Courage Run 5k 2015

Coming off of Chicago Marathon it certainly wasn't in my plan to race a 5k only 6 days later. Reality is I had never ran for 4+ hours before and wasn't sure how recovery would go. To my surprise, I bounced back pretty quickly. I was feeling good, and I knew that walking, easy running, and focusing on sleep and hydration really helped during the week. Because of this, Friday when it was brought up to me about a 5k on Saturday I didn't immediately rule it out (also didn't immediately say yes).

In the end I decided I would do it, it was a close to home race for a good cause and admittedly knew I could probably walk away with a little cash. I also was confident in my self control to back off if I felt like it was too much.

It was a cold morning, but nothing a few layers couldn't handle until I did my warm-up. The drive was short to Hamlin, maybe 15 minutes and that included weaving around cop cars on every corner. There were 2 races going on within a mile of each other. The other race was a 15k/5k, and shared part of the same course as the 5k I was doing, but the different start times made it easy. I think the cops were confused which race was which though.

I did my warm-up solo, and then went and found Kraig and his wife Chelsea. I did a few strides and stayed loose while the SMALL race field gathered at the start line (64 people). I had stripped down to shorts, compression sleeves, my Bergen Elite singlet and my racing flats. I absentmindedly forgot to put my arm warmers on (*forehead slap*). When we started I stayed with Kraig, but then realized he was going out far faster than I was willing to take on that day so I backed off. Bye!

I had been told before the race, that there would be an uphill after mile two, but then downhill last quarter mile or so. Mile one went smoothly, and I was chilly but not too bad. Mile two went by about the same, wasn't feeling amazing but held steady. Then I saw the mile 2 marker, and I saw the hill. It wasn't gigantic, not in any sense but I wasn't in the mood for it and the headwind kind of just made me hate it a tiny bit more. I dropped a few curse words and remember saying to myself "just pump your arms and get up the hill then you can take downhill finish". Problem was, I couldn't pump my arms because they were so cold due to my stupidity not putting arm warmers on and the wind going into them. I just said it is what it is, and knew this was going to be a big positive split mile- oh well.

When I got to the top of the hill there was a big crowd of people cheering, I laughed at the high school boys yelling "Next stop, BOSTON MARATHON!". Smiled, and stared at the steep downhill to the finish and cruised in. Like my 5k two weeks prior, I was pleasantly surprised to see 18:XX when I could see the clock for first time- 19:05 Finish time.

Official time was 19:05, apparently I stink at stopping my watch (which is odd considering how much practice I have doing that at finish lines;))

Kraig took third (but an unofficial win due to first 2 being in HS and can't accept prize money), and I was fifth overall (first female). So we both walked away with over $100 cash in hand. We did a short cool down, chatted with his wife and waited for our awards while drinking the race out of coffee.

This was a great race, one that is held in honor of a local woman who was taken too soon because of Breast Cancer. While yes it was small, it was well run race with nice shirts, reasonable entry fee, good prizes and a decent course. You could tell most everyone there knew and loved the woman (also named Laura) it was in memorial for- touching to see her friends and family come together in the community.