The days and even the minutes leading up to my first 5K were nerve racking. Had I trained hard enough? How would I do? What would my time be? Would I look like I belonged and knew what I was doing, or would I be the one who took a wrong turn and ended up off the course? All those questions and a million more raced through my until the gun fired. At that point, nerves turned to pure adrenaline and all those questions vanished to a single goal of finish!
When I set this challenge for myself, I really didn't know how it would go. As somebody who never ran more than a mile at one time prior to this, I think anything could be viewed as an accomplishment. Looking back on my records, my first 5K times were in the thirty-two minute range when practicing. Two months later, I was hovering at the twenty-six minute mark. At this point, I felt comfortable setting my goal for my first official 5K race to finish in the twenty-five minute range.
When that gun fired, throw all those practices out the window. Being squashed in that mob when everybody starts, it's a whole different feeling. Practices, it's your mind and your watch, that's it. The race, it's one thing to get passed by somebody who looks like a gazelle, it's a completely different story when getting passed by somebody who looks like they'd stop at a McDonald's along the race route. Take this for what's it's worth (meaning I'm not very fast), but I felt like I was shot out of a cannon. That first mile was by far the fastest I've ever ran. Maybe it was all the adrenaline, but it was exhilarating to pass people. What started as a mob, ten to twenty across, soon thinned out to a steady line of people only a few wide. At that point it became sizing people up. I knew full well I wouldn't be able to keep up the pace I started, but settled in pacing myself off a woman that had legs that looked taller than myself. I figured if I could keep up with her, I would be doing pretty darn good. Then the hill hit. This course was advertised as a "flat course" and perfect for PR's (Personal Records). I really questioned who thought this was a flat course the whole time I was running up this huge incline. Which, also separated me from my long legged friend, she was hell and gone by the time I reached the top of Mt. Saint-Flat.
I was tired, the jolt of energy from the start was long gone. Now the voice was saying "What were you thinking starting out that fast? Dumbass". Those few moments of self doubt turned to determination quickly when I spotted what looked like a 4'8" female ninja. I could understand finishing behind the woman giant, but finishing behind this woman with chipmunk legs couldn't possibly happen. Could it? For about a mile, even though my body wanted to stop and rest, I kept willing myself to keep going. It took me to the last corner before I finally was able to muster enough energy to overtake her, the whole time irritated that my legs are twice as long as hers and I'm the one trying to catch her.
The final corner, the finish line came into view. At this point, I knew I was going to accomplish my goal. What's that off in the distance, but the finish line clock and it's reading twenty-two minutes? Are you kidding me? I was gassed, but thought of coming that far under what I thought I could was the driving force to push the last few tenths of a mile. 22:56! A full three minutes better than I was even hoping for!
In the end, that time is misleading. Turns out even though it was an official race with the USRFTGSGE (not the right acronym but it's something crazy like that), I don't think they measure the course correctly. By my estimation, I think the course clocked in at 2.9 miles instead of the 3.1 it should have. Which also explains how I was able to beat my best practice time by three minutes. I know I ran it faster than my practices, but not THAT fast. Had the course been the right length, I'm still estimate I would have finished in the high twenty-fours, which would make more sense, but still beat my goal.
For my first race, it was very fun. I really didn't expect the completive side to kick in like it did. Another huge difference running the race as opposed to practicing out on a trail by yourself, it was awesome having people cheering you on along the way. There were definitely points where I wanted to stop and catch my breath a bit, yet with somebody cheering, I couldn't do it. I'm very curious what time would have been had the course been the correct length. I'm bummed that my first race is also going to be my fastest time for some time. Hopefully, not long, but until I beat that time, I will always feel it's a little hollow just because I know it's not accurate. So, even though I earned this 5K, now I have to earn the time I got!
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