Race Recap: Turkey Stuffer 2016, a Surprise PR

A race recap and a blog post? Two things you haven't seen around here in a while. I don't race much these days, but I do like posting these recaps if only for my own reminder of how I've done over the years at various races and to see how my running ebbs and flows.

I don't know about you, but I don't have all of my PR's memorized. I know my half and full marathon PR, but not my 10 or 5K. So, when I started writing this post, I had to do a little digging. From what I can tell, this year's Turkey Stuffer 5K was a PR by 2 seconds. Who knew?! When I crossed the finish line, I certainly didn't think I had just PR'ed.

In 2011, when I was doing a LOT of running, I clocked a 22:18 at a local Oregon Track Club 5K. My official finish time for the Turkey Stuffer 5K was 22:16, a PR. Whoop!

Here's a run down of past Turkey Stuffer times that I could round up: 2007 - 24:06, 2008 - 24:05,  2009 - 23:07, 2014 - 26:36 (3 months pregnant) and 2016 - 22:16!

I don't have any action photos, but here's how the race went. It started at 8:30 a.m. and is a good 20 minute drive from our house, so I left around 7:45. I got parked and ready by 8:05 a.m., grabbed my bib, crumpled it for best fit (moves much better this way) and went for a short 10-15 minute easy jog. 

In my experience, the slower, longer warm ups for 5Ks do me well. In fact, I would have liked another 5-10 minutes to warm up and do strides and stretches, but I left a bit late for that. 

I lined up with ~5 minute until start time, took off my long sleeve and we were off! This race weaves through neighborhoods and loops you back so you get to see other runners and walkers once you've hit the halfway point, which is always nice for a tired mind and body. 

Per the usual, this was a painful race (as 5Ks should be). I didn't press the start button correctly on my watch, so didn't start clocking it until .4 miles in and then just used the Garmin for current pace. I was running around 7:00-7:20 pace most of the race, which I knew I could sustain just long enough. 

Mile 1 hits and I think "Okay, just get to mile 2." Then, I think "Oh, lord. One more mile. Not sure if I can do this. It hurts so bad."  And before you know it, you're rounding that last neighborhood corner and heading down the last straightaway before ducking into the parking lot finish line. On the home stretch, I push it just enough that I wonder if I might hurl at the finish line. Thankfully, I don't. 

I definitely felt fast, which was fun. I had been doing weekly speed work for the last 5 weeks or so prior to the race, so it felt good to see the fruits of my labor. 

These days I'm wearing and loving my Mizuno Wave Inspires, which were recently updated and made much softer and just seem to fit my foot well. If you'd told me I'd be wearing and loving Mizunos previously, I wouldn't have believed you. But working at a running store has sure changed my view on running shoes. I no longer stick with the same brand and model of shoe because there are several that feel good and work well for me. 

After the race, Pete and little H joined me for some pool time. The race is a fundraiser for the local parks and rec department, so they let participants and their families swim free at the pool where the race starts and ends. Henry had a great time and of course didn't want to stick to the warm baby pool, but required we take him into the deeper, big kid pools. 

Did anyone else do a turkey trot? Tell me what fun things are on your Christmas/holiday 'to do' list.