Cpl. Marc T. Ryan Memorial 5k Race Recap
On paper, the Cpl. Marc T. Ryan Memorial 5k might the slowest race I’ve run in a very long time. It was windy, my legs felt stiff, and I was tired. Early in the week, my body felt great. I felt like I could run fast. Friday and Saturday, my legs felt stiff and tired. They felt anything but ready to run fast.
I tried to remind myself that I’m coming off a marathon, but in 2019 it feels like I’ve taken 12 steps back when I was never forward. Anyway, I got the race around 8 did a 3-mile warmup and got to the start at 8:55. I knew my body wasn’t feeling great and because it as on the water, the wind was worse.
Once I got to the start, I chatted with friends, including Skip. The Cpl. Marc T. Ryan Memorial 5k started a few minutes late around 9:05-9:10. There were a lot of fast people out for a small 5k.
During the first mile, I knew it was a time I would “feel awful in the warmup and also when I raced.” My legs felt heavy and like I had no turnover. I hit the first mile at 6:38.
The second mile of the Cpl. Marc T. Ryan Memorial 5k turned around and headed back where we came. I knew when we got to the end of the road and ran parallel to the water; we were going to be running into a headwind. Once we made the right, we went straight into a headwind and it felt like I was standing still. There was no one around me, so I had no one to block the wind from. I just kept running. The wind was so strong, it muffled the beep of my watch and I never heard it.
We turned right again and got out of the wind. My legs were tired and my mind was just as tired. Since I realized doing a 3-mile warmup and then racing was probably not my “smartest idea” because 6 miles was the longest I’d run since New York City.
The final mile of the Cpl. Marc T. Ryan Memorial 5k felt better since we only ran a small stretch into the headwind. By the time I knew it, I could see the finish line. I powered through and finished in 21:38.
Cpl. Marc T. Ryan Memorial 5k Thoughts:
2019 has been the year of me thinking: Can I get any slower? Which reality has been yes! 2019 hasn’t been my year of running PRs or running fast. I’ve had more important things to focus on. I’ve enjoyed myself and had good workouts and races. The Cpl. Marc T. Ryan Memorial 5k was in hard conditions on a hard day. Do I think I’m capable of running a 20:XX when I’m not racing into a headwind? Yes. I’m happy I ran the Cpl. Marc T. Ryan Memorial 5k and it is a beautiful tribute to Cpl. Marc T. Ryan.
Question for you: What’s your least favorite element to run in? (for me, it’s wind)