Firecracker 5K Shreveport 2016

This was my first race back since my "retirement" from triathlon as I move towards competitive running. This year will just be more general stuff , avoiding injuries, and rebuilding the old engine for some fast races next year, hopefully. 

It's been since 2007 since I've run the Firecracker 5K. It's the most fun-filled 5k with 3000+ runners. The start is started by the popping of the firecrackers as we make out way out of the parking lot off Mall St. Vincent and to a old historic neighborhood in Shreveport, La. 

Since I haven't done any fast running yet, as I'm just focused on keeping it together right now with some short frequency runs - this hurt!! The front of the pack runners were hitting 5 min pace and the very front of the pack runners were much faster. I went through the first mile in a hurtful 5:43. 

The second mile felt like slow motion with a lot of uphill work with fatigued legs, arms, and heavy  breathing. I was just trying to not to lose to much ground to the runners in front of me. I hit the second mile in 6:12. 

Heading into the final mile, the first half of it is down hill then it flattens out - went through this in just under 5:55.  With the 200m to go for the I found some old man kick in the legs was able to hit my last 200m at a 4:02 pace to finish 19th overall within 18:16 overall, I was able to earn my mug.