The Liberty Mountain 5k, held each year mid-February, holds a special place in my heart. It was, in 2010, the first time I EVER ran on trails. Covered in snow and hill laden, it was an experience I may never forget. I geared down from race mentality half a mile in and just enjoyed the adventure. It still stands as my slowest 5k, but regardless of my time I was hooked on trail running. Last year the race was held one week after my ultra debut and I went out and ran, irritated knee and all, over 11 minutes faster than the previous year and finished as first female overall. I felt as though I was in the best shape yet of my life last year when I ran that race and I was curious where I would be this year when I ran it.
I've been training on Candler's/Liberty Mountain a lot this year and I feel that I am becoming a better and stronger hill runner all the time. Despite my training and growing confidence on hills I was still very nervous about this race because I was giving it the power to define where I stand as a runner. I went out on several occasions and ran the course becoming ever more familiar with it, but instead of empowering me it just made me grow worried.
To make matters a little more interesting my left foot started to hurt the week before the race and I took my shoes off Tuesday to see that the tendons were visibly swollen. Thankfully, ice, ibuProfen and KT Tape kept disaster at bay.
Thursday, with a legal pad in hand, I broke the course down and made a race strategy. I went out Friday afternoon attempting to 'feel' my goal paces for different sections of the course just to be met with thunder and lightning. Drenched and defeated, I headed to my car. I was, to put it lightly, a mess.
I tried to convince myself that none of this really mattered. And to someone else those words may be true. But it DOES matter to me. I want to do the best that I can possibly do. I want to be fast. I want to be good. I want to run with both my heart and my brain. I want to set, push and surpass my own expectations.
I headed out early Saturday to warm-up, I readied the iPod and found my way to the starting line. Surrounded by strong people I felt so very unsure of myself. The race began and downhill we went. I did well keeping the pace I had set out for myself, and when I reached the first mile marker I was 3 seconds to the good. With everything going according to my plan I noticed a looseness in my foot, I glanced down to see my left shoe laces flying. I had tied them loosely but double knotted them, apparently when tied this way laces can shake free. I contemplated running the rest of the race like this but decided that this was rather dangerous, especially with an already injured foot. I hopped off the trail and tied my shoe as quickly as I could. Back on the trail I immediately realized the other shoe was loose as well. I stopped to tie this one and five people whizzed by me as I struggled to make bunny ears.
Finally back on course, I tried to refocus on my plan. For the first time the long climb between miles 1 and 2 flew past and I was back on target pace. Unfortunately, with less than half a mile left in the race, things did not go according to plan on Lake Trail. I had two people in front of me and I couldn't muster up the strength to pass them and so I just ran their pace. I didn't run this section at goal pace. Instead I felt like throwing up. The best I could do was a constant forward motion. It was a run, but it was not fast. Finally up the hill and out of the woods. The last section I felt like I was barely moving. I was done. I didn't even check the clock as I crossed the finish line. I knew that I had not met my goals based on my Garmin's average pace.
I had three goals. To run every step of the course. To PR or come in under 28 minutes. And my 'secret' goal was to come in under 27 minutes. I did run every step of the course if you don't count shoe tying breaks. And I did PR, by 19 seconds. But I didn't hit my pace goal (which was 8:21-8:40 average). I finished in 27:59, and was second Overall Female.
With a week's worth of perspective I feel very positive about this race. At roughly 3 months postpartum I hit a PR, and I still feel like I have room for improvement which is better than feeling I've done as good as I could ever do. Next year, sub 27.
-Alexis
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