My First 5K Pizza Extravaganza

I decided to start training for the Westfield 5K Pizza Extravaganza about five weeks ago. I figured it would be a good motivator to get myself active during these hot summer days. I had been seeing the advertisements for this event around town, and also remember from years past the huge crowd it generates. It seemed like the perfect race to enter as an amateur runner. Anything with "pizza" in the title sounds appealing and how bad could 3.1 miles be?

I started training mid-June for the 5K. Let me start off by stating that I am, by no means, an avid runner. One mile was a major feat for me when I started! I was out running the streets of Westfield four times a week. There seemed to be a whole community of runners in town that I had never noticed before! I began running just one mile per day and gradually brought myself up to 2.5 miles about a week before the race. I began to feel pretty confidant I could complete this race in a timely manner. Friday came along and I got blindsided by my weekend plans! Birthday parties, barbecues and summer fun all got in the way of my practice runs. My sister came down with a case of bronchitis and could not run with me. I was starting to think that maybe I just wasn’t ready for the 5K Pizza run!

I decided I would just have to pull myself together come race day. The weather seemed pretty good with a nice breeze in the afternoon. I had registered online, so the packet pickup was quick and easy. There were plenty of vendors giving away snacks and water to keep all of the runners hydrated. Participants of all ages were stretching and prepping for the big race. Overall, it was a very well organized feel-good environment. The organizers pushed the start time back to 7:10 because of the high number of participants and you could feel the adrenaline in the air! It felt like the perfect night to complete my 3.1 mile run.

The starting horn blew and we began our trek through the streets of Westfield. There were some challenging hills to conquer, but also plenty of hydration spots and cheering crowds to keep me going! Once we turned onto the final stretch on Elm Street, I was feeling great and sprinted my way to the finish line with a 29:12 time. I grabbed a water bottle and a slice to celebrate with my husband. Overall, the Westfield 5K turned out to be a major success and I will definitely be participating again next year. A great crowd and delicious pizza on a summer night, what more could you ask for in a race?

Editor's Note: Rebecca Rud is a contributor to Westfield Patch.