Saturday 10/13/2018 was the Great Candy Race 5k and quarter marathon in New Smyrna Beach, FL. This is the third race in the Daytona Running Series and a local favorite of mine. 

Pre-Race
I had a bit of an injury scare on the Friday before the race. I felt this intense nerve pain the bottom of my right foot all day long and was unsure if I should even race. I'm pretty sure its a common, over use injury called metatarsalgia which, thankfully is not serious at all. I need to make sure my shoes are cushioned and I really need to address the types of shoes I wear when I'm not running.

I woke up Saturday morning and it felt better, so I decided to just go for it. I told myself no matter what my time was to be thankful for the opportunity to run because it's never a given, and this just reminded me of that fact. I decided not to warm up at all just stretch before the race to make sure my foot was okay. 

Mile 1  6:07
I've been wanting to try to go out as hard as possible and just try to maintain it for a while now and this was my chance. My first half mile especially was way too fast. Oh well, I had to try it. I know you're probably wondering what is wrong with me, but it's just a classic case of overestimating your ability at the time. 

Mile 2  6:35 
I enjoy running this course, but it's not a PR course. There's lots of gravel and plenty of turns. I was feeling the effects of my fast start and quickly realized what a mistake that was. 

Mile 3  6:45
I really paid for the first mile during the last one. I kept checking my watch to see my current pace and knew I had to force myself to run faster even though it hurt. There was no way I could go any faster at this point. 

Mile .10  6:33
I was so done at this point. My goal for the next race is sprint as fast as possible after the 3 mile marker to shave valuable seconds off the total time. 

After Party/Thoughts
My favorite part of this race is the amazing after party. Clancy's Cantina provided breakfast burritos and a free cup of beer after. There was also plenty of candy out for our enjoyment. 

I learned  a lot about pacing strategies and what not to do from this race. My time wasn't what I wanted but also it wasn't terrible either. I have a lot to work on and look forward doing so. Mostly, I am thankful for being able to run, and I'm happy that my foot is feeling better now. 

The Swag
This medal is one of my favorites because it's pink and sparkly! I love that and the tiles for the awards. Once again this race has some A+ bling. 

Results
Time : 20:28  3.15 miles
Pace :   6:29 
Overall: 3rd out of  207
1st Place Overall Female

A couple months ago I posted about having a terrible race at what was supposed to be "my comeback" from a summer of training. Looking back it felt like the end of the world (that's me being super dramatic but honest at the same time). I felt not only had I probably wasted my summer running so many miles, but I also hadn't improved that much if at all. I even seriously contemplated quitting racing for a while. After some wallowing and self reflection, I realized that I had so much to learn from the race experience as a whole. 

I heard a great podcast on the topic of bad races which said that all the training is never a waste because it puts all that fitness in the bank for later. Sure, a bad day happens but your fitness has still improved. Many factors can fall into place during a race such as fatigue, self doubt, heat, or nerves just to name a few, so why base everything off that one day. My fitness has improved with my training and I am able to add miles and see the improvements with my training. 

Another lesson I learned from this was my race day strategy needed attention. I never paid attention to my splits during the race or what they should be, but now I set goals of what my pace should be at the end of each mile which has helped to hold me accountable.  

Spoiler alert: My races since then have been a lot better. I even achieved one of my September goals of breaking 20 minutes in the 5k. In running, just like in life, bad days can teach you so much. 

I am beyond stoked to announce that I will be a part of the Honey Stinger Hive Ambassador program for the upcoming 2019 season! I am so excited to represent this company and their amazing products. I've always been a big fan of their energy waffles (especially the strawberry flavor) and gels and look forward to trying more of their products. Check them out at www.honeystinger.com/