Belmar 5 Race Report and Long Run Success

As I mentioned in my last post, I needed to do a little tweaking to my training plan to get my long run in this weekend. Since I was already registered for a 5 mile race, I decided to run the race as my tempo run for the week (which was conveniently scheduled to be a 5 mile tempo run anyway) and then run 10 miles after the race to complete the long run. Including a two mile warm up, that would total 17 miles for the day and I would have completed my tempo run and long run in one shot. I already ran enough extra easy miles for the week so I didn't need to worry about losing miles by combining the runs. I actually was able to stick pretty closely to my plan. Here's how it went:

Warm up
1.41 miles
12:23
8:46 average pace

Race Stats
5.05 miles
37:05
7:20 average pace

Splits
Mile 1~7:16
Mile 2~7:26
Mile 3~7:32
Mile 4~7:26
Mile 5~7:04

Race Report
This was the first race I have run as a tempo run, and it was fun! I definitely had to keep slowing myself down, especially at first when I couldn't go out as fast as I would have liked but it was nice to actually enjoy the race. The course was pancake flat but the humidity was high! I probably would have been really disappointed with my time if I ended up racing. It poured immediately before the start which instead of cooling things off, made it super humid. The spectators at all of these beach races are fantastic. Everyone is out on their lawns setting up their own water stops or spraying runners with their hoses. Of course, I went a little faster than I was supposed to (the training schedule said 5 miles @ 7:44) but I think I did pretty well considering it was a race. I picked it up in the final stretch to about a 6 min pace for a couple hundred yards and I finished feeling strong and ready to keep going!

Post Race Run
10.40 miles
1:36:03
9:13 average pace

Splits
9:07
8:51
8:57
9:03
9:14
9:28
9:30
9:15
9:22
9:30
9:01 (pace)
Total Mileage: 16.86 (ughh I calculated wrong!)
Total Time: 2:25:31

Long Run Report
I can't believe I calculated the distance wrong! Apparently I cannot add. I am still calling this a 17 mile run :) We ran up and down the boardwalk for 10 miles. The breeze off the beach was beautiful and it was a bit cloudy so the boardwalk wasn't too crowded. After the run we had about a mile walk back to the car. Our shoes were soaked with rain and sweat so we took them off and walked barefoot on the boardwalk. We stopped at a beach cafe and bought a soft pretzel to share. Every run should end this way! Barefoot on the boardwalk eating a pretzel...