2nd Annual Police Appreciation Run RR

This race was originally intended to be my c25k graduation race but that didn't quite happen. But I needed a 5k under my belt so I did it anyway.

Setting: North Straub Park, St. Petersburg. Much of the course was the same as my first 5k in February. Only difference is that this time we ran out to the pier rather than around part of the park.
Charity: Partners for Life Foundation - in memory of three St. Petersburg police officers shot and killed last year

Ok the boring stuff is out of the way.

Pre-Race: Not too nervous this time. Found parking without an issue and walked about 1/2 mile to the pre-race area. Had no issues picking up my number or chip. This is the first race I have used a chip on my shoe...pretty neat. Thank goodness for no extra swag bag besides the shirt because we would have had nowhere to put it.  My friend Dianne was running the 10k so we went to the finish line just in time to see her cross and cheer. She decided she was going to run the 5k with me as well, which was awesome. DH came to watch me run but did not sign up. As I got to the starting line, I jogged around a bit and didnt even exert a lot of effort but I could definitely feel the humidity. I knew right then that this was not going to be a PR kind of day. It was hotter than my last 5k was and the humidity was UP there (91 heat index by the time I finished).

Mile 1: most interesting mile I suppose. Dianne's shoe had issues so she pulled off and I kept going. I made it all the way out to the pier (about 1/2-3/4 mile) before i took my first walk break. As I made the turnaround, MY PHONE RINGS. Now I'm using my phone as my i-pod so of course it stops my flow and rhythm i had going. So i had to stop and fumble with that. All of that walkng and fumbling allowed Dianne to catch up with me. She said I had gone out faster than I probably thought and could tell the heat was killing me. So she hands me her water bottle...i thought it was plain water but it was infused with an electrolyte blend that tasted like CRAP. So I take one big swig and promptly experience another run first: my first during race hurl into the bushes (couldnt quite make it to the water...) so by the time I hit the mile marker, I knew it was not going to be a good race.

Mile 2: when we come off the pier, DH is standing there IN HIS RUNNING GEAR with a bottle of water in his hand for me. I figured he was going to deliver my water and then be done but he stayed right with me. Dianne knew I was in good hands so she took off (she is just a WEE bit faster than me lol). I spent more time walking than running this mile...and DH kept pushing me on to run farther before I walked. At this point we were in full sunshine and he kept pointing things out to distract me ("look! That paddleboarder fell over in the water! Look! That's where I went to watch America's Got Talent!"). I tried jogging through the water stop and ended up getting more water and Gatorade on me than in me. I suppose that's okay. I was just hot and ready to just walk it in. Thank GOD for a hubby who was willing to stay by my side even though he was technically banditing the race to make sure I didn't give up.

Mile 3: As we crossed this mile marker, DH says to me "only 15 more minutes to go!" and I promptly bitch him out (sorry, love!). The girl who had been behind me for a while passed ahead of me and DH was on me to pass her back. He showed me how to pick someone in the distance and methodically "snipe them off" which kept me running more than I probably would have. Part of this was in the shade so it was a little bit better. I also knew we were almost there so I sped up a bit. When he saw the race photographer, he tried to jump out of the way because he wasn't supposed to even be on the course lol. I came around for the last .1 miles jogging faster than I had all race. I finished and they gave me water and I was happy....hot and sweaty and ready to almost pass out....but happy. DH jumped off before the final turn so (hopefully) no one caught him banditing.

Post Race: Every racer got pasta courtesy of one of the local Italian restaurants...not a bad deal. I hung around for pictures and to catch my breath but I was ready to go home into the air conditioning.

Lessons learned:
- Don't let training go out the window: I didn't let myself get into a rhythm and even though I know I can run for over 5-7 minutes at  a time now....I was lucky to get 2 in at a time after mile 1.
- Don't go out TOO fast...I find I have done this in every race I have done...fast for me is still slow enough where people pass me.
- HYDRATE. I should have brought my own water with me....would have saved me tossing my cookies on the pier.
- Humidity will not kill you BUT it will make you slimy and soupy. This was my first hard run in the Florida humidity and all I can say is: it's going to be a LONG summer.

Results:
41:11 Chip Time
42:15 Gun Time
13:36 pace
390/473 overall
33/38 age group

at least I wasn't last....... :-)