2014 Galloping Grape 5k Recap

I wasn't even sure I'd have a chance to write-up the 5k that I did yesterday, since I've been so busy with work, but we're having system issues that are not letting me log in right now, so that gives me a little free time (no, seriously, tech support just told me to take myself out to breakfast and watch TV all morning, since this isn't getting fixed anytime soon).  Anyway.

You guys may recall that last year's Galloping Grape 5k is where I set my current 5k PR.  Yes?  Maybe?  Somehow, despite hot and humid conditions in 2013, I managed to knock 3:23 off of my 5k PR.  So I had this race in mind for another PR attempt when I planned my race schedule earlier in the year.  But, although I am generally running faster lately, between getting injured and cutting out speed work for several months this spring/early summer and having nothing but slow, awful runs in the humidity as of late, I didn't really think I had a PR in me in the week leading up to the race.

So, you can imagine my surprise when not only did I PR, but I ended up placing second in my age group! Whoa. (to be fair, there were only 8 in my AG, but still! I beat out 6 other people!)

Backing up a bit, the Wurst Running Club Ever was going to have a strong showing at the race.  Even with a few injured runners as of late, there were more than a few of us running (so many that my in-laws kept saying "Wow, you know everyone here!" - lol, not quite).  So I was excited for that, since the club hasn't been getting together quite as much lately.  The original plan was to have Maggie pace me for a PR, if I felt like I was up for it.  But Maggie's sitting out running for the time being, so another possibility was Erin.  But when we chatted right before the race, I pointed out the small field and told her I wouldn't be offended if she went for it and tried to place in our AG.

The morning of the race ended up being pretty nice.  I think the temps were maybe in the low-70's and somewhat humid, but not nearly as bad as the humidity I had been running in all week back in Chicago.  So, for whatever reason, I decided I may have a PR in me after all.  I put my current favorite happy song on repeat, lined up somewhat close to the front (for me), and took off right from the start.  My original plan was to start with an 11:00 mile and then negative-split the race (at 10:30 and 10:00, respectively), which would still get me a PR (my current one was 33:33).  So you can imagine my surprise when I looked at my watch to see that I was doing a 9:30 pace for the better part of the first half mile with not too much effort.  Holy shit.  I made it to the Mile 1 marker in 10:04.

I was apparently at the tail end of the "fast group" of 5k runners, because every time I looked back, there was no one behind me.  A couple runners did finally catch up with me close to the turnaround, but there was still a big break between us and the rest of the race.  I high-fived Bob's dad (who was just ahead of me for the entire race) at the turnaround, still feeling pretty great.  I had the Mile 2 marker in my sights just after the 20:00 mark, running my second mile in 10:38.

At this point, it was pretty clear a PR was going to happen.  I mean, I had 13 minutes in which to run the last 1.10 miles, so I knew I had it.  Right as we turned back to the main road that leads to the finish chute, I noticed a girl who had passed me was struggling.  She kept stopping to walk and catch her breath, so I slowed up a little to chat with her for a few minutes.  We ran together for about half a mile, complaining about the humidity, and she caught her breath and booked it to the finish just ahead of me.  I stopped to walk and catch my own breath for about 10 seconds at this point, since the humidity had just gotten pretty bad and I kind of felt like puking, and then picked it back up.  I saw Erin running down the road toward me and yelled "I'VE GOT THIS!!  RUN ME IN TO THE FINISH!!!!"  I finished the third mile in 10:15.

As we got down the chute, Erin said I obviously didn't need her and stepped back over to the side to let me finish.  I had a little gas left in the tank and sprinted through the last tenth of a mile at an 8:23 pace, finishing in 31:24.  A PR of 2:09!

The Wurst of the 30-34 AG

Once results were posted I was floored to see my name right after Erin's - Erin won our age group, and I placed second!  While waiting for our friends to finish the half we took advantage of the beer and wine garden (nothing like getting wine-drunk and sobering up all by 10am), chatted with some other runners (who mentioned running in my hometown in Ohio), had some snacks, got massages and received our age group awards.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, running the shorter distance at a race definitely has its perks sometimes.

Lining up like a rainbow was totally unintentional, I swear

As for the rest of our friends/family, everyone fared pretty well.  Bob, his friend Tim and Eric all placed 3rd, 4th and 5th in the men's 30-34 AG (respectively), Bob's dad placed third in his AG (finishing just 25 seconds faster than me!), and Erica (not pictured) won Overall Female Masters.  So apparently we're not living up to the Wurst Running Club Ever moniker anymore.  Or, we're the wurst at being the Wurst.