Georgia PR

i don’t run a lot of 5k races. i think i have this mentality that i long since passed the ability to run 3.1 miles so why bother. but what i fail to take into consideration is that i can get just as much physical and emotional satisfaction from a short run.

when a friend mentioned she was thinking about doing a race this past weekend, i glanced over to my desk calendar and realized there was nothing i couldn’t shift around. somehow the fact that the race was in georgia really didn’t matter. I’d been looking for an excuse to get up there to visit and this one seemed as good as any.

friday was a long day. a full day at the office. a four hour drive. a powerful demo. another couple of hours in the car. it was almost 2 a.m. before my head hit the pillow and not even 6 a.m. when i woke to my dog finding humor in running up and down the stairs. i was tired. so tired. and the last thing i wanted to do was run. but we headed out the door praying the black clouds above us would hold off just a little longer.

i have to admit i didn’t take it seriously. no sleep. no preparation. rain, hills, new turf … i had every excuse why i wouldn’t make good time. but i like to set goals for myself and decided i needed to do so regardless. leading in my PR (personal record) for a 5k was 29:08 so under 29:00 seemed improvement enough given my less than eager mindset.

when i hit mile one i was shocked. an 8:40. i don’t run an 8:40 … not even close! that’s all it took to change my attitude and rouse that competetive nature i have. i knew i couldn’t mantain that kind of pace but i figured i actually had a chance of making my goal. before the race another runner had mentioned the challenge of the hill at the end of the course. running in florida doesn’t offer much incline and i hoped that obstacle wouldn’t be my demise. but i took it in stride and never felt the top was unreachable. when the finish line came into view i was floored. i found my kick and sprinted the final stretch.

perry georgia dogwood festival 5k — a new pr
28:14

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