AM: Northeast Roader Runners Winter 10k. Not a great time for me, but I raced a bit today which was the point. I thought I could run between 35:30-36:00 but not today.
The course is an out and back along the Schuykill River Trail on Boat House Row.
Warmed up 4 miles, changed into flats and did some strides. Felt really good. First mile we took off and I was in 4th or 5th, but moved into second. Effort felt fine, form felt smooth. Hit mile 1 in 5:35, which was too fast but I honestly felt fine. Kept 1st place within striking distance and listened for folks behind me. Tried to keep relaxed and focus on my breathing. Felt like a hard tempo (comfortable but definitely not easy). I maintained my distance on first, but this was probably a mistake because he was slowing and I was slowing and not realizing it because I didn't have my pace on.
Around mile 3 I heard footsteps and the guy behind me started to move up. I figured the leader wasn't going to last so I waited to see what the guy behind me would do. We went into the turn around (~18:00, WTF!?!) and he went by me and took the lead. I then passed the second place guy and traded places with the leader. I could see his shoe was untied, which he stopped to tie around mile 4 or so. I went into the lead but felt dirty about it so I slowed up a bit. We had a decent amount of headwind on the way back, and after catching back up to me he sat right on my shoulder for a while. I threw in some surges mostly to see where my own legs were. He took the lead back at some point.
With a mile to go I took the lead back and tried to break him at 3/4 and 1/2 to go (I even ran through some runners coming the other way to use them as human shields. Not sure if this is kosher, but I think it's funny and they were in the way of my tangents). I could see the final straightway and tried to pour it on. Well, he waited and kicked and I lost confidence and lost the race by a handful of seconds.
I did okay racing today, but I still race like an amateur. Part of the problem is a lack of mental toughness and part of the problem is a lack of opportunity. I get a real racing opporunity maybe once or twice a year.
Much work to be done in the next 6 weeks, but I'll get there.
I didn't take splits because I decided to race and get an update or two from the scant number of clocks they had on the course (I had quarter mile markers though, which was nice). But these are from Strava. A really "good" regression race: 5:35, 5:46, 5:52, 5:53, 6:01, 6:00. With a more sensible start I probably could have hung out in the mid to upper 5:40s.
1 mile cool down before awards, which were a waste of time and I should have finished a proper cool down. It was snowing and I wanted to make sure Megan and I got home.
PM: Treadmill - 4 miles. Core work after.
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