Friday, June 15, 2012

Rocking the Positive Splits

A couple friends of mine, Maggie and Kelly, were running the Jim Gibbons 5k on Thursday, June 14th at 6:25 pm.  I've been signed up for a lot of runs and wasn't going to sign up for this one. So for weeks, I had been saying "no" to this race.  Plus I really don't sign up for a lot of 5k's.  Mostly, if they are in Chicago, they are pretty costly (for a 5k).  Then two more friends, Susan and Wayne, said they were both signing up for it.  Susan put more of the pressure on me to sign up.  I debated for a week.  Finally on Tuesday (last day of online registration), I decided to sign up.  After all, it was for Leukemia research, so it's a good cause.

So, you want to run a 5k?  In fact, I now had the Jim Gibbons 5k on Thursday (yesterday), I have the Warrior Dash on Saturday and I have the Short Run on a Long Day 5k next Wednesday.  Yes, that's 3 5k's in a weeks time.  For someone that never signs up for 5k's, I'm not sure how I let this happen!  Haha!

My PR for a 5k was from November 2010.  I was a faster runner back then.  It was before the marathons and before my injuries.  My time was 27:55 (8:59 pace).  I'm still not sure how that happened as I was horribly sick and almost didn't go. But it was a local run right in my neighborhood (the course went past my house twice).  I didn't have a garmin back then and I have no idea what my splits were.  I haven't beat 29 mins for a 5k since then!  But then again, I usually run like 1 a year!

After kind of a rough 2 days emotionally for me, I was feeling pretty beat up inside.  So while at work on Thursday, I could not wait to take my anger out on this 5k.  So I was pretty glad I ended up signing up for it.  I knew that I would not beat my PR, but that didn't mean I couldn't try anyway.  I figured I could use this as a base for upcoming 5k's and just see where I'm at.  I've never been a fast runner (obviously!). 

In fact, with the anger I had built up that day, I was pretty confident I would kill this 5k!  Haha!  I knew better but it was fun thinking it!  I sort of had a plan.  I would run about 9:10, 9:00 and 8:50 for my splits!  What??  I haven't run faster than a 9:30 mile in months?  Pffftttt!  No big deal!

Kelly and I drove from work to Lincoln Park where it was going to be at.  We met up with Maggie and walked to a spot for a pre-race photo.  Susan joined us as did Britt and Lauren.  Britt and Lauren came up to spectate since they lived nearby!

Susan, Me, Maggie, Lauren, Britt, Kelly

Me and Susan
After this we met up with Wayne and his friend Tony.  While heading to the start, the "fast runners" Susan, Kelly, Maggie and Wayne all went to the front.  They run in the 7:00 mile pace for 5k's (around 7:30's more or less).  Tony and I stayed back by the 9:00 min mile marker. 

Remember, my first mile was going to be about a 9:10.  My garmin was clocking fast so these splits are probably a few seconds off.  But according to my garmin, my first mile was an 8:50.  While running that mile, I was going to slow up but couldn't.  Then it was nearing the one mile mark and I figured I should finish out that mile and then slow up the second mile and crush the 3rd.

Yeah well, I knew if I started the race too fast that I would crash in the second.  And that's what happened!  My second mile split (according to my inaccurate garmin) was 9:18.  But I was still really close to hitting a PR if I could pick up that 3rd mile!  Or not...

My 3rd mile was a 9:23.  Nice negative splits Amanda!  Haha! 

My official time came to 29:03 (9:21 pace).  I checked out the other 5k (Cupid's Chase) that I ran in February on my birthday on one of the coldest days of the year (thanks for that Mother Nature!) and my time was a 29:05 (9:22 pace).  So I guess I PR'd for the year!  Sometimes I have to remember what you might have been at one point isn't necessarily what you are right now.  So maybe I'll work on it from this year forward since a lot's happened to me.  And I have to remember, I'm not training to PR 5k's. I'm training to PR my marathon.  So I gave this 5k a solid effort with NO speed training or training for it at all.  If I was putting work into these, I'm sure I'd have no problem getting down there again.

Kelly, Me, Wayne, Susan, Tony and Maggie (Post-Race)
I had a good time with my friends and relieved some anger.  I feel a little better too after talking things out with some friends and pushing myself hard in a 5k. All in all, it was a productive evening. 

WARRIOR DASH!!

Saturday is the Warrior Dash. I'm super excited to go!  I've wanted to do this the last two years but haven't.  I'm scheduled to go at 12:30 but I'm going to run it early, at 10:00 am with a group of my running friends.  I think we are going to have TONS of fun!  So excited!  Seriously!  Except that the high is going to be 90 degrees.  Ugh! Mother Nature!  STOP!! 
Wait for the race recap on this one!!

4 comments:

  1. My middle name is "positive splits" :) Have fun at warrior dash! All that mud will keep you cool!

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    1. Haha! The funny thing was...I pretty much called out that this is what would happen! I really wanted to stick to my plan but eh....

      Yay! MUD!!

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  2. Forgot to mention...summer hours today! Yay!! Leaving in 20 mins!

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  3. OOH positive splits and I go waaaaay back :)

    Congrats on the PR for the year!

    Have fun at warrior dash! Those events scare me to death :)

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