in the rain, so long as it isn't freezing out and it isn't a torrential downpour. I love your shirt!

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