Despite the fact that it is snowing here this morning, spring racing season in New England is in full swing. The first race of the year is always fun, a chance to stretch your legs, test your paces and see where your winter training has brought you. [Tweet "Holy Grail 5K race recap: can you push harder? "]

The Pursuit of the Holy Grail 5K was my first spring race in 2014 and it was nice to go back, this time knowing what to expect when it came to the last half mile (there's a steep hill). I went into the race wanting to run low 19's, thinking that I could better the 5K time I ran on the track back in January (19:37). I knew it would be a challenge with the hills on the course, but there's also a generous downhill which I thought could help me pick up some speed to take into the final half mile.

My friend, Sarah and I continued our St. Patrick's day racing tradition again this year. It was great to have someone to run the warmup with and ride the bus to the start!

The 5K distance hurts when you push hard and I kept checking in asking "Can you push harder?" I came through the mile at 6:26 (about 10 seconds slower than I was hoping to run for the first mile--at that point I reassessed my goal and thought that maybe a low 19 wasn't in the cards for the day) and knew I could push harder. The course flattened out and and I asked myself again "Can you push harder?" Each time I did I tried to press into the pace a little more: lean forward, arms go, stride up. But then I'd think: I need to save something for the hill at the end. I feel like the 5K is a delicate balance of pushing and saving something for the final kick). Mile 2 was 6:13. At that point I was mostly alone, the lead pack of guys was far ahead and there were a few guys trailing that pack, but for the most part it was me. I couldn't hear anyone behind me and knew if I could hang on I'd be the first female across the line. With about a half mile to go the course took a turn into the wind and then another turn towards the hill at the end. I'd driven the hill and knew the clump of trees that marked the crest of the hill and then after that it was one more push into the parking lot. At the base of the hill I glanced at my watch: 17:54. I thought if I really pushed a low 19 was still within reach, I gave it everything I had and came through the line, breaking the tape in 19:42. I've won a few races before, but this was the first time I've ever broken the tape.

Photo Credit: Scott Bulger

Even though I didn't hit my personal goal of going sub 19:30, I felt like I gave what I could for the day and the course.

The 5K fell into my marathon training plan in the place of a tempo, I'm looking forward to racing more 5K's this summer. They are tough, but fun.

Last week's training had a big gap in it: three days of rest that were much needed. I finally have kicked the cold/run down feeling that had been nagging me for the last 3 weeks. Those three days off gave me much needed rest and helped me knockout this weekend's workouts including the race and a long run.

Monday: 30 minutes easy running

Tuesday: 10 miles that felt sluggish, slow and painful.

Wednesday: off

Thursday: off

Friday: off

Saturday : 5 miles total. 12 min warm up and strides before the race. 5K in 19:42 and then a 15 min cool down

Sunday: 18.5 miles. My legs felt fresh and zippy at the start of Sunday's long run so I decided after the hills, I'd throw in 5 miles at marathon goal pace. I ran miles 10-15 with a 7:45 average (7:42/7:48/7:30/7:30/7:33) those 5 miles were on rolling terrain and after the first two miles my legs seem to lose the zip and all the tiredness of the previous day's race set in. It's good to practice running on tired, sore and depleted legs because that's exactly how you feel the final miles of the marathon.

Total miles: 36.5

We'll call last week the final cutback before push of the last four weeks before Boston!

--Sarah

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