3 PRs in One Race - Cerner 15K Race Report

This morning Jim and I headed over to Kansas City, KS for the first annual Cerner 15K race.  We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful morning!  The weather was literally perfect for running.  It was about 52 degrees, sunny, and light winds.  There was moderate humidity (about 75%) but with temps like that you really didn't notice.

For some reason Jim and I were both really not feeling the race this morning.  I've been having some trouble with my low back, and have been limping around all week.  I've had my physical therapist work on it some during my shoulder appointments, but it hasn't provided much relief.  Jim said he just wasn't into it.  He had just ran a marathon two weeks ago and had back to back long runs of 18 and 20 last weekend...and I think he was just a little tired.  I was too.  As I limped across the room to the bathroom, he said "Let's just not go".  To which I responded...."whatever, we are going".  We both knew we were going....sometimes you just have to get the grumps out.  So we got our running clothes on and did our pre-race "dance ritual" to get in the mood.  This time Jack got in on the action.

Me trying to do the "sprinkler" - oops blocked Jim from the shot :)

We arrived early and sat in the car to stay warm.  52 degrees is awesome for running, but a little chilly for standing around.  It was just a short walk to the race start so we could stay in the car until about 15 minutes before the race.  After a few trips to the porta potty we headed over to the race to warm up a bit.  I was planning to take it slow.  I have a half marathon next weekend, and with my back a little out of whack I figured I'd be lucky to average a 12:30 pace, but I secretly hoped I'd still finish around the 12 minute mark. My plan was to use this as a training run vs. a race.  I would run it the same way I was doing my long runs on the weekend.  I have been running the first 3 miles (with a 1 minute walk break in between miles) and then doing a 3 minute run/ 1 minute walk combination for the rest of the miles.  This is my running plan for my marathon.

The race started and I was off....running slowly to start...taking it easy, or so I thought.  I looked down at my Garmin when I was about a 1/2 mile into the race and I was averaging a 10:30 pace.  Oops, that race adrenaline will get you every time.  I slowed down..again or so I thought, but when I hit mile 1 my pace was 10:37.  OK, I really needed to slow down, I still had 8.3 more miles to go.  However, I was feeling good, so I decided to skip the 1 minute walk between the first few miles.  Maybe I would just run the first three without stopping.  Mile 2 comes....10:54, slower but still a little fast.  However, at this time I realize, at this pace I could break my 5K PR.  It won't be an official PR, but that's ok.  I slow down a bit more, but not too much.  Mile 3...11:18.  Now I'm watching my watch, to see it  hit 3.1.  When my Garmin registers 3.1 my time is 34:02. That's a 10:58 pace....that's sub 11!!!  My previous 5K PR was a 34:58 - an 11:16 pace.  I didn't crush my PR or anything, but I beat it....and I still had more than 6 miles to go.

OK, I knew I had to get serious now and slow down, or I was going to completely burn out.  So I decided to stick to my plan and start doing my 3/1 run walk method.  Mile 4 was mostly down hill, so in spite of my walk/run method I still did it in 11:16.  My next few miles were certainly slower, but I was still feeling really good.  As I approached mile 5, I realized if I just kept a decent pace I was also going to beat my 10K PR. I started envisioning my blog post...3 PRs...yes I was thinking about blogging while racing.  You know you guys do it too!  I kept tabs on my Garmin and hit 6.2 miles at 1:09:3, an 11:11 pace.  I killed my best 10K time which was 1:14:17 - a pace of 12:01.  I killed it!!!!

I was running on air.  I still felt strong....but then came the hills.  From about mile 6 to 8, it seemed like it was literally up hill the entire way.  There had been several pretty steep but short hills throughout the race, but these were long gradual hills.  Mile 6 to 7 was uphill, then a short break, and then back uphill again for mile 7 to 8! But I stayed strong.  Once I finally reached mile 8, I knew I was good.  I looked at my Garmin and I was averaging an 11:30 pace.  I decided my goal was to keep that.  I wanted to end with an 11:30 overall pace.  Finally, shortly after mile 9, you see the entrance to the Live Strong Sporting Park where Sporting Kansas City (our pro soccer team) plays and I know the finish line is close.  I looked at my Garmin, I'm still at 11:30, I can't slow down if I want to keep my pace.  I enter the stadium and I can see the finish line - I didn't expect it to be so close.  I sprint the last few feet and run across the finish line with 11:29 on the Garmin!  I threw my hands up in the air!  So excited for such a wonderful race.

Jim captured me coming across the finish line.

I finished in 1:47:43 with a pace of 11:29.  Unfortunately, as we all know you usually run a little bit more than the exact race distance so although my official race time was 1:47:39, my official pace was 11:34.  That was a bit of a bummer, for a second, and then I realized I had just PR'd in 3 races...a 5K, a 10K, and a 15K (just because it was my first 15K).  I had just finished a race with an 11:34 pace.  I had never finished a race over 3 miles with less than a 12 minute pace before....EVER!

15K Finisher gift....nice!  

It was a great day.  In spite of my own personal bests, I was 904 out of 975 runners.  That part is so frustrating to me.  How can I do so well, but still so bad?  But I can't focus on that.  I had a great race and I improved and that's all that matters at the end of the day!  I was fast for me.

Jim of course did AWESOME as usual finishing 1st place in his age group.  If you don't follow my husband's blog (50after40) you should.  He is truly an amazing athlete and does some amazing things.  You can read all about his race experience here.  I am so proud to be married to such a running super stud...yes Honey.....I said it, you are a running STUD!  I love you baby!  It was great to be able to share such a wonderful day of running with my husband.

Jim accepting his medal...I wasn't a very good photographer

Sorry if you read Jim's blog and see some of the same pics....we did do the same race after all.

Up next.....MO' Cowbell!  I know I won't be able to run this fast for 13.1 next weekend, but maybe, just maybe I'll finish around the 12 minute pace which would be another PR.   I'm hopeful to have this same wonderful weather....but who knows.  Today was a great day, one you don't get very often.  I'm thankful for it.

Hope everyone else had a great weekend as well and had AWESOME racing or training experiences of your own!