I broke 20!

I don't race 5ks very often. They're so short. But I'm trying to work on speed now. Now that IM is over. Now that I have a shorter race for which I'm preparing. I said just last week that my goal for the fall was to break 20 mins for a 5k. My previous best was 20:02. And that was a couple years ago.

A friend of mine gave me some info on this 5k that was going down today. I didn't really have any intention of going because my friend, Barbie, was to be doing her first tri today, but then, well.... it didn't happen. So, I decided I'd go over and get in a few miles before and a few miles after and it'd be like a tempo run.

That few miles before? Ugh! I totally felt like there wasn't much pep in my step. and I was feeling that trainer ride on Saturday. My dad showed up and I checked out the competition...not much. Decent sized race, about 2100, but not many serious runners. I could tell right away who was going to be in contention for the win. Dad says "remember how to run a 5k?". I responded "go out fast and try to hang on!"

The gun went off and we all sprinted forward. I was the lead female. Going out into the course, we hit the first hill...and then it occurred to me. Holy crap! I bet this is a hilly course which is why no one is going out very fast. Um, yeah. I don't know this part of town. AT ALL. And that was a hilly course.

SO, I crossed the first mile at 6:02. oh boy. hold on. hold on. Coming up a hill to a water station and almost to mile marker two, I hear cheers for Coach Amy, so I know she's right there on me....and she passed me. I'm fine with that. She was the one I pointed out before the race to my dad "um. she's fast".

Hit mile two in 12:13. That last mile is when my body started feeling the affects of the hills...so I just tried my best to relax and hang on. And give a little smile when people cheered for 'the second girl'.

I crossed the line in 19:39. Totally unexpected. But a fun, fun race! I'll post pics when they're available