Women's 5k Run!!

Yesterday I competed in the SARR Women's 5k race. Yep, a race ONLY for the ladies. There's something special about being in a race with women only on the roads. There were over 100 male volunteers...friends, fathers, brothers and husbands to most of the women in the field, which made the race special for nearly every one involved. Jer and Chassy couldn't volunteer because they had a workout that morning, but they did cheer me on at various points along the course and held off until after the race to get in their run. It marked the second year I've raced it, the last time being back before my senior year of college in 2008.

Start of the race!

The Women's Run was my second race of the summer, this time with about six weeks of solid training under my belt. My first race was the Carrabba's Relay where I ran an unflattering 3.07mi split at 6:09 pace. Yesterday I covered the hilly course at 5:44 pace for an overall time of 17:47.5. It's the exact same time I ran at the UTSA Diploma Dash in February, which was an easier course in more pleasant weather. It is also the first time I've ever broken 18 for the 5k during the summer. My splits definitely reflected the layout of the course: 5:28, 5:37, 6:03, 38. Yep downhill for the first mile of the race, rolling hills for the second, but then ALL uphill for the last mile. 

Down the Hill

For fear of it being a short course I decided to map it out on mapmyrun.com. SARR provided a lovely map during packet pickup and from all the great pictures that were taken it was easy to determine where the exact start and finish were, and luckily it wasn't a short course. Although this might seem a little OCD to some people, it brings me comfort in knowing exactly what pace I was able to cover a particular distance so when days like yesterday happen, in which I race better than expected, I'm able to really enjoy it! 

Up the Hill

Since it was just a fun summer race to see where my current fitness level was at, there wasn't a whole lot of strategy going into it. Just to go out there and have some fun! If any plan existed it was simply to go out hard, since the majority of the first mile was downhill, and take it kinda easy going up the major hills off of La Jara. I ended up leading the entire race (except the first 70m). It was interesting because they had a lead vehicle, but they also had three volunteers on bikes that were leading the race as well. However overboard it may have seemed at least I didn't get lost! I got to race with some amazing ladies! A couple of the Soler Divas came out, Cynthia and Rochelle, along with Emily and Janey Dunn who are the sweetest and some of the most determined girls I've ever met. 

Great Ladies and Fast Too! Top 5 Overall.

For some additional comparison: last year, during the exact same weekend, I ran an 18:40 5k in Houston. It was pretty much flat as a pancake, just a tad steamier. The 6 weeks leading up to the Houston race mileage was at 41, 61, 73, 78, 80, and 80 (avg 68). This year mileage was at 57, 79, 85, 93, 78, and 95 (avg 81). Things are starting to come a little easier and I'm adjusting to the mileage better as well. I'm really excited about where the next couple of months will take me in my fitness! Though days like yesterday make me wish I could race more often I know in order to do well down the line tougher workouts will need to take precedence over racing. Next race up is 5 weeks out: The Sunrise 10k in Alamo Heights! I can't wait!