My Lucky Charm 5K race recap — how I ran a new PR of 28:45, placed second in my age group, and finally broke 30 minutes in the 5K. A full story of race day, gear, and how far I’ve come since my first 5K in 2019.
A new PR, second in my age group, and the sub-30 minute 5K I have been chasing for years — this one was a long time coming.
Waiting at the start line. Nervous, ready, and trying not to go out too fast (spoiler: I went out fast).
I have been chasing a sub-30 minute 5K for a long time. And this past weekend at the Lucky Charm 5K, I finally got there — and then some. This race meant more than just a finish time. It was proof that the work I have been putting in is actually working.
Race day gear
The weather was in the 40s which is honestly my favorite racing weather. It is cold enough that you are not overheating, not so cold that you are miserable at the start. The biggest gear decision I made was lacing up my Brooks Hyperion Max 3 for the first time in a race. It is a plated neutral shoe, and I genuinely felt faster in them. Whether that is the plate doing its job or just the confidence boost that comes with a race shoe, I will take it either way.
Race day flat lay— 40-degree weather approved.
Brooks Hyperion Max 3
The plated shoe I raced in, and I could genuinely feel the difference. Lightweight, fast, and worth every penny for race day.
Shop on Amazon → Affiliate link — I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only share products I personally use and trust. 🤍How the race went
I did what every runner says they are not going to do. I went out on adrenaline. I looked down at my watch in the first mile, saw a 9-something pace, and had exactly one thought: that is either going to go really well or really badly.
It went really well.
I held that pace the entire race. My legs felt heavy from the start and by the end I was lightheaded and running entirely on stubbornness. But I kept moving, kept my pace, and crossed that finish line.
Heavy legs, lightheaded, absolutely not stopping.
“A 5K is not supposed to be easy if you are racing it. You just have to send it.”
5k Race Recap: The results
Race Stats
The course ran about 0.11 miles short. My projected finish at the full 3.12 miles would have been around 29:36. Either way, I broke 30 minutes, and that has been my goal for years. The official time stands at 28:45 and I am incredibly proud of it.
How far I have come
Every time I run this race I think about where I started. In 2019 I ran my very first 5K ever in 36:36. That number became everything I wanted to beat when I came back to running in 2023. When I finally did, it was one of the biggest moments I have had as a runner. And now I look back at that goal and I have taken almost eight full minutes off of it.
My 5K Progress Over the Years
| First 5K ever — 2019 | 36:36 | |
| Lucky Charm 5K — 2024 | 34:38* | |
| Adjusted for short course · Goal: beat 2019 | ||
| Thanksgiving Day 5K — 2025 | 30:57 | Previous PR |
| Lucky Charm 5K — 2026 ✨ | 28:45 | New PR · 2nd in age group |
The thing I keep coming back to is the speed work. I have been more intentional about it this training cycle than ever before, and this race is proof that it is translating. I did not get to this finish time by accident.
Second in my age group
Full transparency: the only other time I have placed in my age group, I came in second out of two. I did not exactly earn that one. This time was different. This time I actually competed for it, and standing there holding two medals felt surreal in the best way
Two medals. Still processing it.
What is next
This race came at the perfect time in my training block. The Chicago Spring Half Marathon is on May 17th and this result tells me everything I needed to hear. The speed is there, the fitness is building, and the work is paying off. Now it is about carrying it over 13.1 miles.
I will keep sharing my weekly training recaps here as race day gets closer. You can follow along on the Training & Progress page.
Here is to more PRs and more podiums. The work is worth it. 🩷
