PGH 5K Race Recap

Thanks to my wonderful boyfriend for all the photos!

This was the first 5K I've done since Fall of 2012. Not that I've avoided 5Ks, but just always put the focus on adding mileage and not really speed training. Last week I received an email that they extended the sign-up for the UPMC Health Plan 5K, and decided to just go with it. To be quite frank, I only did it because I saw that doing the 5K and either the Half or Full Marathon meant you were participating in the Steel Challenge. I saw "challenge" and couldn't pass that up. Competitive much?

Medals just steel-ing the spotlight

However, I wasn't feeling completely confident in myself about this run. I told myself I should take it as a shakeout run before the Half. Well, after a speedy 3 miles the other day, I found the courage to make this a race worth racing for.

IG post after completing 3 miles in 22:04

(there were some stops along the way)

I had tremendous support from my girls Adrienne and Jaclynn (who BQ'd on the full!!!!!) on Friday at the Expo, and got encouraging texts the morning of as well. I saw so many awesome faces at the We Run Social meet up the morning of. Some were familiar faces, and others were new. Regardless of how many times I've met them, we all were wishing each other luck and genuinely excited for one another. It's probably the greatest thing I love about the running community - everyone is on everyone's team.

These two are so amazing to hang out with! Great job ladies!

When don't I see this girl running around?! Great job today!

Great friend who came up and hugged me as I was taking a picture with someone else. Felt so good to see her!

How I bond with most people: over makeup. This girl slayyyyys it.

This girl has been so inspirational and motivational these last few months!

Sorry for not pacing with you!

Saturday morning was dreadful. It was mid-40s, super windy, and raining. I was in so many layers and super complain-y. I made it over with time to kill, or just for me to complain more and jokingly say "let's just go back to bed" to my boyfriend. As it slowly crept up to 8:00, I got into the corral and placed myself just before the 7:30 pacer. I was hoping to have around 7:30s since my speed run the other day was around that pace. I met a wonderful girl, Jennifer at the We Run Social meet up, who was also going to be pacing that. I planned to try to keep up with her.

So cold. So worth it.

Well, when the gun went off, I flew! I felt fast, and for me, I was! However, I was so sick. The second I started running, my stomach went upside down. I wanted to vomit the whole time. Looking back, I think it was from only eating a CLIF bar 1.5 hours before the gun and taking Tylenol to hopefully bypass any pain.

Mile 1 ended in 7:10. I saw my watch and got really excited. I didn't think I was nearly as fast - and there was some uphill. Mile 2 showed me that my excitement really powered me - ending my second mile at 7:08. Then came the Roberto Clemente Bridge. My friend Steff (runsteffrun.com) warned me about how deceptive this incline was, and boy was she right. I utilized my hill training of only having the balls of my feet hit the ground going up, but it was still a struggle. I finished Mile 3 at 7:15. As I was drawing nearer to the 3 Mile mark and eventually the finish line, I started to sprint! I forwent my cadence that I usually try to keep and just strided out the last 0.2 miles. The last 0.14 on my watch showed a 6:16 pace!

I finished strong and felt so sick, but so accomplished. I finished my race at 22:24, which was a huge PR for me. I got home, showered, relaxed, and checked to see how I did in comparison to other runners. Little did I know that I got FIRST PLACE in my age group! I was not expecting any sort of accomplishment during the weekend, and this 5K really set the tone for what I would find out to be my greatest running weekend ever and a great way to finish off Spring 2017 running season.

I am so incredibly grateful of my body's abilities and showing me that when I treat it right with exercise, rest, and proper fueling, that it will surprise me. I cannot wait for next year's Steel Challenge. Definitely a time to really put myself to the test and enjoy my city with my awesome running community.