Hot Chocolate 5K Recap!

This is my 3rd year running the Hot Chocolate 5K.  Last year I got to meet Cate, who was also training for the Disney Princess Half (and is doing so again this year). This race is the "big" race around here and over 5,000 runners and walkers show up. Like the previous years it was freezing cold and cloudy out. Steph drove Ev and I over to the race. We picked up our bibs and checked in our bags. The previous years my number has been 2000 plus this year I was surprised to see it was in the 600's. We ran into Cate and her daughter Ellie who were both running the race. Ellie and I are basically sisters. Must be the freckles :)

We took a few photos, headed to seed ourselves. Ev and Steph were planning on running together. I had no plan about running this race, only to have fun. In case you don't follow me via twitter or Facebook, I had an ovarian cyst rupture Tuesday night. I know, fun right?! Not so much. I have been on bed rest and pretty crampy. I have been able to sneak in some light workouts, but nothing too intense. I would have loved a PR, like always, but I was just going to listen to my body.
My goals were the following:
Reach goal: PR baby cakes
Reachable goal: Sub 11 min/mile pace
Other goal: finish faster than the first year I ran this race
and of course finishing, which having completed 5 half marathons didn't seem like an obstacle.

One final pre-race selfie!

3, 2, 1 and we are off. I started up the first hill feeling good. Only complaint was my whole body was frozen. Didn't warm up until mile 2. Into the first mile my shoe laces got loose. I thought it's only 3 miles, it will be ok. Then they became undone. Yup. Never mind. I had to stop to tie my shoe laces…. twice! In any other race I would have been pissed, not today. No fuss. 

Second mile came and I knew the hills were coming. I remembered this year that there were two. I paced myself. On the second mile I saw someone hug their father who was cheering them on. It was Steph! It was such a magical moment to see. Both Steph and I have close relationships with our fathers, and I just felt honored to see such a sweet moment.


Then before I knew it mile 3, and downhill and cross the finishing line. Wow I forget how short 5K's are. I still had energy left in the tank, but I ran a smart race! The whole race I was rocking out to Lesli Margherita's LOUD! Fun song to run to!

I ran into a couple of school friends at the finish line which was fun. Met up with Steph and Evelyn and got some hot cocoa. Some of Ev's friends had come to cheer her on. We all went out to brunch where we ran into Cate again. I wish I could have gotten to spend more time with Cate and Ellie, but Steph was my ride home. After this week with ovarian cyst drama, I knew a long day waiting for buses wouldn't be ideal. All that was on the agenda was race, eat, shower and back in bed.

Cheers!

Some fun swag!

Here are my splits:
Mile 1: 11:12 min/mile
Mile 2: 10:35 min/mile
Mile 3: 10:37 min/mile
Last .1: average 7:48 min/mile
Unofficial time: 3.13 miles 33:25 min (10:41 min/mile)
OFFICIAL TIME: 33:43 minutes (10:52 min/mile)