This is not your typical neighborhood July 4th 5K. The top 4 times were significantly under 15:00. I was 16th with a 16:06...not bad considering my training this past 6 months but I had it in my head I could break 16 and I feel I was close.
First mile marker--5:35?? That had to be off...I was most certainly running faster than 10K pace...I kept on concentrating
Second mile marker--10:10 Wow I might be able to do this! I was breathing hard and running with a pack for a change. Can you believe it I actually had people to race against?? Rare anymore in 10Ks around here....I'm always too far from the lead to be a threat. I'm pretty sure that this marker was probably off as well so I was racing by feel and place--like I really should be doing anyway since the time will take care of itself if I am competitive
Third mile marker--15:26 I'm close! Well I could see the clock but I just couldn't close fast enough to even get close. I should assume this marker was probably off too.
Pros: This is my first 5K in a year and also the first one since my achilles injury nocked me out of training for 5 months. how do you race these things again? I felt strong at 5:10-12 pace but couldn't go faster with the hills on the course (which there were enoughto make it a slower course but really not too bad). I'll get faster by racing these more and sub 16:00 seems inevitable with enough patience--something I've learned much about sitting around with a boot on all fall. I've gotten here through consistent aerobic training and another year of that conistency will yield huge results next year even though I will be 30. I still have a few good years left.
Cons: I found fast (5:05-08) running hard to handle since I am on the line in the land of anaerobia. This pace is not something I or my team really target in training too often since we are more about 10K-marathon. Secondly, I finished frickin 16th, really? I thought I was a decent club/hobby runner but races like these give me more perspective about local talent.
All in all a good day and I'm on the right track. Just ran 74 miles last week with pool run, workouts, drills, etc. I need to stay consistent here for many months then a 16:06 will feel like a joke. Good thing I like to run.
Results
some perspective:
This: 
Is much better than this:
or this: 
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