In the Running Zone

Towards the end of April your favorite running human was at the start line of a 5K race - it would be one of my last runs before Ramadan. Quite literally, it was a week -give or take a couple of days - before Ramadan swooped in! There are few things that I did differently this time around compared to my past couple of races.

I warmed up at home.

For my last race, I got to the race location a bit later than I meant to. This meant that I had precisely 0 minutes to warm up. Well, I got there late and I drank the equivalent to my weight in water before I left my house so add in that mini bathroom stop once I got to the race location and I was at the start line with no dynamic stretches done beforehand.

This time around, I knew that regardless of if I got there in time I wanted to warm up at home because that would ensure I wasn't in a time crunch and was taking my time through my stretches. I also included a few stretches with my foam roller to warm my calves and thighs up too - if you don't have a foam roller, a tennis ball works too! I got to the race location on time and had a good 15 minutes before I had to head to the starting line. I also had to take a bathroom stop once there - I promise I didn't drink my weight in water but uh ya girl was not about to not drink water.

I focused on myself.

Now, one thing I semi-struggled/struggle with when racing is that I always try to pace with someone. I didn't want to do that this time or any other time. Was I semi-upset when I saw people pass me? Well, yeah. I think any runner can relate to the feeling of am I being left behind am I falling too far back? I pushed those feelings aside and focused on my breathing and the way my arms were swinging - for reference, I was not having my arms swinging in front of my chest but driving them forwards and backwards.

Mile one was actually really nice and smooth - I finished it up in 7:45. Mile 2 is always where I feel I struggle. The middle mile always comes for my neck, really. Keep Going. You Belong. Keep Those Arms Up. Forward Lean. Don't sit back in your run. Girl if you don't bring those arms up! You can hold this pace, I know you can - KEEP GOING - welcome to the inside of my racing brain.

One thing I really notice at races is that there aren't people that look like me, ever. And it's not that it bothers me, I just always kind of wonder where are the people that look like me. I've grown used to always being the only hijab-wearing girl in my University gym for my 4 years - really in any athletic setting, it's just me that looks like me. That's really the reason behind why You Belong is pretty high up on things to remind myself when I feel like my wheels are breaking off.

By Mile 2 I was able to coach myself up - almost done! almost at the end! I didn't pay much attention to the runners around me - if I were falling behind or not - I just kept my attention to myself and how my body was feeling. I felt a side stitch coming up on my right side mid mile 2 into mile 3. A side stitch is usually pain on your right side right under your ribs - nothing harmful! but dang, once you get a side stitch you really wonder if you should Google what you're feeling and if WebMD will tell you you're dying - I managed to convince myself to google and finally know the term side stitch!  The higher your endurance the less you get them!

i clearly have no other poses oops

I finished strong.

The last stretch is actually kind of my favorite part. You're almost at the finish line and you may have felt like slowing down the pace but once you see that finish line in the distance you pick up the pace. That's what I did. I saw the time from far and was like! hey! get! that! PR*! GOOOO. I picked up my pace and went straight ahead across the finish line with a time of 26:44! faster than my previous time of 27:24:30! The really hilarious thing about my time - my mile breakdown was: 7:45, 8:40, 8:40 and my average pace was 8:35.

* = technically speaking my 5K PR is 21 minutes from a few years ago, but since it was so long ago I'm not sure if it counts? So this is a PR as of recent!

If I were to add my mile times up it'd give me 24:25. If I were to multiply 8:35 by 3 I'd get 25:05. So uh I'm happy with my time but also REALLY confused on what is the truth.

ANYWAYS - As I was drinking some water next to my mom and sister a really nice lady tapped me on the shoulder and told me that I raced amazingly and that I kept her going. Apparently she used me as a pacer through the race.

I found this kinda funny. This was perhaps my first race where I didn't try to keep pace with someone but little did I know someone was using me to pace. I feel like once you're in your own running zone you're in an invincible bubble because, you're focusing only on yourself and no not your time - just how you feel and how you're holding up. Really, any race you do is YOU vs Your previous running self. Although easier said than done, not focussing so much on the runners around me actually helped me ~relax~ into my race.

One difference between this race and my last couple of races is that this was the first time I didn't place in the Top 3 for my age group even though it was the fastest I went this year. I came in 4th place which I'm still really happy about and I focused on making this run mine, not someone else's. Also! I was #103/262 Runners!

When's my next race...

Now that Ramadan has started I can't really go on my morning runs or turn my morning runs into evening runs - I really wanted to run a half hour before time to break my fast (Muslims during Ramadan fast from sunrise to sunset - if you're curious about Ramadan and want to learn a bit more I've written a crash course on Ramadan - Crash Course: Ramadan ), I used to run in previous Ramadan's - however I'm really worried about feeling way too dehydrated. So for this Ramadan, I'm actually working on my core - that Stacey Irvin Jr. workout I mentioned in Building up Strength Without A Gym? Yeah, ya girl may have abs by the end of Ramadan.

I really want to have a strong core and stronger arms for my next race.

How's everyone's fitness life going? Are you a home workout human? Gym human? Running outside into the sunset/sunrise?

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