Thrive Alliance 5K... Breaking Through

Yesterday I had to prove to myself that my 5K time of 23:06 last month was not a fluke... that the course wasn't really short... etc., etc...

The Thrive Alliance 5K was the last 5K before my marathon this coming Saturday. Was I really a 7:30 pace 5K runner? Plainfield did show me some things. It was not an Indiana Crossroads Series race, therefore, no one I knew ran there. Typically, when I run a Series race, I know about how fast the regulars are - who's faster than me and who's not - and tend to pace off the faster runners. In Plainfield, my time was faster than some of the women that always finish ahead of me in the Series. It showed me that I probably could run just as fast or faster than those that have been finishing ahead of me. I just needed to run my own race and quit falling in behind people.

So... Saturday morning. Perfect weather. Flat course. I looked around at the start and saw Sara who runs for the Quaff On racing team. She's a 6 minute miler. None of her male Quaff On teammates were here. "She's going to win this race." Looking around some more, there was one other woman there that I usually finished behind, although, I beat her in the muck run last week - mainly because I think she lost her will to live in the middle of the run...

I decided second place was mine to lose. The horn sounded and I took off. Sara led, then there was a pack of men, then me. I told myself to try and maintain a 7:15 -7:20 pace. I can do this!

Mile 1 - 7:20

The woman I beat last week started coming up on me about half a mile later. I knew she was right behind me because I could hear the footsteps and the breathing and people were cheering her name. She sounded like she was working... I pushed harder. "You're on pace for a PR. Make her push you." I quit looking at my watch and just ran. Somewhere around 2.5 miles, the footsteps went away...

I could see the final turn now. I knew that the 3 mile mark was just after the turn. I knew she was still behind me somewhere close. "Don't let up. Don't let her catch you." I made it to the 3 mile marker. Still no noise behind me. "No one's going to catch me now as far as I can help it!" I can see the finish clock. The first two numbers are 22. Run, run, run!

I can across in 22:50. The woman behind me, Jane, came across in 22:57. Sara won the whole freakin' race in 18:54 - beat all the guys. She's a bad a$$!!

I DID IT!! Plainfield was not a fluke. I ran a PR. My former PR was 22:57. I ran that in 1987 at a road race when I was 18 years old and won the 14-18 age group. Today, I finished second overall woman and won the 45-49 age group.

Race organizers must think that runners are a thirsty bunch. Last week the age group winners got pint glasses. This week we got tumblers...

The overall female and male runners actually got huge trophies. Then, they also handed out huge trophies to the first, second and third place female and male walkers. Jane and I stood around and pouted because we didn't get a trophy. Actually, the funniest thing was when I got home and G said in disbelief, "They gave you a paper ribbon?!!"

Yeah... but your race time and internet results are forever. I'm good with that!

I also decided that I love competition in some type of sick and sadistic way. I actually like getting chased and hearing the person behind you, pushing you as you try to pull away. Like I said before, the feeling of getting chased but never getting caught. I want to earn my award. I do not want to win by default. As a 45 year old woman, I know that I can usually place or win my age group but that's not good enough. I want people to say - hey, she actually ran a decent time - and beat the 20 year olds (except Sara!) The other thing I love about races is your time is the time. Fastest person wins. Period. No judges opinions or style points. Pure and simple.

Now to get my head together for Derby!