Newburyport Spring Fever 5k - 5/6/12 - 24:42 (7:58 min/mile)

Have I mentioned lately how nice it is to be back in Boston? How indebted I am to my wife for picking up our lives and moving 1,000 miles from where we had set up our roots? Well, I am ... on both accounts!

Yesterday, the wife and I were able to participate in the Newburyport Spring Fever 5k, which benefited my cousins (triplets) old school.

The race didn't start until 1pm so I figured why not hit up a 70 min Spin class that morning at 9am then work a couple hours of Weight Watchers inventory at the Boston store theeennnn head up to the race.

What. Was. I. Thinking?

I ended up driving from Somerville --> Woburn --> Boston --> Somerville --> Newburyport ... which is A LOT of driving.

But, we managed to make it to the race on time. Phew!

There was one little problem however ... no port-o-potties at the starting line. Ouch! And I had to gooooo.

There was no choice other than to try to hold it as long as I could.

Off went the gun, I hit start on the 'ol Runkeeper and hit the ground running ... literally! ;)

I made it about half a mile - making good pace - before I spotted a softball field and snack shop. They HAD to have a bathroom. Not gonna lie, I definitely freaked the girl at the snack shop out as I came barreling toward her in my running attire with number yelling about a bathroom. She thankfully pointed one out and phew! problem solved.

BUT that ate up some time. I debated stopping my Runkeeper to see how long the whole ordeal actually took, but I decided against it. I would just have to try to haul butt and make up the lost time.

Most of the first mile was all down hill so we were cruising. My legs weren't as tired as I thought they would be after all the Spinning I had done that morning (and she had really kicked our butt).

I hit Mile Two and said HELLLOOOO hill. It was straight hill for at least three blocks. It looked like the hill that would never end. Halfway up the hill was the mile two marker where the woman told me I was at 16:17 - so about 8:06 pace. Darn! That is not what I wanted to hear.

So I kicked it up a notch. I was going to finish with a sub 8 min/mile pace if it killed me. :P

The last mile was tough, but I pushed through. I was enjoying the comments from people on the streets and other runners about my Superman socks. I got a few "You Go Superwoman!" which I absolutely loved!!

I crossed Mile Three and turned the corner for the home stretch and saw the clock flip to 24:17. Ahhh! My PR was 24:33. I tried to run as fast as I could down the last .1, but I didn't make it.

I finished in 24:42 ... 7:58 min/mile.

If I didn't have to make the bathroom stop, I totally woulda had a nice shiny new PR. But that's okay, I had a great time.

My uncle came in just after me at 26:02 and the wife improved on her last race with a 33:37 finish.

My aunt and the girls walked the 5k and posted a great time of their own.

We enjoyed some of the post-race festivities at their old school before heading to their house for a BBQ.

What an all around fun race.