Red, White, & Blue 5k at Irvine, California, July 4th, 2021

Racing 5ks has a special place in my heart since the distance is short enough to push at (or over) full capacity, which is also why it can (and often does) become the longest 3.1 miles a person can run.

I PRed on a virtual 5k with Cal Coast Track Club in May 2020 with a 17:56, I loved having the opportunity to do so with a team has been instrumental in making me the runner I am, and was happy with how I performed.

As the world’s health situation has become more stable and the community has gotten more comfortable with large in-person races, I also definitely aimed to beat it at Caren Ware’s Red, White, and Blue 5k in Irvine on July 4th, 2021.

I came in with more baggage than I would have liked going into any race, much less a 5k: a not-quite 100% left ankle, a sore right calf, and having had to take a break from speed work for a while because of both.

I did what I could training-wise, my coach guided me well, and the headline was that I would get to race against a solid amount of runners at my first road race since before quarantine (Dino Dash 10k and 5k in 2019, doubling is a blast and I highly recommend it if your taste tends towards the unreasonable).

Given what I had working against me, I still saw my cup half full, and wanted to see what I can could do in the way of consistency through the race.

If I’d felt healthier than an explosive first mile and seeing what I could put together for the remainder would have been my preferred option.

But smooth is fast, and doling out my strengths and energy in an even, graceful way seemed to be the smartest way to go.

I slept well, and the morning was cool and pleasant. I got to catch up with a few friends I hadn’t seen in many moons and made a few new ones, all of which are some of the best parts of race day and were a gift to enjoy.

The gun went off, and I got in and held on with the leads. It was a blast getting back into those places in a race where you lock onto the color of the singlet in front of you and decide you’ll get them, and sometimes do, sometimes don’t, but you keep going, checking your watch and trying to stay loose and doing that desperate math you do at each split, at which point I would remind myself to roll my shoulders back, stay loose, and breathe through the squeeze.

The course was nice and flat, but runner’s know the special challenge that comes with an out-and-back: you can go wide and slow on the hairpin to stay consistent, or pull that Wiley E. Coyote-style screech-and-pull to reverse course at top speed. You lose time either way, and added difficulties like this check all the right boxes for me.

I stayed under six minutes on each mile, which felt good, but didn’t hit what I wanted on my splits. I do like that my fastest mile was the last one. The race itself ran long on my watch, and was confirmed by the runners I spoke to afterwards.

I won my division and took fifth overall. I’ve never gotten first in anything running-wise, and I’m grateful to my fellow runners who pushed me on the course, everyone as HOKA ONE ONE, Chaski Endurance Collective, my coach Kris Brown, and all my friends and family who help me be my best self.

I’m excited to fully concentrate on Pine to Palms 100 training now, my second attempt at the distance after my first DNF at Coldwater Rumble in January. I’ve got a list of trails I’ll be hitting up to go-time on September 11th, and can’t wait for the people, sights, and adventures I’ll get to spend time with as I find out what I can push and grow through.

Stay safe and voracious out there, everybody!