Yes, today's entry is going to focus on some road running. Specifically a road race. Oddly enough this morning was my first race on the roads since the start of the year. Considering it is mid-April and I ran 42 races last year, talk about a drop. (Even more so when you figure it is only my 4th) However, I did come into the year with a goal of racing less.
Locally, there were a lot of options this weekend. Today alone had something like a dozen races I could have picked from all within 25 miles. My choice....Run for Justice in Camden. Mainly, I selected this race to get a true gauge of where my performance level is at on a familiar course. The course was key because I have been struggling with a nagging groin all calendar year. So if I was going to get an honest evaluation of my ability, it had to be somewhere that I could compare something to. Since I had done the Turkey Trot there a few times, I knew what the course was going to be.
Amazingly, I had a sound sleep and didn't feel worried about my body holding up until I started my warm-up. I felt a bit stiff in the...you guessed it...groin. But that is why we warm up....by race time...I was feeling loose. Whew. Once the race started, I ran the race I hoped for. Focused and fast. Except in maybe the last 1/3 of the last mile. My energy reserves started to go there. But I crossed the finish in an amazingly shocking time....15:53. That is only 5 seconds slower than my time in the Turkey Trot.
Mentally, this is a huge boost as a result of the groin issues is a wavering confidence in what I can do in a race. Now I know and it is good. Just have to see how things go tomorrow since I will have a clear sense of my bodies ability to recover. If that goes well....game on.
But for now, I know I made a great decision regarding today's 5K choice.
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