Gobble, gobble!

Thanksgiving Day morning I ran a 5 mile turkey trot. It was so last minute-I didn't know if B was going to have to work, I didn't know if M would break out with the pox, there were a lot of variables. But by Wednesday PM I decided to run it. I really needed the endorphins after a long week of sick kids and depressing evening running.

I wanted to break 39:00 (I figured a nice just under 8 minute mile pace with a quick first mile and last mile would do it)

It was huge-thousands of runners. I was swept up by the rush at the start and bolted out in the first mile. My first mile was 6:30-ish (I am guessing as I missed the mile marker and didn't check my watch until someone said "first mile" behind me). Way, way too fast-I really could not believe I was going that fast, but then I started to feel it in the second mile. My second mile was around 14. I was way under pace, and I knew I was running out of steam. Really, the next 3 miles was aq battle, as my body and my mind protested the whole way. I finished in 37:23. Way, way faster than I ever would have predicted. In fact, just over the 3 mile mark I was still under 22 minutes! All summer long I tried to break 23 minutes for a 5k, and here I was in a 5 mile race a whole minute FASTER than I had run all summer in 5k's.
At the end I got my free pumpkin pie, said hello to a local runner I see occasionally (she beat me by a minute-dang it, she is so darn fast), and drove home.

I really honestly am kind of in shock over my super fast time. I had no idea I could still run that fast. That first mile was as fast as some of my first miles over 10 years ago when my 5k's were always in the 21 minute range. I think the fact that I put in some good solid 20 mile weeks in September and October helped me, and I really cannot discount the orthotics. Those orthotics are the BEST thing I have done for my running, EVER. My feet haven't hurt me since I started wearing them-and even though the rest of my body was totally sore on Friday, my feet were not. And maybe I really am getting stronger. I kind of thought I had reached a plateau, but maybe I am stronger than I thought.

So anyway, this race was a nice reminder to me that I CAN accomplish time goals if I truely do work hard enough. The thing is, I really don't like to work all that hard. When I am racing I reach a point where I am just not going to push myself anymore, even if I know I am capable of going faster. I just don't do it. I am not a super ultra competitive runner (anymore), even with myself. But that 5 mile time certainly was a nice boost!