Runtastic Haunted 2025

Ashlyn and I decided to race the Runtastic Haunted 5k on October 25.

We arrived early to prep and warm up. Unfortunately the morning was just on the edge of cold. The starting area had a very narrow start so we wanted to be as close to the front as possible. So we warmed up a little earlier than usual. This ended up being less than ideal as it was cold enough that it didn’t last, and we had to warm up in the first half mile or so.

When the race started we set out and Ashlyn was a bit ahead of me. I had some second thoughts about being at the front as the initial start had a bunch of people starting faster and passing me. However, as people settled back in I started passing them.

I was able to keep ashlyn in sight for about the first half mile, then I looked up and she was gone. She told me that was about when her legs warmed up and she could fully accelerate to her target race pace.

I kept going at my pace and around the first mile mark I was able to catch the 2 place guy in my age group, didn’t know til after.

I started feeling the pace and the workout from Friday around the halfway point but at that point the workout was also giving me confidence that I could hold the pace. So I gritted my teeth and kept going.

Overall though as I came in to the last half mile I was passed and decided to push and try to stay with him as best I could. I ended up falling back but still getting pretty near to 6 minute mile but not fast enough to catch him.

When I went through the finishing tunnel I nearly tripped on a dip in the road so ended up slowing down a little bit. Overall though I crossed the finish line feeling really good about my effort. I finished in 21:05 a massive PR for myself. Ashlyn Did even better with a 20:06. 
 Overall a successful race and gives Ashlyn confidence as that was her fastest pace of any race this year for the longest she has raced. Official results are (here)[https://runsignup.com/Race/Results/26599/IndividualResult/hNTZ?resultSetId=600906#U26864178,U26864176]