07 - 5k races

Completed race number two this weekend - the Irish Jig 5k. I threw out my back earlier this week and entertained serious doubts as to even showing up.

Some pain pills and very early nights later, I decided to at least attempt the race. The plan was to bail somewhere along the route if the pain was too much to overcome. It was snowing when we started, and the 1,600 women stuck pretty close together at the beginning. There were a couple of points that I thought I'd stop off at an intersection and ask one of the public safety officers to escort me back to the beginning. But after I passed the mile two marker, I gritted my teeth and walked faster. As I was rounding the last corner to the finish line, the announcer called out my name over the loud speakers - and I jogged to the finish line. Final chip time was 51.12 - three and a half minutes under my last 5k. Bad back and all, and I improved on my record. I'm still planning on training for the rest of the Triple Crown races this summer, and maybe sneaking a few more in besides. The goal is to be prepped to run the last leg of the Triple Crown in a few months. Probably not likely - but it's somewhere to start.

So - 07: Three races, I'm 2/3!