We met at 8 to get in a few miles of easy running (we got two in) and do other really cool things like pass around a bottle of 5 hour energy. That stuff is the most disgusting thing I have ever tasted.
I ate a small bowl of cereal at around 7:40 and as I was leaving I spilled a diet coke that I had left on the counter from the day before all over the entire kitchen. Don’t you love it when that kind of stuff happens when you are already running kind of late? After cleaning up I meant to grab a granola bar or something because I knew I needed a little more energy but forgot so I resorted to a handful of skittles from my car… I really need to work on my nutrition.
The race started right on time (at 9) which is very important to me, I don’t like late race starts. I went out too fast like I always do (fly and die;) because once I start I tell myself I should be able to keep up with the lead group of men. I kept up with a few of them at least;) My first mile was 5:38… so basically the rest of the race hurt really bad.
I finished in 18:14. Not sure whether or not to call it a PR because my garmin, Josse’s garmin and some of the other racer’s garmins showed that the course was short (we are thinking it was about 3.0 miles… that last .1 is a lot for a 5k). The race director said that they measured the course three times and that it measured 3.1 BUT I am borderline crazy and overanalyze the fact that my garmin (and Josse’s) came up short. It may have been because it was really cloudy and the satellites were off?!? I need to just not race with the Garmin and go off of effort anyways.
The reason I am racing 5ks and 10ks this season is to help me get my 1/2 marathon and marathon goals this spring and summer. I did what I wanted to do for this race which was: get in a killer speed work session, have fun (after, not during), push myself (races make me push myself way more than track sessions do) and to do some work on my mental game which I desperately need.
Overall, the course was beautiful, it was flat, VERY well marked and the volunteers were awesome. I will do the Valentines Stoplight 5k every year!
Josse killed it too and came in right after me even though she is just getting over her foot injury. She is incredibly strong.
This is why I love her:
And her sister took 3rd! It was a good morning. Don’t let the snow make you think it was cold because it wasn’t, I almost tore my gloves and arm warmers off half-way through the race.
The 5 of us went on an easy 5 mile cool-down up the canyon to end the running day off perfectly. Okay, now that I look at these pictures and what my friends were wearing… Maybe it was cold?!
I am picky about my race shirts but I really like this one because it is so soft which makes it the perfect pajama shirt.
We had my family birthday party last night and you guessed it, I requested my mom’s fabulous lasagna.
And the amazing Alyssa brought over a SWEDISH FISH cake. It was delicious.
And then we also had an ice cream sundae bar. My family sure made this an awesome birthday for me.
Enjoy your Presidents Day and HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY TO THE WORLD’S GREATEST DAD EVER!!! Love you Dadio!
———————————————————-
What are your Presidents Day plans?
Do you take caffeine before a race?
Favorite meal before a race?
What do you think when a course is too long/short or am I putting too much trust in my garmin and do I just need to realize they can’t always be accurate?
125 comments
Emmeline @RunForThePizza
Congrats!! Great race :) I’m weird about PRs too but most of the time, the course runs long on my garmin because you don’t run the tangents perfectly. I’ve not counted a PR though for my only 5k because I ran with 12 friends and every single one of us measured 2.95-3.0 miles and set PRs. If it was just my watch that was off, I would assume it’s satellite issues because they aren’t perfect but it’s kind of hard to deny all of ours saying the same thing!
Megan @ The Skinny-Life
My pre-race fuel is 1 egg white, berries or melon & coffee. I also drink 2 bottles of water. Yes that means I have to pee pre-race, but I need liquids for my workouts and better to go before then than during the race. Congrats on your race!
Amy Lauren
Congratulations on your 5K. That’s an amazing time, too! Looks like it was a great race and a great day for everyone.
I always drink caffiene before a race, but I drink coffee every morning… so it’s not really just a pre-race thing. I mainly do it to warm up, haha. As far as short courses go, it happens. I think sometimes people just put the start and finish in the wrong place (seriously), especially if the race isn’t really organized by a runner. If I know the course is short, I try not to really “count it” as a PR. I guess if I got 3.09 I might think it’s okay and just a “Garmin blip” but 3.00 is way short, I agree.
Elizabeth @ my neon running shoes
I’ve always pr’ed when I drink caffeine before a race! Great job on Saturday!!! Awesome time :)
Cheryl
Presidents day plans… naps and hot chocolate since I have the day off. ;)
Caffeine is a no-no pre run for me. My stomach tends to cramp up with it, but I’ve never tried 5 hour energy… Sounds pretty gross though!
Favorite meal pre race is a plain old pancake… but it has to be significantly “pre” race because I have a super sensitive stomach when it comes to fast running!
I am the same way with my Garmin, and my coach always tells me to put the darn thing away and just run. No numbers, no paces, no distances… to just run. I am trying to get better at that, but its hard. I’m pretty tied to the thing. I would say take the PR… there is a verrrry possible likely chance that there might have been a spot or time when the satellites lost signal. It does really happen. Enjoy the accomplishment. :)
Kristina @ Fast and Foodiest
It is a serious pet peeve of mine when courses are long/short. It makes a HUGE difference- .1 miles can be MANY seconds worth of PR/no PR, etc!
I drink coffee/do a little oatmeal before every race. I get up super early so it doesn’t give me tummy issues.
WORK and then 9 miles are on my schedule for the day!
Nicole@thegirlwhoraneverywhere
Lately I do Not Put as much faith in my Garmin-I swear it is off because there are certain roads I run on that I know are a certain distance, but my Garmin will come up short.
Today I get to spend the day with my husband!:) I am very excited about that bc he works a lot!
Kristina @ Blog About Running
I think if the RD said that they measured the course multiple times that you should trust that the course was 3.1 and enjoy the PR! :) I know it’s annoying though.
I thought I got a super PR at a 5K once but my Garmin said I had only run 2.89 miles… that one was too suspicious to accept.
You have been putting in a ton of work though so I can definitely believe that you earned a PR this weekend!
Crystal
Awesome job on the race!!! Sounds like you had a wonderful birthday week all together :) My plans for today are to get as many errands done as I can :) I can’t take any caffeine right before a race it messes w my stomach big time but I can have it a few hours prior. My go to is a bagel, it’s never let me down (so far so good,right?) :) Happy Monday!!! The sun is shining here so it’s going to a great day!
Katie @ msfitrunner
Congrats on the PR:) I am so far from 5k shape, my speed work is slim to none these days, they hurt so bad!;-) I am a stickler for garmin distance, too. I’ve never run a short race though, mine are always over – even 5k’s. Half marathons and marathons are even worse. I say if it’s a certified course, go with it! Either way, enjoy the PR and the effort you put in – you are getting super fast!
JinxyJen
Sounds like you had a great race!! Great time!
I eat light before a race…usually a banana and a greek vanilla yogurt. I’m such a creature of habit.
Always need coffee too- caffiene YES. Its my vice.
Working on Presidents day for me- booo :-(
Beth @ Running with the Sunrise
I’ve run a couple races where the course is short, and it’s such a bummer. My 10K PR was on a short course and I feel like I can’t count my official finish time as a PR because of that. I just figured out what my time would be if I ran at the same pace for 6.2 miles instead of 6.0 miles so and I call that my PR. Your Swedish fish cake is amazing! You have a great family. :)
Kim@hungryhealthy
That Swedish Fish cake is just too much!! Love it! I always have a bagel with nut butter and a banana before a race. It works for me! I have to work this President’s Day…ugh.
Ashlee
At almost all the 5Ks around here the top finishers are always high school track students, teen boys, a few girls.. so I just think it’s so awesome and bad ass that you killed it!! Congrats!!
Runner Girl Eats
Congrats! I never trust my garmin over the course. I always assume my gps is just off. I never take cafeine before a race bc I’m nervous about how my stomach will handle it. I play it overly safe and stick to just a banana before :)
Karien @ Running the Race
Congrats on being the first lady home! Whoop!
Aniek @ Train You Trim
Huge congrats on your WIN! Epic!
Favourite pre-race meal is either oats or PB and banana on toast! I have a cup of tea (very British!) but that’s as strong as I go in terms of caffeine pre-race! If the distance is long enough I’ll rely on a caffeine kick from a Clif Shot Blok or two!
I never focus too much on my Garmin says in a race – prefer to use it as a guide of approximate distance! Find it easier to pace myself in terms of listening to my body and working out if I have it in me to push a little harder, or if I need to ease off a bit!
Leah @ Running with the Hayneses
I wouldn’t worry about what your Garmin distance was…I find that mine is often off, especially on the short side.
I like to eat a banana and either oatmeal or an egg sandwich before I race. I run ultras so I like to have plenty of fuel in the tank. It doesn’t bother my stomach to eat a big-ish meal beforehand, but I am going at a much slower pace than I would in a 5K, so that helps. :)
Jazz
I remember for my last half my garmin was half a km off! but they measured the course three times too so I’d trust them… especially if you were running under big trees or buildings etc.
meredith @ The Cookie ChRUNicles
I would be slightly bothered by the garmin thing too – we shouldn’t be, but it would affect me a bit as well. Congrats though anyway! – amazing job on that 5k. I hate 5k’s but love the reason you run them.
Ashley @ My Food N Fitness Diaries
A super huge congrats to you! I would totally call that a PR! Own it!
I ran on Saturday morning in shorts and a t-shirt, and it was super nice! I was a little chilly at the very beginning, but then warmed up right away. So, I’m with you, it wasn’t that cold at all. Perfect running weather, in my opinion!
Mike @ FitFriend
Congrats! 18:14 mins is actually my 5k PR – so we are now PR twins…or something like that :)
Kari @ Running Ricig
My garmin never says the race distance is the same as the race says it will be. Then again, my garmin usually says it’s further, so I don’t know what to think. Either way, first woman overall is pretty spectacular, so congratulations!
Elizabeth @ Positive Change
Congrates on your run!!! You totally rocked it! I work all day so nothing fun lol.
I do drink a cup of coffee before the race and an apple with peanut butter, an egg and an english muffin.
Liz @ Tip Top Shape
A swedish fish cake?!?!?! That is amazing. Also love that the frosting is red because everyone knows the red swedish fishes are the best.
Katie @ Peace Love & Oats
Congrats on first place! And what a cool Swedish fish cake, so creative!
Ashley @ Kick Ash Mom.com
Congrats on your race. Your family is so awesome! I drink coffee before shorter runs but I guess it just all depends on the distance and how much time I have before the race.
Natalie @ Twenty-Something Talk
Amazing job! Super frustrating about that .1 mile though, I am just like you. I obsess over it. My last half marathon came up short like that too. Super annoying!
I really really need to finally give your moms recipe a try. Because my mouth waters every time you post a picture!
I can’t do caffeine of any kind, I react really weirdly and just get the shakes. So I don’t drink soda or coffee and energy drinks make me want to die.
Sara
I haven’t had a situation where the course has seemed short, but I have had one where it seemed long. I just thought, “ummm, the race is suppose to be OVER,” and then I quickly speculated on how fast I could have been had it been right. It probably was right.
Alyssa @ See This Girl Run
You are so fast. Congrats! I forgot to tell you, at the She Runs 5K I took 4th overall and 1st in my age group. 23:08. I was pretty happy considering I hadn’t been able to run much since my foot had been hurting. haha
Sooo great to see you last night! Can’t wait to get together soon :)
Heidi @ Idlehide
Amazing time, Janae!! I honestly thought one of the blond girls was Shalane Flanagan at first (from the small photo in bloglovin) and I was like whoa, she has some sweet connections! lol! Love the swedish fish cake:)
Ida
Congrats on the win! if the course was USTAF certified I would trust that it’s an actual 5k, if not then the course probably was short- i feel like that happens a lot in 5k’s. but you can just do another one, i’m sure you have PRs in your future.
Laura @ RunningJunkie
Take the PR! I would trust that you are, in fact, that crazy fast!
My pre-race meal is always whole wheat pancakes with sliced bananas.
Colleen @ CSmith Run
Today is my cousin’s birthday so we are going to get our nails done before she sees Justin Timberlake tonight!
I am weird about PRs too…in the past I’ve really only raced a few times a year though, and always at the same races, so it was easier to tell when I PR’d, but my goal for this year is to run A LOT of races!!
Grace @ 559graces
Congrats on the PR! I tend to take a more laid back approach to my running anyway, but I would say you should trust your body/garmin/fact that you won! and not dwell on it. It’s okay to celebrate ourselves sometimes! :)
Funfitgirl
Congrats on a speedy race!! I’ve never had a course come up short before on my garmin – only long, but I think you should trust the director to do his job accurately. I get your frustration though – I like my garmin to be perfectly accurate as well.
Leigha @ Minougirl
You are SO fast! I think you can still say it’s your PR because it was a 5k race, even if it was only 3 miles! At my last half marathon it was off by HALF A MILE. That is too much to be off by!
I always have peanut butter banana toast before a race. It never fails!
Nicole @ Fluffygirlrunningthoughts
Great job and Congrats on the win! You are so amazing and such an inspiration. Keep up the awesome work!
My President’s Day plans are the same as any other day….WORK :(
I don’t usually drink caffiene, but I did drink some before my last 10k. It didn’t do much besides give me a stomach ache!
My fave pre-race meal is a bagel w/ peanut butter, a banana, and a hard-boiled egg.
I never use my tracker app during races for exactly the reason you are talking about–if it didn’t come up exact, it would really bother me. If I don’t use the tracker, I won’t know and therefore won’t care! Plus, once the race is over there isn’t much you can do about it anyways…
Have a fabulous Monday!
Heather
Did they advertise it as a certified course? If so, forget your Garmin and celebrate your new PR, for sure! If not … well, it’s possible it was a little short. :( The same thing happened to me back a year or two ago. I ran my 3rd 5k ever and set a PR by over 2 minutes! And then someone explained to me that the course wasn’t certified, and I responded in an overly dramatic fashion. Either way – you ran a strong time and won the race regardless, so a congrats is definitely in order!
Becky @ Ok, so here's the plan
I have a training day at work today so it’s a short day with no kiddos. I’ll probably try to get a run in later.
Pre-race meal is usually a bagel or english muffin. And coffee, always coffee.
I usually assume my garmin is off if the numbers don’t add up.
Courteney O
I’m a little bit OCD when it comes to courses…I go by my garmin too. I then realize that maybe I cut a corner sharper that I should or maybe the satellite was off…but I hate to say I have a PR unless my garmin says so.
Lisa @ runnermamablogger
Wow, you amaze me with your run times. I get excited when I run 9 minute miles. You truly are my running idol! Ever time I read your blog about your runs I become even more motivated, you truly are an inspiration to all. Continue to kick those boys a**es!
Rebecca
I ran a race this fall where the race was 800m short – 800m!! When I crossed the finish line I looked at the time and saw a 4 minute difference between my usual 5K time and that time and then looked at my garmin and swore. This was the second time this particular race messed up their 5K. The course was measured just fine, but we (the lead pack) took a wrong turn and the race organizers blamed us for the course going wrong. The thing is, is that we passed the street we were supposed to run on and went up a street we were supposed to run down from. We were doing a S route through a subdivision. The thing is, is that I remember a Marshall and cones being on the turns. We don’t just turn down random streets and really during a 5K, I’m not reading a map. I firmly believe the Marshall’s were in the wrong spot. All I know is I’m never running that race again.
It is family day here in Ontario but since I live in Ottawa, the federal workers do not have the day off so all my friends are working :-(
Jill
Awesome race! So excited for you! Love to see women kick boy butt.
Very exciting Holiday…im taking my car to the shop. :(
I like to eat banana with PB before a race and always coffee. Ill get up extra early to let the coffee settle.
courtney
*working on presidents’ day. BUT i had a snow day to ski on friday, so it’s all good :]
*NEED caffeine pre-race. usually have my normal coffee then, depending on the race, a red bull. i agree that 5-hour energies are disgusting!!! i used to take them when i was pulling all-nighters in college but stopped when, one time, my heart started beating in a cuh-razytrain way. no bueno.
*english muffins with peanut butter and honey before a race! nom nom nom :]
*i do hate when a garmin comes up unusually short. if it’s a hundredth or so off, no biggie, but yeah, it bugs me. i think you should still consider it a PR, though, because each course is going to be different depending on the route you take (tight corners, etc.) GREAT JOB, JANAE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chelsea @ A Fit LittleOne
Holy crap! That’s a great race time!! Congrats!! If the course is short, I’ll just take the word of the people who measured it, only because it would drive me crazy haha. Today I’m doing homework/catching up on work I skipped last week because I was studying. And Omg, I love that your friend make you a swedish fish cake, that is an awesome friend!
Amy @ Rum Mom Run
I’ve become a pr snob and I don’t count them unless they are on certified courses. 5k add notoriously bad about being off too. If they weren’t measured by someone who knows how it can be way off. But it’s still a great sign that you’re healthy, getting faster, and totally rocking everything! I would love to have a 5k time that fast, even if it was short!
Katie
I’ve also had situations in 5ks where the race runs pretty short – at least relatively speaking. For one in particular they timed me at 21:14 but my Garmin just said it had been 2.88 miles! So now when I speak of that PR I always say “but the course may have been a little short.”
lauren@golaurengo
I was going to take my upcoming 5k slow and steady just to enjoy it at the pace of my friends, but now you’ve made me realize the benefits of actually racing a race (with no intention of placing anywhere near the top) in order to get in a speed workout and improve my mental training game. Good call! Sounds obvious but its not!
Sam @ Better With Sprinkles
We have Family Day today up in Canadaland, so appropriately enough, I’m heading over to my parent’s for dinners tonight :-) have a great day Janae!
Kay
I love that you and your friends all took the “podium”!! And that Swedish Fish cake looks awesome!
Fiona @ Get Fit Fiona
Looks like you had some beautiful scenery for your race. The mountains in the background are gorgeous!
Lily @ Lily Runs the World
Congratulations on the race!! I feel like Garmins are always going to be a little off… but I have a lot less experience with them, I just got my first one for Christmas.
Diana
Congrats on a great race run and happy birthday to your Dad!
ps. that swedish fish cake is all sorts of awesome!
Ellie
Congrats on the PR! I PRed and won a Turkey Trot and my Garmin ran short, so when I plugged it in it didn’t register as a personal best for a 5k either! So frustrating! I still call it my “PR” just because I know I tried my hardest and I felt how hard I pushed!
My pre-race fuel is oatmeal, almond butter, and coffee! After race, banana and water :) I’m spending President’s Day taking exams :(
Anastasia
The same thing happened at my race on Saturday. According to my Garmin, it was 3.01. I am going to trust that the race officials measured accurately so then I can claim my PR :) According to the Garmin site, the accuracy is within 15 meters but trees and clouds can affect it. I would go with it and take the PR. Congrats again!
Heather @ Run Like a G!
Awesome job! Congrats on your fabulous time!!!! :)
Sara
Geez my friends and I are lucky to place in the top half of our age group. You and your friends win the entire race!! Try the pink lemonade 5 hours I find them the least nasty.
Katie @ Bevo Loves an Aggie
I am a teacher and today is a bad weather make up day so my plans are working. :(
I think you shouldn’t worry so much about the Garmin distance and trust the race director and be excited about your PR! That time is amazing! Enjoy that your hard work paid off! :)
Lisa @ Running out of Wine
I usually drink coffee before a race, and my prerace meal is usually bagel and banana with peanut butter (sometimes just 1/2 if its a shorter race). I get really annoyed when I think a race is short of long. But it sounds like there is a good chance the satellites could have just been off if they say they measured 3 times. I would consider it a PR! Congrats on an awesome time!
Lis @ 26.2x2
OMG I WANT A SWEDISH FISH CAKE! I’m obsessed with Swedish fish! I have to work today, so no Presidents Day plans. Kudos on coming in first in your 5-k! Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it’s back to work I go!
Brittnee @ Nebraska Running Girl
Awesome job on your 5K!!! I’ve honestly only ran a few because they do hurt! But I’ve never had one come up as a perfect 3.1 on my GPS. They are always a bit short, so I don’t know that I have a real 5K PR.
My pre-race meal is always cereal. The go-to is Cheerios, either Peanut Butter or Honey Nut. I always have caffeine before a race, and all of my training runs as well. I can’t imagine NOT having it! I have a scoop of Advocare Spark in some water, it’s just enough to give me energy, but not shaking or crashing type of energy. Hope your dad has a very happy birthday!!
Abi@AbsofSteel
I aspire to one day get remotely close to being as fast as you are. Great job on the 5k!, whether or not it was exactly 3.1 miles.
Laura
Congrats on your win! You should be proud of yourself! I understand about the course length, but I have YET to run a race and have my garmin show exactly the right distance, so I try not to worry about it too much.
Pre-race and pre-run is always the same for me–coffee and peanut butter toast. Seems to be what my stomach likes. I also can’t stand those energy drinks, they’re gross!
Mary@RunWalkLift
Nice race. I told my husband your time and he said, “that’s crazy fast!”
I tell him he’s a kind of fast girl runner, now he believes me, but he’s still not as fast as you guys. I’m expecting a PR from him tomorrow.
Lauren
Congrats on the PR. Hey, if they say it was 3.1… I’d count it ;)
And happy birthday to Papa Hungry Girl!
Marissa @ Run Riss Run
Coffee, cleaning, and manicures are on today’a agenda.
I usually drink a small cup of joe to get me movie (in more than 1 way).
Favorite meal before a race would be a 1/2 pb&j and 1/2 banana.
I would probably trust the course over the Garmin because clouds and such can definitely mess with it,
catie
Ugh, 5 hour energy tastes like Children’s Dimatapp to me. I’ve only had it one and it was the Berry flavor, I think? I got it free before an 8k I ran with a friend in Seattle while visiting her. My stomach did not thank me!
I have found that half a cup of coffee, a bagel w/ PB and a banana work best for me for most races.
april
i always drink coffee before races… but i’m a very devoted coffee drinker :)
i think you should count this 5k as a PR because the satellites could have been off due to weather. technology isn’t always 100% accurate. one time my nike app told me that my half marathon was 13.2 (or something like that), so i knew that was definitely inaccurate!
Laura@twinsontherun
I’d count this as a PR for sure! I think the only way I could keep up with you is if I was in a car ha!
I must have missed who won the entry for this race..I was hoping for it!
Jamie @ Sometimes Healthy Living Blog
Congrats on the race win!
That Swedish Fish cake is seriously too adorable. Can’t believe she made that herself!!
And YES, I do go with caffeine before a race. Gotta have it.
Pre-race meal = toast + PB and banana.
Happy Prez Day!
Tracy
I vote for the Garmin being off – mine sure is when it is cloudy!
Happy Birthday to your sweet Dad.
My kids and sleepover guests are making donuts in the donut maker this morning :)
Ali
Congrats! I am going to try to catch up on some sleep today because my husband is off work and a little someone who is teething decided to get up every single hour last night!
tara @ tara goes streaking
The one 5k I did was 3.08 miles according to my Garmin. I was soooo disappointed! I felt like my time was invalid.
On the flip side the half marathons I’ve done have all ran long, the longest was 13.28 or something like that. Totally fine with that… haha
Allison
Congrats on the 5k win!! You are so speedy!
I always take caffeine prerace in the form of diet coke! For 10k or less, I usually eat a trail bar of some type (Lara bar is my current fave). For longer, I will add peanut butter and a banana or just eat 2 trails bars!
I ran a 5k once too where we suspected the course was short. None of us were wearing garmins, but everything single person in my group PR’d by a good amount and it wasn’t really a flat or fast course. And it was an inaugural race, so not necessarily tried and true. I don’t count it as my PR.
Meaghan @ Tale of Two Teachers
Your dad and I have the same birthday!! Hope he has a great day :)
The clouds here were so thick yesterday that my garmin wouldn’t even load! Never had that happen before but it looked like night all day long so makes sense I guess.
Kris @ Canadian Girl Runs.
HOLY FAST BATMAN! You rocked that race!!
I did a half marathon last year and PR’d but it was short by about 0.25 miles… it makes me super OCD when it is not at least the race distance it says it will be but then I remember that I just ran a half marathon (fast for me) and it shouldn’t really matter :)
Happy birthday to your dad!
Tricia @ Balance In Progress
Before a race I usually have a banana with almond butter. It is not too heavy but helps fuel me through the race.
Bethany
I’m working today, but I’m running to Nordstrom to but TOMS, because they are on sale.
I drink coffee every morning, including race days.
I usually have pasta or rice the night before a big race, otherwise I don’t care.
If the course was only.1 off I don’t think that is a big deal. I have run races that have been short .25 and over .30.
Jarrelle
Congrats on an awesome 5k!!!!! I always have a single shot or sometimes a double shot of espresso before my races!!!
A shorter race, a banana with almond butter and almond milk. A longer race a bagel with almond butter!
Amanda
Congrats! I also call my dad ‘daddy-o’ but i spell it diiferently. Ha!
Hali
YOU’RE AMAZING! CONGRATS ON YOUR WIN!!! That Swedish fish cake was adorable. Today I still had school (BOO!) and will be studying/exercising/relaxing the rest of the day. Have a fabulous week!
Miranda @ Loving Every Mile
I have the day off from school! I woke up at 11, ate some lunch and am now dawdling before going to run on the treadmill. I’m thinking of running a 10k today! Thank goodness for Netflix ;)
Annette@FitnessPerks
WOW. Congrats on the PR. You are so fast!!
Donna
I’d rather the course be a little short than long. I get so upset when I hit a PR on my Garmin and the course was a little long… then when they do the “official” results they figure them by what the course was supposed to be and it makes your average pace look slower. That drives me insane!
Macy
A PR is a PR in my opinion! Those were some speedy miles and you were the first woman to finish! That is definitely something to be proud of!
Does your Dad read the comments? Happy birthday Mr. Anderson!
Dean Anderson
I do read the comments. You are also such wonderful people and friends to Janae. Thanks.
Livi
I can not NOT have caffeine before a race. It means I have to get up extra early, but it’s so soooooo worth it :)
ashley @ Broc Blog
Congrats on the PR! Even if the race was a tiny bit short you still ran really fast.
My plans for today were to run 5 miles and I already did that so I think that netflix and I are gonna settle in together for the long haul.
Amy
My first half marathon measured short, too, and I was a bit sad about it (though super proud of completing it, none the less). Now I wonder if it’ll always be my PR… Guess I’ve got to register for another one soon to find out!
Happy Running!
MILF Runner
Back in the olden days, we didn’t have Garmins. You’d have walked away from that race with NO ambivalence and just super pumped. Like I said before…it is a TOOL and not an infallible device. And anyway…WHO CARES? The race said it was 5K, let’s just trust that. You WON and PRed :)
you #winner you
MILF Runner
I guess ambivalence is the wrong word here…replace with “conflict”.
michelle kim
Congrats, and you should totally deserve to celebrate! Maybe somehow, you were running the tangents super well and missed out on 0.1 (which like you mentioned, at the end of a 5K, feels like forever and a day). Let’s trust the race people measured it perfectly (I hear those ones that roll on the ground or something are super accurate). Own your PR! You deserve it!
Sara @ LovingOnTheRun
I worked this morning, got in a pool run, and now am getting some blogging and email catch up done! A little bit of everything so far today :)
Great job on the PR and Happy Birthday to your Dad!!!
Hollie
Great race Janae! It looks and sounds like a lot of fun.
Honestly I could care less if a race is longer. It’s hard to make it exactly meet and I would rather longer than shorter. If a lot of people’s GPS comes up shorter, I would probably believe it was a shorter race. .1 makes a huge difference (in my opinion). That being said either way that is an awesome time and I’m glad you had a good time.
You said you were doing a half soon didn’t you? Maybe I am just going crazy.
C
Well done one a great time. I also get frustrated by Garmin issues in races. Two suggestions:
1. Download your data to Garmin connect and view the map for that run. If your satellite signal did go wonky, the course will look strange, eg the start might not be in the right spot, or there will be a strange correction squiggle once signal came back.
2. Change your mindset about racing. When you race, you have no control over the course, or whoever else shows up to run. Your job is to cross the finish line as fast as possible, in front of as many people as possible. Time is a lesser consideration, your goal should be to finish feeling like you gave it your all. This is why elite runners rarely set PRs in championship races – their goal is to win. I guess the point I’m trying to make is that while PRs are nice, the goal of racing for someone of your ability should be to race, is finish before as many people as possible. Don’t think of races as time trials, especially those that aren’t certified courses.
Tess
TASTE THE RAINBOW! I see nothing wrong with your nutrition.
You run a mile twice as fast as I do. I think I’ve said that before but really..it bears repeating because it’s so astonishing.
I’m allergic to caffeine so I can’t have it but I’d love the extra boost and they say it’s good for a runner to have it before a workout. That said…5 hour energy? yikes. I’m so old school that stuff freaks me out. And I don’t like things that taste bad so now I’d never taste it. Yish.
I’m with you on the finish. I want my Garmin to say I ran the whole 3.1. I actually am not concerned about time but I really want to know I did the whole thing. So that would bother my OCD brain.
That said…great job. Seriously, I love that you guys took the top three!
Courtney @ Don't Blink. Just Run.
Damn, you’re fast! Great job on that race.
Your family is the best – you can feel the love through your posts. Happy Birthday to your Dad, too!
Danica @ It's Progression
I always trust my Garmin too and it drives me absolutely crazy when a race isn’t the exact distance it’s supposed to be.
One of the half marathons I did last year ended up being 13.22 miles….really?!?
Rachel @ My Adventures As A Rinderknecht
Today I am going shopping and then staying at home with my hubby and sweet baby girl. Life is good! I like to eat something small before a race like some toast and a banana. I have really bad acid reflux, so I have to be careful that it doesn’t come back up :/
Kara
Congrats on the 5K PR!
There are a lot of reasons that a Garmin could be off, but a cloudy day isn’t one of them. I had my husband explain it to me once (his previous job was as a GPS engineer for jets) and I can’t paraphrase what I barely understood myself, but just trust me when I say the clouds don’t make a difference, not any more than a cloudy day would impede your ability to get a radio signal.
There is a margin of error associated with Garmin measurements, especially the small running watches. It’s possible that they didn’t measure the course with tangents and you ran the tangents and came up short that way.
Short or not, you still won first female and that’s awesome! Congrats!
Debbie @ Deb Runs
Congrats on an awesome race! You were flying!!!
Happy birthday to your dad. Sounds like you guys had a great party!
Heather @ girlgoesrunning
You are so speedy! Congrats again :) Please send me some of your speedy vibes!
I always have chicken and pasta as a pre-race meal. Definitely a coffee the morning of the race as well. :D
Meagan
Awesome! Congratulations! I’m the same way about a course being too short; however, if the course is long for a half (i.e. I ran a half last year that was certified at 13.478 and wouldn’t make it any shorter; my friend told me about a week before to prepare myself for my time to be about a minute to a minute and thirty slower. I ended up winning in a 1:29:20 and in my mind it was a half regardless of how much extra I ran. It’s a 13.1 race and that’s what I’m going off of even if it was longer — I don’t use a garmin, others did). So I totally understand what happens when it comes up short but I’m the opposite when it comes up long. Just remember the course was probably wheeled out using the wheel machine and on the edges where the course is longer so you can cut off parts with the tangents (I think I just went on a tangent); also in high school XC our coaches would show us parts to cut off the course as long as we kept the markers to the right of our right shoulder we could cut parts. It’s all relevant and CONGRATS! YOU ARE FAST!
Caroline
Congrats on that amazing PR! I can’t even imagine running a mile under 6 minutes- impressive :) My President’s day plan involved leaving work early because of an ice storm and bachelor tonight :)
jan
Was it a certified course? If not, who knows. Some people just don’t know how to measure a course, like if they didn’t measure the tangents right on the turns that could easily be the .1. Congrats on the win and a smokin’ fast time. You are one fast lady.
julia
I ran a 10k race and it was measured incorrectly and was actually 11.4km! I “won” the women’s race but there was a lead group of runners with 2 women who I found out were misdirected by a Marshall and ran a total of 12.8km. This was a fairly large race with 500 participants and I even made the local paper. I would have been the 3rd woman as opposed to the winner. I chose to take it as a positive because I held on to my PR pace for almost an extra mile! I was a little disappointed that my “win” doesn’t count but super pumped for the confidence boost to start longer races faster.
Sam
Ugh, I HATE short courses. But even if you extrapolate that extra .1–you’re still sub-19:00 easy, and that’s amazing! Congrats on a good run. Did you positive split? I actually positive split my 5k PR and I know people say not to, but I know a lot of people who do it with success.
This is the reason you should always check if a course is USATF certified, too. I tend only to run those or I just don’t feel I can put in my best effort. It’s silly, but that number matters to me. So I feel your pain. STILL. First overall female is its own reward, right? I mean, how many people can say they WON A RACE? That’s something people ask jokingly after you run a race. “Oh, did you win?”
Being able to answer “Yup,” feels so good. ;)
Losing Lindy
ack now I want lasagna
Nicole
Congrats on the race!!
I drink caffeine every morning so I always drink some pre-race so I don’t feel like a sleepy slug. And I usually have a banana + 1/2 bagel with peanut butter before a race. Perfect fuel
Rachel @ Undercover Diva: A Sitcom
Congratulations on your race! Alyssa is so freaking cute, I’m so glad she came over and brought you that adorable cake! I worked all day at my ONE job (out of three) That wasn’t closed for the day :( at least I got paid. More money now = more money for Europe.
Kay
I like the mocha gels best and they have caffeine. I usually only have coffee before a race if they have it there (or at the hotel if i’m traveling)
I trust race distances if it’s certified, and I know my garmin is not always right. I’m sure I have a less expensive garmin though so it’s obv less accurate then the fancier ones ;)
Adrianna
awesome job!! you’re so inspiring :)
STUFT Mama
So many things to say. Just catching up with you. CONGRATULATIONS! Happy Belated Birthday! Happy Birthday to your dad. And dang, friend, I miss you!!!!! HUGS!
Amber C
CONGRATULATIONS! YOU ARE AMAZING!
Irina
Congratulations on an AMAZING finish! Regardless of whether the course was too short or not, I think we can both agree that you rocked the race :) I’m totally OCD when it comes to distances (who in the world can finish a run at 3.27 miles for example? yikes) so I feel your pain. I also ran a 5K that I’m pretty sure was about a quarter mile too short and it drove me nuts. I guess we need to look at the bigger picture and just be grateful to run!
Laura @losingrace
Congrats, definitely a PR so celebrate :)
I take caffeinated gels before (and during) longer races. I also like a cup of coffee immediately after getting out of bed on race morning.
Christina@LiveDreamRun
Congratulations! Awesome PR that I would take and run ( literally). Then see how your next race time compares. I agree – 5K races aren’t fun for me either, although I do like the push in getting faster.
I usually eat cereal or a bagel before a race. Sometimes I’ll have coffee, but not every time. I need to test and see if my performance is affected either way.
You have such thoughtful friends. :-)
HilJo
My garmin usually measures a little bit short–so it would say I had finished 3 miles when really it was only 2.95 or such minor differences. Yeah, I would feel weird about counting that as my pr too. Id either frame it as a 3 mile pr, or Id add 36 seconds (since you were running just over 6 min miles average take 6 and multiply it times 6 (because .1 of 60 seconds/minute is 6) is to get the seconds that that extra .1 would have been). So, that would give you a time of 18:50 as your assumed 5K pr! Still a pr, right? :)
Today the weather was nice out, so I went for my first run in days, and my first “try and run at least 1 mile sub 7” run since December (which was my first since September…) and decided to try and run 3.1 miles at 6:45 pace since it’d been so long…well I ended up running the 3.1 at 6:25 pace, so that was a nice surprise! :) 19:56 for the 5k!!
Kelly
Congrats lady! Today was really nice out so I was able to run outside for the first time since it snowed last week and loved it!
Niki
Lasagna, sundae bar and cake- you’re family knows you well!
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Jessica M.
I hate when courses are short. I always compare my watch with others just to see if they are close.
Jessica M.
Love that race shirt!
Gertie
Suipsirrng to think of something like that
thing off
If time is money you’ve made me a wealthier woman.