The Almost 42Minute 5k Gal

That's what I was thinking about renaming my blog to. After yesterday's 5k (my 2nd one), it just seems that I was destined to be the Almost 42Minute 5k Gal. Let me explain.

I ran a 5k in Davis early last night. I even did a quick warm up run back to the car since I forgot my paperwork. My lil run felt good. I warmed up again as they did a quick warm up session right before the run. We started on an overpass, heading up. Great, that just left an icky feeling. I figured that after the overpass we'll be running on level ground. We just had to get to the other side. Boy was I dead WRONG.

The run was mostly on the greenbelt within the residential area. It was nice but where the heck did all these rolling hills come from? Really? In Davis? In one of the flattest cities in CA. Why did they have to be on my 5k route? The hills really killed me. I can't run hills. All my training is on flat land due to my neighborhood. I think it's time for me to finally break my new treadmill open and run with an incline.

About 1/2 a mile into the run my left side started to cramp. What the heck? I've felt this on my right side before, but not on the left. It actually made it difficult to take deep breaths. Each deep breath hurt, so I had to walk and catch my breath. Wow! What was this? I have read that side cramps were due to not being hydrated, but I really thought I was. This and the rolling hills just killed me.

I must say that this run was by far more difficult for me than my first 5k in Martinez. Wow. This really kicked my butt. I couldn't even ramp up speed towards the end. It looks like I'm walking, but I really was jogging in. I beat my PR by 17 seconds (I know, sad huh?), but I don't think it counts. So yes, overall I was quite disappointed. Hubby said that I should do two things: 

First Suggestion
Instead of running a 5k during my training runs, I should run a longer distance. This way running the 5k would be considered very doable.

Second Suggestion
Cross train. And I have read this time and time again. That's why I plan to start today. I'm still trying to schedule running and workouts since I don't have enough time to do both in the mornings.

My hubby is not a runner at all. But from hearing me get down on myself, and seeing what I'm doing, his observations resulted in these suggestions.

If anyone knows of a race that's on flat land, please let me know. I need to do a run that helps build up my confidence in running a 5k.