Carbo Loading and Resolution Run 5k

Saturday night I convinced Shaun that because I need to "carbo load" for the 5k the following day that we should go to Olive Garden.  What can I say, those commercials really get to me and those breadsticks are delicious.  Carbo loading was really just my excuse to eat food that's not particularly "healthy", get out of the house, and have a nicer dinner out. My motto: TREAT YO'SELF!

Apparently the OG is the happening place to go to for dinner on a Saturday night because we had to wait 40 minutes.  Neither of us have been here in years and it didn't disappoint.  Breadsticks + giant bowl of salad + eggplant parmesan  = one happy Jen.  Shaun got something good too, but I was too busy eating to care but I don't remember what...some pasta thing...go figure.

I got to bed early in order to wake up early for the Resolution Run 5k!  I got up at 5:45 am, had a tiny bit of coffee, half a banana, and an Corazona's oatmeal square.  I also made sure I was properly hydrated.  Shaun and I got in the car at 6:50 and drove down the hill to Mission Bay! I love that the race was so close (about 2 miles away) and at a place I was familiar with and had run before.  Got there in time to see the 15k start at ~7 am and then I got warmed up to go.  We were off right on time, by 7:30 am.

Me, in the blue.  Race photos aren't my favorite

Overall the race felt pretty good.  I ran without music and just tried to feel it out.  For some reason I struggled for a bit through mile 2, but I was able to pick it back up.  The race wasn't too crowded and I felt like I had room to run even though we were on a small cement path.  It was weird to race again, something I haven't done since high school and I totally forgot what I was missing.  I love being a little competitive.

I know I could have gone faster, and judging on my kick I probably left a little too much in reserve that I should have left on the course.  Best pace was 6:51 min/mi, but I probably didn't maintain that for more than a few feet :)  I know that with time I'll get faster again, so I'm trying not to compare to my high school times which are a good 3-6 minutes faster, depending on the course.

Still, I finished 122nd/523 overall, 40th female overall, and 9th/32 age group.  I'm pretty happy with that.  I hope this is the first of many races to come.

Post race snacks

One of the nice things about the race was that it was "green" meaning there were no bags or tons of fliers.  We received virtual coupons and discounts.  There were bagels, fruit, and drinks at the end of the race which is always nice.  Sponsors were giving away samples and fun goodies at the post-race expo, and I walked away with a few new drinks to try.  Also, the weather was perfect; cool, the sun out for most of the run, and the fog started to roll in right near the finish.  Overall, I think I would do this race again.  It was enjoyable, not overly competitive, and a nice reminder to stick to my new year's goals.

What's your favorite thing to eat the night before a race?  Italian food!  Pasta parties hold a special place in my heart from my cross country days.

Do you have any fun race/events coming up?  I planning on a 10k in February, but I'm still trying to decide on which one.