Race Analysis

This was the summer of 5k races for me!  Apparently 5k races have gained in popularity in the US so it's always easy to find one close by.  For those who aren't familiar with the metric system, a 5k race is 3.1 miles.  If you had told my old self that I'd be running 3+ miles regularly I would have thought you were crazy.

So here are the races I have run in 2010 thus far:

9th Annual Rockport Fathers Day 5K
June 20, 2010 - Rockport, MA
85 out of 144
Total Time: 32:08
Minutes per Mile: 10:21

This race started right around the corner from where I live so it was a good 5k to start with.  In fact, the route went by the end of my street so Greg and Lizzie were able to come out and cheer me on while the twins napped.  Running my town tends to mean running on hills but it also means having a beautiful view.  On this race route you are almost always going up or down a hill however you also run along the ocean for much of the way.  I will definitely run this one next year although I may run the 10k route!  Hopefully the family will come with me to the start because they also have fun family things going on while the race is happening.

Whistleblower's 4k Road Race
July 3, 2010 - Lanesville, MA
91 out of 132
Total Time: 23:51
Minutes per Mile: 9:36

This was another race that was close to home (not walking distance though) and also had a nice route that ran by the ocean.  It was another hilly route with most of the downhill at the beginning of the race.  It's always tough to end a race with a hill.  It was a hot day so I'm not sure how I managed to run so fast.  My back was killing me at the end most likely due to a faster pace then I was used to.  Overall this was a fun little race with a nice route.  After the race there was a barbecue and games for the kids.  I will definitely try to run this one next year as well.

Yankee Homecoming 5k
July 27, 2010 - Newburyport, MA
1303 out of 1942
Total Time: 32:56
Minutes per Mile: 10:36

Newburyport is about 45 minutes away from my home town.  It is a very nice town and a common tourist destination so it was another beautiful place to run.  The route itself was flatter than my other two but ended in a hill.  This race was A LOT bigger than the other two and tons of people line the streets to cheer you on.  It had a very different feeling than my first two races and probably would have been overwhelming if it were my first race.  The day itself was VERY hot and humid.  I was thirsty before I even started running and thanks to the masses of people it took awhile to get to the start then it took awhile to really get going.  This race was timed using an RFID tag which you attach to your shoe however I don't think it registered when I crossed the start line so I suspect my poor time was partly due to a tough time getting started plus the heat.  Thankfully there were many official and unofficial water stations along the way as well as people spraying you with their hoses.  At the end there was tons of food and drinks to partake of and lots of people milling about.  If I can manage it (it's during the week), I will probably run this race again next year.

34th Annual Magnolia 5k
September 2, 2010 - Magnolia, MA
165 out of 208
Total Time: 31:14
Minutes per Mile: 10:05

This was a hot summer to start racing!  The night of this race was another really hot and humid one.  I actually got stung by a bee about 20 minutes before the race started which wasn't really a good way to start things.  There was a one mile fun run before the 5k race for kids but otherwise not a lot of things for kids to do.  The route itself was hilly, but since this was another close-to-home race I would have expected nothing less.  Part of the race took you along the ocean which thankfully provided a decent little breeze.  However overall it was a not a route that I enjoyed.  One stretch of the route actually looped back on itself so you ran down a long stretch of road and on the other side you saw the faster runners passing you.  The route itself actually repeated itself as well for a certain segment.  I'm not sure if I'm going to run this one again as it definitely was my least favorite so far.

Run the Goose 7k
September 6, 2010 - Gloucester, MA
148 out of 215
Total Time: 45:02
Minutes per Mile: 10:22

I ran this race with my cousin which was a nice treat.  Thus far I have always been running by myself which can get lonely.  I think it is easier to run when you have someone to distract you.  My time might have been better but I stopped to walk with my cousin a few times as she wasn't used to running on so many hills.  It was a rather hilly race however they were small rolling hills around a reservoir.  Most of the route took place away from cars which was a nice treat.  The day was sunny but with no humidity and a lot cooler than it had been.  It was definitely perfect running weather.  The race itself started from the same location as the Around the Cape 25k race so there were tons of people milling about beforehand.  After the 7k there was a children's fun run and they race organizers provided bananas, oranges, water and Gatorade for the runners.  I really enjoyed this race and will definitely run it again next year.  I particularly like the long sleeved t-shirt I got which is blue and has a goose on it!

So, what's next?  On October 11th I'm running my first 10k!  It is a women only 10k that takes place in the heart of Boston.  There will be about 7000 runners there so it should be a whole new experience.  I think my cousin is running in this one too.  Greg is going to come in to Boston with me to support me.  I'm really looking forward to it but I have yet to run 6+ miles so I guess I better start practicing!  I also plan on running another 5k at the end of October in Salem, MA.