My racing fails today

joehempel

So today I was geared up to do the Heart Mini Half-Marathon, registered over 3 months ago, got all my stuff ready, packet in hand and clothes laid out the night before etc. Race time is 7:45am. I get up without the alarm, check my phone for messages....and its off. It's ****ing OFF! I turn it on...it's 7:30am I MISSED IT! I don't know how it turned itself off, it was plugged in...but damnit, that pissed me off.

So I went to look to see if there was a 10k at the event and to run that...nope, only a 5k. I debated on not going down to the race for the 5k, I mean, it's only 3.1 miles, is it worth the gas?

I decided that since it was free (my work was the major sponsor and kick off people in Cincinnati) I might as well. So I went down and looked around at the booths, and ate a bagel, and listened to the live music for about 45 minutes before the 5k race was to start. I lined up towards the front because I was on a mission to hit within the 27 minute mark...anything between 27:01-27:59. People started pushing their way to the front when the race was about to start. The gun goes off....and the people in front of me start to jog...very...very..VERY...slowly. Rule #1, if you are going to do that crap line up towards the damn back!!

Finally I was able to get past the group of slow people, and it ruined my pace because I was trying to make up time. Columbia Parkway in Cincinnati is all hills (mini-mountains lol). It sucks. Trying to make up time was a mistake, I shouldn't have done that. We get to the turn around, and it's not really a big deal because we still have to go up the hills on the way back, so it sucks still, but on the way people started to turn around before the turn point....I hope they figured that into the results.

Anyway, my results were not what I was hoping, but I still got a PR with a time of 28:01 (28:41 previously). JUST MISSED the goal...I almost would have rather been at 28:30 I was so close LOL.

So total results:
Total Time: 28:01
Avg Time: 9:03 mpm (not my best in a race, my best was 9:02 in a 3.6 mile trail race)
Place: 569/2810, so top 25%
Age: 71/214

I'm not upset at the results....just still upset that I missed the 1/2 Marathon

taramaureen

Congrats on your PR. That's always an accomplishment in itself. Hope next time things go more smoothly.

freezerburn2012

That sucks that you missed your 1/2 marathon race but good job on going down there to do the 5k!

willismack2

Every race is an experience to build on. I am not a fast learner so I have gone out too slow or too quick a few times, and it hurts. In the end, it is all good and the 5K race will be a good workout for your longer efforts. Congrats on the good race! AND PR!!!

joehempel

Yes it is!

I just feel in 5ks I should go out harder than I usually would because it's just a short distance....eventually I'll learn LOL