The WCPO Big K 5K Run

Today I feel like a seasoned runner. I’m a pro. I’m ready to run a marathon and teach my own clinics on how to run. Okay, not really. But, now that I’ve completed the WCPO Big K 5K Run, I now have two notches in my proverbial running belt. Too bad that belt doesn’t have a waterproof pocket for my iPhone.

In case you don’t live in Cincinnati or you slept in past 10 this morning, I’ll fill you in – it rained. I woke up at 7 a.m. and immediately checked The Weather Channel app on my phone to see when the front would be moving in and was comforted with pictures of sunny skies until 10 a.m. Yay! No rain for the race, which was due to start at 9 a.m.

Not so much. At precisely 8:55 a.m., as race participants were lining up at the start line, the drizzles started, and by the time we got to the bridge over the Ohio (the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge), it was just plain rain. I’ll admit that I’m now grateful for the rain. It made a humid morning and only one drink station a whole lot easier to deal with. But it made it a little hard to find a place on my shirt to wipe my face and, most of all, made it a little difficult to ensure my iPhone remained functional after 45 minutes of wetness. Three cheers for my InCase cover and screen protector. Whew.

How about the running?

It was good! I only shaved 2 minutes (+/- seconds) off my Redlegs Run For Home 5K time and finished in 254th place (out of 358) at 42:16, a 13:38 per mile pace. The pace number means a bit more to me at this point, and I’m pleased.

I decided to use the interval timer app for this run and bumped up my 2:1 run/walk ratio to 3:1, and it wasn’t so bad! In fact, I think I’m going to start there and start working my way up, maybe 30 seconds a pop.

I mean, wow, I’m running 75% of the time! That’s huge!

I only varied from my intervals twice, both on hills, and I’m okay with that. Oh, and my “team” finished first; I guess I was automatically signed up as a Kroger team member/associate and we won! One more victory; I somehow managed to place 4th in my weight class. It was the only weight class for women (160+ or “Athena I”). I have a hard time believing that I was the 4th woman over 160 pounds to pass the finish line out of 358 people. I wasn’t included in my age class, though I clearly had a time that qualified. I’m not sure how they figure that all out, so if you know, please pipe up.

The best part of the run for me was at the end. It was downhill. =)

But seriously, it was a great ending for me. The Clay Wade Bailey Bridge, like most bridges I’ve encountered (which isn’t many) is a bit arched. You engineer people can pipe in as to why that’s so if you want to. So the first half of the bridge was uphill and a little rough, but as I approached the “peak” I decided that I was going to run down the other side, down the ramp, and all the way to the finish line without stopping. I also tried to increase my pace ever so slightly. I don’t know if the hill down just gave me time to relax or if I actually experienced some endorphins, but I felt totally great the whole half-mile that I ran without stopping, even on the flat half of that section (the very end). I MAY have even kicked a little to cross the finish line! Whee!

I even felt good after the run, which concerns me a little. I feel like I should have been beat. Did I push myself enough? Looking back I can see that I should have pushed a little harder than I did. I’m just not experienced enough to know how much to push, you know? Worst case scenario, I would have had to finish the race at a leisurely walking pace. Bah, I should have tried harder, but I’m still happy and I’m ready to do my next one. That’s the real victory.

Oh, and I did get an awesome compliment as I was leaving the Northern Kentucky Convention Center after the run, having just snarfed down two banana halves and half a bagel. A woman called after me as I was headed out the door—“Excuse me, miss!” I thought I dropped something, of course, but I didn’t. She stopped me to tell me that I did a great job and that she had decided early in the run that she was going to catch and pass me, but she couldn’t seem to do it because I just kept going and going. She said it seemed like I never stopped. I explained my intervals and she told me she doing Couch to 5K and was on Week 6. Week 6! I’m only kind of on Week 4, and haven’t really touched the app in a few weeks. And she couldn’t keep up with me. But I was so flattered and encouraged by our little chat and I shared my blog address with her. (Forgive the shameless self-promotion, but please say hi if you remembered to check the address I gave you!)

But that little chat really nailed home my theory about the running community. The runners I’ve encountered are such supportive people! That includes you experienced folks who offer advice and comments on here and on my Facebook. There were a few crazy-fast competitors today who turned around and ran the course backwards after they finished to presumably cool down and they made a point of encouraging the runners they passed along the way. I got a few “good jobs” during my last leg, and they mean so much.

What makes the community of runners so supportive and encouraging? My theory is that running is hard for everyone, regardless of how experienced, skilled, and/or fast those runners are. I think that shared experience of pain and exhaustion creates a bond. I was discussing this with my friend, Jeff, this afternoon after my colossal post-run nap. He thinks it has something to do with the individual nature of the sport. It’s not a team sport, but everyone’s shooting for the same goal in the end, so you kind of become a team. And what do teammates do? They slap each other on the butt and say, “Good game!” and “Wait for the good pitches,” and “Keep your eye on the ball!” Maybe those runners who turn around and encourage other runners are really saying, “It sucks, I know, but our goal is just ahead, so keep your eye on the ball!”

Do you have any stories of random running encouragement? I’d love to hear them. Also, do you have any advice on figuring out how hard to push yourself for the sake of improvement?