Background

On Saturday, I ran a 5K as a tune-up race for the New York City Marathon on November 2.  I am following the Pfitz 18/55 plan, which calls for 3 tune-up races between 8K and 15K.  These races are to be run 6, 4 and 2 weeks before the goal marathon.  I had a hard time finding the right length races on the right days, so I ended up running a HM 2 weeks ago, a 5K this past weekend and I will run a 10K two weeks from now.  My marathon training has gone well and I feel much stronger than I ever have before.  Two weeks ago, I bested my half marathon PR by almost 4 minutes, so I fully expected to break my 5K PR of 20:02.  My recent track work has been indicative of a 19 minute 5K, but I didn't expect to run quite that fast on tired legs.

Pre-race

The race was a local charity 5K that I chose primarily because it started at 8AM, rather than 9 or 10.  I arrived around 7:15, got my bib and then ran the course as a warm-up.  It is an out-and-back with a moderate hill at the beginning and again at the end.  The first thing I noticed was that I was not feeling great. I jogged most of the warm-up and my strides were lethargic.  My legs just felt heavy. Nonetheless,  I timed my warm-up well and got to the start about 5 minutes before the gun. As I eyed the small crowd of 80 - 100 runners, all doubts left me and I wondered if I could actually contend for my first overall win.  There were a few people who looked like runners, but no obvious ringers. For the first time in my life, I actually toed the line, got set and then we took off.

The Race

About 8 people jumped ahead of me in the first quarter mile. I briefly thought of hanging with them, but then thought better of it.  When I looked down at my Garmin, I saw a sub 6:00 pace, which was plenty fast for me.  By the end of the first mile, I was at least 40 yards behind my nearest competitor, but still in sight of the leaders.  When my watch beeped, I saw I had completed mile 1 in 6:09.

I felt better than I expected to at this point, but I think I made a subconscious decision to ease up. I wanted to run a sub-20 5K, not go for sub-19 and blow up.  I don't remember this mile very well.  I must have lost concentration a bit, because the gap to to the other racers started to widen and I noticed my pace was in the 6:40s.  That is too slow for sub-20 5K, so I picked the pace and managed to finish mile 2 in 6:34.  

As I gradually accelerated, some of the runners ahead started to struggle and I began to gain on them.  I picked off one, then another and another.  And then there were just four runners ahead of me, only one of whom appeared to me in my age group.  He was fading a bit, but not as much as the others.  I was gaining, but I wasn't sure if I had enough room to catch him. Before the race, they announced that the overall winners would get a trophy and the AG winners would get a pie.  I wanted that damn pie, so I pushed a bit harder and then I was past him.  He was cool and told me to "go get 'em" as I went by.  I tried to do as he instructed.  I knew I couldn't catch the co-leaders, but I ran hard for a high schooler who was 15 yards a ahead.  I closed the gap a bit, but couldn't quite reach him.  I finished mile 3 in 6:23 and sprinted to the line in 19:26. I won my AG and was fourth overall.

Post- Race and Take-Aways

The other runners were friendly and we all congratulated each other and chatted as we waited for the rest to finish.  At some point, I checked my splits and noticed that my Garmin showed the race as being just 3.06 miles.  I asked the other runners and they all had 3.06 or 3.07. Later we checked with the RD and he admitted that the course was "probably a bit short". Nobody seemed too bothered by this and honestly, I am not either.  This was not a goal race for me.  I had fun, raced hard and got a pie.  I will have other opportunities to set a PR and officially go sub-20 or even sub-19.   The most gratifying thing about this race was that it was actually a "race".  I usually treat my races as supported time trials, but this time I was really racing the folks around me.  I wanted to pass as many as I could and I found the strength to keep pushing, like I never could in a tempo run or time trial.  The course was a bit short, but we all ran the same distance and I had a blast.  That is good enough for me.

What a fun read! Thanks for writing that up. You definitely have speed. Congrats and good luck in the NYC Marathon!

You're always so fast!   Good job on this quick race, even though you're in the middle of marathon training.  You're going to do absolutely fantastic at the NYC marathon.

That was really a smooth read.

As far as the course length, I get that all the time at all distances.  About half never jive with my Garmin and most are short, a few are long. Sometimes I make an adjustment in my log, and other times I just make a note of the discrepancy.

That was a nice recovery from the second mile, you have some shiny new 5k PR waiting for you once you are ready to go get it.

So then, let's talk pie.  What kind was it, was it good, and was there money inside of it?

  My wife was happy, so I was happy.

AIN'T THAT THE TRUTH! 

Hell of a race, TakeAHike!  Great job!  Man, you're getting fast.  You'd still be well below 20 minutes for the full distance if this course was in fact short.  Once you get through NYCM, you need to fine a 5K to run on rested legs.  I'd be curious to see what you could do if you run one properly. 

Congrats on a great race! Good luck on your marathon too.

Baboon - Thanks.  There is a well run local turkey trot that I plan to run at the end of November.  It is a flat course and USATF certified.  I will rest up after the marathon, do some specific 5k training and see what I am capable of.

Jay - Thank you.  I have to say reading your race reports inspired me to focus more on my competition than just going for a PR.  It makes racing more fun.

Thanks Mitch!

LRB -