Not my favorite race. Catherine and I decided to run a 5K today because my PR is just a little outdated. We had to choose between Spanish Fork and the Beat Beethoven 5K in Pleasant Grove. In the morning we decided on Spanish Fork, which was a little cheaper and a little closer and had a little prize money on the line. But at the last second I changed my mind and we went to Pleasant Grove (small races can be fun; plus it was a library benefit, and Catherine and I like libraries). Bad decision. The course wasn't marked at all and there was no traffic control, and I and the guy I was racing at the front missed a key turn (it turns out we were supposed to run through the red light and across the busy street with no traffic control--go figure). As a result, we ended up running 3.03 miles, according to my Garmin (everyone else ran the full 5K). Which means I don't get a new 5K PR. And that's especially annoying, because given my pace I would have met my goal of sub-17, especially if we hadn't had to slow down and look both ways before running through traffic, but now I have to run another 5K sometime. At first I wanted my money back, because the way I saw it I paid for a 5K and the race directors didn't deliver. I mean, I think the most basic requirement for a race is that the course be marked. In the end, I just asked them not to post my name and time in the results, because I didn't want anyone to think I ran a 16:26 5K when I didn't. They said they wouldn't, but they went ahead and posted my name and time anyways.
On the plus side, I'm happy with how I ran. I felt pretty bad before the race (my legs were heavy and slow from the day before), so the fact that I was able to run as fast as I did makes me think I may have a 16:30 in me--maybe not now, but soon. Or maybe not. Also, Catherine set a new PR for herself, so the morning wasn't a waste. In the afternoon I went riding with the law school cycling club. In the evening I went with Catherine to run at the gym, but after two very easy miles I was cooked, so that was it.
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