The Team Ortho Polar Dash 5K Race Report!

God, there is nothing like getting up on a New Years day in the freaking cold and running a race! This morning I ran in the Team Ortho Polar Dash 5K. I thought that I had signed up to run the 10K. When I opened up my race packet and pulled out my bib it had a 5K printed on it:) All I am going to say is....blessing in disguise!!!! Your blogger friend Julie is so out of shape! Good Lord, remind me never to take a full month off of running...ever again:) I mean it!

Mr. Julie was kind enough to drop me off and as soon as I got there I headed to the warming tents. It was packed and I had to wait a few minutes before I actually made it inside! Holy cow, it was so cold! My toes felt like they were going to fall off! Brr!

When there was about five minutes to the start many of us started walking to the start line.

This is where I decided to start. The pacers were actually for the 10K runners but I would be able to run with this guy for at least a mile and a half or so. I am so out of shape and have not run one single mile in over a month! I knew it was going to be ugly....it was:)

I ran into Mike who is my blogger buddy Beth's hubby:) They are heading off to Florida to run in the Goofy races next weekend. Mike is a super fast runner who was taking it easy because of running next week. Beth, I am so sorry that I missed you! Hope to see you soon:)

I stayed with my pacer for most of the first half of my race. I was okay in the beginning but the farther I ran the more terrible I felt! So many random thoughts bounced through my head. Why and the hell did you not run once during this last month? Are you stupid? Surely you knew this would really suck! God this sucks! Who's idea was it to drink three glasses of champagne last night? Umm, your's...remember...you thought that since the race was at 11AM you would have nothing to worry about. Whatever!

Damn, where is the turn around? It is a good thing I didn't run in the 10K:) This sucks bad enough! Do you remember when six miles seemed like nothing? Hell, do you remember when 3.1 miles seemed like nothing? Are you stupid? Man, I should of put myself with the nine minute pacer. Just suck it up and run!

Thank God! Turn around and mostly down hill:) Slow and easy pace...no sprinting involved today. Just keep moving...one foot in front of the other. Oh crap, a woman is passing me! It is okay...she is way younger, fitter, faster and looks like a freaking rock star! Next year no drinking!!! Next year there will be no freaking month long running break!

I survived! It was an ugly race but I am glad I ran! Yes, I know I look like crap...I felt like it too! I think tomorrow I am going to run six miles...slower pace:)

Walking back to my car with hot chocolate. It is the little things in life that make running a 5K in Minnesota during the month of January worth it:)
Here are my official race stats....

Final time 25:54, 8:20 per mile.

I placed 81 out of 972 total runners.

I placed 18 out of 614 female runners.

I placed 4 out of 92 in my age group.

Happy running, biking, swimming, lifting and surfing! Cheers to you all!

Wishing you and your families a wonderful New Year:)