W.A.R.T.S. 5K Recap

Originally, Wifey was going to write this post because Saturday was a big day for her, but she honestly doesn't have time to do it!  So I will do my best to cover everything we talked about.

First of all, what is W.A.R.T.S.?!  The acronym stands for We All Run Together for Sandy.  This was a benefit event put together by the owners of The Sneaker Shop in Ocean City, NJ to assist the residents affected by hurricane Sandy.  This was not an "official" race by the city, just a group of people who wanted to help.  There were no race bibs, no clocks or timers, and your registration fee was a donation of goods or money to the cause.  For more about the origins of this race and another recap, check out Kashi's Cape Island Runner's Blog!

The Night Before

Since the race was in Ocean City, over an hour and a half away, we knew it was going to be an early morning.  We were lucky enough to have Wifey's mom stay over the night before to watch the kiddos so that both of us could do this run together.  Wifey was pretty nervous about  this run because she had yet to run 3.1 miles in her life.  EVER!  The furthest she had gone was 2.6 Miles, and that was the week before the race!  I assured her that she would be fine and that she could in fact do this.

Wifey's concern was finishing, but I was more worried about staying warm but not overdressing like I did earlier in the week.  The night before the run I chose what I would be wearing - My black tights and a bright pink LS compression shirt.  And of course, gloves & an earband.  I decided to forgo the additional shirt since I was too warm last time, though I was nervous about making the wrong decision.  Finally, I decided I would bring the outer layer and decide when we get there if I would need it or not. 

And of course, there was the fear that we would lose the pack & be completely lost in Ocean City and not know where we were or how to get back to our car.   This was much more likely since streets wouldn't be blocked off or labeled because it wasn't an "official" race.

Getting Started

Of course we were running late the morning of the race.  It got to the point of us not being sure we would actually make it in time, but we decided to chance it and hope for the best.  The only details we had were to meet at 9am at the recreational center, and we were hoping they would allow for late-comers!  In case we missed the actual start, our back-up plan was to find the boardwalk and make up our own run.

Amazingly we made it just before 9am!!  Not much before, but we didn't miss everything!  I got the chance to meet up with Kashi, who has been a running inspiration to me since the start of this whole journey.  Unfortunately she was nursing an injury she got right before the Philadelphia marathon, so no running for her this day :(  But she was there to cheer everyone on nonetheless! 

Since we ran to use the bathroom before everything started we of course missed the course overview and I immediately started panicking, thinking that my biggest fears had come true and we were going to be lost in a city we didn't know!  (You know, because we don't have smartphones now with GPS)  Luckily, Kashi filled us in on everything and it was pretty simple...run straight down 18th Street to the boardwalk, go down to the Music Pier at 8th Street, turn around and come back.  Easy.  Yes!

Here We Go!!

I knew going into this that today was all about Wifey and her first 5K.  This was not going to be my fastest run or any kind of record breaking event, rather a chance to prepare for next weekend's race in the cold weather.  I let Wifey set the pace that was comfortable for her and I followed her lead.  I reminded her not to get over zealous and go too fast too early.  She definitely pushed herself because she couldn't get more than a word out at a time, but she kept going. 

It was definitely a gorgeous day out!  The sky was clear, the sun was shining, and it wasn't too cold.  I definitely dressed accordingly for the day.  But one of the things that surprised me the most was the wind!!  I knew it would be windier near the ocean than it is in our West Jersey home.  However, there were a few gusts that pushed us around the boardwalk and I was not prepared for that!

Another surprise for me was how much I LOVED running on the boards!!  They are easy on the body, give you a little extra spring in your step, and hey - it's ALWAYS great to be on a boardwalk!  I had ZERO aches and pains after this run, where I usually have at least a little twinge or two that need to be stretched afterwards, whether it be on the treadmill or pavement.  If I lived closer to the beach, I would definitely be running outside more often in ANY season!

Results

When all was said & done, according to MapMyRun (click to view the run!), we ran 3.08 miles in 38:40.  Not bad for Wifey's first 5K!  And in the cold!  Our average pace was 12:32, which is right around Wifey's normal speed.  Fantastic for someone who didn't really have time to fully prepare for a 5K and just threw herself into it!  I am so proud of her for finishing, for not walking or stopping, and for wanting to run with me next weekend in the Race for the Hungry Holiday 5K in Burlington!  Way to go Wifey!!

Wifey & I on the boardwalk, just after we turned around - Halfway there!!  Who wants ice cream??!!