Runnin' runnin' and... Re-Cap 2: 5k

By the way, I hope you guys are getting the Black Eyed Peas references in these titles... If not, you need to flash back for a minute, turn on your Pandora Black Eyed Peas (will.i.am will work fine for this) radio station and GET WITH IT. I need you on my level right now.

So Saturday - 10k, check. 
No big deal. Except it kind of was. 

And Sunday - 5k, check.
Except I had to fly solo.

see Sam run was in PAIN after Saturday. She somehow managed to crunk up her leg before the 10k and gritted her teeth through that race because, uhhh, we don't give up that easy. But on Sunday morning, she decided that for her own good - she needed to quit while she was ahead. So I, Healthy Little Me, had to forge the rest of the path for the two of us.

The boyfriend drove me to the 5k - it was about 20 minutes away at the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher (which is set in a really pretty place on the beach). It was really nice to have him there for many reasons.
A.) He could cheer me on.
B.) He could take my picture at the finish line.
C.) He would motivate me through the whole race. He's never seen me run in a race before and just the thought of him waiting at the end made me want to push hard and finish strong.
D.) He could take me out to breakfast after. HOLLA!

The race seemed long for a 5k. But the weather was WAY nicer than the day before - sunny, kind of windy, but not really cold. And I'm not sure how or why my legs didn't jump off and play dead after the hell I had put them through the day before, but they didn't.

Same deal with every race - I never start in the front. Except yesterday I did. And it was a bad decision because for the first two minutes, I was trying to avoid being trampled by faster runners that had somehow managed to get behind me. Once the crowd thinned out and I quit psyching myself out, I relaxed at a comfy pace and got to workin' it. Mile two I kicked it up (thanks again, Beyonce!) and mile three I kept it up. This race was easier to get a better time in because I didn't have to sustain the fast pace for quite as long.

I PR'd my best 5k time with an overall time of 32:07. My third mile I ran at a pace of 9:33 per mile. No wonder I almost barfed on the finish line. Either way, I showed up. I did it. I drank my luke warm gatorade, kissed the boyfriend, and headed off to a delicious breakfast. No biggie. Except I did miss see Sam run, but I know she had to make the best decision for herself and I think she did.