Race Recap: Arctic 5K

Yesterday I ran the Arctic 5K presented by Liberty University Student Activities. I did this race last year as my first 5K as a runner, but I wouldn't recommend any of Liberty's Spring races as a first. You go straight up a mountain for almost a mile, and it's slightly miserable.

On Friday, the day before the race, I got an email that said this:  In case nobody warned you, let me be the first to say that this may be the TOUGHEST 5k you will ever do. This is not for the faint of heart, so put your game face on and get ready to finish a race you’re sure to be proud of.

This is what I tell people when they ask about the race. I always tell them DO NOT do it as your first trail race. I did and I almost wanted to give up running after my first race.

So yesterday I woke up, bundled up, and was determined to beat my time from last year of 48 minutes. The course started out all nice and easy and then there was hill one. I walked. I didn't' want to walk but I did. Last year I was so tired after the uphill parts that I had to walk down hill. This year I made it my goal to run all the downhill parts, and run them I did.

Elevation Profile for the Course

However, the hills were just too long and too many and when it came time to finish, I was one minute slower than last year. But, I was okay with that. I had met my goal of running all the down hills and flat parts, and didn't feel like I was going to die at the end. I also wasn't almost last like last year, and finished before 50 other people. I felt so proud of myself, that I didn't even care about my extra minute. This year was for a change in mentality. There's always next year for a change in speed.

Finisher's photo, temperature, and participant shirt