Yulefest c5k

One of my new favorite local race companies is cambridge5k. I did their Oktoberfest and it was great! Fun, great environment, plenty of cowbells, all you can eat and drink after the race, free bag check, so happy i found this company. On Thursday i went to bib pick up at the cambridgeside galleria, and they gave us a giant coupon book, and 3 stickers for parking validation. And we were right next to Santa. Race day was awesome, meeting friends pre race, hanging out was awesome, i even managed a new pr, guess the whole ultra training is paying off. I had not run a 5k since their Oktoberfest (insert date here) everything had been either hiit on Mondays with strength mixed in, long runs, or medium ones, i had a few quick runs, just a mile i ran so i did not louse speed. But i was focused on slower speed, and longer distance, so lets just say i had been nervous about my speed (that and i had not run much the week before or after the ultra, it was an easy one 2 days before, then monday nights hiit. Afterwards i was sore, and had a myofasha massage to fix my hips and legs that were just crazy off from all the trail running and training. So my concern felt warranted, but man i hit the ground running, and from the back of the corral. Just another example that too much worry does not help things at all. Train to your best abilities, listen to your body, rest is very important, as is recovery. Even though at times it felt like i was wasting time, maybe resting too much, have faith in yourself, it makes a world of difference.

Back to the race, so it was a 5 k, we did a loop in Cambridge, you could easily find street parking close by for free. There were many people dressed up in costume, first place was some guy dressed in a banana costume, (matching a lady who went as a monkey). Bag check is free! And pretty close by, then it was time for the after party. Plenty of different and random beer vendors, and unos was giving out deep dish pizza. They had pretzels as well, they are great, and core power was there (hell they are everywhere). They had a dance party, and prizes for best male and female dancers, as well as prizes for fastest overall and age group categories, and costumes. This race series is always a fun event, and i look forward to more from this series in the future! (i Dressed as Superman!)

Now the next puzzle i get to work on is how to properly treat "off season" it is in quotation marks because in New England we still have races in the snow, more about those as they get closer, like blizzard blast, and polar bear challenge. Their may be more on the horizon but keeping work happy, and giving my body a break in the slower race time is very important. I think i may try to focus on strength more in the winter, and finally get the hurc hoist at a spartan on my own next year. 

Until next time

Keep training

Stephen

(P.S. Photo Credit Cambridge Chronicle)