Race Report: Waterford 5K

I started with my Race Prep Ritual the night before. I layed everything out and made sure I had everything I needed (and of course took advantage and snagged a picture).

I was nervous because the weather was dropping and was expected to hit 59 degrees and I worried about the race weather. I've never run in the cold and to me the high 60s are already considered CHILLY!

To my Surprise, Race Weather was actually FAB-U-LOUS!


I focused on staying IN THE BOX:

The Box: all day long you are going to race inside a box defined by what you can control. Ask yourself "What do I need to do right NOW to create the conditions for success at The Line? Is what I'm doing right now counter to this goal?

I am not partial to afternoon races, especially now that I am FINALLY able to run in the mornings mostly because it leaves too much time during the day for the build up of excitement ... on second thought that may be a good thing.


As soon as the pistol went off and scared the mass of IT Geeks that frequent the Waterford area, a central hub of offices and software companies and the Miami headquarters of 3 Fortune 500 companies, and the crowd was off with a YELP!

A couple of my co-workers passed me right at the start some I thought should and some I thought shouldn't but I was not going to let anyone distract me. I was going to run my race and not let anyone stop me.

(side note: I later found out that co-worker was DNF because she was trying to keep up with me and went off way too fast)

I picked out a runner to chase for the moment and stayed on him. I looked at my watch in the waning light and noted he was doing 6.0 MPH. It scared me but my breathing was good and the adrenaline was flowing so I figured I'd ride the wave as far as I could.

I surprised myself and stayed on him for the entire first mile at the end of which I saw I had run it in 10:19.37.

Then it hit me! I might just be able to do this!

I didn't want to get too excited and blow it! I reminded myself to stay IN THE BOX. By the time I noticed again I had lost my runner so picked out a couple with flashing bicycle lights attached to the backs of their shirts. I checked the Garmin and they were doing a respectable 5.6 MPH. I wished I could go faster by my breathing was becoming labored and I new I needed to dial back a bit.

I stayed on them until the end of mile 2 which I completed at 10:52.23. But then I started to get a side stitch .

Yikes, I've never had a side stitch before! Am I running too hard? Will this ruin my Half-Marathon Race? But my goal was within reach! I just needed to keep it steady.

I lost the couple but I wasn't going to let them make me falter. I was nearing the final leg. I remembered a tip from Discom-BOB-ulated Running about picking a word and repeating it in your head while your running. It distracted me long enough to make it within sight of the finish line.

I didn't think I had a sprint in me. I wanted to leave it in this race, I wanted to make a full effort! But I REALLY didn't think I had a sprint in me.

My eyes focused as the clock rolled over into 34:02.0

I CAN MAKE IT! I CAN MAKE IT BELOW 35:00.0

Something possessed me and I WAS SPRINTING A FULL SPRINT!

I even flew past my co-worker who was slowing down for the finish! :)

Overall Place: 368 of 693 (47th Percentile)
Age Group Place: 23 of 53 (57th Percentile)
Finish Time: 34:41
Net Time: 34:23
Average Pace: 11:04

I made my A-Goal and a NEW PTR!

What a way to start this two-fer race weekend!

Stay tuned for the 13.1 Fort Lauderdale Race Report this Sunday :) Now, I'm REALLY EXCITED!