Earlier this year I stated that my goal was to run a 5k a month. Apparently I decided that I was better off waiting until May to start. After going back and forth for awhile I finally decided to sign up for Kent’s Run in Valparaiso. This was going to be the last year of the race and I felt like I needed to redeem myself after I missed it three years ago with the stomach flu.
Nothing Says Indiana Like…
I missed Kent’s Run a few years ago thanks to a round of a the stomach flu. My friends who did run the race couldn’t stop talking about what a well organized race it was. Unfortunately my friend who I was supposed to run it with no longer lives in the area, otherwise she would’ve been out there with me. I didn’t know what to expect other than what she had told me about the course.
Nothing says Indiana more than a tractor for a pace car. I LOVED IT! The entire race was run through country roads so there was not much to see. As we were about a half mile in I looked up at the leaders who were on the other side of a corn field with the tractor. It really does not get more Indiana than that and it was wonderful.
The race itself is in honor of a young man from the local high school who passed away. For the last 10 years the race has been organized by his friends and family. They kicked off the pre-race ceremonies with a few tributes to him and talked about how much the race has grown over the years. This year there were 900 participants from over 10 states!
Kent’s Run 5k Race
It’s been two years since I ran a 5k and just under 2 years since I ran my last race. When it came to goals I just wanted to finish the race and enjoy it. Even though 5ks are a normal part of my morning treadmill runs, it’s been awhile since I’ve run outside. As soon as I crossed the finish line, I couldn’t wait to find another race. I’m still trying to decide but there definitely will be a lot more 5ks coming this year.
I might have started a little too close to the front, but I was worried about getting stuck with walkers. That has happened to me way too often! I decided to stick with my own pace and not to push it too hard. Throughout the race I knew my pace was anywhere from 8:20 to 8:40 so I tried to just maintain what felt good. As I got closer to the finish I decided it would be awesome to break 26 minutes.
My final time was 26:08
Close enough! Overall I ended up 5th in my age group out of 42. I will take it!
I’m nowhere near the shape I was in for my last 5k but I also have taken about 2 years off and had a baby in the meantime. With only a few hills and music every so often the course was incredible. Every finisher got a medal (complete with a shiny tractor). We decided to skip out on the pancake breakfast afterwards, but it looked like it was a pretty popular stop.
I’m not going to lie, I’m kind of sad I didn’t do this race sooner. It was a great race and supported a great cause. Over the last 10 years they’ve raised around $400,000 for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Thanks for a great run!
Do you have a race (or competition) you wish you would’ve done sooner?