This weekend I ran two races. First up was the National Press Club “Beat the Deadline” 5K on Saturday morning.
I ran the 5K as part of Team Chevy, since Chevy was a sponsor this year. Even though I planned to run the Parks Half Marathon the next day, I couldn’t resist the challenge. My plan for the 5K was to keep the effort easy and treat it as a relaxed shakeout run before Sunday’s longer race.
From left – me, Megan, Heather & Chelsea
I didn’t get a photo of the whole group on my camera!
Tony Horton, creator of the P90X home workout series, was also running. He led a short warm-up before the start, making the atmosphere fun and energetic.
Photo via Heather
It felt appropriate to wear my “Will Run for Bacon” shirt — an old favorite from my shop.
The race started and finished at the National Press Club in downtown DC. Because the start was at 7:30 a.m., Team Chevy asked us to arrive around 6:30 to meet up. The metro doesn’t open until 7 a.m. on weekends, so I used Uber to get to the race. The organizers partnered with Uber to offer free rides for new users, so I finally set up my own account. The ride gave me a gorgeous view of the city at sunrise.
We lined up at the start around 7:15. The morning was beautiful and the mood was upbeat. After Tony’s warm-up, we were off right on time at 7:30.
I kept a comfortable pace throughout the 5K to conserve energy for Sunday. The course offered lovely views of downtown Washington, and it was pleasantly flat — perfect for a fast 5K if I’d been racing it for a PR.
We even paused for a quick photo in front of the Capitol — a nice mid-run photo op suggested by a friend.
The route offered many scenic stretches through downtown. I enjoyed the easy effort and took in the surroundings — it was a perfect pre-race day run.
I finished the 5K in 28:34, averaging 9:12 per mile — a solid shakeout run to prep for the half marathon.
One of my favorite parts of this event was the post-race breakfast at the National Press Club. The organizers served a full breakfast for runners, which made stopping to refuel feel especially rewarding.
I was sitting there eating bacon and eggs when Megan noticed my “Will Run for Bacon” shirt and pointed out the irony. It was a perfect moment and a good laugh.
I would definitely run this race again — the breakfast alone is worth it, and the flat course is ideal for a PR effort. Thanks again to Chevy for the opportunity to be part of Team Chevy.
Have a great week — I’ll share a recap of the Parks Half Marathon next.
Who else raced this weekend? How did it go?