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Monday, March 28, 2011

Last day!

It's my last day at my current position! Good-bye, crazy lady who punched another customer in the face (this happened yesterday)! Good-bye, homeless dude who hides in the drive-through to jump out at cars and ask for money! Good-bye, technician who is always half an hour late!
We're going on a little vacation before my new job starts, and you won't believe this, but it's to Boston. I guess I forgot to tell the hubby how I feel about Boston...and how I feel about his frenemy who lives there. Sigh.

Yesterday I ran the Eat My Crust 5k before heading into work. It benefits the NO/AIDS foundation, so I ran it even though 5k's aren't my thing. I had a bad race. I really don't know how to pace for a 5k, and I came in 4th, which might as well be last! I started out too slow and was 7th for most of the race. Then I overcompensated, sped up too much, and passed people until I was third. Then someone passed me in the last mile and I didn't have the energy to prevent it! I have decided that 4th is the worst feeling ever.
I also wasn't thrilled with my gun time of 21:29; it was only a little better than last week's race. However yesterday was extremely humid (97%) and set a record for heat, and I certainly felt it. I will be able to gauge my ability better in dry weather, since humidity slows me down.
As for the race, if you're in the area do it next year. I had to leave to go to work, but the after party was awesome and runners get an apron instead of a T-shirt!
Now that I've been royally humiliated in the 5k, does anyone have any tips and hints for me? I'd like to get faster and I'd like to know what a "good" time for me would be.
Hope you're Monday is wonderful and no one jumps out of the drive through and asks you for cash!

11 comments:

  1. Yay for the last day! But we will miss these fun little anecdotes (someone punching someone else!). Have a fun time away!

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  2. To run a fast 5k you have to go out hard and hold on as long as possible.

    Compare your 5k time to your other distances - (turn you speakers down)

    http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/mcmillanrunningcalculator.htm

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  3. YAY for last day! Totally excited for you.

    PS: I worked at WAG up until July when I went to long term care. :o) They won't even let me pick up a shift here and there now because of conflict of interest...whatever. I worked my butt off for them. :o(

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  5. I try to pace, even splits in a 5k. I take a recent 5k and go by even splits for the next race. I definitely use McMillan's as a great tool - like a prediction. Enter one of your recent better longer races, and see what it calculates you are capable of at the 5k. Also, I have recently "tried" to adjust my 5k times BEFORE the race for the conditions of the day. HUMIDITY ALWAYS slows me down. If it's hot and humidity, I adjust my pace prior to the race.

    For me to get better at 5ks, I have to do speed work, and I have to run several 5ks.

    I think it's a GREAT thing that you did improve and the weather was not ideal for a 5k race.

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  6. Ummm...don't tell the guy you'll be in Boston! There's so much to love in that city! Happy last day with crazies!!!

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  7. For my last 5K, I found the time I wanted to be at and trained to get that time. It was then just a matter of running as hard and fast as I could for the total 3 miles.

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  8. ugh. 5k's usually suck for me as well. I never enjoy a 5k, just kind of a "suck it up and hold on" as long as I can kind of thing. Give me distance over speed anyday (says the slow-ish runner hehe)

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  9. It's too bad you don't like Boston! Can't you just avoid the frenemy?

    Anyway, I know you may not be happy with a 21 minute 5k, so if you don't want it, can I have it please? That is fast for me!

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  10. Have fun in Boston - don't let the Frenemy bring you down! Can you not tell him you are coming? He sounds like a jerk from the post you did about not ever doing Boston because of this guy...

    And I am uber impressed w/ your 5k times. So I am of no help!

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  11. Yay for your last day!
    I would totally love to have that 5k time!

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