Second year for Whale of a Run in Silverdale. This is the biggest local race, there were over 1,000 out there today. I wanted to better my time from last year by a minute, and stay in contention for top 5 or so (I was 9th last year). Got there early and it was warming up already (not like last year's 95, but 85 is new for this summer). Three mile loop on the Clear Creek Trail to loosen up, I was sweating pretty good when I found Mike. We did another mile, went to the bathroom at Target, then some strides and stretching. I wanted to start quickly and get a 5:30 or so first mile, since the second mile is uphill. There was a big pack of 10 or so for the first mile, and we went through together at 5:23. Things strung out up the hill, and I played it conservatively but passed one or two guys. Crested with Mike right on my shoulder, but left him as the course flattened out and turned onto Provost. I picked up it again, and finished with a 6:15. I still felt pretty good, and had three guys in might sights: the only other guy even possibly my age, and then a pair of Central Kitsap High runners. (Their team made up the entire lead pack, by the way. They show up in force for this, and they have a good summer training program.) I kept a solid pace and ran 5:45 on a slightly rolling third mile, but that was slower than it should have been. I'm kind of upset with myself now for it, should have been 5-10 seconds faster and gained more on those three. I didn't move much at all, and they didn't drop any pace either. So I knew the last mile had to be fast to hit my goal time and catch those guys. Unfortunately, it also wasn't fast enough. I tried to make a move but just couldn't quite get to that gear, even on the downhill where I planned to tear after the three. I had a solid kick and felt too good coming down the last 500m. 5:23 mile to finish, which isn't bad but left me three seconds off the older guy (who was in the 40 age group), and five and eight seconds off the two kids. So close, finished with a 22:48.
But I did drop almost 45 seconds from last year's time, which feels good, and still made the top 10 and won my age group. I can't complain, even if in retrospect I know where I wasn't tough enough mentally and that will bug me.
No cool down, I just hung around chatting with people and then we watch Mike's kid do the 75m dash. My parents are in town so we left rather than me cool down, and we hit the bakery for an hour. Then I came home and went out for 2.5 so tomorrow morning won't hurt.
supernova glide -- 347
| 