What a month of racing! I think this is probably the most races I’ve run in such a short period of time… whoops, sorry wallet! Either way, I’m so happy to be wrapping it up on a high note after this weekend’s Harpoon 5 miler.

As you probably guessed, the race is a 5 mile loop that starts and ends at Harpoon Brewery in the Seaport. The course is flat and there’s beer at the end, so I managed to get J and a crew of our buddies to sign up for what they call a “6 pack team.” The race is super popular so I was stoked to be able to get a crew of our friends on board. The weather had been looking dismal all week, but it ended up being in the sixties and cloudy–pretty perfect!

After my many, many mistakes at the Spring Classic 5k, I decided to do everything I could to make this one a success. I chilled at home the night before, got plenty of sleep, ate a good breakfast, and drank tons of water the morning of the race. After waiting in a stupidly long bag check line, we wandered to the start, which was a little bit of a mess–people were everywhere and it was tough to figure out where the start line was. We managed to squeeze our way up into the crowd, but I still feel like I spent the first mile or so weaving around people before the group thinned out a bit. I kept my eye on my speedy teammates as the first few mile splits clicked in at 6:53 and 6:58. I knew I was going out a little bit fast (I was hoping to average under 7:30s) but I felt strong, so I kept repeating Coach Dan’s “fast and relaxed” mantra over and over to myself as I settled into a good groove. The crowd got thinner and thinner, and I kept picking people off, which I have to say feels pretty darn good! Passing tall buff dudes is my favorite #likeagirl

I was feeling a little bit dried out by the last mile but I didn’t want to lose time at the water stops, so I pushed it through and picked up my pace for a 6:28 in mile 5. I finished the race in 34:09, with an average pace of 6:50… which is most definitely a PR! I’m so so pleased to see the speedwork paying off, and it’s amazing to know how much I can do when I’m rested, hydrated, and really leave it all out there on the course.

The rest of the afternoon was spent hanging, drinking a couple of ciders (the new hibiscus cider is delish!) and celebrating with the crew. The didn’t have a ton I could eat, but there was great food for the gluten eaters and I housed a couple of bags of chips before grabbing some more substantive food on the way home. Other than a totally backed up bag check situation, this was a super smooth and fun race–highly recommend!

I’m definitely looking forward to taking some time off before my next race–the Shipyard Old Port Half Marathon in July for my bestie Bry’s 30th! More to come soon on my fall marathon plans and some exciting running updates. Off to my lovely friend’s wedding in NC followed by some much needed hiking time in the mountains with J. See you soon!