Runner’s World Heartbreak Hill 5K + 10K Race Recaps

My legs are less sore, but my heart is still full from this weekend.

So far, I just talked about how awesome things were, but I’d assume you want to know about the reason I went up – the races!

I’d committed to the Hat Trick, which includes the 5K, 10K and half-marathon. I’d done it before in the fall, but I was training for a marathon at the time. My mileage is much lower right now, so I was a bit nervous. I knew I could handle the 5K + 10K, but I knew the half would be…interesting.

5K

Outfit details: (c/o Lorna Jane) Drill Excel Tank | Comfort Sports Bra | Run Short

The race started at 7:15. After waking up at 4:15 the day before for my flight, I was still exhausted. I chugged some Vega Pre-Sport Amanda gave me and hoped for the best. We had stayed at Boston College, where the races started and finished. Pro: rolling out of bed and rolling down to the start. Con: my back hurt like hell from the dorm bed.

I somehow lost all of my blog friends and found myself alone at the start. Until I ran into this character. He was also doing the Hat Trick. We started out the 5K at a brisk pace. We’d said we were going to take it easy, but I knew I wasn’t in shape to race the 10K or half, so I was okay with running the 5K at a decent pace.

The course went around the Chestnut Hill Reservoir, which was gorgeous. GB and I ran a 7:44, 7:39 and an 8:24, for an overall time of 25:18. A good 1:45 off my PR but a solid effort that I was happy with, especially knowing the next two races wouldn’t be great times.

I’m obsessed with looking at race stats, so I love these little graphics.

In between, I hung out in the finisher’s area with some friends. The next race didn’t start until 8:30, so I had about 45 minutes to kill. Pro tip: hang out with the pregnant people. This way, you’ll always have a bathroom buddy AND someone to eat with. Score. By the time I chatted a little and peed, it was time to race again.

10K:

This one, I really wanted to take easy. I started with Katy and her friend Jamie and stuck with them the whole time.

This all means nothing to me, but the course followed Comm Ave. out and back for the 6.2 miles, turning around just before the gorgeous Brae Burn Country Club, which puts my parents’ little golf club to shame. 

The hills, though. THOSE HILLS.

The race was overall extraordinarily run, which is what you get when you put a runners’ magazine together with the Boston Marathon race director, save for a patch around mile 2 where the road got really narrow. 

We just chatted though. The theme of the next two races was to have fun. And not die through either the hills or the heat. It was really sunny and definitely a warm day, and my sunscreen was dripping down my face in the most sexy of fashions. 

Heartbreak Hill began around mile 4.5 and we climbed and climbed and climbed until mile 6. It was hot, hilly and I knew I had 13.1 in front of me the next day, so I stopped to walk a few times, since I wasn’t trying to PR. 

Somewhere along the way, we’d picked up Heather and Sarah, and Heather and I ended up picking it up to run through the finish together. 

9.3 miles down, 13.1 to go…

Stay tuned for Round 2!

Have you ever done back-to-back races?