Bowman Cup 5k - A Race Report???

Running had been a little bit better than non-existant for me the last few weeks, which was definitely helping me manage my anxiety over school.  I felt pretty slow and not at all light on my feet, course I am carrying around an extra 10lbs. right now. 

A few of my classmates were planning to run the Bowman Cup 5k this year and although I wanted to run it I was hesitant because I have absolutely no money and my leg and foot are so sketchy.  I was surpised when I received a confirmation email that said I was running a few days earlier.  One of my friends had secretly tried to sign me up -- he is too nice!  So a racin' I would go!!

The race had record numbers and it started later than scheduled.  I had to stand in line for about 10 minutes and ended up getting in absolutely no warm-up. 

My classmates and I all stood together at the start, but when the gun went off KS shot out so fast I lost her right away and MV was somewhere behind me.  I made it about a quarter mile out and realized I was way too fast.  I pulled up and did my best to stop pushing.  I regained my breathing and watched a lot of people run ahead of me.  I knew I wouldn't run anywhere close to my time last year.  I looked over to see MV had actually caught and passed me just a tad at the .5 mile mark.  Wow, had I slowed down that much? I caught him and we ran together to the first mile marker.  The timer shouted 7:26, 7:27, :28, I sighed because I was about where I thought I would be and also because last year I ran that first mile in 6:45. 

MV continued to stay with me to the 1.5 mile marker and I couldn't help but be so impressed by his performance.  He usually runs in the 8:20 range or higher, but then it happened, he started to fade.  I made a decision right then to stop running my race.  I wasn't gonna PR, but MV had a great shot at it!  I also felt flat and was nervous about my leg.  I started talking to him about relaxing his form and joking that KS was only a little ahead of us and she was hurting and we could keep the gap to a minimum.  Initially, he tried to wave me off to go on without him, but my mind was made up.  I wasn't going without him.  We hit mile 2 at 8:06. 

The next mile wound up the bike and hike path back onto campus.  I remembered last year that I had been so shocked at how much harder the course had gotten for me at that point.  MV definitely, felt the inclines.  I told him to run the tangents and started swearing at him that for 8:00 measly minutes of his life all he had to do was run and then it would be over.  He was pushing himself so hard to get that PR.  We made back onto the road and I kept trying to pull him along, saying "4:00 minutes MV, 4:00 more f*ckin' minutes! Come on!!!"  We made the last climb and he hit his next gear.  I was yelling at him "Yeah, hell yeah, you got this, just get to the intersection."  The intersection was about 150 meters from the finish.  I kept thinking if he can just get to tthe intersection he'll be golden. 

We crossed the intersection and could see the finish balloons.  There was a young girl just ahead of us coming up on the finish.  I yelled at MV "come on you can get her!!"  He found his next gear, the girl ahead heard me and turned to look back at us.  We caught her, but she wasn't giving up, she hit her next gear too.  She pushed forward and I yelled "yeah, come with us, don't let him have it!!"  It was a great battle to the finish.  I was so pumped to see two people pushing themselves to the finish.  The girl ended up getting MV by one step.  His last 1.1 was 9:37.  He had fought so hard and he was rewarded with a new PR!!  I was so proud of him.  He finished in 25:17.  I crossed right behind him in 25:18. 

KS had won her age group with a 22:08 averaging 6 miles a week and also being 5lbs heavier -- the girl has so much potential! 

I finished feeling really good.  I didn't get a great gauge of my fitness, but the 8:09 pace definitely, didn't hurt me.  I never felt anywhere near tempo effort, so that was a good sign.  I went home and ran another 4 miles just to stretch out my legs after breakfast, since my feet and my hamstring were naggingly tight.  I am limping today thought (Maybe, it's time I go to the doctor). 

I know I was supposed to race, but sometimes being a member of a race team isn't always about racing for me.  Sometimes I feel it's about inspiring and swearing at someone, witnessing a new runner's PR and that is worth so much more than an age group/overall win or my own PR.