Go Girl 5k

This weekend was the Go Girl 5k Run.  I always enjoy this race but enjoyed it even more this year because I finally reached my goal of setting a new PR!

They changed the course from the normal route starting at Reactor Field to start downtown. However, that change didn't stop them from making the start of the course one beast of an uphill.  I am glad my strategy on hills is to look down and not up to see how much further I have uphill to run.  I was downtown later that day and walked to a restaurant up that same hill and looked up and thought "oh hell no how did I run up that earlier?"

The morning weather was perfect. It was sunny but cool.  Perfect for a nice run.  I decided to go minimal and not wear my watch or sunglasses.  I had told myself all day Friday I was going to feel great and have a fantastic run.  And I did.  I felt awesome the whole time and could tell I was running strong.  I am always focused and can't tell you much about the people running around me but I could see a woman running just ahead of me who kept glancing back at me.  I started to pick up on the fact she didn't want me passing her.  I'm normally only competing with myself but that gave me a little boost to pass her.  That led to passing the next person...and the next.  The finish of the race was a sweet downhill that allowed me to pick up speed and sprint around the corner to the finish.  I had no clue my finish time at that point and I grabbed a water and waited for Glenda.  Once she came along we walked to the results tent for our official time.

The lady at the results tent handed me my certificate and I said "You've got to be kidding me."  I must've sounded pretty serious because she asked me what was wrong. I think I told her that her computer was wrong because that time couldn't be right. She laughed and said that was my time. I finished at 27:23...a minute and 24 seconds better than my prior PR.  I even later mapped the course to make sure it was a full 5k.  I was 4th place in my division which turns out gets a medal...and I love my bling.  I had written down my goal to PR in May at either Jay Dix or Go Girl then believed I could and worked towards it. It is amazing what you can achieve when the positive thoughts push out the negative ones!

Not sure how the June 5k will go because the heat zaps me but I hope to keep up a good streak!  The race schedule for the rest of the year so far is:
June 18 Mo Series 5k (because bling and pizza)
August 14 Diva Dash (because it's flat, a fun run and there's bling)
August 20 Hotter n Hell 5k (because I love this one although it truly is hell. But...firefighters...so...)
August 27 Color Run (because bling and you get covered in nasty chalk you can't get rid of for weeks)
September 17 Tunnel to Tower 5k Jeff City (because I love hills?)
October 1 Roots n Blues half marathon (because Glenda is a bad influence)
November 24 Turkey Trax (Because pie)
December something Jingle Bell Run (because it's cold, or should be)

This will make my goal of 12 5ks and throw in a half! The year is going well!