Location: McAlpine Park
Warmup: 2.0 mi in 16:08
Race: 3.1 mi in 19:17/6:15 pace; 5th place overall/3rd in age group (25-29 male).
Cooldown: 2.0 mi in 16:30
Race Results
I decided to leave the Garmin at home for this one. I wouldn't need it at McAlpine; I can run this course blindfolded (although if I did I'd probably fall down the hill). Also, the watch measured this course short the other day so it probably would have been more of a hindrance than a help.
My strategy for today was as follows (with help from Eggers): try to stay close to 6-flat for the first mile, attack the hill and drop whomever I'm running with at the time, and then just gas it for the last mile. I was very curious to see if the speed workouts I've done recently would help me out today.
I parked my car at the main lot, took notice of the decent-sized crowd, and then took off down the greenway for a warmup. It was cloudy and only about 70 degrees but VERY humid. I was drenched after less than a mile. I ran into Alex Wernikoff, a fellow CRC member who's much faster than I am currently. I ran back to my car and ditched my outerwear before drinking more water and heading down to the stage. I found my dad, who agreed to come out, and handed him my car keys. There was a dude dressed as a superhero in the role of "Captain Clean Air" or whatever, and some lady leading a large group of people in a stretching routine. The whole scene was a bit odd. I quickly left these weird people and made my way to the starting line. Alex, myself, and a group of high school kids milled about at the starting line. I chatted them up and did a few striders down the greenway.
Right at 9 a.m. Captain Clean Air herded everyone to the line. Everyone made a line down the greenway - as opposed to spanning out into the grass next to it - which I thought odd. Amateurs. Captain Clean Air counted down for us and we were off. Naturally, the high school kids started out way too fast. How long they would all last was anyone's guess; a couple of them did look like they were speedy, but who knows? I took off quickly in order to get some space, making my elbows clear and present to anyone who got too close, and then settled into a groove. I just tried to keep Alex in front of me, and he stayed about five strides ahead as we raced down the straightaway.
I could tell we were running sub-6 pace but it felt easy. I got a little bit comfortable and started looking down and ju-
Dude you just got passed by a girl!!! Wake the @#!k up!!
A blonde in pink shorts scooted past me at the half-mile mark and settled in with a pack of about five high school boys. I made a point to wake up and start racing. I surged right up behind them and stayed there for a bit, as the pace continued to feel pretty easy. I was going to hang with them and then surge at the hill, as planned, but I got bored and pushed past the blonde - I met her afterward so I guess we can call her by her name, Carolyn - and into the lead of our little pack. Alex and a couple other runners were well out of reach by now, so it was just us at this point.
I noticed none of these kids was wearing a watch so I made a point to call out our split - 5:53 - when we crossed the first mile marker. I motioned for my arm for the one kid to keep surging with me as we rounded the u-turns and headed toward the hill.
He didn't stay with me. I surged up the hill and effectively dropped my pack. I made a point to scale the downhill on the right side, and luckily I didn't fall. I passed my dad for the first time at the entrance to the lake and realized I had effectively sealed my fate with that little surge: I was in 5th and it would stay that way for the final mile-plus. My first mile split and surge at the hill was perfectly in line with my strategy; however, it also meant I was suddenly all alone.
I came through the 2-mile split in 12:17 and realized that breaking 19 would require an effort I wasn't certain that I had in me. I slowed down a bit... No! Keep your head in the game! ...then I sped up, and so on. Fighting...fighting some more... I came around the soccer fields (less than 800 meters to go) and re-entered the lake, looking over my right shoulder to keep an eye on Carolyn. She was too far back to catch me, but I threw in a surge anyway. I missed my 3-mile split but I'd guess it was around 6:10. I took one last look at the watch and dug down. I wasn't going to break 19 but I managed to bring it in pretty hard - officially 19:17 for 5th place overall and 3rd in the 25-29 male age group (always the most competitive age group, and one I'm glad I'll be graduating from this December).
I talked to Carolyn and Alex for a little bit after the race before collecting a $10 gift card to Omega Sports. Sweet, I need some new socks. I wasn't necessarily thrilled with my time but all in all I was delighted with the proceedings of the day. I felt I could have gone faster with more runners, but there will be other races for that. I can tell that my training is paying off as the speedy opening mile didn't do me any harm. I just need to keep at it.
Very glad to be out there racing again! Can't wait for the next one, and it's next week so I won't have to wait long.
Warmup: 2.0 mi in 16:08
Race: 3.1 mi in 19:17/6:15 pace; 5th place overall/3rd in age group (25-29 male).
Cooldown: 2.0 mi in 16:30
Race Results
I decided to leave the Garmin at home for this one. I wouldn't need it at McAlpine; I can run this course blindfolded (although if I did I'd probably fall down the hill). Also, the watch measured this course short the other day so it probably would have been more of a hindrance than a help.
My strategy for today was as follows (with help from Eggers): try to stay close to 6-flat for the first mile, attack the hill and drop whomever I'm running with at the time, and then just gas it for the last mile. I was very curious to see if the speed workouts I've done recently would help me out today.
I parked my car at the main lot, took notice of the decent-sized crowd, and then took off down the greenway for a warmup. It was cloudy and only about 70 degrees but VERY humid. I was drenched after less than a mile. I ran into Alex Wernikoff, a fellow CRC member who's much faster than I am currently. I ran back to my car and ditched my outerwear before drinking more water and heading down to the stage. I found my dad, who agreed to come out, and handed him my car keys. There was a dude dressed as a superhero in the role of "Captain Clean Air" or whatever, and some lady leading a large group of people in a stretching routine. The whole scene was a bit odd. I quickly left these weird people and made my way to the starting line. Alex, myself, and a group of high school kids milled about at the starting line. I chatted them up and did a few striders down the greenway.
 |
| I'm in red, about four back here. [photo courtesy of Barry Blackwood] |
I could tell we were running sub-6 pace but it felt easy. I got a little bit comfortable and started looking down and ju-
Dude you just got passed by a girl!!! Wake the @#!k up!!
A blonde in pink shorts scooted past me at the half-mile mark and settled in with a pack of about five high school boys. I made a point to wake up and start racing. I surged right up behind them and stayed there for a bit, as the pace continued to feel pretty easy. I was going to hang with them and then surge at the hill, as planned, but I got bored and pushed past the blonde - I met her afterward so I guess we can call her by her name, Carolyn - and into the lead of our little pack. Alex and a couple other runners were well out of reach by now, so it was just us at this point.
I noticed none of these kids was wearing a watch so I made a point to call out our split - 5:53 - when we crossed the first mile marker. I motioned for my arm for the one kid to keep surging with me as we rounded the u-turns and headed toward the hill.
He didn't stay with me. I surged up the hill and effectively dropped my pack. I made a point to scale the downhill on the right side, and luckily I didn't fall. I passed my dad for the first time at the entrance to the lake and realized I had effectively sealed my fate with that little surge: I was in 5th and it would stay that way for the final mile-plus. My first mile split and surge at the hill was perfectly in line with my strategy; however, it also meant I was suddenly all alone.
 |
| ..Middle of mile 2, about to round the lake for the first time. [photo courtesy of Barry Blackwood] |
 |
| Receiving my age group award from Captain Clean Air with (from left)Jonathan Clayton and Alex Wernikoff [photo courtesy of Barry Blackwood]. |
Very glad to be out there racing again! Can't wait for the next one, and it's next week so I won't have to wait long.
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