LaCroix Mother's Day 5K- May 11, 2014

It was really nice to feel like I was getting my running mojo back, but it was still hard to push myself into training mode. I wanted to go out there and run to my heart's content, but I knew that I never really let myself completely rest and recover through the 12/13 and 13/14 running season. 

Now was my time for a real break from running and letting myself enjoy the journey instead of focusing on the end goal. I found myself at the gym more and more, and on the pavement outside less and less. I would get on the treadmill at a decent walking pace, and go for about an hour. Long enough to feel like I was accomplishing something, short enough to not mess up my plans for the entire day. 

I was happy with my schedule, and though not entirely happy about seeing no downward momentum on the scale, satisfied that the numbers weren't creeping higher and higher. I never started any of this running insanity with the hopes of losing weight (it was just a happy and much-welcomed by- product), but to see that the weight was not going anywhere after seeing it on a steady downward slope, that was kind of sad. But it's not about losing weight. It's about recuperating from my first 2 VERY hectic race seasons, and finding the love in the sport again.

So it was on that treadmill, putting in a quick 3.5 mile walk when I realized that I really enjoy being out there at races with other people. There is such a social aspect to the sport that I don't normally get to experience when I am training on my own. I have frequently shyed away from 5K races because I don't like the distance, but with my amount of training limited due to my self-imposed recovery training schedule, in order to get that experience that I love... it might make sense to enter into some local upcoming 5K races.

I think what was most appealing about the LaCroix Mother's Day 5K was that besides being local and it having a good reputation was that it was affordable. affordable is always good, right? On top of that, I got an email offering $25 entry to the race PLUS entry into the upcoming Weston Classic 5K on Memorial day for just $5 more. How can you beat 2 5K races (including race support, participants t-shirts, and finishers medals for all finishers) for a total of $30. SOLD AMERICAN.

The race itself was nice. It began in the Huizenga Park off of Las Olas in Downtown Ft. Lauderdale at 8am. Being a shorter distance, it made sense to justify starting a little later allowing people to sleep in while still beating the mid morning heat... but in practicality, it made no sense. We arrived at the venue and were soaked within minutes from all of the heat and humidity.

While I couldn't rope Husbeast into participating with me, I was able to rope him into coming out to support my endeavors (who doesn't love a good athletic supporter???). We spent some time wandering around, linking up with some friends from Karma Athletes before the race, and  enjoying the complementary beverages and music. Before long, it was time to line up at the starting corral and get the show on the road. 

It took a little while to ease into a comfortable pace. I was doing my intervals of 1 minute running followed by 1 minute walking, and at first, it really was more difficult than I remembered. I was having a log of pain in both the insides and the outsides of my ankles, more so in my bad foot that my good one, and this caused me to be a little nervous and hold back on my pace. But over time, as the pain slowly subsided, I found myself picking up the pace. And I soon found myself playing my pacing game where I pick random people and challenge myself to catch up to and/or pass them. It served as a great distraction.

And then I realized that there was another member of Karma Athletes right in front of me. As a back of the packer, I realize that most of the folks from Karma run a far faster pace than me. Usually I only see other Karma members at the start line and they either are ready to leave by the time I finish, or they have already gone home. And here, for the first time, I saw a member of Karma... and I had to catch up to her. I did manage to catch and pass her which she later did to me in return, but it was still a neat experience.

As I rounded the corner and headed into the finishing chute, I saw my husband in the crowd taking pictures and cheering me on. Then I saw the other folks from Karma cheering me on as well. It was neat to feel as if I had my own cheering section and people believed in me and supported me. 

I crossed the finish-line and turned off my garmin. It definitely wasn't PR material, but I wasn't that far off. I collected, my medal, my rose, my chocolate covered strawberries, a few bottles of water. and a few more miles toward my yearly mileage goal. All in all, it was a great day!

Gun 48:14
Chip 47:16
Pace 15:10
OA 483/594