5K race today with the Expert: Run the Vineyard at Chateau Elan in Braselton.  I wasn’t expecting much from myself. It’s been a tough couple of weeks.

Yesterday, the Expert asked me:  ”Are you going to run this race balls out?”  I shrugged, “Oh, I don’t know.  I’ll have to see.”

The race started and at the last second, I decided “yeah, why not” to the “balls out” question. I took off running hard right out of the gate.  About a half mile in, I was regretting my choice, but figured I was already in it, so why not crawl completely into the hurt locker.

Then, zoooooom.  There goes the Expert.  I look down at Constance and I was flying at a 6.5 pace (which for me, is ridiculous kind of fast).

Here comes the first hill. And it was a doozy.  Still, once I hit the one mile mark, I was pushing a sub ten minute mile pace.  What???  Constance must have been wrong.  (Constance is my Garmin).

I end up next to the Expert again.  He gives me the hairy eyeball and rolls his eyes, which annoyed me. He runs right past the first water station. Who runs past water in this heat, I’m thinking. I slow down, grab a cup, and fall behind him a little.  Dude, what’s his problem? 


At the turn-around, Constance tells me that I had been running for 14:28.  Wait? What?  14:28?  That was the out.  All I have to do is back at the same pace.  Which means a 29 minute 5K??  What?

Now, we all know that I am a super fast runner (ha ha ha).  For example, my past 5ks times:

• Race: Georgia Race for Autism, Lawrenceville, GA
  When: October 2010
  Time:  38:43 
• Race: Skylar’s Run, Suwanee, GA
  When: December 2010
  Time:  36:08  
• Race:  Georgia Women’s 5K, Atlanta, GA
  When: March 2011
  Time:  34:16