How do I feel about the results? Meh.
I went into the Ras na hEireann 5K with minimal expectations – or at least that’s what I told people (and kept trying to convince myself). Because here were the facts:
- It’s the first race of the year.
- I hadn’t run outside in months, thanks to snowstorms nearly every weekend.
- It was going to be pretty chilly (high 30s).
- The race is HUGE (4,000+ runners). Crowds=slower times.
- It’s a course I’m not familiar with.
I said I just wanted to have fun with this race (which I did) and enjoy being there with my friends C and L, who were participating in their very first 5K (which I did). But I guess in the back of my head, I still had a glimmer of hope (or maybe I was still on the high of last year’s race season) of maybe getting that sub-25 5K I had just missed out on, even though I knew it was probably unrealistic, at least at this particular race.
I picked up C and L bright and early (we all looked alike in our black running tights, multiple layers and ear warmers) and we made the trek in from the suburbs to the race location in Somerville, Mass. We weren’t able to pick up our numbers ahead of time so I was prepared for utter chaos at the race day check-in. But I was shocked about how calm and organized it was.
We had a bit of time to kill until the race start (11am) so we listed to bagpipes, took photos and goofed around Davis Square (a neighborhood Dr. G. and I used to hang out in back in our single days when we lived in the city) in an attempt to stay warm. I admit, it was fun to run a race with girlfriends! I’m usually solo at my races, and while I don’t mind it during the race itself, it’s always during the pre-race period where I feel the loneliest. I loved having my girls with me this time.
It also gave us a chance to do some good people watching in the sea of green – and believe me, there was a lot to watch! Sure, there were the typical green tutus and shamrock knee socks, but my favorite was a guy wearing fake buttocks that said “Kiss My Irish”. Hee hee. I’m bummed (no pun intended) that I didn’t get a picture of that.
The girls and I were pretty tame in comparison when it came to our festive gear:
I seeded myself in the 8 minute pace group and C and L went to the 9 minute pace group. The gun went off and I started my Garmin as I crossed the start line (my first race running with it) and went to turn on my music and … nothing. What?!?! I need to run with music! So I sadly spent the first minute or two slowing down to a slow jog while I took my iPhone out of my armband and fiddled around with it. I don’t know how much time that cost me. Grrrrr.
But eventually the sounds of Pink filled my headphones and my race really began. The race course was not particularly scenic or pretty; but then again, it was kind of a gray day, and the snow from a few days earlier had mostly turned to ugly slush.
And I’m not sure who claimed this was a “flat, fast” course. There were few flat stretches; it was mostly rolling hills ans a couple of decent climbs. At one point, maybe around the second mile, I looked at my Garmin and thought that if I booked it I might still have a shot for sub-25. Then, bam! Another hill. Same thing happened around mile 2.5. At that point I knew sub-25 was out of reach, so I just focused on finishing strong. Final time? 26:29.
I grabbed my medal (love that everyone gets one) and a water and waited for C and L. Let me say, those girls killed it. They’re both big fans of Cross Fit, so they’re in fantastic shape, and I knew they’d do really well, but they were aiming for a a sub-35 time for their first 5K. They finished in just over 29 minutes. So proud of them!
The big thing with the Ras na hEireann is the Post-Race Craic, where a lot of the local area pubs invite the runners in for beer, food, etc. However, we knew it was going to be extremely crowded (there were already lines outside the doors before the three of us were reunited post-race), so we decided to walk to one of the participating pubs in a nearby neighborhood.
“Nearby?” Yeah, I don’t think so.
The map on the race website made it look like it was maybe a 10 minute walk away. I think it took us a half hour. And after the first 10 minutes, the post-race adrenaline started to wear off and we realized how incredibly cold we were. But that didn’t stop us; we were three women on a mission, and we finally made it to the pub.
Only to find it completely packed inside. Sigh.
Luckily, we knew of another pub down the street, and even though it wasn’t participating in the Craic, we were so cold and hungry at that time that we didn’t care. We enjoyed our well-deserved pints and some yummy brunch.
Overall, I finished 1083rd (out of 4433 runners) , and 101 out of 990 in my age group (30-39). I know I should be really happy with that time, and mostly I am, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a teeny bit disappointed. I finished 1:27 slower than my last 5K in 2012. However, I also know I have another 5K coming up this Saturday on a course I’m very familiar with, but I’m going to be good and try not to put too much sub-25 pressure on myself and just focus on improving my time.
Some final thoughts on the Ras na hEireann 5K:
Pros: Well organized, not as crowded as one would expect for such a large race, lots of bathroom/port-a-potty options, medals for all participants
Cons: No bananas or granola bars or any post-race snacks; maybe it’s because it’s larger race, but it’s the first race I’ve ever participated in where there was nothing (besides some candy samples).
Next race: Medway Elementary Parent Teacher Organization Shamrock Shuffle 5K on March 16