The One Time a Year When I Use “Love” and “5k” in the Same Sentence
| February 7, 2013 | Posted by Emily under Uncategorized |
Every year since I moved to DC, I’ve spent the second Sunday in February at the exact same place.
Freezing my feet off at the Love the Run You’re With 5k in Arlington, Virginia.
It’s kind of ridiculous that I keep going back to this race considering how much I hate 5ks and how much I hate repeating races when my race bucket list is already 26.2 miles long (with small margins and 6 point font).
Yet here we are again, two days before the second Sunday in February and I’m all signed up for another 5 kilometers of running through a part of the DC region that’s not particularly enjoyable or scenic.
And I’m pretty freakin’ excited about it.
And not just because their traffic light inspired color coded race bibs allow you to advertise the stability (or lack thereof) of your dating life.
I haven’t raced hard since Ragnar Vegas almost killed me with its miles of plummeting descents and raging wind.
After three months of emotionally and physically recovering from that weekend and the rib injury it gifted me with, I’ve got the itch to get back out on a race course.
Because I avoid racing 5ks like the plague I’m currently nursing, this is often my only 5k of the season. And since I so infrequently flirt with this distance, I’m usually able to nail a PR when I’ve actually raced this love run. (“Raced” generally being defined as “run at a relatively hard effort the day after a long marathon training run.” I clearly care a very great deal about the state of my 5k PR.)
Not last year. Last year was all about 3.1 miles of fun runnin’ and holiday themed leg warmers with Meganerd.
Unfortunately, I’ve been battling some kind of flu/cold/death-like disease all week that’s trying to destroy my plans to run hard on Sunday.
So my expectations aren’t particularly high for the weekend. But I’m still excited. And I’m still hopeful that I’ll be feeling better by 9 am on Sunday morning so I can race (defined per usual as running with relatively hard effort the day after a long marathon training run) and let my Hokas carry me to a time that starts with a 19 so I can update my PR in the distance that I have so very little love for.
And if not, I’ll get over it real fast, spend the next year racing distances that I actually enjoy, and be back at the start line in Arlington to try again on the second Sunday of next February.
Anyone else heading over to Arlington on Saturday morning to pretend to love 5ks? Or actually love 5ks? No judgment here.
I’ll be there! I’ve also been battling a flu/cold death plague all week so I’m in the same boat. Just running for fun and hoping it’s not as freeeeeeeeeeeeezing as last year!
Sweet! I’ll be on the lookout for ya!
I will be there but just cheering in my boot… yay for a broken foot!
Big fat bummer on the boot. I’ll glare at it if I see it out there on the course for you. Heal fast!
Wait, I would like to know more about this color-coded bib system.
Haha, the name of that 5K (and the monkies) is cute! I like the color coded bib system, too.
I do not like 5k’s either. You have to want to puke after 3.1 miles and I just do not like to run that hard! :)
It is kind of fun to do the same local race every year. There is a 10K that I do every year. That is typically the only 10K I do.
I nearly puked during my 5k this morning and that’s a training run! Anyway, go rock the race Em! No races in town this weekend coz it’s Chinese New Year.
I want to know more about the colored bibs as well? What is the color coding all about?
The Kidless Kronicles
It’s a relay race so you they have categories- co-dependent, love ‘em or leave ‘em, and a couple others. So I assume they color code for your category.
I’ll be there running with my bunny running group. We will all be wearing pink footie bunny pjs. Hard to miss. :)
I don’t like taking my short distance races seriously (long runs are where it’s at) so my solution is to run short distances in silly costumes.
LOVE IT. I feel like I will totally be able to spot you on Sunday.
I’m running a 5k with my (new to running) running on Sunday here in Ca.
[...] I mentioned/tweeted a couple of times this week, I’ve been battling a mild case of the plague since Monday. [...]
I’ll be there! It’s my first time running this race. I usually love racing 5ks but after 4 months of no running this may be interesting! My husband and I are a team and he runs sub 18 so he is going to love adding my time to his!!
You’ll have a blast! It’s a fun race (even if it is a 5k) and if you love the distance, you’ll definitely love it. Good luck and give a wave if we run into each other!
5k = least fav distance. Far enough that I feel like I’m going to throw up if I actually push it, but short enough that it doesn’t even seem like a real workout no matter what. But this one sounds like fun.. good excuse for a ton of clashing shades of pink/red?
Just found your blog and this post makes me sooo happy! I’m moving to Arlington in August and I love small, local races!!! (And am trying to love the 5k)
You’ll love it here! So many good local races. Let me know if you need any running help before you move to town!
I’m hoping so! I definitely will drop you an email or something before I move out — I’ll be looking for running routes & friends since I haven’t found a team out there like i have here (that was the first thing I searched for when I found out I was moving – priorities, people.).