RAP River Run 5k
Chip time 21:12 (gun: 21:14)
Weather: hot and sticky of course (82 degrees, dew pt 76)
Felt pretty good overall and improved by 9 seconds over last year's time, mile splits were all under 7:00.
Splits: 6:51, 6:58, 6:53 (about 6:14 pace for final kick)
Probably did not go out as aggressively as I could (last year did 6:47 in the first mile). There is a timing mat at 1.7 miles, just as the course takes a left turn for a straight shot back. If I look at my detailed pace chart from garmin it shows pace very steady, then after that there was a lot of fluctuation I think due to catching and passing people. According to the 1.7 mile mat I was in 28th place and finished at 23rd place overall. No one passed me and once I passed number 23 there was no one ahead of me that was anywhere near catchable. As I approached 2 mile marker, was determined to stay under 7:00 which gave me a small kick, so at the start of mile 3 it looked like I was doing about a 6:35 pace. But, it was fluctuating a lot. But, anyway kept it comfortably under 7:00 and just in case there was anyone close to passing me picked it up a little more. (Next person back was about 4-5 seconds behind me, so maybe could've passed me if I slacked off enough).
My son Tom was there racing the 10K which started an hour before the 5K, he got first place running progressively faster each mile, had about a 3 and a half minute gap on second place person.
One could theoretically run both, and a number of people did. Tommy Brown had run both, he's a lot faster than me but due to his tired legs (he had just run 38:30 10K) he was 25 seconds behind me in the 5K (it's probably the only way I can beat him in a 5K and even then it's not guaranteed).
After the race I talked with two people who said some really nice things to me about how I inspired them. Good reminder to not get down on myself
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