After the Parent’s Mile on Saturday, I was triumphant in my win, but sick in health. I went through the day fatigued and weak and I felt I had left all I had out there in that park.

I had already been thinking about not racing the 5k. After the night trail run the weekend before, my body was sore and I just knew that I wasn’t 5k PR ready. And how I felt after the mile race, it was a done deal. I decided to run easy and give my body a break.

But as most things go with running and racing, things change last minute.

I arrived to the race early, as I was an ambassador and wanted to see if the race director needed help with anything. Everything was running smoothly so I hung out and visited the vendors in the park. They had a DJ playing upbeat music and the weather was beautiful. Perfect day for running.

As it got closer to the start, my Moms Run This Town friends arrived and we took a quick group picture. Then it was time for me to speak to the runners. The race director had asked the three ambassadors if anyone wanted to speak about being a running mom; I was the only one who said they would, lol!!!

It was in the middle of my short speech, that I saw someone waving frantically at me. It was my high school running buddy, Nadia!! I had over a month ago asked her to pace me on this 5k when at the time, I had really wanted a PR. She agreed but then we hadn’t touched base about it afterward. In fact, the night before the race, I had meant to text her but in my exhaustion, completely forgot. When I woke up, I figured since I hadn’t heard from her, that maybe she had decided not to do the 5k.

I was kinda secretly hoping that was the case.

But there she was. I knew that I shouldn’t had doubted her at all as she’s been so loyal and supportive of me for so long. It was then that I decided I owed it to her to at least give the race a shot. I knew it would be an ugly race, but I couldn’t didn’t want to let Nadia down.

We settled ourselves at the front of the pack so as to avoid as much swerving and passing. She went over the game plan–7:20’s (oh my dear Lord)–and then scolded me for racing the mile the day before. I knew she wasn’t really scolding me but I knew that I had definitely altered my chances of PRing because of it.

Then we were off! It was of no surprise to me that I instantly felt like poo. I could feel it and it just made me angry that I was letting Nadia down. Halfway into the first mile, she started pulling out the cheerleader talk: C’mon!! You got this!!

But no, I did not have it.

The first mile beeped at 7:19. That Nadia is good.

Except that was it. I just couldn’t keep the pace. I unplugged my earphone so as to hear Nadia’s directions of surging, pumping my arms, picking up my feet but nothing could make me move faster. I started mixing in Spanish with my I can’ts telling her Me estoy muriendo. I wasn’t really dying, but I sure felt like it! Mile 2- 7:40.

We had been behind one girl the entire time, and Nadia kept trying to encourage me to pass her. I just couldn’t. Seconds later, someone came up from behind and passed me!

I was slowing down.

I begged Nadia to let me go. I knew she could’ve won the race had I not slowed her down, had she ran the race herself.

This isn’t my race. This is yours!! Let’s go!! she yelled.

I just couldn’t. I felt awful. I felt like I’d wasted her time, like I hadn’t taken her commitment to me seriously.

The last mile-8:14.

We turned a corner leading to the finish and she was still yelling words of encouragement: You’ve got a strong kick, let’s go!!

I tried. Good heaven’s I tried, but it just wasn’t enough.

Official Time–23:55 (4th AG, 10th OA)

Four seconds from an Age Group placing, two seconds from my official 5k PR at Nick’s Run (which had been right after a 10k!), and 6 seconds from my unofficial PR at my run club’s Shamrock Shuffle.

I wasn’t upset about how close the numbers were though, because it was such an ugly race. My splits were all over, I didn’t feel strong at all, and I truly didn’t deserve any awards or a PR that morning.

It wouldn’t have even been that close had it not been for my pacer BRF ❤

I hung out after the race for awhile as I knew quite a few moms running that morning. But then I started to really not feel good. Even worse than the day before. I excused myself from my friends and hurried home.

I ended up spending my Mother’s Day bedridden sick, my husband and I think due to dehydration and exhaustion. I was so weak. I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t drink anything. All I could do was lay in bed. For two full days, I felt immobile and this morning I finally feel like a normal human being. It was just awful.

Despite my lackluster performance and debilitating state afterward, the race itself was fantastic. I can not rave more about the company Run Walk Crawl Adventures. They’re a new racing company here in the Phoenix valley and so far the races they’ve put on have been fantastic. I know a lot of people shy away from running local because they’re too small and don’t have good swag–SO not the case with these races. Sure, it’s a smaller turnout than big races, but they don’t skimp out on the fun stuff like music and entertainment. Plus, the swag for the two races I’ve done with them have been amazing. For this 5k in particular we received a tote bag, a women’s fit tech shirt, a medal, and a rose (it was Mother’s Day after all 😀 ).

–Do you like running local?

–When was the last time you ran a less than stellar race?

I was an ambassador for this race and received a free registration, but like all things reviewed/recapped on my blog, all opinions are legit and honest. ❤