This coming Friday, I turn 30. Most people I know dread/dreaded this birthday, but I've been looking forward to it for quite some time. Thirty just sounds like a good age. You're old enough to have gained some respect and street cred, old enough to have some decent disposable income and stability in your life, old enough to have learned from mistakes and gained some wisdom, but still young enough to enjoy that income and life.
This morning I ran the M.O.M.'s Race in Somerville and, with the impending birthday, it was officially my last race in the 20-29 age group. I told Jorge I wanted to race it hard to see where my fitness was at post-Paris, but then yesterday I ended up over-pacing a 6.5 mile run and this morning I didn't drink quite enough before I left the house and I forgot to Gu before the race. So I rolled up to the start line feeling like it wouldn't be the best gauge of my performance.
I forgot my Garmin too (not my best morning), so I was running watch-less. I decided to just run by feel and take what the day brings. It's a 5K after all, so pacing wasn't that important, and it was a hilly course so I probably wouldn't have even looked at my splits had I been able to.
I suffered my way along the course running as hard as I felt like going, but never truly going into Pain Land (it was a fun neighborhood 5K after all...), and when the finish chute was just within eye sight, I realized that if I pushed into that pain zone for the last .1, I'd JUST break 23 minutes. So I did. And I did. By one second. And it was an almost :30 PR for me.
After the race, I was the third female in the beer line and the first to double-fist (they should give awards for that). I hung out with friends and was cheering during the award ceremony. Next thing I know, they're calling my name. Second in my age group! I went up to receive my medal and flowers and you would have thought I was being handed a Publisher's Clearing House check from Ed MacMahon. My first time EVER placing in my AG. I was PUMPED. But it gets better.
I got home later in the day, checked the official race results online, and saw that the first two females to finish overall were 20-29, so the official website results actually list me as placing FIRST in my age group. HOLY CRAP!
Not a bad way to wrap up my 20's and head into my 30's, huh?
