Well, as this race approached I asked myself why I was driving over an hour for a 5k when I would really rather do the UVM 5k so I could cheer in all my friends that were running in Provo today. I didn't consider that when I chose this race. I wanted to run a circuit race hoping for good competition. I wanted a sub 18:00, with 17:45 as B and an unrealistic 17:30 as an A goal.
I got to Holladay with just over an hour to start time. I got my number and jogged a good part of the course for warm up. Downhill the first mile you pay for in the second and third miles. And that's basically how the race went. At least the rain cleared during the race time. Mile 1 - Started out behind a pack of 8 guys. We were on a flatish road, but at the 1k mark, we turn and head downhill. I pass a guy. I hear someone close behind me. 5:30. Nice. Mile 2 - This mile starts downhill, and I get passed by Amber Andrews, then is flat, then a turn around, then you go uphill. She gains quite a bit on me. I think I am going faster than I am, my gps measures the mile long, 6:05 for this mile--lame Mile 3 - I am tired, but I thought as I raced that I had a 5:55 split for the last mile, so I thought I could get under 18:00, which was a blessing mentally. This mile I make myself surge many times (just surge through that turn, just surge to that truck, pretend like this is your last stride). This mile was net uphill and had lots of turns. I don't get the mile split, but I have 6:34 for the 1.1, which is 5:58 ave pace. It seemed so much faster! Well, I'm not sure what to say. I know I fought hard through the third mile. I am sure I could have done better in the 2nd, and I guess I should have taken the first mile slower, but 5ks seem so short, I thought going out fast would be a good strategy, especially with the downhill. It was a hard course, not one to get a 5k breakthrough, in hindsight. I won $75 for second place, so that's cool. I have some undone business in the 5k.
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