Turkey Trot 5 miler

This race might quickly become our Thanksgiving tradition. Different year, better results. In 2009, I was very pleased with my race result. My running was coming along and I had just returned from a vacation. This year wasn't quite the same. My training is consistent but my legs were completely beat. In fact, I am assured that I have a few nagging injuries that are burrowing in. I was confident that at the least, I could replicate the previous years result. I wasn't quite sure how much more the legs would give me.

I started out quick but made sure to hold back. I wanted the first mile to be sub-7 but not by much. I knew the course and starting out slow was going to be key. I hit the first mile in stride, feeling good. We did a quick turnaround and I had the opportunity to cheer on Jessica. The wind also began to really kick up. The race was all about being about to tuck in behind others. Mile two...check.

I wanted to make my move here but I recalled the third mile being the toughest as it was primarily on an incline. Yep, my pace took a small hit but I was still catching people. I began counting places at the final turnaround and discovered that I was about 22nd. I had a few more fish to reel in. I wondered what it would take to make top 10.

On the return I pushed it and quickly caught a handful of people. But at this point, the racers were strung out. I picked off who I could trying to push the pace. When I made the final turn I tried to push it up the hill but the hill was pushing back. I really didn't want to go into defcon heaving. I was running stride to stride with an high school cross country runner. And a few paces in front of us was one more person to pass. We weren't reeling him in until a kid from behind made his move and starting hauling.

Oh crap....here we go for the final 100m. I held off the attack, caught the guy but never regained the position from the other runner. And then I heaved.

Total time: 34:20 (6:52 pace).

2010 Splits
Mile 1-6:52
Mile 2-6:55
Mile 3-7:06
Mile 4-6:52
Mile 5-6:31

2nd in Age Group, 14th overall

Turkey Trot 5 miler

It shouldn't come as any surprise to anyone...I haven't race in quite some time. The motivation was severely lacking. I wasn't happy with where my run was in regards to time. So for Thanksgiving, I asked Jessica to see if there was a local 5k in the area so that I could set an offseason benchmark.

Well, she did me one better...found a 5 miler. Ouch...this is going to hurt.

It was a bitterly cold morning so I hung out in the cold car until about 15 minutes before the start. I was feeling a bit excited but nervous at the same time. I knew the distance wasn't the challenge. Instead, I was concerned about the intensity. My run was slowly coming along. My tempo runs were improving but I had no idea what how I would perform.

My goal was 3700-37:30. I thought I would likely hold 7:20s and that would be an aggressive enough pace to not gas me for the final few miles. When the gun when off, so did I...albeit at a slightly faster than expected pace. Aided by a slight downhill, I finished the first quarter mile at a 5:30 pace. Oops...time to find a pace. I backed of a bit and tried to settle in to a 7:30+ pace.

I didn't find that. I did find a comfortable, moderately aggressive 6:50 pace by mile 1. I felt solid and strong cruisng to a 7:00 pace for my second mile. By mile 3, I was down to a 7:10 pace and feeling the wheels might be coming off just a bit. I knew it was time to dig deep and continue pushing. Fortunately, I was running with a group of solid runners so I made a move to see who would come with me. Yep, I was on my own. I hit mile 4 at a 7:06 and knew my goal was in check.

The final mile had a nice dip and then a final climb. I had some nice pace booty that was 50m in front of me so I focused on catching her. I also became very conscisous of the clock as I began to climb the final hill. I knew I would be close to 35:00. I really wanted to break 35 so I pushed, pushed and pushed finishing with a final mile of 6:39. Total time 34:59!!!!

Needless to say, I was very pleased with the race outcome. It felt good to be back on the road and in competition. I hope this will be the spring board for the next few months!!!

Mile 1: 6:50 (165)
Mile 2: 7:00 (176)
Mile 3: 7:10 (174)
Mile 4: 7:06 (178)
Mile 5: 6:39 (179)

Results: 6/22 AG; 33/305 OA