FireKracker 5K. Last year I ran about 15:50 and took 4th. This year I wanted to improve on that. The good news is that I am/was in much better shape this year, the bad news is that I peaked two weeks ago, so I was not sure what I had left to give today. Turned out to be a pretty good day, though. Conditions were a little warm, but some cloud cover, which helped. Low 70s at the start of the race, and no wind. Definitely could be worse for July 4, but yesterday was in the low 60s at 8AM, so I was hoping for cooler. This year they upped the prize money from $200 to $300 for the win, plus an extra $50 for getting under the course record of 15:16. This was enough to bring up some guys from Boulder and there were 3 or 4 BTC or BRC guys in the mix this year, along with the locals. The course is a loop, and is quite fair, some long inclines and declines, and the only bad uphill is the last 0.1 to the finish. The race started, and everyone took off, especially the crazy flag-bearing guy. I think every 4th of July race has this guy: shirtless dude that sprints out ahead of everyone waving a big American flag, and then dies off after 400m. No sure if that follows flag etiquette or not. I was in maybe 10th or 12th after a half mile. I wanted to get out a little slower this year, because last year I took it out and led the race, and then faded badly during the second half. By one mile, I had moved into 6th or so, and I went through the mile in 4:59. Leaders were maybe 1 second up. During the second mile, a guy in a white singlet took off (turned out to be Andrew Lesser, a teammate of mine who I have not met), and myself and Spenser Lynass (another teammate) followed him from a short distance. Everyone else faded away. I didn't think it was that big of a surge...I just thought everyone else went out too hard...and I was starting to hurt a bit too. I was surprised when we went through Mile 2 with a 4:47 split...extra surprising because this mile is a net uphill. I made what was probably a tactical mistake by trying to take water at the Mile 2 mark...just wanted to douse my head and cool off. It was not unbearably warm, but pretty hot compared to my last few races. I should have just gutted it out and stayed focused. I had caught up to Spenser at that point, but then he pulled about a second ahead when I went for the cup (with had very little water in it anyway). Spenser starting surging and Andrew, who had maintained a sizable lead, was fading a bit. With a half mile to go, we both caught and passed Andrew, so I moved into 2nd place. Spenser was still a few seconds out ahead of me, and not really coming back, and that point I didn't really want any part of 5K pain. I managed to hold my position and sprint up the last uphill to the finish. Last mile was 4:57, last 0.1 was 27s. Final time was 15:11. Spenser won with 15:07, and Andrew was 15:17. 4th place was 15:39, and 10 guys ran 16:00 or faster. Collected $200 for my efforts. Both Spenser and I broke the old course record, but no bonuses for being runner-up. :-) Pretty happy that all the money went to the local Fort Collins guys and not to the Boulder/Denver ringers. It was a clean sweep for Altitude Running Team. I'm pretty darn happy with this race. I wasn't sure what I would have in the tank after Duluth, being sick, and then slacking off for the last 10 days, but I guess it was just an extended taper. This is my fastest 5K ever at altitude (at least on a legit course), and my fastest 5K overall since 2001. (I was a senior in college the last time I broke 15:20). So that feels pretty good. Afterward, Seth ran the kids race, and then we all went out and watched the parade. Nice morning.
| 