Whidbey Island 5K

On Saturday I participated in the Whidbey Island 5K. 

Even though the race didn't start until 9 AM, we had to drive from Sedro-Whooley the morning of the race, so I really got an early start.  The drive was gorgeous, and we even had a chance to stop off and take a couple of pictures at an especially scenic bridge.

Then, we got to Flintstone Park around 8:00 for registration.

Pretty soon, it was time to turn on the Garmin and pose next to the star(t).

At 8:55 or so, we all lined up and waited for the announcements.  All I needed to know was that it was a down-and-back course around the water.  Got it.

The race started, and I was feeling pretty good.  I had a smile on my face, crisp air on my body, and sea salt on my lips.  I promptly checked my Garmin, saw that I was running at about a 10:30 pace, and decided that I was feeling good enough to run the whole thing.

The race wasn't altogether flat.  For about 3/4 of it, we ran on the road/sidewalk around the harbor, which brought us up a little hill and back down.  Then, we turned right towards the marina.  We were met there by a bunch of folks in their lounge chairs watching us run by.  I tried my best to look straight ahead and not feel self-conscious about what I looked like.

At the turnaround point, I felt pretty good, though my legs weren't feeling as light as they were at the beginning.  I looked down at my Garmin and saw that I was running at an 11-minute pace.  I knew that I could finish the race without walking.

The last half-mile or so was pretty tough, but it was great to see the balloons at the finish line. I sped up for the last .2 miles and just tried running as hard as I could.  I passed quite a few people for such a short distance, and I finished as strong as I could.  Even though I didn't beat my previous record, I was happy with my 34:33 finish time.  It was a new course for me, after all, and it was hillier than the St. Paddy's Day race.

After the race, I got my first schwag - water, Pop Chips, and a bag full of running products (lotion, fuel, pain ointments, etc.)

All in all, I felt pretty great at about 9:45 in the morning.  I was ready for a day of whale watching, wine tasting, glass blowing, island exploring, and expo-attending awesomeness (I bought a shirt that says "irunlikeagirl" on the sleeve). And since my race was over, my only responsibility was as a cheerleader for Scott at his marathon the next day.

My next race is the Spokane River Run (10K) on Sunday and Bloomsday (12K) on May 2.   I am really excited to run these races since they are my longest ones to date and because Sunday's race is a trail race.  While I do not expect amazing times for either of these races, I look forward to seeing how my body responds.  I want to get my mileage up again.

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