After accepting how crazy hot and humid it has been lately, I decided to re-evaluate my goals right now. I have been carrying a faster pace for the first two miles but with a 8am start time, I knew that it was not going to be pretty come mile 3. Instead I just want to enjoy the run and pace myself nicely the whole race with no stress or pressure.
While the race is named Vinings Downhill 5K, don't let that fool you. Yes it is a point-to-point race, however you still encounter a number of long yet fairly gradual uphill portions. You have to quickly switch gears from running downhill to going uphill. Those not familiar with the course are surprised when they start the uphill portions.
The humidity was getting the best of my breathing at mile two and I started to feel a bit frustrated but I channeled that energy into my run. I was so proud of myself, I remained positive and just enjoyed the run today. I didn't worry about pace or splits - it was just about the run. As I crossed the finish line I saw that I finished a good bit slower than my PR but my fastest time on this course and I was totally fine with that.
For this being a local race with about 1,200 participants total (plus spectators), this post race area is AWESOME! There are some great vendors, awesome refreshments, music, fun, and more. There is also a 1K fun run and dog walk - there were a good number of kids, families, and even some adorable costumed 4-legged runners in the field.