Finally the review of my race from three weeks ago – better late than never, right?

On December 3rd, I ran my first 10k, the Nikolauslauf in Munich. It wasn’t just my first 10k race, it was also the first time I ran a whole 10k distance. My longest run until then had been about 7k a little over a week earlier, and it was actually during that run that I decided to participate in the 10k. I had found out about the race a couple of days before and while part of me really wanted to do it, the other part said, ‘you’re not ready,’ and ‘you’re not going to be in Munich that weekend anyway.’

All that changed during my training run on November 23rd. It was a great run and I realized after 7 km that I could have kept running for a while longer. I decided that I was ready to run a 10k, and that I would spend the weekend in Munich just to do the race. I realized that if I wasn’t going to do a 10k race now, it might be months until I do one, because I knew I would have waited till spring. So that night I signed up for the race. I finished my running program by Jane Wake just in time and it all worked out perfectly.

The Olympic Tower in Munich

The race took place in the Olympic Park in Munich, where I had run my very first 5k race in 2009. I got there a few hours early to pick up my race bib and chip at the Olympic Swimming Pool.

Handing out bibs, chips & Santa hats

Afterward, I just stayed at the pool, watching the swimmers. At some point a girl came up to me and asked if we knew each other because I seemed so familiar to her. I couldn’t place her but I’m really bad with faces so it wasn’t surprising. Turns out we both studied in Heidelberg. I spent the rest of the time chatting with her and her boyfriend who were also doing the race.

Me before the race started

The race itself started at 3pm and it went really well. I started out a bit fast (a 7:09 pace on km 1) but quickly noticed (my Runkeeper app tells me my time, distance and pace every 5 minutes – so useful!) and slowed down to a pace I was more likely to keep up throughout the race.

The race was St. Nicholas themed, so everyone got a Santa hat to wear during the race

I ran the entire 10k with just one short walking break to drink something after 5k. The weather was really nice for running, 7C and overcast, though it was a bit windy. Really lucky considering it’s December. I was so pleased with my result. I had hoped to finish in under 1:20 but after my last two runs – which weren’t that great – had ‘re-adjusted’ my expectations to finish between 1:20 and 1:30. I managed to make my goal after all.

Ready to start running

There were two short inclines on the course, but as it was a 5k course and we did two laps, there were 4 inclines, one halfway between km 4 and 5 (and km 9 and 10) and that last incline just about killed me on the second lap. I didn’t give up though, I knew I was not even 5 minutes from the finish line, I wasn’t going to start walking now, no way!

A weird experience was to be overlapped by the fastest runners between km 3 and 4. The winner finished in 32:13, I cannot even imagine running that fast.

I was glad once I started the second 5k lap because it meant no more runners overlapping me – I liked being able to run by myself. I also felt fantastic after I finished the first half, because I knew I would finish the 10k – I had struggled a little bit on the first 2-3km, then after the first 5k I felt this energy boost, I almost cried I was so happy (and promptly felt really silly for getting so emotional), felt really strong for km 6-8, and then struggled a bit on km 9 and 10. Well, until today my longest run had been 7km so it’s no surprise.

I am so very pleased with my result, even though I was the next-to-last to finish. This is a huge achievement for me and I’m so proud I did so well. I honestly cannot think of a single thing that went wrong during this race.

Just two months earlier, I had run a 5k in 42:52 (pace: 8:34) – on December 3rd, I ran a 10k in 1:18:08 (pace: 7:48) – I doubled my distance and improved my pace by almost a minute.

The mug I got for finishing

Unfortunately, I didn’t find any official pictures of me running, probably because I was much slower than most of the runners, and the photographers didn’t wait around for the last few runners, but I did get a video of me crossing the finish line!

I had my 5k race last weekend – the Avon Women’s Run in Munich. It was not my first 5k as those of you may know, who have been around for a while (since my previous blog). I did my first 5k in September 2009, so this was my second one, but as it had been so long and I hadn’t run in a long time before August, in many ways it felt like my first.

The race took place on Sunday in the Englischer Garten [English Garden] in Munich. It was a gorgeous day. In fact the entire previous two weeks, we had been blessed with a perfect Indian summer. The race started at 10:30am and I got there between 9am and 9:30am. I wanted to make sure I’d have enough time to find the starting point, check out the booths, etc.

As I walked through the park at 9am, I passed many runners and dog walkers. It was a crisp morning but the park was absolutely beautiful and I couldn’t resist taking a few pictures (with my iPhone as I didn’t have my camera with me).

As I got closer to the Chinese Tower, the start and finish of the race, I heard drumming, and sure enough, there was a Brazilian drumming group cheering the runners on. I spent the remaining time wandering around, and also did a stop by the restroom (we were allowed to use the one of the restaurant nearby, I was so grateful – no porta potties!).

A few minutes before the race was due to start, I went to the start line. I was somewhere right in the middle. It was really crowded, there were hundreds of participants. Madness.

Ready to run the 5k!

From my last 5k I knew that it was more important than anything to pace myself in the beginning. I learned that the hard way during my last 5k and I wasn’t going to make the same mistake again. I listened to music on my mp3 player and just focused on my pace. The first few minutes of the race were really crowded.

The 5k walking race started simultaneously so we had to watch out for the walkers and their walking sticks (which I learned to hate during the race). The first 2-3km of the race went pretty well. I noticed early on I wouldn’t be able to finish the race without walking breaks. It had gotten really sunny and warm, and I am not a warm weather runner at all. I took my first walking break 11 minutes into the race, and every few minutes after that.

I ran the first 3km of the race at a pace of a little under 8min/km – quite a bit faster than my training runs, and I really had a hard time during the last 2 kilometers. My friend who also ran the race but whom I hadn’t met up with, found me somewhere between km 3 and 4, and we ran the last third of the race together.

I had set myself a goal of finishing in under 45:00 – which I decided was realistic even though it meant pushing myself a little more than in my training runs. About 3km into the race I had even hoped to finish in under 40 minutes, but I couldn’t keep up the pace. I ended up finishing in 42:52, a time I am really happy with. I do think there is loads of room for improvement, though. I would love to run an entire 5k sometime soon, and keep an even pace throughout the race. I know that if I keep running regularly, a sub-40 5k is absolutely possible.

I didn’t take any pictures during the race, but I managed to find some online from the finish. I do look like I’m about to die, but damnit, I was going to run through the finish line. Actually, except for the red and sweaty face, I think these are pretty good pictures.

And we made it! A few minutes after the run ended, we were both all smiles again and super happy that we finished, and in under 45 minutes too.

All in all, this race was much better than my first, but at the same time I know I can do better! I want to start training for a 10k now, and I hope that as I drop the pounds, my pace will get better too. Running a 5k in 30 minutes would be a dream come true! One day…

Have you run a race before? What was your first 5k like? Any tips you’d like to share?