Race Recap: Rock the Crossroads 5k

So in case you don't remember last year's epic sufferfest, the bottom line was: it was hot, humid and hilly. 

This year no different, except I was missing my bestie Megan to suffer with.

I roped my friend Isaac into running it, as we are doing the Warrior Dash in July together.  So he wanted to get a road race under his belt before he mudded it up later this month.  It was 90-some-odd degrees at 7:30PM which was gun time.  I promised him most races aren't this hot, warned him about the hills and went over some racing protocols.

I'm standing on the curb

Before too long, it was gun time and we were off.  Isaac is at LEAST a foot taller than me, so I was really worried about being able to keep up with him.  We stuck together for the first half of the race.  It's really thick through the first half mile, like any other race.  Some reason there were  A LOT of walkers who lined up toward the front.  From what I could tell at packet pick up, we had a lot of first timers and that is probably why.  There was a lot of darting around people and weaving in and out just to get near people in the same pace.

There was an aid station at 0.75ish with sprinklers, and water.  Amazing!  It was a nice refreshing cool down, and amazing addition from last year.  Last year, there was one aid staion and no sprinklers.  This year TWO stations both with SPRINKLERS, brilliant!

This is my friend's dad, he is stinky.

We got seperated around mile 1.3,  which is also the biggest-longest hill in the race.  Same as last year, half mile incline that is brutal.  It picks people off their run, left and right.  I am pleased to announce that unlike last year, I kept a 8and under pace the entire way.  I trotted through the aid station at the top, and turned right for a nice relief from the incline.

I made an effort to thank every single volunteer and officer along the course, super awesome for them to be out there in this heat. 

I was on point for a PR, which was kinda impressing me.  At 2.5 I was still under 20 minutes, and I wasn't really shooting for a PR so I slowed down and turned around to see if I could find Isaac so we could finish together.  We never ending up crossing paths until the finish line.

I finished in 28:31, 13th out of 51 in my division.  I could have easily beat my time from last year, possibly set a PR, but I wasn't really looking for that on Saturday.  I had ran earlier in the day, and that was my real satisfaction. 

All in all, it was a great race.  Amazing post-race snacks (SHOT BLOCKS!) and water.  Great organization.  Good crowd. Challenging course!  I love it!

CONGRATS TO ISAAC FOR FINISHING HIS FIRST ROAD RACE!!