By the time this last track meet of The Q’s Victoria Run Series 2014 rolled around, I could not wait to get out there to work, race and hang out with a bunch of awesome people.
When I go to events like this, I view them as opportunities to connect with like-minded people who share my passion for running and fitness. Yes, I care how fast I finish the races, but that isn’t the only reason why I take part.
The main reason why I was there this year (for those of you who are new to my blog) is because one of my jobs (other than personal training and writing) is to raise awareness of Muscle MLK, which is a tasty, ready-to-drink protein beverage designed to help athletes recover after a workout/race.
I’m extremely thrilled that I’ve been able to race in this series of track meets. I love racing and sharing my love for running with everyone.
This time I opted to race the 800m followed by the 5000m (I’m glad it wasn’t the other way around, as I’m sure the 800m after the 5000m wouldn’t be as fun. The whole evening was fantastic!
First, I watched my client Stephen finish an excellent 600m, where he was one of the top 3 overall finishers. Seconds, people have become more aware of Muscle MLK and it appeared like they enjoyed it even more. Third, I got to race. That’s right! It’s awesome!
Above: Stephen with his medal and Muscle MLK.
This time, the 800m went very well. I ended up being in the slightly faster heat and I was the 2nd female to cross the finish line in the open-mixed 800m with a time of 2:34.7. I was happy with that time because I had to do another race right after so I didn’t want to go all out and I was also working.
The 5000m was equally as exciting. There were a lot of people doing it. At the start line I said that I would finish in 20 minutes in case if anyone wanted to tag along and achieve that target. Sure enough, some people had that goal so they said they would stick with me. I didn’t think of this as a “race”, but instead I thought about it as an opportunity to help fellow runners achieve their time goals.
I went a little faster than 4 min per km just to see how long I, and the people pacing with me, can keep it going.
I ended up being the 1st woman to cross the finish line in the open-mixed 5000m with a time of 19:43 (which to me is basically 20 min and is right on target).
Full results from that day are listed here.
Above: Lifting the cooler has become a post-track meet tradition. It’s my way of showing that it’s empty. HAHAHAHA
However, the most important thing was that it was a lot of FUN. I wasn’t trying to break any records, but I had quite a few seasonal bests throughout the series.
If you are wondering about these races, check out The Q’s Victoria Run Series. If you are considering signing up, I say DO IT. It’s an enjoyable experience for everyone and is totally worth it.