Local 5k today, goes right by my apartment so I had to run it, they touted the course as flat and fast and for the first two miles it was, the last mile was a steady gradual uphill that was deceptively taxing. Beautiful day here in Colorado, 60 degrees and light wind at the start - full sunshine. Goal was to go all-out to see what I could do a 5k in, I have not been training 5k specific, so I wondered what my speed would be like. The fastest mile I have done all year was in training and was a 5:36, everything else has been 5:40 +. Lots of good runners today, including several hs kids - fast start and I was shocked at how comfortable the pace felt, first mile was 5:29, halfway point was 8:24 (16:48 pace) - I thought I was going to break 17! Thought it was too good to be true (and it was). 2nd mile was 5:32, 11:01 at the 2 mile, last mile and change was 6:5X or something. Really tells the story, I ran out of gas after running my two fastest miles of the year so far in mile 1 and 2 in the race and then I just held on at tempo pace to finish. Everyone slowed the last 1.1, it was the gradual uphill. I don't feel too bad about this race and the way it ended, As with any race- there are positive and negative takeaways - positives are definitely the early speed - 2 miles very quick for me. 17:52 is still a PR at altitude for me - as this race was between 5300-5400 feet. They say about 12 seconds per mile for this altitude, so I am probably 17:15 shape back home. Cooled down for 8.3 - got to keep the mileage up for the marathon in a few weeks.
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