Today was my first official 5k race! It was in Verdi, NV, about 10 minutes west of here. There were two major hillymounts (a cross between a hill and a mountain) and the beginning of the race that were a bit challenging, but I didn't stop running (whereas a lot of people stopped running going up these hills and then flew past me going back down....sadday). The start was really weird, there wasn't a gun or anything; instead, the people on the sides just started waving their arms and saying "go! go!!" and slowwwwly we all started running as a big human mass. The thin out happened at the first hillymount (4800 ft), where I kept pushing forward up both to the top (about 5100 ft). It flattened out to an amazing, snow-capped mountainous view, complete with horses running and playing in a fenced field nearby. Not too cold, not too hot. A water station was set up at about the halfway point, and then we started going back down hill. I don't know what's wrong with me, but I tend to push myself going uphill and can't get the more typical push going back downhill, so everyone I passed on the way up flew by me on the way down. The run went passed the Truckee River, and went downhill for almost an entire mile near the end.
The interesting thing was that I found myself running on my own for a lot of the time. That was both a bad thing (because I thought I'd be with a pack) and also a good thing (because I had the realization that no matter how you run, whether it be in an official race or just your neighborhood loop, it's about how hard you push yourself).
As I went passed the finish line (denoted "FIN" on the road in sidewalk chalk), the clock said 33 minutes, about a minute shorter than my usual 3 mile time. Pretty good for my first 5k!
They had hot dogs (ew) and these AMAZING blood oranges at the finish line, which prompted me to go out and buy 7 more at Raley's. The best part about today (besides the blood oranges) was that I feel like I could (and probably will) go out for another 3 mile run this afternoon! That, and the fact that I've run a half-marathon this week (13 miles to date). Oh, and SANDY RAN THE WHOLE THING! even with her bum knee! I'm so incredibly proud of both of us!!
5k down, here's to training for a half-marathon May 1st!!
Here's a few photos from today's adventure (taken after the fact, because we left the cameras at home hahah):
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