First 5K Back...

            I signed up for this thing before I had Myles, back when I was feeling optimistic that I would have him sooner, and that I would make a swift and awesome return to running after his birth, just as I had with Baya.  My 5K 2 months after having Baya, I ended up PR’ing by 30 seconds!  This one ended up about a week sooner after having Myles, and I have been struggling with my running most of this time.  I have felt restricted in my movement within my hips and have dealt with some pain along the way as well.  Extreme enough pain early on that I had to keep postponing running altogether. 

            I have wanted to break 20 minutes for my 5K time ever since I set that PR of 20:14 after having Baya (I tied it last year).  I knew I wasn’t ready for that kind of race result at this point yet, so I lowered my expectations and tried to take some pressure off of myself.  The course had 2 GIANT uphills and only one downhill.  It was ridiculously hot for May and very sunny.  It was the toughest 5K course I’ve ever done – definitely not a PR course.

            I recently came down sick – either a cold or new allergies, and the night prior to the 5K wasn’t much for sleeping either (or the last several for that matter).  If I had any ounce of hope for a PR left even though I was feeling crappy and we had missed out on time for a proper warm-up, it certainly disappeared during that first hill.  My goal became to win it (and be under 22 minutes at the very least).  There was a prize of $50 for the top male and female 5K finishers.  I did end up taking the win and making it under 22 minutes, but it was a far cry from my PR.  It was a frustrating and disheartening experience for sure.  The same goes for Andy, who was also hoping it’d be a chance to PR, only to discover this was not the course or day for it.

            Some cool things though - the chocolate milk team was at the finish line handing out chocolate milk and as well as various other giveaways, and I also got to hold one of those giant checks since I won!  Now I’m anxious for the triathlon season to start so I can get some swim and bike in as well in a race (which I’ll hopefully prove to have made a better comeback with!).  I know I’ve got lots of work ahead of me yet though!