How does one recap a mile race? It took me longer to write the recap versus run the race…
The race itself was in the evening. I wasn’t expecting to run, in fact, I ran 11 miles that morning. My coworker asked if I wanted to run and I thought…why not?
The answer should have been because nothing that day set me up for success for the race.
- I don’t run well at night.
- I haven’t been on the track in months and the last time I raced a mile was two years ago.
- I ran 11 miles that morning and worked all day on my feet.
None of it matters because I didn’t plan to lose any sleep over my time. I let go of a time goal. I arrived at the race at 7, quickly warmed up and got to the track. My coworker was ready to run hard. However, I was ready for bed.
We toed the line of the track. I was in the open heat, which had both men and women. Since I don’t run the mile (ever), I couldn’t justify buying a pair of spikes and used my regular racing flats.
At the start of the gun, we were off. Being in the middle of the pack for the heat, I was positioned towards the middle of the track. I found myself boxed in during the first lap and as the third woman behind my coworker and another lady. There were five men in front of me.
I passed the first lap in 82 seconds, and I thought it was the longest 82 seconds of my life. The second lap seemed to go by faster, and I moved into the second woman overall. I felt indifferent. I didn’t feel terrible, but I also didn’t feel like I had the actual speed to move my legs any faster.
I crossed the halfway point in 2:47. I was happy with that but to be honest, I have no real clue whether that’s good or bad.
During the third lap, several young children were cheering. I was all by myself on the track. There were plenty of people in front and behind but no one in the 10-second bubble around me.
I crossed the 3rd lap in 4:15 and hoped I would be able to be under 6 minutes. Looking back that was pretty doable, but sometimes your brain forgets how to think during a race.
I pushed the last lap and by the time I knew it, the race was over. I crossed the mile in 5:40. It wasn’t a PR, but I was pleased with the time. My coworker won and finished in 5:19.
Once school is out, my plan is to get back to the track more. I think doing speed on the track versus road will be beneficial for getting leg turnover.
Questions for you:
Have you ever raced a mile?
What’s your favorite track workout?
Congratulations on taking 2nd place!
I’ve only done one mile race, and it was a road mile, not a track mile. It was definitely one of the hardest races I have ever done. I’m doing the same race again this summer and am hoping for a big PR.
Which road race for the mile are you doing I might want to try it
Nice mile run you did great,
I ran the mile back in high school
At 4:55 in 1989,
Last year I ran it at
5:50, so I guess age caught up to me.
Think they are good times.lol
My favorite track work out is 400 meters workouts.
Happy running hollie.
i haven’t ever raced a mile, but it’s part of my summer goal to do a track mile time trial every other week! You did fantastic for an evening race after 11 miles!
I haven’t run a mile since high school, and good gosh, I used to barely pass it back then. I would like to try one if I find one locally, or just go out to the track and do one by myself.
I’d say that’s a pretty amazing job considering none of the conditions were ideal! And congrats to your coworker for the win!
I’ve never raced a mile but DAMN girl – 11 miles in the morning and sub 6 at night? You are amazing.
The mile is such a hard race. I’m not very good at pushing myself to my limit in short races like that. Ha every lap is painful. Great job on a sub 6 mile after running so many miles in the morning!
I love that you couldn’t do math with one lap to go 🙂 I like to say “Marathon Math” never works but now we can say Mile Math doesn’t either. Great job Hollie! So awesome that you and your coworker finished 1 & 2.
I’ve never raced a mile… and I really want to! I wish we had an open track meet here so that I could. Or a road mile. I definitely respect the distance and know it is a tough race and hurts like hell. You did a great job though, even if it wasn’t a PR. Love that you spontaneously raced a mile after an 11 mile day and working on your feet!
I love watching track meets, but I haaaaate running track events. NO THANK YOU. I don’t like all the pressure of people being able to watch me run the whole entire time. You’re just amazing though, for all that speed. You blow me away!
I’ve never raced a mile. This summer I’m starting a speed training group, and I’m pretty excited about track workouts and more structure in this area! Congrats on 2nd!
that is awesome!!! congratulations on a speedy (surprise) race.
There was a track down the street from the house I grew up in and I remember trying to run my heart out in middle school! I haven’t been to a track in SO long since then!
I’ve raced a mile in a car if that counts 😆 But never on foot, no. It’s been forever since I’ve been on a track (probably high school?!?), but seeing them always brings on the feels from track & field days. Congrats on the race, Hollie!
Congrats! That’s really cool that your co-worker runs competitively as well. I imagine the more track workouts you do, your mile time will come down pretty quickly. I’ve never raced a mile, but it’s on my to-do list. Favorite track workout is anything that’s mixed.
Nice job! I have never raced a mile, but it does seem like a fun race to just push myself for a much shorter time than I do in my longer distance runs and races.
You should try it sometime Brie, I think you would enjoy yourself!
“My coworker was ready to run hard. I was ready for bed” – my favorite two lines in this whole recap. hilarious. nicely done, hollie!
Haha, reading this made me miss my high school track meets! Well done! A 5:40 mile seems pretty darn good, considering you had already put in 11 in the morning! 🙂
“My coworker was ready to run hard. However, I was ready for bed.” <– AMEN! My coworker did a race last night that started at 8 p.m. I'm interested to hear how it went …