My First 5K! Achilles St. Patrick's Day 5K!

This may come as a surprise- especially as I am currently training for a 50K race- but I have never run a timed 5K before. I ran a couple 5K distances with Terry Fox, and I have no idea of my time on them, but my first real race was a 10K and I've just always developed from there! I really enjoy plodding along at a comfortable pace so longer distances are more my "speed".

But I have always had it in my mind that I would like to run a 5K just to see what time I could run it in- because clearly I could really try and run as fast as I can if I am only going 5K. In longer races that tactic would be brutal! My really unrealistic goal was sub 25 minutes, only because:

a) it sounds good

b) in my 10K last May I ran the first half somewhere just south of 26 minutes (according to my watch)

I should note here that I dont think I have ever in my running career, run a sub-5 minute kilometre. And to run a sub-25 minutes 5K race means five sub-5 minute kilometres in a row...

However, I'm about half way through my 50K training, so my legs are very warmed up and ready to roll, and I found out last week about a 5K literally in my backyard for this weekend! It is the annual Achilles St Patick's Day 5K. Achilles is a great charity that helps runners with mental and physical disabilities, and my running group was going and had a coupon code, and as I said, it started and finished within a 5 minutes walk from my condo! And- this was a rest week in my 50K plan so my legs would actually have a chance of holding up since I wasn't running as much this week!

The only downside is that I woke up today and it was -21C outside, which is -6F for my American friends. Super chilly!!! I wore 2 warm long-sleeved shirts, my warmest pants and running socks, my RunTOBeer singlet, and a neckwarmer, hat, and gloves! I did a 1.5km warm up run (I can often take 5-8km just to warm up my legs on a long run), and then a lot of dynamic stretching at the start.

At 10:30 we were off!

It was a bit slow-going at the start. This race always has a walk/run and walk portion and a lot of walkers were up near the front and there wasn't a lot of room to weave. I also made a point of not looking at my watch once during the race- the main reason being because I was going to run as hard as I could so what good would it do to look down and realize I won't hit my goal? But also because we were running downtown and the buildings mess up my GPS anyway!

The first half wasn't too bad- but I was huffing and puffing right from the get go, which is never a good sign. Keep in mind that I usually run around 6:30/km, so this was a sprint for me! The turn-around came so fast (yay 5Ks!) and then suddenly I was on the home stretch! I started to feel a little sick around km 3-4...my stomach did not like the speed I was running, though my legs were fine. It was all a mental game so I just tried to put it out of my mind and focus on the finish. Weirdly enough, km may have been my fastest one. 

We rounded down around the Skydome and I swear they had moved the finish line farther away! I put my head down and just focused on trying to get every last bit of strength out of my legs! Finally I looked up and the clock at the finish said 24:55 and I was like "RUN AS HARD AS YOU CAN CASEY" and I just dug really deep to try and sprint to the finish.

I crossed the finish line at 25:05, but my actual chip time (aka, when my computer chip in my bib cross the start and finish line mats- I didn't start right at 00:00) was 24:35!!!!!!!!!!! I did it!!!

I had to sit down for awhile, because I thought I might throw up (from the run, not from excitement at being so speedy). but then I was able to get my medal, and my free chili and beer and relax inside in the warmth! The race started and finished at Steamwhistle Brewery so everyone got a free beer and food, and I was glad I was able to stomach everything because it was delicious. 

not pictured- the roll I devoured

Then it was a short jog home to a hot shower and a warm bed for a nap (hey, we lost an hour's sleep last night...I was tired).

And now I guess I am back to 50K training, which I will blog about sometime....maybe :)