Hi, friends! Here is my first race recap!
On Saturday morning, we all woke up bright and early and ready to run! Thank goodness, the hotel had complimentary coffee!
Here we are waiting for the shuffle bus that Runner’s World provided from the hotel to the start line, which was about 20 minutes away. FYI: We stayed at the Courtyard Bethlehem.
Both the 5K and 10K races were held on Saturday morning. The 5K started at 8:00 AM and the 10K at 9:30 AM. I liked that the races were back-to-back, so you weren’t waiting around for hours and hours to run again. I felt like I had time to recover, but I wasn’t totally stiff and mentally out of it when it was time for the 10K.
It was cold at the start of the race. When we left the hotel, it was 39 degrees and warmed up to about 42 degrees when the gun went off for the 5K. There was a bag check at the event (it was super efficient, no lines), so most of us waited until the very last minute to take off our warm clothes and ready to run.
credit: Skinny Runner
I ended up wearing a short sleeve shirt, workout capris, and gloves, which ended up being the perfect gear. I was chilly at the start, but once I started running, I was fine.
I ran the majority of the 5K with Monica. We started out slow and steady and then picked up the pace toward the end. I was all about saving my legs for the half marathon, so I challenged myself, but I definitely didn’t go all out. I finished in 26:17 (8:26). Race #1 done!
Between the 5K and 10K, I grabbed my stuff from the bag check and went inside one of the nearby buildings to keep warm with the other bloggers.
The start of the 10K was a lot more enthusiastic (I think we were all half asleep at the start of the 5K) with rocking music, cheering, and fist pumping. It was a fun way to start race #2!
Again, I wanted to save my legs, so I kept a slow and steady pace for the 10K. The course started and finished along the same route as the 5K, but the rest of it took us through the streets of Bethlehem. It was gorgeous! I didn’t think we’d run the 5K route twice, but I was still thankful for the change of scenery.
I had some nice negative splits on the 10K, so I was happy with my performance. I finished in 55:33 (8:56).
Two down, one to go!
Lunch
After the 5K and 10K, I headed back to the hotel, showered up, and then headed to Panera for lunch. I refueled with creamy chicken and rice soup, half of a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich, chips, and an apple. Oh, how I love Panera! (FYI: Immediately after the 10K, I ate an apple, banana, and mini Larabar.)
I finished off lunch with a huge chocolate chip cookie that I split with Monica.
I spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing and blogging.
Dinner
Before I knew it, it was time for dinner with the editors!
A delicious, carb-tastic meal was served, and a number of the recipes were from the Runner’s World Cookbook.
FYI: The Kale and Almond Pesto was awesome! I also really liked the Turkey and Feta meatballs.
I loaded up my plate with a little bit of everything. Yum!
Dessert was also fabulous””check out the spread!
I went with the chocolate mousse and a cupcake. Yay, double dessert!
After dinner, we heard Dave McGillivray speak. Haven’t heard of him? Well, he is an incredible person. I still remember reading the article about him in Runner’s World earlier this year and being blown away by his accomplishments. It was even more amazing hearing him talk about them in person. FYI: Dave has a book, which I JUST bought on Amazon, if you want to read his story.
Dave is an incredibly humble guy, so his presentation was intended to be a teaching opportunity (he titled it “Defining Moments”) instead of a bragging session about his accomplishments, which he could have easily done. I am still in awe of what he has achieved in his life.
Some fun facts about Dave McGillivray:
- He’s run 126 marathons
- He ran a 2:29 marathon
- He’s a running philanthropist, who has raised over $100 million for various charities. (RW calculated this number because Dave is too humble to put a number on it.)
- He’s the original Forrest Gump. In 1978, he ran across the country””from Medford, Oregon to Medford, Massachusetts. He average 45-50 miles every day for 80 days with no rest!
- He’s run 41 consecutive Boston Marathons. He directs the race during the day and then runs it at night. He’s the last one to finish every year.
- Each year on his birthday, he runs his age. Last August, he ran 59 miles on his 59th birthday.
I’m actually planning to write another post about Dave McGillivray (he’s so inspiring), so here’s just a summary of a few things/lessons he shared during his talk that really resonated with me.
My game, my rules! Basically, don’t let anyone dictate how you should live your life. Love this!
My GREATEST accomplishment is always my NEXT one! Dave explained that you need to keep looking forward with regard to your goals. He said he couldn’t run a 2:29 marathon anymore, but it doesn’t mean he can’t still have marathon or running goals.
Personally, I really needed to hear this because I was getting kind of down on myself for not being able to run like I used to. It also made me think about my running goals moving forward.
Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. Do what you love; success will follow. So true.
Dave only briefly talked about what happened at the Boston Marathon last year. He was actually out in Hopkinton about to start his marathon when he was notified about the bombs, so he high-tailed it back to the finish. When he arrived, the Boston police basically told him it wasn’t his race anymore and took over. David said he did everything in his power to help those in need at the finish line and arrived home to his family two days later. He concluded on a positive note and said he’s looking forward to next year’s race.
Questions of the Day
Which do you like better: 5K or 10K?
What’s your favorite distance to race?
Who is the most motivational speaker you’ve ever heard?
