This race was a surprise for me - and everyone else. My target time was 49:12, the course record in my age division. This required me to run 16:24 per 5K, or about 5:15 per mile. I started out with Fritz. We went through the first three miles in 15:47 (5:16, 5:17 and 5:14). We were a little behind the target pace, and I was worried about the second half. Just two weeks earlier at the 10K, there was a terrible headwind in the last two miles. Although I felt like I could keep the pace to the end, I was worried about that happening again. The next mile was in 5:15 (21:02 at 4) and we were 24:34 at the half-way point.
Throughout the entire first half, me and Fritz kept throwing little surges at each other. He had responded to all of mine, and I had responded to all of his. I didn't know how strong he was, and didn't know how much longer I could keep the pace. After mile 5, however, something happened that surprised us both. Mile 5 was in 5:18 (due to the turnaround). That was unacceptable. So more to get back on pace than anything else, I surged. And Fritz didn't go with me.
Once I realized that he was letting me go, I turned up the heat. Perhaps Fritz thought that he'd catch me, just as he had when I attempted something similar during the 10K. Except this time there was no 20mph headwind. The next four miles surprised me. I did 5:12, 5:08, 5:13, 5:11, and kicked to finish in 48:38. The engine turned on. By the time Fritz realized what was happening, it was too late. My last mile (from the Mile 1 mark to the finish) was 5:03.
I guess my training has been paying off. Sure helps when there is no headwind :-).
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