The Q 5K Sub 30 or Die Trying!

     So my marathon training  plan for Twin Cities calls for a 5K race to measure my progress. I signed up for a small local race on Active but when I didn't get any communication from the race officials I emailed to see about packet pickup & event information. Oh sorry that was canceled months ago. I asked how that was since I just signed up a week ago, no comment.  That is a lost $50, normally I wouldn't mind since it's a charity but this bothered me since it was canceled months ago but up until a week before the race you could still register for the canceled race. So I had to hurry and find another race. Luckily I knew about The Q 5K as I ran it last year.

     This race is every year put on by Fleet Feet in the downtown area of Tulsa. They call it the Q because you can do the 5K, Quarter Marathor or the Double which is the 5K then the Quarter. I did the Double last year and it was fun. This year I just did the 5K since we were measuring for my 5K time improvement. Last year my 5K time was 34:49.

    I was nervous about this race all week. In January at the Commitment Day 5K I went sub 30 only to find out the course was short, so it doesn't count as sub 30. Can I do a sub 30 on a certified course. Also because it was a gauge as to how effective my training was and a predictor of how I might perform for the upcoming marathon. Nate & Matt the trainers were taking bets on guessing my time which was not helping my nerves at all. The night before I could only think what if I'm slower than my last 5K, or what if I don't meet the times they are guessing or worse what if I don't meet my own standard.
   
     Race day dawns nice and early with coffee, protein shake, dog out, bathroom, dog in and then the dressing, changing shirts 3 times, gathering race gear and out the door. I get there in plenty of time to use port-a-potty, do some  warm up drills and talk to some fellow life time run friends.
   
     Behind the starting line I visit with friends, turn on my Garmin so it can locate GPS, my HR is elevated at a 100 just due to nervous energy. The countdown begins, the gun fires then the slow motion delay for the crowd to start moving.
   
     Now my watch screens have been changed to accommodate my training plans. The automatic mile marker defaults have been turned off so it would show intervals better.  So as I'm running all I can see it elapsed time & heart rate. Neither of which tells me where I am at on the race course. The race course has no mile markers. So when I get to the water stop I know I'm at the halfway mark. Yay!
   
      My heart rate is in the 160's, I'm sweating a lot, I'm breathing hard. I have no idea of my pace and now idk how much further to go. So do I pick up the pace yet or is it to soon? Some fleet feet runners are behind me and one must be a triainer because he is telling the girl runner that we have .8 left to go. Woohoo
   
      At this point we take a right turn uphill straight into a strong wind. It feels like a wind tunnel with it gusting between the high rise buildings. Really Fleet Feet this is the straightaway to the finish. I top the hill and there is the finish line about .4 miles away. I start picking up the pace and look for someone to pick off.
 
   I love the run right before the finish. I want to run hard, pass as many people as possible and I want to finish strong. I pass a few ladies, then I pick off a guy. Now I'm about .25 away and it is sprint time. I'm mean that's a 400! It is go time! I pass 2 ladies and a man right before the finish! Gary from Lifetime is taking pics from the sidewalk I give a nod because that's all I can manage as I'm finishing hard! My heart rate is in the 180's I'm pretty sure my heart is going to bust and that's ok as long as I cross the finish mat first!
 
  Finish line! Gun Time 29:57 Chip Time 29:48 PR from this same race last year 5:01! Sub 30 on a certified course YES
 
   I would like to tell you I was ecstatically happy with this race but you know us type A personalities. I was very happy with my time! The only niggling thought was my heart rate being so high. I kept thinking that's a lot of exertion (heart rate) to be just under 30. I guess I wanted it be more aerobic and less anaerobic. That being said if my HR was lower I would have just run faster making the heart rate higher! It is a viscous circle. So I'm taking my PR and PB and laughing all the way home and holding it close to my heart!

     After I finished I did circle back and cheer the runners across the finish line. If I'm not running I do like cheering and encouraging them in. Especially the ones at the back, that can't run continuously, that are carrying a lot of extra pounds. They did the same 3 miles I did at the same exertion for a longer time. I know because I remember being at the back of the pack.
   
 One thing I did notice is some people that can don't finish hard. They stop or slow down right before the timing mats and walk across. Why? Why would you do that? You are not finished. Keep going! I don't get that! Oh well it's their time recorded for all of eternity.

Live Epic
Michelle