19154 3 Mile Race: 19:14/6:24 per mile

Last weekend I ran the 19154 5k. The course was short. I’m all for making progress, but it would seem fishy if the last time I ran a 5k was 20:33 and now I ran a 19:14. Not impossible, but I would have to make huge fitness gains. The 19154 5k is a challenging course with a few hills towards the end, plus a lot of turns. 19154 is the area code and the race is designed to show your highest allegiance to your area code.

Or for other locals like me, who just wanted to run a 5k. Even after looking, running, and typing this post, I’ve had to look up 19154 to make sure I got the right area code. Which…I didn’t at first.

Anyway, to the 19154 5k. The race itself ended up being exactly 3 miles. So even though it wasn’t a true 5k, I was able to get a good gauge of my fitness.

My husband and I arrived to the 19154 5k around 8:15. The race started at 9:15. We signed up, got the last two t-shirts, then did a 3-mile warm-up. It was difficult to find spots to warm up since the race was on a busier highway.

The 19154 5k started at 9:15, and it went off on time. In the beginning, there were a lot of people who took it out fast. I thought, “wow, I know I’m not in my best shape, but there are so many people ahead of me.” I repeated to myself: “run your own race, run your own race.”

The first mile went around a few turns. I crossed a race course clock at 6:07 and my GPS watch went off about 15 seconds later with 6:22. Another race director who was at the race, told me the course was typically short so I hoped it would be at least 3 miles.

The next mile went up and down several steep hills. I never felt like I got a rhythm. During the second mile, I passed 2 females who were running side by side. I didn’t know what place I was in and assumed somewhere between 2-5. I crossed the second mile in 6:19 and was proud.

The final mile was hilly. I told myself, just a few more minutes. For every downhill, there was an uphill. It didn’t feel like I was pushing myself the “hardest ever” and could continue at the pace for another mile. The hills and the turns beat me up, but my body felt fatigued, but I also felt strong. We can around the final turn and my watch beeped 3 (with a 6:30 last mile).

I crossed the finish of the 19154 5k in 19:14, which averaged into 6:24 per mile.

19154 5k Thoughts:

I’m pleased with my effort at the 19154 5k. Even though it wasn’t a full 5k, I was able to get a good gauge of fitness. If I had raced another .1, I know I would have snuck just under 20 minutes, which is nearly 40 seconds faster than last time I ran a 5k.