Race Recap: Vanderbilt 3k

My first outdoor 3k ever. Results = awful.

I am new to this whole track thing and wasn’t aware of the different ways to start. We had two lines of girls, like so.

I know you like my photoshop skills

I am in lane 8ish. This is hypothetically. I’m not sure how we were really lined up lane wise, but just pay attention to the lines. See the other line of girls up front?

When the guy had the gun in the air and said on your mark, I was still standing on the line like above. I was unaware it actually was supposed to look more like this:

So as the gun is in the air the official is using his other hand to motion “scoot up” to me. Then as I was, he shot the gun. I freaked out thinking I was going to be in the back (which I probably should’ve been anyway) and started out wayyyyyy too fast!

Splits went like this:

• 84
• 94
• 93
• 98
• 99
• 100
• 97
• 45

To put in perspective a 84 is 5:38 pace and a 100 is a 6:42 which both are not good for me. Too fast and too slow for a 3k.

I ran an 11:50 when I was supposed to run an 11:36.

It was a sad day, but I learned from it.

Q: Do you ever start off too fast when you race?

In high school I used to automatically start in the back and work my way up. This race was completely opposite. I died hardcore.

Q: Are you racing anytime soon?

I just ran my first 5k on a track (you’ll get that update in a few days, or tomorrow hah) and I might possibly run a 3k this weekend if my foot is good and coach lets me go.

First Collegiate Indoor Race

So on Friday I had my first indoor race ever. The wonderful 3k. I absolutely LOVED that distance.

I had to be at the rec center at 4:30 and our race didn’t start until 7:30. We actually thought the boys race was first but we found out 10 minutes before our race that we were first. How? My teammates were going to the bathroom and saw the other girls spiked up at the starting area. Wonderful.

We hurried so fast to get our stuff and get prepared for the race with strides and stretching.

The race was incredibly comfortable. There were two runners that took off from the start and I didn’t even bother trying to go with them. So I just let them go. I actually had no idea how to even race or what to do so I just listened to my coach. Each lap he’d say “stay the pace and stay relaxed” which is what I did. Probably too relaxed. I felt like I was on a training run.

Tip: Chewing gum helps one avoid dry mouth on the indoor track.

Con: You have extremely bad pictures because your mouth is always in weird poses.

I had a great time racing this 3k and hope to do more in the future.

I have no splits for you but my official time was: 11:57

Translates into this:

• 3 Kilometers in 11:57 [6:24 per mile] [3:59 per kilometer]
• I got 4th place out of 8
• My 3k pr (only have done one previous) was 13:23 from 12/12/2009
• That is 7:11 pace