My husband and I registered for the Phillies 5k a while ago. The race has been on my bucket list since hearing about it last year. It’s well put together, the registration fee helps the Phillies charity, and you get to finish with a lap around the stadium. It’s a unique and fun 5k but it sells out quickly, so I bit the bullet a few months ago and signed up. I normally and wait until the last minute to sign up for any race.
After the Shamrock half last weekend, I was sore and tired. Time wise, I had no idea what to expect. I haven’t raced a 5k since my PR at the Flower Show 5k. To be honest, I toed the line wanting to win. You can’t control who shows up to a race so that is a game of rolling the dice. I normally don’t make goals of winning or placing but overall winners received autographed baseball bats which was awesome.
We got to the race around 8 am, warmed up and then headed to the race start. My legs felt tired and heavy. I mentioned yesterday; my hamstring has been acting up since Shamrock, and it has taken me a lot longer for my legs to recover. It’s not anything for me to worry about (yet) but it’s something I want to monitor.
The race started at 9 am. It went out fast, and I found myself boxed in between several racers. We made a few turns in the parking lot and around the stadium. You don’t realize how big the stadium is until you’re doing laps around it! I hit the first mile in 5:44. I was pleasantly surprised because I didn’t feel that good. I think guts and grit prevailed, because I desperately wanted to win.
The second mile went by in a blur. I felt like I blinked and the second mile was over. We went through a park and near a band. Racers were running the opposite direction yelling “first woman,” and it was motivating. I hit the second mile in 5:40. I haven’t run a mile that quickly in over three years. I was excited because I didn’t feel great but was still running well.
To recap: mile 2 was my fastest mile in 3 years, and mile 1 was my second fastest.
The third mile ran directly into headwind. It was demotivating but I reminded myself it was a beautiful day, and at least the weather was nice. The last mile of any 5k is always challenging and a windy mile is no exception. We turned the corner and faced the finish line for over a quarter of a mile. It felt like the like the finish line was not getting any closer. I hit the third mile in 6:09 which I wasn’t surprised about. It was windy, and I felt like I was still working hard.
As I approached the finish line, the Phillies Phanatic rode his go-kart to “run me in”. I even got to break the tape. I finished the race in 18:27.
Thoughts:
Winning such a big race was cool. I’m hoping I get back on track because I believe I have a 5k PR in me. If there hadn’t been a headwind, I think I could have dropped a few seconds from my time. I ran my fastest two miles in almost three years (5:40 and 5:44). This race was on tired legs, and it’s motivating to know when my legs felt 100% I do have a faster 5k in me. After the race they also interviewed me. I didn’t think it was possible for me to be more awkward than usual but life is full of surprises…
The Phillies 5k was a well put together and fun race. The winners received an autographed baseball bat.
Questions for you:
Are you a baseball fan?
Have you ever run a race put on by a professional sports team?
Awesome job, you did great,so happy for you.
That a nice baseball bat for a prize.
Happy running.
Congratulations Hollie! Sounds like it is a really fun and well organized race. Love the pic of your breaking the tape.
I’m not a huge baseball fan, but that race seems pretty cool. Also, I think that is the most clothes I’ve seen you in for a race! 🙂
Congrats on the win! It stinks that the headwind prevented a PR, but you had a GREAT race, especially coming off Shamrock last week. I think that PR is not far away. I think your two super fast miles showed that you are ready when the conditions are right!
Congrats on winning! That’s awesome that you set your goal and did it! Sounds like a fun race.
What an awesome prize and a great race for you! Congratulations on your fastest 2 miles in the past few years. It sounds like another PR is right around the corner for you! Way to go!
I am a huge Cincinnati Reds fan! I did their “Redlegs” 5K once which also supports the organizations charity. Nice race LOLZ!
Congratulations on your win and a great race! You ran a blazing fast time coming off the half marathon too! Love the autographed baseball bat and the picture of you breaking the tape is great (Facebook profile pic material right there). This seems like a very well-organized race and good that some proceeds go to charity.
We don’t have a professional baseball team here, but in May our local team has a 5K that the race fee includes dinner and admission into the game, so I’ll probably run that.
congrats on winning a race and getting to run through that tape! one day just once i want to be able to do that 🙂 how cool you get an autographed bat for winning now that is a seriously cool prize!
Congratulations!! What an awesome race! I can’t imagine going that fast for one mile, so I’m just going to live vicariously thru you! 🙂
CONGRATS you amazing lady! Outstanding race on tired legs.
congrats that is so awesome! and what an awesome race to win! I am a baseball fan (Yankees) and wish one of my teams would do a race like this!
Nice job! That’s so awesome!!
Congratulations!! This sounds like such a fun race and that’s incredible that you ran your 2 fastest miles! We don’t have any professional sports teams around where I live (sad) but if we did, and if they had races, I’d be signing up in a heartbeat 🙂
Congrats on winning! It must have felt amazing to break the tape. I know the baseball team in St. Louis (where I grew up) has a 6K charity race each year, but I haven’t heard of anything like that out here, especially on the Eastside of Seattle – maybe in West Seattle.
Wow, amazing job Hollie!! Congrats on winning!
I once ran a race put on by the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team and it was a fun experience as well! Very well put together and just overall a great time!
Those paces- smoking fast!! And on tired legs? You’re amazing. My husband loves the Phillies! I didn’t realize this 5k was happening but maybe next year we’ll check it out. Congrats, Hollie!!
Hollie, 5:40s is pretty fast. Isn’t your mile PR currently like 5:30ish? I think it’s time to take that one down. I bet you could run run close to 5 flat. Maybe even faster if you had someone pace you (wink, wink) 😉
Excited for your half coming up. Good luck!
That is so cool! Congrats on winning!
Way to go!!!!
Saaaa-weeeet! I cannot wait to see how you do when you’re rested and tapered. You will blow that PR out of the water.