I have not trained for the mile since I left high school and I doubt I ever will again. However, it was easy to remember all of the good times I had racing my buddies back in the day while waiting on the in field near the start of the sub 5:00 heat I was in. Our team does this event for fun and I usually have a lot of fun (my marathoner buddies really don't like it though).
The first lap was a jostle for position and I was slightly boxed but I felt like I wasn't even moving. I ran wide on the back stretch turn and settled into 2nd and then 1st soon thereafter. I was excited to actually be able to lead a race again. I slowly put down the hammer but my non-miler legs started getting heavy with oxygen debt and my lack of anaerobic work was apparent. I pressed hard but some guy blew by me with 200m to go and I just couldn't match. I recognize his name, he was pretty good around DC a few years back. I finished 2nd in my heat. Of course, everyone in the elite heat beat me too.
3K: I hopped in at the last minute. I started slow and worked my way to secons and drafted for a few laps before making a break for it in the lead until some Pacers New Balance bro passed me with 200m to go (again). I felt strong though.
There is a lot of talent around here in local distance running. It's amazing when the winning time at a club mile is 4:09 and second place is 4:12. My 4:39 fun run just doesn't compete. Luckily for me I like to run and race against myself. Otherwise why would I bother? Some days I just want to win something though. I have a race or two I think I can win coming up this fall.
Cons: I didn't win my heat and I am not fast enough to even bother competing in the elite heat.
Pros: Wow, even with my achilles injury and starting back from scratch last February, I am back to where I was last year at this time which was shortly before I tore my achilles. Although I have not done much anaerobic work, I have much more strength and endurance than I did last year, which leads me to believe I can certainly break 16:00 Saturday. For instance, I finished the 9:30 3K in second in workout mode. I could have never done that after a mile last year. I think I ran 9:55 or something in the 3K at this meet last year. The fall is when I'll really shine. An August full of 80 mile quality weeks will see to that.
Mile results (I'm in the "fast men" heat)
3K results
Article about the race
you can see me in the upper left. This guy passed me like I was standing still. Knowing his PRs though, it appears he was just out for a Wednesday workout
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