I had high hopes for the Twilight 5000, but unfortunately, my body did not feel good on the day. I seem to think that running a 5k after working all day and driving 100 miles is a good idea. To be honest, though, it’s still a lot of fun even though it never results in an amazing time for me. It also doesn’t help that I’m not a night person…at all. I’m usually laying in bed by 7:30 p.m.
Before the Twilight 5000:
Like any of the other times I’ve run the race, I worked a full workday beforehand. I’ve experimented with running in the morning and not running in the morning. Ultimately, I’ve found that running in the morning has been a better option, and I feel less stiff. I was lucky my husband’s flight was canceled, so he was able to come down to L.A. with me. I’m not going to lie, being a passenger princess was lovely.
We got there around 6 p.m., and my race started around 7:30. I did a 2-mile warm-up. My body felt a little stiffer than I would like, but I chalked it up to the hills around Occidental College. This year, I seeded myself in the 19:45-20:00 heat, although the 20-21:30 would have been just as fine.
Twilight 5000 Race:
From there, we were off. Immediately it felt like we were sprinting, and I did not feel good. I’ve never been a “go hard from the gun” kind of runner, and it felt like we were going all out. After the first lap, I found myself in last place in the heat. I wasn’t really concerned.
Between laps 2-3, I was getting antsy, and I could tell that wasn’t the right place for me to be. I passed a couple of people and began running my own race. It never felt like I was settling into a groove, and everything felt hard. I hit the first mile of the Twilight 5000 in 6:20. I didn’t feel bad, but I also didn’t feel like I could pick up the pace.
Mile 2 of the Twilight 5000, I ended up running in no man’s land. I was mostly by myself, just trying to stay in contact with someone…anyone. Eventually, I caught up to another male, and I stayed with him for most of the race. I hit the second mile in 6:34, and we kept trucking along.
During mile 3 of the Twilight 5000, I focused on finishing. Even though it was just “20 minutes of my life,” it felt like it was never-ending. I felt like I was working so hard, but catching people also really excited me. I ended up catching 3 more people and finishing in 20:24.
Twilight 5000 Thoughts:
I can’t say I’m thrilled with my Twilight 5000 race, but racing at a time I am usually in bed, I can’t really complain. It wasn’t my day, but I’m proud I ran as fast as I did and ran a smart race. For me, the Twilight 5000 is just a lot of fun. I doubt I’ll ever run particularly well there. I would need to become an evening person and perhaps spend the day relaxing, but it’s fun to see friends.
You can see strava here and all race recaps here.
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Questions for you:
Have you run a 5k on the track?
Are you a morning or evening runner?
Racing on the track is my favorite racing. I especially enjoy Master’s Track Meets (which are generally in the morning), though I actually ran my fastest 5k of the season at the Twilight 5000 in Oakland. I prefer racing on the track because you don’t lose track of the race in front (even if you get lapped…I got lapped coming to the bell in Oakland). And because the distance is always right. Not like overpriced road races. I also enjoy watching other events and cheering on friends. I had a great time at the Masters Championship Track races in Sacramento. I think they’re supposed to be in LA next year. I also enjoy jumping in an open track meet mile from time to time.