First 10K Race After Injury

So as I mentioned in an earlier blog I was sidelined by an injury to my ankle.  I ran a 5K at the end of April as a test race before the Great Cape May Footrace in May, the one I signed up for the 10K instead of the 5K. I kept thinking the race was on a Sunday and the weather report calling for rain on Saturday was of no concern to me until Thursday before the race when I realized I was running on Saturday!  Every runner I have ever met will tell you the importance of training in conditions you could face during a race.  I never heeded this advice and had only ever run twice in the rain, both times were only at the end of my run and very light rain.  The wind I was prepared for but not the rain.  The morning of the race was just as miserable as predicted, a great time for the weather reports to be accurate.  I did my normal pre-race routine then dressed and headed to Cape May.  I thought about changing my race distance once I arrived but where is the challenge in that?  The race starts and we are off, at first the wind is not that bad and the rain is a heavy mist.  A few turns later and we are running into the wind, for those running the 10K this will last about 2.5 miles.  Those running the 5K will run about 1.5 miles into the wind before turning around towards the finish line.  As I pass the turnaround for the 5K I think about turning. I don’t and I push on into the wind.  My shoes are sloshing and full of water, the thought that I should have ran in the rain before this day goes through my mind.  At about mile 4.5 I give in and walk.  I alternate between walking and running until I cross the finish line.  After the finish I start walking to where the awards will be announced, my car is between the finish and the restaurant.  I stopped at my car with the intention of drying off and changing but the dry car was too inviting and I decided to drive home and get a warm shower. The takeaways from this race, I was not prepared.  I did not train sufficiently for the distance, I never ran more than 5K before the race.  I did not train in similar conditions.  As I sit here writing this, my next race day is in just over two weeks. I signed up for a 2 mile and 5 mile race both on the same day.  I guess it is time to make a training plan!  I will let you know how it goes.