10/3/11
6 miles / 52:50 / 8:48 avg pace
On Saturday, I ran the Strides For Scholarship 5K with my 10-year-old niece, Sarah. My sister-in-law, Desiree, also ran the race. This was Sarah’s second 5K. She told me she wanted to beat her previous time of 28:19 (which is pretty impressive). We also wanted to beat any 10-year-olds we saw out on the course. Sarah is pretty competitive 🙂
It was a beautiful and cool morning. This was only the second year for this race and there weren’t that many runners – maybe 50 at the start line? We later overheard someone say they had about 70 runners pre-register. This was by far the smallest 5K I had ever done.
The course was interesting. We ran around a local community college. The school is big but it was odd to dodge between students going to class. Sarah was a trooper. She asked if we could slow down a bit during mile 2. We slowed down for maybe 5 seconds before she announced “OK, I’m good. Let’s go”. We pushed during the last mile to get that PR but fell short by about 10 seconds. Our official time was 28:30. Sarah did amazing and everyone cheered for her.
My sister-in-law ran a great race too and came away with a huge 1-minute PR!
We hung around for the awards ceremony knowing there was a good chance Sarah would get a medal. The look on her face when they called her name for first place female, 12 and under, was priceless! She was shocked. I doubt that medal left her neck all day Saturday.
I was probably more shocked when they called my name for 3rd place female in my age group. Really?! Like I said, small race. I’ll take it though!
The post-race food spread was ridiculous. More like an ultramarathon rather than 5K. Starbucks, muffins, doughnuts, bagels, tomato pie, juice, etc. The race Ts are nice too. I can actually wear it in public.
The overall female finished in 23:22 (exactly my current PR from a hot and steamy Memorial Day race). Hmmm. I have no shame in entering a small 5K just to see if I could have a shot at first overall female. Agree or disagree? In Philly, the competition is tough. There are so many fast runners. The only way for me to place in a 5K or 10K is to seek out the smaller races.
I’m up super-early so this was my inspirational post to get me through spin class! Yes, aren’t small races awesome for that? The only time I ever got first in my AG was in a small race (Boulder is just like Philly–too many good runners)–I got a trophy that was a cowbell.
Good for your niece! That’s great that she won her group–very motivating–it’s not your last race with her, that’s for sure.
I love small races, too! That’s the only way I get awards!! (I even got a 2nd AG in a marathon this spring and it was one of my slowest marathon times).
Second AG in a marathon?!?! That’s impressive!
Ha! Not really as my time was 4:09. It was the Village Spot Marathon–near Lancaster; I think only a couple hundred did the full (also a half marathon)…the toughest course I’ve ever done (makes Pocono seem flat!). It was constant rolling hills the entire time; but very pretty and scenic. So if you want a challenging course that you will not PR at but will probably get an award, i’d recommend it.
Ugh, that sounds like torture! No thanks 🙂 Pocono was hard enough!
Congrats to your niece! I would totally enter a tiny race to win my age group. It’s hard around here too, because most races are larger with very fast runners. Maybe out in the boonies? What’s tomato pie?
Ha! In Philly “pie” is synonymous with “pizza”. They are used interchangeably. So it was a tomato pizza (without cheese)!!!
Your niece is a rockstart! I love my local 5K races because they are small! Although there is one local chick in my age group who can run a 19 minute (flat!) 5K, so she always beats me 🙂
There was an 11 year old at my metric marathon yesterday and I actually heard one of the runners (a track coach) tell her father that it was too far for someone that young and he made her run anyway. Oy.
That is way too far for a 11 year old to run! That’s horrible…poor girl!
Small races can be really fun and someone has to win overall and each AG so why can’t it be you?
Congrats to all of you on a wonderful race!
Hmm maybe I should find a small race 🙂 NYC is sooooo competitive! Congrats to you and your niece on a fun 5k!
aw, so cute! I would love to enter a smaller race to see if i could place. Because I pretty much guarantee i will never place in NYC – too huge and too competitive!