Race Recap: Deleon Springs 5k 01/07/18

Background
Last Sunday 1/7/18 was the Deleon Springs half marathon and 5k in the beautiful Deleon Springs, FL. I wasn't sure if I was able to race because I came down with a bad cold the day before (again). I keep getting sick this year for some reason. Anyway, I did some research and realized it's acceptable to run with a cold as long as the symptoms are above the neck (which they were). I wanted to run at 70% leaving enough in the tank to not hurt myself. 

This was a really small race (64 in the 5k and I think even less in the half) so lining up near the front wasn't a problem. The sad part is that the conditions were perfect for PRs, and I felt like I could of had a good race if I was healthy. 

Mile 1  6:34
Instead of my usual fast start, I held back quite a bit here and really felt like I  was taking it easy without sacrificing too much time. I just tried to run a comfortable race. 

Mile 2  6:42
The turnaround came pretty quickly. I definitely wasn't going all out or even close. The route was really scenic a nice change to "city running." One of my favorite parts of out and back races is getting encouragement from other participants. I feel like the running community is a tight-knit one that really comes together in a positive way. 

Mile 3  6:53
The course was super flat which translates to being able to see the entire last mile. It felt like it lasted forever and I wasn't gaining on it somehow haha. I felt like I had enough energy to step up and go a little faster, but instead I chose to fall back and take it easy. 

Mile .10  6:10
I gave a little sprint at the end knowing the end was near. I knew I would be over 21 minutes judging by how everything felt, but I was okay with that. I saw the clock creep to just over 21 minutes. While that is not the time I ever want considering all the factors going into this, I am happy with how I was able to hold back and not push myself into even more sickness. 

Bling/Final Thoughts
One of the coolest things about this race was the "no shirt option" for registration. We were able to save $10 with this. Shirts are great don't get me wrong but I have no many of them I'd rather save some money. I think more races should provide such options for us. The plaques for this racing company are always so unique. Hopefully I can start to get healthy again and train hard for my upcoming races. 

Results
Time 21:11
Pace 6:50
Overall 4th out of 64
1st Overall Female