Day 3,688: Tartan Trot 5K

Win a medal, get a cake.

DUNWOODY, Ga. -- Ever since getting a free cake in last year's Tartan Trot 10K, this has been on my list of races to do this year.

It's such a nice community race and the donated cakes by churchgoers makes it even more fun to run in.

This year, however, I decided I would try my feet at the 5K distance instead of the 10K. After picking up the packet on Friday and driving the course, I was happy to learn the first two miles of the race would be all downhill, followed by what looked like a few uphill sections at the end of the race.

This meant the course was basically a lot like the Fast Track 5K in Duluth that I ran last May.

And I ran it nearly exactly. My first mile here was 6:27. Everyone was running hard! I felt like I was out of my element but I kept on chugging. Second mile slowed to 6:51 and a few people passed me. My last mile was 7:33 and I really wanted to quit.

Instead of two uphill sections, there actually are three on the latter part of the course. I was passed by three guys, then a few teenagers. I really thought my chance of winning my age group (and getting a free cake) were slim.

But I finished the race and waited around. When they finally announced my age group, I was concerned that after they read out the third- and second-place winners I was completely knocked out of the group!

I was elated when I heard the announcer fumble over my last name. Wow! I didn't expect to win my age group but yes, I will take a free cake!

I ended up the race in 21:57, which is a vast improvement over the 23:34 I ran at the end of the year in the Stamp Out Poverty 5K in Grant Park. Last year, it took until May before I broke 22 minutes in a 5K.

I decidedly dressed down for this race but maybe should have worn even less -- I learned during intervals last week that I needed to ditch the long-sleeve technical T-shirt because I got too warm running fast. I took off my gloves in the first mile but found my hands were freezing during much of the race.

The visor worked perfectly -- kept my head warm but also able to vent heat. And my Saucony Type A6 racing flats, which I haven't worn since last February, were excellent shoes this time around.

There are a few more 5Ks on my radar this winter/spring so I'm hoping to use this as a motivator to keep working on my endurance, especially in the third mile.

Time: 8:30 a.m.
Temp: 27 degrees
Gear: T-shirt, short (Falcons orbital), Techinical T-shirt, long (Locomotive Half), Brooks Spartan shorts, cep compression socks, nuun headsweats visor, Saucony Type A6.