Every Run is a Great Run!

All I can say is, I wish I could call 19:40 a BAD race! I think you did great! Sorry I'm not more sympathetic when you are bummed about doing a 5K in under 20 minutes! I'm still out there running when you are at the finish line!

I vote for the Wendy's chili - chili always plays a number on me for a day or two after I eat it . . .

In any case, you kept going even when you knew it was not going to be your race, keep up the good work and the training and things will really pay off in St. George (you are now in now, right?)

Just chalk it up to one of those days. You've already run a 10k this year at a faster pace so you know that this is not an indication of your speed or fitness level.

Chili the night before a race? I think I agree with James and suspect it may have played a role in your gastric distress...or it may have just been one of those days.

I also agree with Kim that it's hard to feel sorry for you running 19:40. Just last year at Nestles you were hoping to break 20:00, which will still be my goal again this year at Nestles, maybe 19:50.

Before reading any of the comments ... as soon as I saw "Wendy's Chilli" ... I guffawed (man I love that word). Now, I've ran plenty of training runs off a crappy meal the night before, and I'm usually one of the first to pass over some sort of lame excuse like a pre-race dinner ... but in this case I have to hop on the bandwagon. But whatever, we all have a bad day now and then. It just happens that your one bad day this month coincided with a race.

Look on the bright side, you're not going to the doctor on Tuesday to have a possible 6-8 week recovery stress fracture looked at throwing your entire summer racing season out the window and even potentially putting you under the gun for training for a fall marathon.

Give my best to Kim on a great race ... you go Girl!

Oh man, sorry about the bad race! I have to say that I've seen a pattern in all these race reports I read every week. Bad sleep equals bad races. PERIOD! Especially when it is more that just one rough night. Like if it is all week you are pure toast. I've seen high schoolers do okay on very little sleep, but usually not adults.

PS I am still very impressed at your time!

Tom, nice workout race. My theory, cannot peak for every race. Good thing about running, always another day to test your training. Save it for Heart of Holladay.

Kool Aid Kid Out

Tom, a 19:40 was a time a year or two ago I thought you may never obtain. Now it's a bad race. Thats the good and bad of this sport.

My prerace dinner wasn't much better than yours. The Mother-in-law wanted to eat at Wheelers in Mount Pleasant. So we meet them there at about 7:30pm. I had the classic, a hamburger, fries, and a milk shake. Luckily it didn't bother me. However an upset stomach can pretty much shut down a PR type effort.

Thanks everyone for the comments and for some perspective.

Terry and Paul you're right that last year if I ran this race in this time I would have been estatic. I've been spoiled with mostly good races the last while including the 18:40 5K training run so my expectations get a bit greedy.

Jeff and Brent thanks particularly for reminding me that "every run is a GREAT run" and what a blessing it is just to be able to get out and run at all. I hope the heavens smile on both of you with regards to the injury situation and that you can fully enjoy the joys of running soon.

I'm thinking now the bad race was maybe somewhat related to the chili and the bad sleep, but more so related to some congestion in my chest/lungs and a bit of a cough that has bothered me a bit since the race. Not a big deal and nothing I'm going to lose any additional sleep over. I'll just keep with the program, try to avoid injury, and look forward to the next race and the joy of every run.

I like Brent's theory.

There will be many other races in your future where all the elements will come together.

Just keep working hard at your training!

I go with Brent's comment as well. If I'm peaking then I will have a good race, whatever. Chalk it up for experience and a good workout.

The Ephraim curse - hope its not contagious. Actually I wish it was for, if I could every run that fast Id sell my soul. Anyway I still think you did great. Next race will be better - maybe there will be one in Manti!

I would be more interested in your prerace meal in the morning than the evening. I think that has to do with it.

5th overall is a great finish. . . sometimes we forget that this sport is about racing.

You got the hardware, for your finish, so don't feel too bad.

Only thing is...this race doesn't give out hardware, or times, or fruit or anything else.

Tom - I learned to eat right the hard way just like this. When you are 20 you can sometimes get away with bad eating (although I could not), but when you are over 40 you cannot flirt with junk.

Speaking of eating before 5Ks.....Ok night before is a no-brainer, eat good stuff, healthy, etc., easily digestable.

But what about morning of? I usually like at least something in my gut a couple hours or so before a 5K (usually banana and/or a little bread w/ honey). But I know some people who say don't eat anything the morning before a 5K. So I'm curious on the opinion of the experts....to eat or not to eat the morning of a 5K (distances longer than 5K I say you should eat but 5K I'm still open to opposing viewpoints).

I eat either nothing or a small snack so my body will not think I am in starvation mode. Some people run better completely hungry. It depends.

I run great in the morning with waking up and rolling out on the run. What gets me is when the start time get later, 8 or 9 and I have been up for several hours. I usually do a GU right before if needed. Or else I am trying a whole grain food several hours before so it does not spike the blood sugar.

Sorry they only give one medal. Not that medals are all that cool . . . but is it the principle of winning something that is cool. I like the satisfaction more than I like the medal.

I usually eat something small an hour or two before a shorter race - clif bar, odwalla bar (now my favorite - check out the berry one!). Anything longer than a 10K and I will add a gel about 15 minutes prior to the start. I agree with Sasha, though, that everyone is different. What works for one person may not work for another. You may need to just experiment a little to figure out what works best for you.

Sounds like I'm late to the party but I vote for the chili.....The couple of times I've eaten Wendy's chili I've felt bad for the next 12-24 hours. I think that may have did you in. Regardless of that, your time wasn't too terrible which seems to indicate you've got some fast races in you just waiting to get out. Keep up the excellent training!

Either eat healthy the day and night before or try just not eating at all cause that might help.