On Saturday, my brother and I drove to Wilmington to run a 5k. We had had a late night before so I wasn’t sure what to expect! Each race is a workout so I wasn’t too concerned about time but getting another speed workout under my legs. For once in my life, I actually left on time for a race. We arrived at 7:30.
Matt laughed because the closer we got the start, the hillier it got. I realized I had run half of the course at the icicle 10 miler. It is hard to believe that was already 6 months ago. I have no idea what sort of fitness I’m in right now because every 5k I’ve run in the last month has been so hilly! I’m not upset because after all, I do choose the races.
I ran the entire course for warmup. I have not warmed up the entire course for any race in a while. I felt decent but not great. I definitely felt full but my legs felt decent. I like to run 2-3 miles before 5ks depending on how loose my legs feel.
The race was delayed and we started around 8:40.
I immediately found myself behind a wall of dudes. There were two males way out in front, followed by a pack of 6 males and myself. I began to pass several of the men and by the first mile I was fourth overall. I stayed at fourth for the rest of the race.
The first mile went up a hill. I haven’t gotten used to the hills in Delaware. During the week, I’ve been consistently training on flat ground. Since I had warmed up on the course, I knew it would be hilly. I charged up the first hill and passed several of the men. I hit the first mile in 6:19. I knew based on my pacing and the course, breaking 20 minutes was not going to be feasible.
The second mile continued up and around several rolling hills. I didn’t mind them and I found myself running alone most of the race. It was a boring, lonely mile. I hit the second mile in 6:36.
I saw my brother during the third mile and it motivated me to finish strong. We ran back into the park and to the finish line. There were a lot of hills but I was so focused on the finish line I mentally blocked everything out. The final home stretch went around a loop at the park.
I finished in 20:33 and 4th person overall. I even won a giant trophy!
Thoughts:
This race made me realize I haven’t raced a lot of flat courses lately. All of my races have been more difficult and hilly courses. I have been putting in work at the track lately but it’s hard to compare a 6:08 mile track workout and a 6:33 average paced 5k on hill. I like racing on hills but I also like running flatter 5ks that are closer to my goal pace. There are trade offs to both.
I’m excited to go to Belmar on Saturday and see what I can do there.
Questions for you:
What kind of warmup do you do before races?
Before 5ks I like 2-3 miles and before half marathons and marathons I generally don’t warm up.
Are you normally on time?
I try to be on time in life situations and when meeting people but I somehow get so sidetracked the morning before races.
Great job Hollie, and that’s a huge trophy! It’s almost bigger than you! I can’t wait to see how you’ll do on Saturday either…you’ll be blazing fast I bet! Good luck 🙂
And I’m always way early for everything..growing up my parents stressed the importance of being on time and never late so now I get anxious if I think I might not be early. It’s pretty bad!
I’m normally good when I’m meeting someone but for some reason getting to races I’m always way behind!
Awesome race!!! And that’s a pretty nice trophy 🙂 For races and big events I’m ALWAYS early or on time. But for things like work and dentist appointments and less exciting things I tend to run a little more on the late side…
I like doing a drills and dynamic stretches to warm up and get my muscles moving, especially for early morning races!
Oh I am SUCH an on time person. In my mind, if i’m not 10 minutes early, I’m late. My boyfriend is the opposite- if he’s 40 minutes late, he’s early. drives me bonkers!!
I dont really run 5ks anymore, I’m a pretty slow runner so it doesn’t make sense for me to pay $40 for a 30 minute race to finish middle of the pack. So I do marathons and ultras mostly, which means definitely not warming up because i’ll have several hour of running ahead of me!
Doing a warmup before races is definitely something that I need to work on. I usually only run maybe a half mile warm up before a 5k. Sometimes nothing. I don’t warm up before marathons besides trying to be on my feet and up and awake a few hours before race going through normal morning routine.
Always on time! I feel stressed if I am rushing to get to the start line of a race. If you’re early, you’re on time, if you’re on time, you’re late!
I didn’t know there were this many 5Ks happening in the NJ area period! Well done!!!
WHY WALL OF DUDES WHY
So speedy – congrats! I rarely ever warm-up before races, usually because I’m running late. I need to start incorporating some kind of warm-up, though. Something to work on!
Ahhhh, Wall of Dudes! Glad you were able to dial in, drop them, and hammer home strong.
Wall of dudes!! I literally lol(z)’d! I wish I could have seen their faces as you lee by them. #boss
*flew by them
I am good about being on time most of the time. If I go in an area I am unfamiliar with it gets tricky. I always seem to misjudge traffic.
I’m loving the giant trophy!! How cool! And yes the “wall of dudes” is ever present at all races, right? Training that hard and going that fast on the hills is fantastic training although grueling!!! I think you’re going to kill a flat course and can’t wait to see that 19…or maybe 18… GO!!!
That trophy is huge! AWESOME. Congrats. I don’t warm up before a marathon but I’ll warm up a mile before a half.
Congratulations on that BIG trophy!!! You impress me every time I read your race summaries. Way to stick with the guys and pass most of them!
Thank you so much for your continuous support. It really means a lot 🙂
Awesome job! There are virtually no hills in my town so hill training is pretty much impossible. Not that I’m complaining because I don’t like hills.
That is kind of how I am Jada. There are barely any hills where I live but I race on them. It’s probably not the best combination!
That’s a huge trophy! What did first place get?! Good job on being 4th! I always hated running hills and now that I’m pregnant, I actually get short of breath walking up things I would have never even considered hills before. I can’t even do resistance on the elliptical anymore or my heart rate gets too high. It’s ridiculous. I’m always on time! If I’m late, it’s like, 5 minutes and I usually freak out about it. I just feel like it’s a respect issue to show up to meet people, and for work we get in trouble for being late so I’m never late for that.