Bojangles 5K 2016

This past weekend was really all about the husband.  He ran the Myrtle Beach Marathon and I hope to post some pictures and thoughts about his race another time.  But, I was lucky enough to jump into a 5K, check off a new state, and pick up some hardware.

This was a night race.  I figured since it was around a shopping/entertainment center (Broadway at the Beach) it would be well lit.  It was, sort of.  There were definitely places that were DARK, but the lights from cars helped a lot.  I never felt unsure of my footing, but waiting all day to run a race and then doing it in the dark is not exactly my favorite way to race.

I started off what I felt was conservatively.  The legs were moving, breathing seemed okay, and the pace was right - 7:06 first mile.  And then things seemed to get tough instead of faster.  My arms were hurting.  My breathing was fast and labored.  Gosh, I hate the 5K!  The second mile was 7:24.  Come on, Mer!  You're supposed to be able to run this in the 6:00s!  The third mile I played all kinds of mind games - 10 steps of surges, 10 steps of backing off - whatever I could do to get to that damn finish line.  Finally I was there and got caught in quite possibly the best worst finishers photo of all time.

Regardless of what I would deem as a poor race, I finished second in my age group out of 67 and walked away with a cool glass plaque.

Two days after this race I had a temperature over 101 and it has continued for a few days.  Obviously I was catching something which may have affected my race.  There is another 5K in about 4 weeks.  Redemption!