Notes
Ran at the BU mini meet yesterday. Ran the 3k and then paced Katherine in the mile.
I knew I was fit based on my results from XC, but somehow you always worry that your XC fitness will not translate to the track. I seeded myself at 10:50 (5:48) which is what I ran here last year, at the time I was thrilled with it.
I was in the last heat, with another old guy and like 10 high school girls. I put myself right at the back at 200 and 400 and still ran slightly faster than I wanted (84), people always get excited. I moved up a few runners at a time and crossed the 1600 in 5:43, which is when I gave myself permission to push. I caught everyone except one girl, and was 2 strides behind her. At the rate I passed everyone else, I thought I'd quickly get her too, but she proved tougher.
We picked up the pace 81, 82. With 400 to go I thought I had no shot, then with 200 left I gave myself a chance, and dug with 50 left I came off the turn and drove for the line, she had a little left and in a tight finish she got me at the line. A good competitive race, and we closed in 79, to finish in 10:29 (5:37). We congratulated each other.
So way under what I was expecting to run, and closing in 81,82,79 or about 5:20 pace, which means I had a lot left, and could've gone out faster. Racing equivalents are 18:10 5k 1:23 (13.1), I haven't run those times since 2012, really I'm stunned. I knew my fitness was good, but had sort of resigned myself to never running those times again.
One of the highschool girls had a funny question "So you just come out here and run?", clearly she was confused at the idea of post scholastic running and racing. I explained as gently as I could that there were many open running clubs with people of all ages, she seemed satisfied with that. Question was clearly of honest curiosity so I found it charming rather than insulting.
Katherine was doing her first real track meet. She's done a 6:13 at a 26x1 mile relay, and 6:03 at a time trial in June. I knew she could run sub 6, I just wasn't sure what her fitness was like after some time off due to injuries this fall. We seeded at 6:05, and got to watch many heats before ours. I pointed out the mistakes people made early in races, and how they paid for it later in the race. We put ourselves at the very back of the field after 400, and were easily 8-10 meters behind the field, still we went through in 88, which was 3 seconds faster than I wanted. At 800 we had caught most of the field and went through in 3:00 flat, right on 6 min. Pushing the second half we began passing many runners, 2-3 at a time. The 3rd 400 passed in 87, I encouraged Katherine yelling "we're way under 6!" With 150 to go I moved to the outside lanes, so she could pass, and get out of the way of anyone for whom this was a race. I counted down the time 5:51,2,4. She crossed in 5:56, a massive PR and not bad for an ultra runner.
I could barely sleep last night I was so excited about both of our races.