Happy Fourth of July!!
This morning I kicked off my holiday weekend with the In God We Trust 5K in Bastian, VA.
The race started at 9, and I arrived around 8:30 to pickup my packet and get ready to go. You gotta love how easy the logistics are for small races. 🙂 The Sole Sisters had a great turnout this year, with 15 or so runners! They’re a running group in Wytheville that I first met last April that has since made me an honorary member. We see each other at a lot of races in the area! *edited to add below picture, courtesy of Suzy with Sole Sisters
So I hung out with them prior to the race and tried to stay warm. Yep, you read that right. I was shivering at a race in July! It was in the mid-60’s and breezy this morning. That’s what happens when there’s a hurricane going up the coast (which typically means just a slightly windy day for us) and a cold front comes in from the west. Can’t complain about that type of weather in early July, though! Just after 9:00 AM we were off! The race was significantly larger this year (I think it’s in its 4th or 5th year).
I got caught up with a group during the first mile and went out entirely too fast for me. My first mile clocked in at 8:29. Uh oh. I spent the final two miles absolutely falling apart. I was even very, very close to walking but I never gave in. Mile two clocked in at 9:51 (oy) and mile three was 10:07 (yikes). So the lesson here is not to go out so fast.
My final time was 29:22, about 1:40 slower than my last 5K. I probably would have done a bit better, or at least run a more even race, if I hadn’t gone out so fast. But c’est la vie I suppose. After finishing I grabbed a mini-Gatorade and half a banana and hung out for a bit. This cute and very friendly puppy showed up after running with various runners out on the course and hung out with everyone as well.
Despite not running to the best of my ability, I did manage to squeak out a third place in my age group. The age groups were a bit more competitive this year, since they did them in ten year increments instead of five. Also, the two girls who placed ahead of me in the 20-30 year group also placed 2nd and 3rd overall for women. I kind of like when race directors pull the overall winners out of the age groups, instead of “double dinging” them, but I’ve seen it done both ways. After the awards ceremony I hit the road for home.
Now there is BBQ chicken cooking in the crock pot and I’m watching France take on Germany in the World Cup!
Later this evening it’ll be time for Brazil and Colombia to take the field.
I heard Brazil has not lost a competitive game on home turf in 39 years. Things are going to get crazy! I can’t get enough. I’m also already getting sad because the World cup is almost over. It goes by so fast!
What are you doing to celebrate the 4th of July? Watching the World Cup and then watching fireworks
Anyone else racing this weekend?
When was the last time you went out too fast in a race and then paid for it?
Turkey Runner 
Just hanging and enjoying not doing anything. Watched the Nathan’s Hot Dog eating championship today. I just changed my evening menu. I’m not sure I want to see another dog.
Great race and congrats on placing.
LUD.
Hearing how many hot dogs those hot dog champs eat makes me lose my appetite. Fortunately, I didn’t read about the championship until after I ate my hot dog!
The start of a race is so exciting that it’s hard to hold back. Congrats to you, Meagan, on achieving 3rd place!
I had the TV on just before the hot dog eating contest started (after the FIFA game) and I changed the channel. I can’t stand to watch them eat hot dogs like that.
Hate it when I go out too fast! In fact, one of my (two) goals for the 5k I ran this morning was to not go out too fast (because I had made that mistake two years ago at this race, although I adamantly denied it at the time…)
Congrats on your AG award, that is awesome!
Enjoy your BBQ Chicken, World Cup and Fireworks 🙂
Thanks! I hope you met your goals for the 5K you ran. Negative splitting is way better than positive splitting.
Congrats on your age group place! And congrats on starting out the day well. I hope that puppy found his home. I am sitting in the car with my dogs as D is grocery shopping for our mountain camping weekend. Can’t wait to get away!
Thanks, Amy! I love starting a holiday out with a race 🙂 Hope y’all had a great weekend camping trip!
Glad you got to see your Sole Sisters again today!
Looks like we’re twinzies again today with both of us placing 3rd in our age groups! Congrats! We’ve just gotten your cool breeze this afternoon. If Bill and I go outside to chill on the deck this evening, I’ll have to put on a jacket!
Hah, twins again! Congrats on your AG place 🙂 I’ll have to check out your race recap! I couldn’t believe how chilly it was for the 4th. I had to wear jeans and a sweatshirt to go watch fireworks!
When was the last time I went out too fast and paid for it? Um, like, every time. LOL Once it was really bad though and I ended up having to walk in mile 3. There’s such a fine line in 5k’s of not going out too fast but going out fast enough. It looks like a fun race though, especially meeting the other running group!
Will we ever learn!? 🙂 Probably not for short races! I need a 5K that’s uphill for the first half to guarantee a negative split!