Big Woods was my first 5K, and the only trail race I have done to date. I love it...the setting is fantastic, the t-shirts are pretty awesome and I get to wear my favorite running shoes. I was really hoping to do the 1/2 marathon, but at this point in my season, I was happy to be able to even contemplate doing the 5K today. After my earlier runs this week, I was pretty sure I could do the distance, but I was a little worried as all my training has been on the road, and I had pretty specific warnings about not doing bad things to my ankle.
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| The aforementioned really cool T-shirt |
The bus dropped us off in the woods, and I got to don my "seasoned racer" hat as I explained to lots of folks that the start line was there and that they really should keep an eye out for the roots on the path. The temp was pretty much perfect, cool enough that I was comfortable running in my jacket, but not so cold that I was freezing waiting for the start. The trick to running in the woods is that you don't get as warm as you normally would running. The lack of sun and the dampness combine for a chilling effect that takes a while to shake off. On the other hand, I don't think it quite warranted the winter jackets I saw some folks wearing!
The (metaphorical) gun went off, and we started. Despite my plans, I got shuffled to the back of the pack while we were waiting, so I had a lot of dodging of walkers and slower runners (!) at the start. The path was pretty much covered in damp leaves, but my Saucony trail shoes practically have suction cups on the bottom, so my footing was pretty solid. I definitely started out too fast, but I settled into my six count pace pretty early on. The biggest problem I had on the trail were the occasional very muddy spots that made footing very squirrelly in places.
The first mile went by pretty fast. Midway through the second, though, I got a side stitch that would stick with my until the last quarter mile or so. That was a bummer, especially as I haven't really had an issue with side stitches since I figured out I should stop hyperventilating while running. I'm thinking the more intense pounding of trail running combined with a couple really bad foot placements (where did that hole come from?!) were probably the culprit. My knee, which was complaining while I warmed up, shut up pretty early on and kept quiet for the duration of the race.
The road portion of the race is my least favorite. However, I can run with my eyes closed on the road, so there is that. Out of the protection of the woods, the wind was a definite factor, but honestly, after biking into 20 mph winds, I just don't have it in me to get too worked about about running at 6.5mph into a wind. There was some guy behind me pretty much the entire way in, which I know because he was breathing so loudly I thought he may have been in need of medical attention. On the plus side it distracted me from my side stitch and encouraged me to keep my pace up. I really do prefer being chased to chasing when it comes to racing.
The real story, however, is my time. I have done pretty much nothing for running this year, but somehow, I managed to PR this 5K. And not just by a little, either. I ran a 10:23 pace, which is insane...my fastest to date was something in the mid 11s. Last year I did the run in 36:04. This year, I did it in 32:14 on two training runs and no breakfast. Hells yeah. :)
The end result of all of this is that I think I'm ready, mentally, to graduate to longer distances. I needed that "win" to give me the mental push to move on. Sort of like the time I first biked 20 miles, this feels like a moment where I can say "yes, I can do this."
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