Rock the Crossroads 5k Recap

Welp, I ran a 5k on Saturday. The heat index was 109+ and it was an inaugural race.

Rock the Crossroads 5k is a course through the crossroads art district in KC, which is downtown. So lots of asphalt and buildings with glass reflecting heat. It was just hot. Record breaking hot. Did I mention it was hot?

Determined to place in my age group, and perhaps set a PR I took off rather quickly. They had pace group signs, but they disappeared before guntime. Regardless, I had my garmin so I could pace myself. So I take off and I'm pushing myself really hard and MAYBE one minute in I think to myself Wow, ok...you can't do this race, stop now. Something in my head just went, nope not gonna do it. I wasn't even a mile in-so yes, this will be a story about the little runner girl who could, but didn't want to.

Finally, mile one came around and I felt like I had been running a lot faster-but alas it was 8:47 minutes in. The mile marker was on a corner, at which we turned right. So this big gob of runners take a sharp right and there lies a half mile long hill. Not even exaggerating more than 75% of the runners at my pace or better were picked off by this baby. They stopped to walk, but yes I did keep going.

Yay, cliches! I just told myself I really wasn't allowed to quit and that what goes up must go down. At the top of the hill was the only water station for the course, and the line for water was line. My ego drove me right on by, thinking maybe my counterparts would stop and this could give me a leg up. After, all there was only a mile and half left-water could wait. The rest of the course took us through the Power and Light District, where bar goers and patrons gazed with confusion.

There were timers at each mile and I knew even with me being the last person to cross the start pads, there was no way I'd be setting a PR or even placing in my age group. When that realization set in, the pressure came off-but unfortunately by that time I only have 0.1 left and the finish line was in sight. So I turned it out, passed a few people in the last few hundred meters and finished.

I waited for my buddies to finish, and we entered the after party. Free beer! YAY! I knew I'd regret it Sunday, but it was cold and I was hot. We sat around and cooled off as much as we could, drank my brew and headed to get some frozen yogurt. It was a good time despite the blistering sauna of a course. I ended up placing 9th.

Mileage: 5k, 3.1 miles
Time: 27:20 (boo :( )