Race Recap: Great Candy Race 5K Run

Saturday 10/14/17 was the 2nd event of the Daytona Running Series called the Great Candy Race Quarter Marathon and 5k Run. I, of course, chose the 5k.

Pre-Race
To be honest, I felt less than on top of my game. At the beginning of the month, I posted about struggling with over-training. Well, this week the struggle was the opposite. I think I cut my mileage too much and struggled with even my basic workouts. My endurance felt entirely out of whack. I had no specific time goal going into this 5k.

Mile 1 6:34
The starting line was a little on the narrow side, and everyone seemed to get boxed in for the first hundred feet. After that, everyone seemed to settle into their place. I like to run a fast first mile. As much as I tried to be a negative split runner, it's just not how I run my best. I feel like I ran this mile to the best of my ability for the day.

Mile 2 7:13
I ran with my phone/Runkeeper app instead of my watch. It told me my first mile was in the 6:30's, which is decent but not a PR time for sure. The course was open, but traffic was never an issue, and the volunteers made sure we knew where to turn. I started to feel it here, and this mile seemed to last forever.

Mile 3 7:03
Usually, my last mile is by far the worst. This time I knew I couldn't let that happen. After the app told me how bad my second mile was (pretty sure I said oh no out loud), I knew I had to speed up or lose my lead. The fact that I was able to do this proved to me that my "final mile struggle" is more mental than physical which makes me feel positive about the future.
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Mile .10 7:27
I had nothing left for my usual sprint at the end. I struggled even to make it to the finish line haha. I know how important the final sprint is and next time I certainly need to give everything I have.

Post-Race
A local restaurant sponsored the post-race party. They provided breakfast burritos (very yummy), draft beer, and plenty of candy. This post-race party was one of the nicest I've seen in a while.

Final Thoughts
I had such a fun time at this 5k, even though I was unhappy with my pace. I now know that I need to put on more mileage even if the majority is just easy runs. We all know our bodies better than anyone else, and no article/training book can say otherwise. At least now I'm pretty sure I know what to do and will get a couple of weeks of solid training in before the next race.

The Swag
 I loved how both races received finisher medals; sometimes the 5k participants don't get these. The tech shirts were perfect, and I can't wait to wear mine to a night race. Our awards were lovely tiles, and a giant lollipop and candy necklace to go with it! Once again, I loved the candy theme. The city of New Smyrna Beach put on a great event once again.

Results
Time: 21:48
Pace: 7:01
Overall: 5th out of 106
1st Place Overall Female