I completed today's 5k in 19:32, a result that despite being much lower than I expected, I am okay with.

Racing as often as I have/do, I have my race week and race day morning routines down to T.  So halfway though my warmup this morning I could sense that today was not going to be a PR effort and I was right.

This was mostly due to how my legs felt, but also the strong ass winds we would be running into the last half of the race (12 to 15 MPH steady).  I actually briefly considered leaving, but then wondered what good that would do with Saturday being my speed work day.

So I went through the motions and made it to the start line after a 3 mile warmup that lacked its usual zest and zing.  Even my 2 minutes at tempo pace were a struggle as I usually do 3 to 5 minutes.

Along the way I ran into a couple of running peeps who were asking if I was going to knock it out of the park again today, ugh.  Don't think so!

I positioned myself upfront for the start when out of nowhere someone taps my shoulder and says, "Hey man, you ready to rock & roll bitch?"  I turn around and it's this little prick from work that's always yappin' about how he's going to kick my ass.  Great.

He doesn't actually work with me but is in the industry.  I saw him an event last year and ever since whenever I show up on the job site he starts going on and on about how he is going to kick my ass, tells anyone who will listen in fact.  It's rather annoying.

I suppose there is nothing inherently wrong with that as most men are braggadocios, I just happen to not be.  Whether playing cards, baseball, basketball or whatever I just don't talk a lot of shit, I have always let my performance do my talking.  Now when it's me and the man in the mirror that's another story, but I digress.

So we start talking and it took about 30 seconds before this came out, "I was planning on kicking your ass today, but I saw that time you ran two weeks ago and decided to take it easy on you today."  

I reluctantly asked what his PB so far this year is (not that I actually cared) and he said a 19:17 from last week and I was thinking to myself awesome,  I don't think I even have that in me today.  Fark!

As it was, I now had a reason to actually race and my entire outlook changed as I would never live it down if the little shit finished ahead of me so let's do this.

Pomp and circumstance from the race director, a gunshot from the starters pistol and bam, we're off!

My plan going into today was to run a sub-6:00 for 3 miles but now knowing that wasn't happening based on conditions and how I felt I settled in immediately at 6:00.

As usual there were about 25 people who blasted ahead of me and I lost sight of the little prick but figured he was in my pocket biding his time for the kill on my old ass (he is 10 years my junior, another thing he always yaps about).

Not surprisingly, the crowd thinned rather quickly and right around the half mile mark and I could see the lead runner and about six or so runners ahead of me.

I checked in at mile 1 in 6:05, and here was a runner falling back to me and wouldn't you know it the little bastard was ahead of me the entire time!  We were now running 6th and 7th and I thought worse case 7th place wouldn't be too bad...for him!

I could see that he was fading though and at the 1.25 mark we turned into the wind and so began the struggle, for everyone!

I ran at his side for a bit before passing him at around the 1.5 mile mark, and it was the quietest I have ever seen him!  lol

He actually is not a bad guy, it's just that some people need certain things to motivate themselves (like talking shit).  Meanwhile I am self motivated so I need not utter a single syllable to my competitor.

Anyway, with him now safely tucked behind me I did not look at my watch again for the duration of the race.  I just pressed ahead into the wind and could hear him falling further behind.

Up next was Thing 2 (one of two high school girls dressed as Thing 1 & Thing 2) whom despite seeing earlier I had no idea who she was, but now could clearly recognize her from last years race by her gait!  Isn't that weird?!  I mean, there are dozens of people I know not by their faces but by how they look while running, so funny.

I pass her up at almost the same point as I did last year ironically and bust a left onto a long straightway.  There I could see the lead runner and a couple others, so I was now actually in 4th place.

The closest runner to me was Thing 1.  She had about 200 meters on me and there was at least 1200 meters to go and with the wind blowing as hard as it was I just dropped my head, leaned forward and ran.

At this point it hurt like hell but one of Daniels tenants is if you're hurting, so is everyone else most likely and it becomes a race of the fittest.

I was slowly reeling her in (more like she was falling behind actually, ha!) and at the 2.75 mark there is a rise of 30 to 40 feet or so in the course and by now I was only 10 meters or less behind her.  At that point the idea of 3rd place was beginning to take hold and I thought what a wonderful placing that would be or me!

As we crested I was right on her heels.  We busted a right hand turn where just before the 3 mile mark I started to get my mind right for the kick, then out of nowhere a police motorcycle shows up, chirps his siren, then announces "LEAD FEMALE RUNNER!" over his speaker.

SCREECH!  Stop the press!  WTF?!

I could hear the crowd scream in the distance and I was just like you have got to be fuckin' kidding me!

I was processing all of this in distress and on the fly and didn't know the etiquette regarding it but thought to myself there is no way in hell I can run past this girl and spoil her moment so reluctantly, I eased off.

Now that is not to say I would, or could have finished ahead of her as many of you know that high school kids have two and three gears left while in the chute, but dammit if I will ever know.

I am okay with it though because I just didn't want to be that guy, mostly because I am not that guy.  So go ahead kid, have your moment.  You have earned it.

I crossed the mat and was just glad the whole thing was over!  From speaking to the other racers everyone was off on their times so it wasn't just me.

I finally saw the little prick and he was as red as a tomato!  lol  I didn't say anything though other than tough race, tough course.  He agreed but said little else.  I gave him a fist bump and off he went.

He is a former high school runner so he will eventually beat me if he sticks with it, it is just matter of time. So far though in the two events we have raced he is 0 for 2.

In the end this was a good experience for me because I was forced to abandoned all goals and just race the field.

Being the PR 'ho that I am I normally would mark a performance like this down, but understanding racing in challenging conditions when you are not at your best I actually think I did okay so I will look on this race favorably.

For now my race focus shifts to the 10k and mile, and I may not race another 5k for a month or more.  Perhaps the break will do me some good.  The 10k while long is slower in pace and I am actually looking forward to that!

All told I got a 42 second course PR over last year, placed 4th overall, 2nd male, 1st in age group and got one seriously annoying person to SHUT THE HELL UP...even if only until our next race.

Peace!

Actually I wear black hats.  lol

He's an okay dude just annoying.  Runners are mostly a supportive bunch so it's unusual to have someone show up talking crap, well it is in my experience at least.

Very entertaining RR and congrats!  4th place is awesome as is beating -- and shutting up -- the little yappy work dude.  I'd say that is a good Saturday speed work session.

Great job. And LOL.

That guys sounds unbelievably annoying!!  I wonder if he knows just how annoying he is.  Anyway, I'm so glad you shut him up!

 

All told I got a 42 second course PR over last year, placed 4th overall, 2nd male, 1st in age group and got one seriously annoying person to SHUT THE HELL UP...even if only until our next race.

 

Okay, it's late, but I think my math is still solid. If the girl was first female and you were 4th overall and 2nd male, what gender was the other runner ahead of you?

I love the head to head competition, especially against a known rival. If he's 10 years your junior and can't beat you now, I don't think he's going to be beating you in the foreseeable future unless he's just gotten back into running and was very good in HS.

Great riveting RR! And you just keep pumping out the sub-20:00 5ks like it were nothing, almost week after week. WTH, man, is it all that caffeine in you that makes you so constantly speedy?...lol... Well congratulations, Rick, on another great race!!!