Holy humidity. I don’t think I’ve ever sweat so much in my life as I did during yesterday’s 5k.
Of course, yesterday morning started like every other race day, questioning why the heck I was waking up while it was still dark out to run. I’m pretty sure blog accountability is the only reason I actually pulled myself from bed.
This was the race start. Not a bad view, huh?
It’s hardly fair to even call it a race. It was a small, casual run/walk that was limited to the attendees of the conference, but we did have bibs and chips so I’m counting it!
Luckily, the whole not pre-registering thing wasn’t a big deal at all and they had plenty of extra chips and bibs so I got one without having to beg a walker to give me theirs.
The conference was primarily geared towards CFOs and the race shirts they gave out had bubble clouds on them you could write on. Most people had some dorky funny financial type sayings on them like “run for the bottom line” and “eat my deficits.” I had fun reading them, who knew CFOs had such a sense of humor? j/k
Once we started, I knew there was not going to be any PRs going on. It was hot. Like the hottest and most humid weather you can imagine with absolutely no breeze at all. Stifling. I started out pretty fast around a 7:45 pace but knew full well it was not sustainable. Negative splits weren’t going to be an option, I just ran as hard and fast as I could for the whole race. Honestly, I wanted to stop and walk around mile 2 but knowing I was the 2nd female and had a chance at placing I refused to let myself. It was an out and back course and once we turned the cone to head back, I knew the next closest female wasn’t close enough to worry about so I just tried to not let my pace fall too much. Around mile 2, a guy passed me and stayed in front of me by about 15 paces until mile 3. He was too close to not pick off at the end so I sprinted the last .1 hard to pass him and finished at 26:04 chip time, 26:00 garmin time. I’m still not sure how I’ve now managed 2 races where my garmin time is faster than the chip time knowing full well I don’t hit start until I’m over the mats and don’t hit finish usually until I remember a few seconds after crossing the line but whatever, it’s 4 seconds. 26:04 is actually my second slowest 5k. Last year’s Bel Air town run 5k was 26:15 in similarly ridiculous hot & humid weather. It’s kind of funny that I ended up placing at a 5k that was about 1:30 slower than my PR. Probably the only time I’ll ever place though so I’m counting it.
Mile splits:
- Mile 1: 8:11
- Mile 2: 8:20
- Mile 3: 8:31
- .14: 7:22 pace
Don’t mind the ugly face, this was solely to capture how disgustingly sweaty I was after! And, I was trying to hide taking a picture of myself in front of everyone. Awkward!
#2, woohoo! There were more than 20 people that ran, this sheet just stopped there. There were also more than 2 females, I’m not sure why it says 2/2?
Marta and I with our medals. #1 & #2. Turns out Marta is actually training for her first marathon in November, the Philadelphia marathon. Good luck in all your training and the marathon Marta!
I wish all the conferences I went to had a fitness program like NACUBO did. Every day they had Zumba, yoga or the race and it was nice to see such a large conference put an emphasis on fitness & health.
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Of course the conference wouldn’t have been complete without one last stop at Aramark’s display for the liquid nitrogen creamsicle they had yesterday.
Tasted just like childhood, except made way cooler.
The conference lunch kind of sucked yesterday but check out what another food vendor was giving out.
Lobster mac ‘n cheese and a roast beef pita. Delicious! I definitely went back for seconds of the mac ‘n cheese and called it lunch.
From a work perspective, the conference wasn’t that great for me personally and the region I work with but, from a food & fun perspective it was one of the best! Leaving on Saturday morning didn’t turn out to be all that bad after all but, I’m definitely happy to be home where I can resume NROLFW and get back in the kitchen!
Have you ever placed in a race? Go ahead and brag!
What’s your biggest running accomplishment?
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
Every day I get my bum out the door is an accomplishment for this girl!!!! :)
WAY TO GO!!! And those shirts were funny, I laughed! :)
Yay you! Congrats Ms. Speedy Pants. Thanks for enlightening me, by the way; I had no idea CFOs could make jokes. :)
Congrats on the race that is awesome!
awesome job! I have only placed in 2 VERY small races. One was 3rd in my age division for a 5k in Wappingers (about 250 runners) and then 1st in my age group in an 8 mile race in Pawling that only had 57 people running!! haha
Oh my gosh – that food looks AWESOME! Congrats on the race – I’m super jealous, I’m dying to be racing again (or even just running at all!)
Now I want to go to more cool conferences!!
I haven’t been in enough races to place except maybe track in middle school! Looks like a good time though! Glad you had fun!
I was about to say what Cait, above, said. 2 for your division.
Awesome job! That’s actually really cool that the conference did a race!
That’s what I thought initially too but then I realized they didn’t have ages of anyone! They didn’t ask my age when they wrote my name and I know Marta is not 24, that was her bib number :)
Congrats on finishing 2nd.. that is so awesome!
It may say 2/2 because there were two runners in your age group.. you and Marta! Maybe no though!
Awesome race :)