3.65 mi warmup in 28:15, 7:44/mi, HR 165. 5k in 18:38, 6:00/mi, HR 177. 7 mi cooldown in 55:31, 7:55/mi, HR 150. A 5K PR today. Didn't know what to expect from today's race only 1 week after the relay so I set a low goal for myself (19:30 max time) and figured I'd just run by feel as hard as I could muster. Stacked field with all the local talent....Sean Sundwall was the race director and invited all the elites in the area, lured by the smell of $$$. Advertised as fast and flat (it was), I figured a PR would be possible but didn't want to go getting my hopes up too high. Since this was only the 3rd 5K I've ever run and all have been PRs to date, there was a tiny bit of pressure. The morning was cloudy and there was a fine mist/light rain hanging in the area.....perfect weather as far as I was concerned for racing, aside from the possiblity of some slick spots. No worried about overheating. Start time was 9am and I lined up behind the obvious speedsters but attempted to get near the front so I wouldn't get held back too much. Oh, and the race was chip timed and certified, somewhat rare for a small town race in it's first year, courtesy of a race director who knows what that stuff means to runners. Took off as best I could at the horn, but the press of people kept the first 0.1 or so slow. A combined 5K and 10K start so I expected some of this but some of these people just don't understand what it means to seed yourself. I passed about 50 people in about the first 1/4 mile and was passed by a total of 1 other runner, who'd probably miscalculated their starting place worse than I did. Down to business....at the 1/2 mile mark, saw I was slow on my pace so I hit the gas and promptly moved into ouch territory....unlike my last 5K, breathing went to 2-2 and stayed there until the end. Made up some time, passed some runners and was passed by one to hit 1 mile in about 5:56. Being completely unable to perform any higher (or lower) math while running faster than slow, I just wanted to try to stay below 6 minute miles. I caught the runner who'd passed me shortly before the 1 mile mark at about 1.5 and picked off some others, although fewer than the last mile. Mile 2 in 6:01. Honestly didn't know it at the time since I was just running as hard as I could and watch looks would've cost time and energy. Just after the 2 mile mark, the course turns sharply right and on the slick ground I slipped a bit and had to slow briefly to make the turn safely. As it turned out, I was going to wind up slowing anyway because there was a climb to a bridge over the river that was the steepest part of the course, which is to say I climbed about 25' in 0.1 miles. Really hurting now and just kept telling myself to push hard; it'd be over soon. Caught some women runners in some fancy club singlets at about 2.75 mi, but the remainder of the race is a blur of pain until the end. 3rd mile in 6:03 with the last 0.1 in 0:38....the 5K is about the only race distance where I have no kick, I've left it all on the course. I do take solace in knowing I wasn't the only one hurting badly.....one of the local elites finished his 10K and was walking around cooling down. I commented on his smoking fast time and his comment was "Thanks. That really hurt." Glad I'm not the only one feeling the pain, especially when it seems like I'm the only one in the finish chute that needs a minute (or three) to stand there so I don't fall over, pass out, hurl, or something equally embarassing.
So a 5K PR of 25 seconds. The race itself was run very well....Sean did a great job in the inagural event. Did some cooldown miles waiting for the awards ceremony and afterwards met Sean in person briefly. Finally got in the car for the drive home, via an Emerald City Smoothie with my name on it up the street. This was one of those races where the effort sidelined me for the remainder of the day and my energy level was way down, so I know I ran my guts out. Also set a Max HR PR. When I first started back running, I followed an online recommendation and ran steep hill sprints several times and recorded a max of 189. For 2 years, I saw myself get close but never exceeded that value. Well, checking my garmin data, I seem to have hit 193 in the middle of the race. So I guess I broke 2 personal records today.
Adrenaline 8s (Blue) - 169.5 miles. | 