Race Report: Rally for Autism 5k (aka: the one where I find my missing mojo)

Sometimes I think that the only reason I run in the summer (I HATE running in the summer) is to get to the cooler temps again and remember, "Whoa! I really DO remember how to run fast!"

Backing up a little, Jenna's 13th birthday was on Friday. We went out to lunch at her favorite spot (Walker Brothers Pancake House. So so yummy) and then hit Great America again. We have season passes as it's 10 minutes from where we live, and this year so far, we've made the most of those passes! I was too busy to really think about this race much.

When I registered for this, I had no clue whether or not I'd be racing it, or just running it for fun. I HOPED to race it, but mid August at 9am on a not very shady course? Yeah - I wasn't about to commit to that. But I was going to support it either way - Eric and Stephanie, the race directors, are both members of my running club, and the charity is obviously one that is near and dear to my heart (for those of you who don't know, my youngest son is on the spectrum).

By the end of the week, it became clear that race day weather was going to be as close to perfection as we could get. Low 60s, no humidity, and a breeze? Well, NOW I was racing! So I turned to my good friend McMillan, and then the doubt crept in. Could I run that pace? I hadn't run anything close to fast in what felt like forever! And my mojo was on hiatus somewhere. But I was racing with friends on a beautiful day. Doubts or not, I was going for it.

So I made a couple goals. I knew I could PR - I'd done it in training runs this spring. So I knew that I could go under 28:55. McMillan said I could go 27:24 (an 8:49 pace) based on my current 10k and half marathon bests. But my real goal for the day was to go under 27 minutes. Kim said last year (coincidentally at the last 5k I raced, where she paced me to my current PR) that she knew I could go sub-27, and that stuck with me. Now was the time.

Race day came. I showed up early, pulling into the parking lot right next to my friend Chris. Which was a good thing, since she had a spare jacket, and I didn't think to bring one. Hello? August! We hung out, chatted with people, and posed for lots of pictures. I ran a warm up mile.

me, Eric and Chris

Getting ready to cross the start line :)

As usual lately, I started way too far back for the pace I was hoping to run. Which meant that the first half a mile or so was spent in the grass, bobbing and weaving around walkers and slower runners. I set my sights on an older guy going the right speed and followed him through the mass. This was run on a mix of paved and gravel path, so it wasn't terribly wide. I got a little nervous that I cashed my race because of this, but I just held on. Mile 1 clocked in at 8:37. Right where I wanted it to be.

Mile 2 I just cruised. I pulled ahead of the man I'd been following. I was working pretty hard, but I wasn't dying. I had a super cute conversation with a little boy, who was maybe 8, after I told him he was doing a great job. He went on in great detail about how he usually runs much faster, but that he'd run on Thursday and he shouldn't have, and that it just wasn't a good day for him. He asked me if it was my first 5k. I told him no, that I'd run many many races, but that this was by far my fastest. He told me I was doing a great job and wished me luck. I wish I'd gotten his bib number - he made my whole race. I pulled ahead of him grinning. Mile 2 clocked in at 8:06, which, for the record, is my fastest timed mile ever.

Mile 3 got hard in the middle. Duh, right? I actually took a walk break going up one of the (very small) hills just to catch my breath, but then I got all pissed off at myself and kept going. The best part though was that there were SO MANY friendly faces on the course, both running and volunteering. It was so nice to be cheered for loudly and by name. And have on course photogs too.

I never looked at my watch for my mile 3 split, so I wasn't sure how badly it sucked or didn't. A bit before the marker, Eric started yelling for me with his bullhorn and I started my kick WAY THE EFF too soon. By the time I realized it, I just held on. My mile 3 split was 8:26. Pretty freaking outstanding.

As I neared the finish line, I realized just how well I was doing, and I tried to haul ass in. The last bit was at an 8:18 pace, but I felt like I could die right there. Until I crossed the line, caught my breath and realized that I had just PR'd by 3 freaking minutes. My watch said 25:57, but my official time was 25:54. I was jumping up and down grinning like a fool. I had NO IDEA that was inside me.

We hung out and cheered for our friends and compared stories and took more pictures.

I ran a few more miles with a couple club peeps, which started out as a 2 mile run but ended up at 3 and a half, because again, I got us lost. Sensing a theme? Yeah. But other than irritating my husband because now I was late getting home, I was secretly glad for the extra mileage.

So I found my mojo on a 5k course. I believed in myself and did more than I thought possible. I know that many runners would see a nearly 26 minute 5k and think it awful, but for me, this was HUGE. I freaking did that. I didn't give up when it felt hard. I posted a run in the 8s for the first time ever. And I came out of it smiling with a new found respect for what my training this year has accomplished.

Oh, and one more thing...I came in 4th in my age group. Out of 33. No joke. Me! Perfection.