Firecracker 5K
The fourth of July. America, fireworks, sparklers, cookouts and the morning road race! I raced the 5k this morning. Here is my recap:
My game plan for this 5k was to not go out too fast, hold on in the middle and have a nice finish for the third mile. I don't race 5k's often so when the gun goes off I let loose like a bat out of hell. I do EXACTLY what I coach athletes NOT to do, I go out too fast and hit the wall at the end. Really, it's a problem, but I don't get to work on my racing strategy much. Of course, you may think, "what's the big deal at a local 5k road race?" I get it, but hey, I'm competitive and I want to see what I'm capable of as I'm approaching 30.
Mile 1 - Nice and easy out the gates. Found two women who were running with me and I decided to slow a little and let them pace. Came through mile 1 just 5 seconds faster than my game plan but I was feeling relaxed and really happy I had people to run with. Part I of the race plan was executed.
Mile 2 - Still relaxed and my only focus was on the bouncing ponytails in front of me: the pink woman and the green woman. Sat back and still had the mentality to let them lead. I would wait until we got up the big hill at Chuck's boat landing, compose myself and start to pull ahead. In actuality I got to the top of the hill, felt like I was dying and just hung onto the women in front of me. I really thought I would be able to drop them here but I knew I had plenty of time to wait it out although at this point the pain was starting to set in and the sun was blaring as we were out in the open with no tree cover.
Mile 3 - Pain is setting in as well as the bad thoughts. You know, the classic dramatic last third of the race where you are telling yourself that you are dying and contemplating why you choose to do this to yourself. You know what I'm talking about. I'm stilling clinging to the woman in the green. The pink woman had fallen off of us so it was down to us two going for a second place female finish. I tried a slight surge to see if I could shake her. No luck. We round the corner before going down the hill and what do you know but the pink woman is back with us! Three of us bounding down the hill and going into the last loop of about 300 meters. I know I have a good kick and more than likely that I am faster than these two women if it came down to the last 50 meters but I decided to start my kick (stupid choice). I'm rounding that corner trying to keep my form, breathing heavily like I am fighting for a spot on the US Olympic team (I know...dramatic) and seriously regretting my decision to kick that early. I fly across the finish line managing to hold them off. Still got it.
My first and third mile were exactly the same. The second mile was slower but I also need to take into account the very large hill. Accounting for the hill, my race plan was fully executed. Post race, I look up the results...
I was beat off of chip time.
@!*#
My game plan for this 5k was to not go out too fast, hold on in the middle and have a nice finish for the third mile. I don't race 5k's often so when the gun goes off I let loose like a bat out of hell. I do EXACTLY what I coach athletes NOT to do, I go out too fast and hit the wall at the end. Really, it's a problem, but I don't get to work on my racing strategy much. Of course, you may think, "what's the big deal at a local 5k road race?" I get it, but hey, I'm competitive and I want to see what I'm capable of as I'm approaching 30.
Mile 1 - Nice and easy out the gates. Found two women who were running with me and I decided to slow a little and let them pace. Came through mile 1 just 5 seconds faster than my game plan but I was feeling relaxed and really happy I had people to run with. Part I of the race plan was executed.
Mile 2 - Still relaxed and my only focus was on the bouncing ponytails in front of me: the pink woman and the green woman. Sat back and still had the mentality to let them lead. I would wait until we got up the big hill at Chuck's boat landing, compose myself and start to pull ahead. In actuality I got to the top of the hill, felt like I was dying and just hung onto the women in front of me. I really thought I would be able to drop them here but I knew I had plenty of time to wait it out although at this point the pain was starting to set in and the sun was blaring as we were out in the open with no tree cover.
Mile 3 - Pain is setting in as well as the bad thoughts. You know, the classic dramatic last third of the race where you are telling yourself that you are dying and contemplating why you choose to do this to yourself. You know what I'm talking about. I'm stilling clinging to the woman in the green. The pink woman had fallen off of us so it was down to us two going for a second place female finish. I tried a slight surge to see if I could shake her. No luck. We round the corner before going down the hill and what do you know but the pink woman is back with us! Three of us bounding down the hill and going into the last loop of about 300 meters. I know I have a good kick and more than likely that I am faster than these two women if it came down to the last 50 meters but I decided to start my kick (stupid choice). I'm rounding that corner trying to keep my form, breathing heavily like I am fighting for a spot on the US Olympic team (I know...dramatic) and seriously regretting my decision to kick that early. I fly across the finish line managing to hold them off. Still got it.
My first and third mile were exactly the same. The second mile was slower but I also need to take into account the very large hill. Accounting for the hill, my race plan was fully executed. Post race, I look up the results...
I was beat off of chip time.
@!*#
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