Beginners and Beyond

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Jerry Maher Sr. Memorial 5k RR (Read 49 times)


Trail Monster

    This is the second year I've run the Jerry Maher Sr. Memorial 5k for Parkinson's Awareness. Last year I finished in 27:46. It's weird to think of that as a good time now.


    This year I went into the race not remembering what I ran last year. I remembered the race and the course but I couldn't remember what I ran and I didn't really care. I have run about 40 miles so far this week and my legs are trashed. I'm four weeks out from Burning River 100 and all I can think about is tapering. So I hoped I'd pull a 25+ minute run out of my behind today. I would have been thrilled with 26-27 minutes too.


    When we arrived I noticed every fast local runner was there. Heath, Emery, Dom, Rich, and Dana were all warming up and chatting around the starting area. I saw plenty of women that had that lean, hungry look that usually signifies speed that I didn't know by name as well. I figured I was well out of the awards at this point and just hoped I'd survive without walking.


    Shane and I collected our bags and hung out in the car until 15 minutes before the 9am start. Then I did a quick warm up run up the road and back to see what my legs were going to give me today. I had an easy 9 minute mile pace on the uphill and no problem flashing 7's on the way back down so I decided to go out like I was actually racing and let my legs dictate the pace from there.


    At the last minute, literally on the starting line, they announced that a tree had fallen on the course and a bridge was out so the course had been diverted and would be almost entirely new. I was a little ticked that this couldn't have been posted earlier, whether online or by sign at the race. I had definitely arrived early enough that I could have run the whole course as a warm up but I assumed I knew it already. Now I was flying blind.


    After a couple false starts (no kidding, they actually pulled us back for that) we were finally off. The lead pack was gone in minutes and I was pretty much by myself. There was a group of young kids all around me and I kept waiting for them to die off but they never really did. Every time one fell off the back another one caught a second wind and took their place. I tried to ignore their uneven pacing and labored breathing and focus on running as evenly as I could. I figured even 7:50's would get me a PR but it was still a long shot.


    Mile 1: 7:53


    The second mile turned out to be a long, gradual uphill. I kept chugging along and hoping for it to end. And it finally did right as I hit mile 3.

    *I didn't post this on my blog but there was a guy in this mile pushing a young kid to run up the hill. The kid was coughing and wheezing and sounded like he was having an asthma attack but the guy kept pushing. I slowed down 3 or 4 times thinking I would say something or yell at the guy and then I would worry I was out of line and start moving again. I must have had oxygen deprivation because, looking back, I totally should have said something, especially now that I know the guy was one of the Maher brothers who directs this race. What a jagoff!


    Mile 2: 8:51


    The third mile was pretty gentle and I picked up the pace. There were a few small out and backs with sharp turns to eat into my steady pace. By 2.5 I wanted nothing more than to stop and walk but there were some older guys urging on the young kids that were still hanging with me and I did not want to get beat by any of them. I started focusing on picking them off one at a time until the finish line was in sight.


    Mile 3: 7:56


    I didn't have much of a kick and just tried to hold on through the chute. I ended up with an official time of 24:40 for 43 overall and 2nd in my age group. Considering this was on dead legs and in 80 degree heat plus on a hilly course, I'll take it. If it weren't for that darned second mile of uphill I very well might have PR'ed. I can pretty much guarantee that, if I survive Burning River, my first 5k post-recovery is going to blow my previous times out of the water.

     

     

    2013 races:

    3/17 Shamrock Marathon

    4/20 North Coast 24 Hour

    7/27 Burning RIver 100M

    8/24 Baker 50M

    10/5 Oil Creek (distance to be determined)

     

    My Blog

     

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    FitFluential

    INKnBURN

    Altra Zero Drop

    Awood_Runner


    Smaller By The Day

      Gotta be the haircut.  Way to recover after that second mile.

      Improvements

      Weight 100 pounds lost

      5K 31:02 Sept. 2012 / 23:36 Sept. 2013 (Same Course)

      10K 48:59 April 2013

      HM 2:03:56 Nov. 2012 / 1:46:50 March 2013

      MARATHON 3:57:33 Nov. 2013

        I can pretty much guarantee that, if I survive Burning River, my first 5k post-recovery is going to blow my previous times out of the water.

         

         

        Congrats on the 2nd AG.  I hope that you can crush that PR after recovering, sounds like a good plan.

        Docket_Rocket


          Congrats!  Great job!

           

          Weird, I was wearing that top today.  We sure need to stop talking about inknburn, haha!

          Damaris

           

          As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.

          Fundraising Page


          Will run for scenery.

            Gee Wally, that sure sounds like a swell race and all, but I don't think Eddie shoulda pushed that kid so hard.

            Stupid feet!

            Stupid elbow!

            So_Im_a_Runner


            Go figure

              Congratulations on your race.  It's funny how scoping out the racers beforehand doesn't always yield the expected results.  Great job pushing yourself and getting the most out of the race.

               

              I'll keep my eyes open for you at Burning River - I think with the new haircut you'd be pretty easy to spot.  I'm just pacing, but should be out there for a good 50 miles or so.

              Trying to find some more hay to restock the barn


              Trail Monster

                Congratulations on your race.  It's funny how scoping out the racers beforehand doesn't always yield the expected results.  Great job pushing yourself and getting the most out of the race.

                 

                I'll keep my eyes open for you at Burning River - I think with the new haircut you'd be pretty easy to spot.  I'm just pacing, but should be out there for a good 50 miles or so.

                 

                Yay! Hope I see you there!

                2013 races:

                3/17 Shamrock Marathon

                4/20 North Coast 24 Hour

                7/27 Burning RIver 100M

                8/24 Baker 50M

                10/5 Oil Creek (distance to be determined)

                 

                My Blog

                 

                Brands I Heart:

                FitFluential

                INKnBURN

                Altra Zero Drop

                kristin10185


                Skirt Runner

                  Nice work!!

                  PRs:   5K- 28:16 (5/5/13)      10K- 1:00:13 (10/27/13)    4M- 41:43 (9/7/13)   15K- 1:34:25  (8/17/13)    10M- 1:56:30 (4/6/14)     HM- 2:20:16 (4/13/14)     Full- 5:55:33 (11/1/15)

                   

                  I started a blog about running :) Check it out if you care to

                  LRB


                    Nice race!  I feel terrible for that poor kid, and I don't generally feel for anything.  I have a soft spot for kids though, I really hate to see them mistreated.

                     

                    Your splits are pretty even given the course layout, you are definitely trending in the right direction.