If this seems like deja vu it probably is.  I wrote a similar post 2 days ago.  This one is my rewrite.  On Sunday I ran the Hot Chocolate 5K in Northampton, MA.  It was my fourth 5K and my best time yet.  It did not start off on the best note though.  Warning: TMI alert!  My stomach felt off and I was forced to wait in line for the port-a-potties.  I’ve never had this issue before a race.  I made my way to the starting line feeling a bit crampy but somewhat better.  I was a little congested and my throat was scratchy.  I had been feeling like I was fighting something all week.  There is a running joke in my family that when my aunt and I get sick it is for a minute fraction of the time that anyone else would be affected.  For example when the Norovirus was running rampant a couple of years ago, I got it for about 3 hours!  Anyway I had amped up my vitamin, fruits and veggie intake all week.  So far I was winning the battle of the common cold.  However, as I made my way to the starting line I began to feel the cold fighting back.

Instead of placing myself in the 9:30 – 10 minute/mile group I immediately forced myself back in the 10:30-11 minute/mile group.  Why?  My speed has improved.  I knew this but ignored it as I sunk into a bit of a pity party.  And then we were off.  It took what seemed like forever to cross the starting line and then hill #1 appeared almost immediately.  As the cold air hit my throat I felt like I had swallowed sand paper.  There goes my breathing…I huffed and puffed a little up the first hill and then tried to find my groove.

My groove never seemed to come.  The route was boring and there were hardly any supporters along the way.  I seriously wanted this race to be over.  My legs felt ok, but my breathing was just slightly off throughout the race.  I trudged up 3 more hills before heading back to the finish line which was the same as the starting line.  The hills were not the worst I had ever done, but they felt it because of how I was feeling.

There was this really tall man in a striped shirt that was just a few feet in front of me for most of the race.  I began pushing harder to catch up with him.  I figured with his stride he had to be running faster than my typical time.  I never actually caught up to him, but he didn’t get much further ahead of me.   It gave me something different to focus on for the last half mile or so and I began to forget how badly I had felt at the beginning of the race.

I crossed the finish line, but there was no time clock so I really had no clue what my time was.  I got my complimentary hand designed mug but there was no way I could entertain the thought of hot chocolate.  I had one thought on my mind…HOME!  Off we went.

I fell asleep immediately after settling Carlos down for a nap.  I crawled into my own bed and napped for over 3 hours.  I never ever do that unless I have worked the night before and have to work again that night.  I got up and showered.  I felt better, but not 100%.  I went grocery shopping and then whipped up a delicious minestrone soup for dinner.  It was just what the doctor ordered for Orlando and I.  Even he wasn’t feeling great.

Then the times were posted.  Orlando rocked the race and finished at 20:23 averaging a 6:35 mile.  Wow unbelievable!  Got to love long muscular legs that played soccer for many years.

And how about me?  I PRd!!!!!  I finished in 28:53.  Remember my last race just a few weeks earlier.  I finished that one in 29:44.  Wahooooooo!  I am psyched by the progress I have made in the last year.  Despite not ideal conditions I still ran that 5K with everything I had inside of me.  I did not give up.  I did not give in to the negative talk inside my head.  I pushed through.  ME!  Yes I did.  And you know what…I’m proud of myself.

This is a rewrite of my previous post.  The only way to get of the funk is to walk away.  So I’m starting new with this post. Yeah Me!!!  I feel terrific by the way.  I’m back to healthy and I hit the gym yesterday and tonight to change up my workout routine.   If I am up to braving the cold in the morning I may just hit the trail for a leisurely run around the reservoir.  I think I am ready to get back out there.  Until tomorrow…