My 5K PR 07/12/14

For the last few months I have been working my booty off (literally) trying to train to run a sub 30 min 5K (3.1miles).  For some people this is easy.  For some people this is hard.  I am in the later group. I have been running off and on for 5 years. Running does NOT come easy to me. I'm not very tall (around 5'4") and have short legs. I struggle with mental toughness.  I can talk myself out of a run faster than you can sneeze!  Mental strength is something that I have really focused on.  I have used visualizing and positive self talk and just basically tried to keep telling myself that I AM strong and CAN do it!

Saturday the 12th was race day.  It was a nice and early start time of 8 am! My last race (which you can read about HERE) I ended up eating a gf cupcake & drinking a coffee on the way since we had to drive about 45 min. Well guess what?! I had a great race! So I thought you know it was a good breakfast last time so I'm going to try it again.  On Friday afternoon I went to a local bakery that always keeps gf cupcakes in stock (HALLELUJAH!!!). They had cherry, vanilla, and chocolate. I bought a cherry & a chocolate (I figured I'd better eat one the night before, you know, carb loading!) and went on home.  In the morning I got up early, made my coffee, and left the house. On the way to the race I ate my cupcake, listened to Fancy by Iggy Azalea (warning it has naughty words!) and got myself pumped up to race. 

Kellie and I took a couple selfies cause that's what you do before a race! We walked to the starting area and talked to some awesome runner friends of ours.  I think that is one of my favorite things about running. The running community is amazing! Everyone encourages each other and pumps each other up! So Kellie and I talked to a few of our friends and just got ready to run! I kept telling myself, I CAN do this! They had the elites and FAST runners (under 24 min for Women and 21 min for Men) lineup up front and then the rest of us.  We lined up, I closed my eyes, and said out loud "I CAN DO THIS" and off we went!

I found a great girl to pace with for the first mile and half or so.  She had a great pace and so I just kept up. I haven't been listening to music this year and so I have been praying my way through my runs.  It's a great time of quiet and time for me to just pray for people I love, other runners, and just talk to God about what is going on in life. That is me in the middle (pink shirt) looking like a hot mess! I swear I look like death when I run.  I love to run but I look like I'm in agony! HA HA HA  Oh well.  That's me coming down the straight away to the finish line! 

And there ya go! Those are my results! I finished in 29:02!!!!  Not only that but I finished in the top 20 in my age group!! I'm really happy and really proud of myself.  I haven't run a 9:22 mile in a race EVER! It gives me more confidence in my half marathon training (which starts soon!).

Work Hard!  Believe in yourself! Dream Big & Pray Hard!

Love, Lacey