The first 2/3 of the race was okay, but it was super hot. I started out running in the 9:00 mile paces and I crossed the first mile at 9:15. Mile 2 was a little harder and I had to tell myself to “keep going!” I starting breathing very hard after mile 1 up until the halfway mark and then I had to walk in order to catch my breath. I started to feel a little nauseous and light-headed, but I figured it was because of the extreme humidity and the sun blaring down on us. I ended up passing the 2 mile clock at about 19:50. During the last mile, my pace slowed to about 11 or 12-minute mile and I was huffing and puffing and I stopped to walk every few minutes. I think that the heat and running on the beach really effected my time. Even though the sand was hard-packed, it was a little difficult to run the whole way. I crossed the finish line at 31:44 L - this was certainly not my personal best and I wasn’t pleased with my performance. As I’ve mentioned before, all races are not equal. The final stats on the website posted that the race had 4191 total finishers – 1294 male finishers and 2897 female finishers. This was a great race that I would be happy to participate in again next year – maybe it won’t be so hot. What I loved most about the Never Quit Beach Fest 5k Race was how many people came out to support such a wonderful cause. The Never Quit mission is to educate the community on how to avoid brain bleeds, stroke and heart disease through healthy life choices and to encourage everyone to take on a Never Quit attitude and live life to its fullest.
OXOX Natasha
