Race Report: Westfield Garden State Plaza 5k

Today was the 5th annual Wesfield Garden State Plaza to benefit the scholarship fund of my daughter's school. I haven't been running much over the past month so I knew I wasn't in top race shape. The course was the same as last year, 1 1/2 loops of the Westfield Garden State Plaza Parking lot. Today was an unusually warm day. I'm not sure what the exact temperature was when the race started but I was overdressed in a long sleeved tech shirt..

My race went almost exactly like it did last year. I went out too fast, running the first mile in 6:48. Had I been in race shape, I might have been able to hold that but I knew I couldn't. I slowed down and ran mile 2 in 7:35. A little better, but I was still struggling. Mile 3 was 7:55. My final time was 23:43 for a 7:39 pace. When I finished my wife said to me that I had an expression on my face that she hasn't seen for a while during a 5k one of pain and discomfort. I just need to start running consistently again and my speed an endurance will come back.

This year, my 8 year old daughter decided she wanted to run the 1 mile fun run without me. She ran it with her friends and had a great time.

I don't about you, but I'm pretty convinced that the 5k is my least favorite race distance. You have to get yourself going quickly and be able to hold a fast pace. I prefer a longer distance where I can take some time to settle into my race pace.