Going For A New PR (Again)

I came to work today carrying 9 race kit bags for my co-worker friends running with me on Sunday, April 26 in the Markham Stouffville Hospital Legacy 5K Run. There was excitement in the air as I handed the race kits to my friends, specially the ones running their first road race, some trying on the freebie shirts as soon as they got them. I remember this same feeling before some two and a half years ago when I was just starting to run and just before a road race . Like a 12 year old playing his first basketball game in his first basketball tournament, that was exactly how I felt on my first 5k race. To my friends, I hope and pray that they all finish the race uninjured, and for the first timers, just to savor and enjoy the experience.

If I remember correctly, I ran my first 5k in about 38 minutes. I also remember that out of more than a hundred runners, I was one of the last runners to cross the finish line. Being a former basketball player in my younger years, I was disappointed (my ego and pride were hurt) at my slow time, and from then on, everytime I ran a race , tried to beat my last PR (Personal Record). With this frame of mind, I slowly improved my times in the 5k and in June of last year, my last 5k race, I did 26:33 which is my fastest time on that distance. It's a nicer feeling now to be in the upper half of the race result list at least in the 5k distance.

This Sunday, I'm gonna go for it again. I will aim for a new PR in the 5k distance.

Is it even possible though, considering that I have been training in the last year more for endurance ( running longer distances, particularly the half-marathon or longer) rather than for speed? We'll see on Sunday.