Midnight Streak 2008

My best 5K time! 31:18. 179 out of 286 female runners. This was a great run that began at 11pm. I made my playlist early in the day-newly adding Benni Benassi-Satisfaction. Moved my butt!

Registered and picked up my packet at 8. Came home, warmed up, stretched and mentally prepared myself. Got dressed in one of my new Nike tank tops. (It also has a reflector stripe really small along one of the shoulder seams-perfect for the night race!) It really helped keep me cool with it's fit dry protection. I think I definitely put it to the test as I ran in 90 something degree weather. I also made another change to dressing. I wore a pair of spandex bike shorts under my running shorts. This really helped the shorts from riding up and kept me from constantly adjusting and tugging at them as I ran.

Loaded the boys up at about 10:15 and made our way to the fairgrounds. Met my racing buddy and we chatted until go time. I watched my boys run in circles, waiting-what a good sport Daddy is! :)

Gun went off and away we went. It was strange running a race in the dark. When I started the Memorial Run, it was early morning and still dark, but it was not quite the same thing. This was really DARK! They did have a lot of volunteers and policemen along the course, that helped. I felt great. This was the first race that marked the course at kilometers instead of miles, that was strange to me as I am used to looking at my watch for miles. My pace was off, but I guess being that it was my best time, it was okay!

When I hit the water stop, I figured that was at least halfway. It also took some time away from me as they did not have it ready, I had to wait. That irks me. BE PREPARED!

Off again....I know I am a bit ahead of my usual pace because when a volunteer said, "half mile to go", my last song wasn't on yet. This is good I said. I could see the home stretch and a man running beside me said to someone he was running with "let's go! Finish strong!" and he bolted. So did I. Saw my sweet boys on my left and was so proud they were there to watch-even waaaay past their bedtime!

Saw the time as I ran in, very excited. I wonder though, there were not any start mats at this run-not that I saw anyway. Can I give myself a plus 15 -30 seconds at least for guntime? :) Next I will work on busting in under that 30 minute mark. I feel I am making pretty good progress!