Second time wearing my Oiselle singlet and first time in Oiselle & racing flats, it totaled a dangerous combo. 5K fun runs are meant to be funny and light hearted with no nerves creeping around, and that's what I love about them. But stepping up to the start line it didn't matter how many lions and cheetahs were puzzily staring at my full blown racing kit, cause I was ready to feel like a cheetah and "race my little heart out" as mama used to say.
I had 2 goals for this race. 1. Negative splits, and 2. Run sub-20 for 5K. One out of two accomplished was a pretty successful way to finish. In the first mile I hit 6:16, thinking to myself how I blew my first goal outta the water going out just a leetle too fast. But the last 2.1 miles I pushed myself harder than I thought I could. There was a pack of five ahead of me and I managed to catch them around mile 2. Negative splits weren't happening but a sub-20 was still in sight. The two women ahead of me were working together and with 100 meters to go I snuck up behind them and kicked my roga butt into gear, finishing with a 19:52 and a 1st place female finish (the bird on the right)!
Not every race is the best race yet or gives me confidence to dominate the next one, but I think each race motivates me in its own way to keep training and getting faster on the track. This race was a "fun run" in a nut shell. It was the perfect bench mark that I needed to think more realistically about Seattle Half on November 25th. $70 left to raise for Every Mother Counts and a hopeful sub-1:30 finish on the way.
How do you learn to negative split each mile during a race? Any tips and tricks or workouts that help you get there?
