Two Days, Two 5K PR's
Remember how my season was to end after I went to France? Well, I am trying to pack in as many possible PRs before I sit and do nothing in November. The goal this weekend was to run sub-19 for 5k. Fast, flat course in Brooklyn: Get to the Point 5k on Sunday, October 14 . Small race with a great vibe and Brooklyn Lager at the after-party. The last time I raced it, we had the Nike smart car and hilarious photos. Good photo ops, good friends, and a chance to go fast? Sign me up. Nate Horne, Gloria Radeff, Green Light and Seb, Yves-Marc Courtines, and Jonathan and Simon were all there racing and cheering. Plus Simon did his first race in the baby jogger with Jonathan pushing, and they tied with Johanna and Seb. Proud Mama here. I placed 6th overall and won my age group by over 3 minutes.
PR 19:02. Splits: 5:51, 6:12, 6:20 (not so smart running, oh well...). I am a little disappointed that I didn't crack the 19 minute barrier, but I was too happy being in Brooklyn with friends on a beautiful day, and...
Yesterda, I raced the Hunts Point Hustle 5k. This was NOT a fast course. As Steven Zebrak would say, "False flat." I raced with my buddy Chris Solarz. He placed 3rd overall. I always love racing with him. And when I say with him, I say that loosely. There were no mile markers on the course and I ran by effort. I was pretty certain that was a 6 minute effort throughout. Well, it may have been a "6 minute effort," but the actual pace was 6:16. I was 3rd among the women and 9th overall (for men and women).
I averaged the same pace in my 5k as I did in my 10k the previous week. Nonetheless, my previous stand alone 5K was slower. So, Saturday's race qualified as a PR: 19:27.
Two days, two PRs. I'll take it. (Gloria suggests I race tomorrow and knock off another 30 seconds. Ha!) What am I doing to make it happen? I'll tell you later. Keep reading the blog. And if you're an athlete worrying about life after baby or life as a masters runner, I can assure you that if you want to keep racing, you can. Here's someone who is not a celebrity, not a professional athlete, not rich, and who didn't do The Tracy Anderson Pregnancy Project DVDs or any boot camp crap, but who is getting it done. You know who else gets it done? 57 year old Inez McMahon who ran 19:42 today and has cracked 19 minutes as a 50 year old. If anything, I hope this post makes you think of what is possible.