It was 17 deg this morning when I left for Smithfield at 8:30. Luckily the race didn't start until 10:00 but it was cloudy early and only warmed to the upper 20s for start time. I have been avoiding any speed work [or pretty much anything under 7:00 pace] since I tore my hamstring last August. I did a 3 mile tempo last Saturday and the hammy felt fine afterward so I decided to do this 5k and get a good training run out of it.
There was about 150 people running the 5k. The course was very hilly with virtually no flat. I did a 2.2 mile warmup. The race started with a bad hill climbing 170 ft in the first .6 m. It continued to climb the next 1/4 but not as steep then finally dropped a bit at the end. I finished that mile in 6:40. The second mile quickly dropped about 100 ft in the next 1/4 m then started another climb that went up 70 ft then back down 70 to the end of mile 2. I did that mile in 6:07. The 3rd mile had a nice easy drop of about 75 ft. with a slight up at the end. Mile 3 time was 5:52. It was a loop course and right near mile 3 we crossed the starting line so the final .2 was starting back up the hill for a net elevation gain for the race of about 15 to 20 feet. I ran the last .2 at 5:39 pace. My garmin measured the course at 3.2 miles and I drove around it in my jeep afterward to double check my garmin. The jeep loses 1/10 for every 3 miles when checking with the highway mileage markers and it said 3.1 with 30 yards to go so I figure I'll go with 3.2 which matches the Garmin and would make my time for 3.1 miles 19:10. The finish line had been moved beyond where the race map showed probably to finish in a more convienient spot in the parking lot rather than on the road. I feel pretty good about that given my lack of speed work and the tough course. I was 5th overall beaten by 3 high school x-country runners and a 26 year old. I was 1st in the 40 to 49 age group.
PM Ran 5 more miles at 7:58 pace at home. | 