Back Bay 5K

On Saturday morning I headed down the road to Abenaki Ski Area to fun the Back Bay 5K. This is a race to support the area youth hockey league. It was also a fund/food raiser for the local food pantry, Life Ministries, which is housed out of my church's outreach building and is just straight-up good for the world. I was happy to run a race that was near my house, pretty short, and which benefited people I actually know and care about.

This race, by the way, was the last one I ran (at 14 weeks pregnant) before my back went totally wacky last fall. I ran a 27:27 then and I knew that anything in that range would be a disaster. It's a beautiful cross country course with exceptional hills... but there was no way I was going to allow myself to run slower than I did 14 weeks into my pregnancy!

The morning was gorgeous but COLD! My only capris were in the laundry and I really didn't want to wear 'swishy' pants, so I put on a pair of cotton leggings, better suited for yoga. What the heck. It was just a quick 5K so I wasn't too worried about it.

What a dreadful self-portrait, but I remembered to bring Polly and I wanted to prove it!

This was also my first race with my fancy schmancy iPhone. I was happy to find that the ski area/skating rink had wifi so I could download a new podcast before the race started - didn't realize that I hadn't downloaded more when I first subscribed to my chosen podcasts. (Which include Another Mother Runner radio, Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me, The Moth, TED Talks, This American Life, Judge John Hodgman, and Slate's Political Gabfest. I can't stop downloading!! So much to hear, so little time!). And yes, I know I should race with music but I haven't had the inclination to spend any money in the itunes store yet so I'm sticking with free for now!

I used the MapMyRun app to time my race, but I didn't hit "stop" properly, apparently, because when I got home the timer was still going. D'oh!

My friend ,Sandi, and her 3 boys ran the mile Fun Run. This is 3-year-old Reid, who was one of my little daycare dudes last year. His was more of a 1 mile "Carry Me Mom" but he did win an award for being the youngest participant. I hope he gave it to his mom!

The starting line. You can see my yellow shirt in toward the back. 

I knew it would be a small race and at the starting line that was confirmed. The woman standing next to me said, "Are you Phoebe?" Lo and behold, it was Kara Jacobs, one of my husband's co-workers who is also the cross country and track coach and (notably) super fast. We chatted briefly and it nice to finally meet her for real since I see her in the paper for races and hear about her from my husband from time-to-time.

When the 'gun' went off, Kara, her friend Liz and few other guys and gals were just plain GONZO. Eek. I didn't panic and picked my way past quite a few people along the first few hills. My Map My Run lady was very friendly and I was quite happy with her when she told me at 1-mile that I was at a 7:40 pace. Woo! On those hills that was something else! Something went screwy at about that time and the "Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me" podcast just went dead. I spent about :30 trying to futz with the phone as I ran so I'd have something other than my labored breathing and mucus membranes to listen to... but it just wasn't happening. Oh well.

It's an out and back course so I could see the few guys and along with Kara and Liz ahead of me as I approached 1.5. The dirty trick of this course is that the turn around is a looooonggg hill back to mile 2. It's not the steepest section but it's by no means subtle so it's a bit disconcerting seeing the people behind you running easily down the hill as you are killing yourself on the way back up. I was certain the people behind me were going to catch up but no one passed me. 

I don't remember my split times from mile 2 or 3 (though I know Map My Run thought I hit mile 3 well before the race thought I did!) but I  know they were also under 8:00. I was psyched!

The busiest man in Local Sports (Josh Spaulding) covered the event and caught me heading toward the finish. That smile is genuine... the finish is all down hill, baby!

So, the results are thus:

Overall: 11/60
Females: 3/31
Time: 24:52
Pace: 8:01

GAH! Still not under 8:00 pace but had it been a flat course I would have KILLED that elusive 7:59. Oh well. A fun race.

And oh. Don't wear light grey cotton leggings to a race if you are a mother of 3. Trust me. Just. Trust me.

(As a point of reference, this is me finishing this race last year 14 weeks pregnant . Where did the time go? I wait. I know exactly where it went!!)