So. First up, Lawrence, KS’s St. Patrick’s 5K. I guess this would be my 2nd year running this race in 2015. They had a 10K as well as a 5K, but I thought I would be more competitive in the 5K. I also had come off a week of living hell, which would eventually take me out and render me a zombie for nearly a year. But I digress…

This race is on the river levee starting behind Johnny’s Tavern. The year before, I believe we started at a grade school and snaked our way to the levee and ran out and back toward the river trail head. This year, we stayed on the levee entirely, running the opposite direction. It was the same course as the now-discontinued Valentine-themed Sweetheart 5K.

I remember running this race on zero sleep or nutrition. I really just wanted to burn my legs out, go as fast as I could, and survive. I created a Spotify playlist with some angry, aggressive songs and tried lining up toward the front of the pack. The levee is a very narrow trail and there isn’t a lot of room for passing. You have to get all your passing done early, because it is an out-and-back. When the super speedy people hit the turn-around, opportunities to pass decrease even more.

I was shooting to stay around 8:45 pace but I do think I went out a little too fast. (Which is typical for me.) I didn’t stop for a drink at the turn-around aid station since I haven’t perfected the whole “drinking from a paper cup while running” skill. On the way back, I just concentrated on holding on. I told myself, even if you have a slow down a bit, DO NOT WALK. DO NOT GIVE UP. So I kept pushing. I saw my family at the very end and continued to push up the little hill to the finish. Seeing their little faces and their homemade signs gave me a little boost.

After the race, we stayed around for the awards ceremony. This race has a really nice breakfast spread with both Irish and American breakfasts… I made a plate which mostly I just shared with my boys. I am not that interested in eating after running my butt off. If you do like eating after a race – definitely make yourself a plate. My boys tell me the food is very good.