It was a dark and stormy night ...wait wrong story.
This was my planned first race of the year. Training recently was not
going as planned, due to life in general. Last weekend was spent
moving some furiture and painting. I did not get out for any running
those two days. Then the work week began with a software upgrade going
out. Busy days and some sleepless nights. I finally went to run
Thursday afternoon, after being up since 3AM. I decided, it's 2days
before the race, I cannot work on speed, so I went for distance. I
took a nice 8mile run. Found a variation to the usual loop that
included a paved trail thru the wooded city park. Afterwards I was
nearly four pounds lighter and pretty hungry. Another background
factor: I have been able to loose a few pounds. Not much, just 6pounds
in 8 weeks, but steady loss.
Okay the general facts:
Bogsucker strut 5K
Twinsburg, Ohio
10AM start
Temp: TV reported 50F but felt cooler
Out and back course with peak at the start/finish, and part of the run
on paved trail in the park.
Goal: under 30:00
shoes: Nike Free 4.0
Prerace: I got up to let the dogs out and had a bowl of cereal, more
than I usually have prerace, but I figured it was 2hour before, so
what could it hurt? Well at the race, I think I had digested the
cereal but felt the milk still on my stomach. I thought "great I blew
it", well drink some water to dilute it. Warmed up about 10minutes to
get the heart pumping.
Small crowd (under 100??), even for this race. I pass the start line
in seconds of the starting horn. I try not to get sucked into the
faster pace of others since I have no idea what they are trying to
run. I start to settle into a comfortable pace when I hear another guy
talking about his usual pace is 9:30, but he likes to start slow. I
figure I will shadow him, hold onto him at least for the first mile.
I'm passed by some people and I gain it back on the downhill. So we
come to the first mile and the keeper calls out 8:45. WHAT? Did I
reall run that fast? It didn't seem that fast? Can I hold it? only one
way to know: keep running!
the 9:30 guy moves away, as we see the leaders coming back. 9:30 must
be his LSD training pace. No one passes me except three women just
before the turn around. Time 13:47. Going back I gain on a couple
people but the crowd is thin. Now the two mile marker I pass at 18:04.
I slowed but I could slow more and still make my goal.
I try to change focus from time to race. there's a guy ahead of me
that I try to reel in. We get to the start of the hill up and I hear
footsteps and breathing behind me, and that gives me a push. I
increase speed just a little to pull away on this hill. the guy ahead
slows to a walk near a level part of the hill. I catch him just as
there is a small downhill slope. He manages to regain the lead on the
downhill. As we turn onto the straightaway toward the finish he has a
ten yard lead. I try to finish strong and as I pass him I yell, comon,
kick it in. I look at the clock and I cannot beleive it I just turned
28:00 and I finish about 28:15!
I was amazed at my time. Two factors I think affect the improvement.
The big one must be weight loss. It certainly wasn'y training. The
other might be the shoes. This was the first race wearing the Nike
Free shoes They felt good. I certainly do not think I will wear them
on a long race, but they sem right for a 5K.
SO it took a few more months than I planned (originally planned to get
back below 30:00 5k back in december '06), but I did it. AND got
first place in my age group.
It was a fun run. Hopefully the crowd will increase so this race
keeps going. I'd rather this race be a little bigger, then for me to
get a trpohy. Overall the race was slower. First place overall was
over 18minutes.
Good weather, nice crowd. I talked to the two guys I battled near the
end. Both were in the 40 age groups. We had a good time.
Enjoy the run, got more painting to do!
ed