Lincoln 5K race report

Having only run three times in the last two weeks, I didn't have high expectations heading into this charity race. But I figured it was $10 and all proceeds were going to the IWK Hospital in Halifax so it was worth showing up.
I must say it was a beautiful day for a run, in that it was pouring rain. I love running in the rain especially coming after what seems like the neverending winter that we've endured in Fredericton. There were 34 runners bracing the elements and I'd like to brag that at least five were from my half-marathon group. It was a well organized race considering it was done in two weeks, the sign up was in the garage of a local runner and it went super smoothly. I was truly impressed.
The race started and it was 1K of constant downhill, it was wonderful, well until I checked my first split: 3:30! I was actually leading after the first kilometre, that is the longest I've been in the lead since high school X-country. When the horn sounded everyone was holding back and I thought, forget this, I'm running my race. I had no idea that my pace was picking up so quickly. I knew I was running fast but not 3:30 fast. Wow. Well, my race started going downhill (er, ok uphill quickly) after that. I don't have my Garmin at my fingertips but I believe I ran two more sub-4:00 splits. I picked shorts and a t-shirt to race in and by 3K my arms were numb. Not cold, numb. Painfully numb. And that wonderful downhill to start the race, well we had to climb back up to finish the race. That was not fun. My cold had been so bad the last few weeks and I had coughed so hard that during the race when I started coughing, I literally thought I was going to cough up blood. That would not have been cool.
I ended up finishing in 19:40, which is not my PB but I was happy. Overall, I finished in fourth place and loved seeing all the smiling faces at my first race of the season. The Run NB web site already has the results posted, I'm proud to say all the half-marathon clinic racers did amazing!