So this morning I struggled out of bed after a near-sleepless night and prepared for my first road race in over five years.  True, it was only a 5K.  True, I had limited expectations.  But I still had a wonderful time, and learned a thing or two that I can apply to my next race(s), because I’m DEFINITELY doing more of this in the future.

My goal was to complete the race at a 9 minute/mile pace, and I exceeded that with an 8:43 minute/mile pace, 27:04 overall.  I rarely felt like I was going too slow or too fast, and finished strong with a little bit left in the tank.

We ran an out-and-back course along 5th Avenue, with a slight detour at Vine down to 2nd avenue and up the back side of Seattle Center, finishing right by the International Fountain.  The hardest part for me?  Right around mile 2, I felt like I was going a bit too fast, and focused on my breathing for a minute to get back in my rhythm.  The easiest part?  Relative to the other runners, the uphill sections felt easy – all the stair work has developed my quads into hill-climbing monsters.  I passed a lot of people on the two uphill sections.

What I learned:

• Don’t arrive too early.  Prompt lil’ ole me showed up at Seattle Center at about 7:00, which was about 45 minutes too early.
• There is no bag check for the 5K.  This, I should note, is contrary to what is in the race guide.  I had to run back to the car to deposit my warmup layers and bag before the race.
• The little ankle strap that holds your chip timer can chafe.  Wear it around your sock, not your bare flesh, because I got chafed and a little bloody.  No big deal.
• Figure out where you should start based on pace, and elbow your way in.  I spent the first half-mile evading walkers and other slow runners, because I started too far back.

The nicest part?  Seeing my kids near the finish line with homemade signs that said “Yay” and “Daddy”.  That was unexpected, and warmed my heart.  Both my kids said they want to run a race, which gives me about two years until they’re faster than me

It was also great to see fellow geeks @marinamartin and @awoods at the starting line.  Looking forward to seeing both of you at the Jingle Bell Run next month!