Riverside 5000

I've wanted to run the Riverside 5000 in Tulsa for years, which is ironic since I don't like 5ks or racing in hot weather! I was registered for the race last year, but it cancelled a couple of weeks before race day due to COVID. I went back and forth on running it this year because all of my local running buddies bailed on the trip and I was feeling pretty tired the week of the race, but decided to sign up two days before the event. My friend Liz was kind enough to let me crash at her house, which helped solidify my decision to go.

Though this was not my first time running a race in a ~100 mile week (that honor goes to the Run with The Wind 25k), it was my first time racing a 5k with this many miles on my legs. Although I know mileage slows you down, I workout with a lot of miles on my legs all of the time, so I rationalized that it wouldn't matter much and hoped to beat my heat advisory time trial time from 3 weeks before. The time trial was during a cut back week of 70 miles, but I hoped I'd gained fitness since then and expected I was capable of 18:15-18:30 in summer conditions. The race had prize money for the top 5 overall and top 3 masters, so my main goals were to get in the top 5 and win masters. For hot races I tend to prefer place goals, as realistic heat-graded times are never that motivating to attain!

When I warm up for short races I do a few minutes at tempo effort, and when I saw my tempo effort was getting me 6:39 pace pre-race, I was a little concerned - but I've had every combination of good/bad warmup/race, so I mostly brushed it off and lined up on the starting line with ice in my sports bra and shorts, trying to stay cool. It was around 78* with a 65* dew point, which is not great but I don't think we could have expected any better. 90* with 75* dew point would have been far worse!

I checked out the other women around me on the starting line and after the gun kept my eye out to see where I was at. Three women went out pretty quick, then when things sorted out I was in 4th. The course was out and back twice, meaning 3 hairpin turns but also meaning you could see where you were at every quarter of the race. At the first turn, I didn't have much lead on the 5th and 6th women, so I knew I was going to need to stay on it to meet my top 5 goal. The woman in 5th looked like she was likely in masters, so I was motivated to widen my gap on her.

The most common comment on this photo when I
shared it on social media was about the gas price

Like usual, I ran by effort and didn't look at my watch. I felt like I was pushing well and running hard, and if I'd had to guess I'd have said 5:50 pace. I am really glad I didn't look at my watch because I'd have been pretty disappointed to see 5:50 effort was getting me 6:10ish pace!

At the halfway turn around, I had a bigger lead on 5th but still not a lot - and I was working hard! I focused on the men ahead of me and trying to pick them off, and I successfully did for multiple men (I think 6). The course was marked each kilometer, so I also focused on pushing during the 3rd and 4th kilometers, since that was where I fell off in the time trial. I noticed that one of the lead women had fallen off the others and seemed to be slowing dramatically, so then I started telling myself to go get her.

Final stretch

At the final hair pin turn, I felt comfortable with my lead over the 5th woman, and tried to push as much as I could, with a small hope that I could catch 3rd. I closed the gap between us but she was still at least 15 seconds ahead of me. When I first saw the clock, it started in an 18, but then I saw that advance to 19 and was pretty disappointed. I ended up crossing in 19:19, but they didn't do chip time so my gun time is my official at 19:25. Results are here.

Awards

I think if Liz hadn't been at the race with me, I'd have wallowed about my time on my cool down, but instead we chatted the whole way and I stayed in a positive mood. We ran a little over 4 miles, then I picked up my winnings. I was pleased with my placings, so I had mixed feelings about this race, but I moved on really quickly from it and enjoyed the rest of my weekend - including a 20 miler the next day. It wasn't what I thought I was capable of time-wise, but it wasn't for lack of trying! I know the mileage slowed me down some, and of course the heat did too, but everything else was pretty ideal so I don't know why I wasn't better.

Not to be dramatic, but I've been wondering lately if my PR days are behind me. I'm currently training well, learning more, and giving running just as much as I ever have, but I'm not running exceptionally. Whatever the case with my performance, I'll continue to train and race because I love it - cheers to enjoying the process! - though I don't love the thought of slowing down. I am fully appreciating the masters division though!