Three years later... (Read 907 times)

So three years ago, after many years of trying I had finally broken 20:00 in the 5K.  Since then I have broken it maybe two more times, but still struggled to get below 20:00 in most races.

Last night I had a 5K that my company sponsors in Boston - the Lawyers Have Heart 5K.  The course is not scenic - running up and down some ramps at the convention center, and then 4-5 zig-zags through the parking lot.  But it is relatively flat, with two uphills to break up the monotony, and two downhills to pick up speed.  I had been doing some good mileage at the end of last year - running a lot of 13.1 milers but no real speedwork.  this year I had struggled a bit with injuries (not running injuries, but old man type injuries as I passed 40 last year).

It was a bit hot and a little humid last night so I didnt know what to expect from my performance, but it had been hotter and more humid there last year when I had PRed at 19:37. 

The race started and I took off at the back of the lead group of runners.  The first little hill leading towards the convention center and my quads felt a little heavy, but okay for the most part.  I held on as people passed me for the first 1/2 mile, and tried to hold an even effort (not even pace) up the first ramp leading to the mile 1 marker.

Mile 1 = 6:10  (Sweet)

I was still feeling good after that but knew that I typically drop my second mile by a ton so I tried to increase my cadence.  Actually whenever I felt a bit sluggish in the race, I remembered somethign I read in Runners World that said if it starts to get tough just spend a couple seconds concentrating on increasing your cadence.  It seemed to work.  I probably did it 3-4 times throughout the race and each time it seemed to get me back on track.  So then up and down the ramps at the convention center and into the parking lot for the zig zags and come up on mile 2.

Mile 2 = 6:10  (Holy crap - I am never that consistent in a 5K - usually my second mile is 10-20 seconds slower than my first).

I do some quick math and remember that a 19:00 5K is about 6:07 per mile, and I start to think if I pick it up for the rest of the race I could break 19:00.  So I click it up one notch.  That is enough to start passing people in the last mile - except one guy in red who seemed to have picked it up too and he remained about 10 feet in front of me for mile 3.  As we neared the last curve, I increased the pace again - giving it the fastest push I thought I could hold for that last .1 miles.  I passed the guy in red and a few other people.  As I got closer, i saw the clock - it read 18:33 and I kept pushing, hoping that I wasnt more than 27 seconds from the finish line.

Final Time = 18:52

I was psyched.  I had wanted to get to under 19:00 for three years now, but never really even came close.  But it all payed off last night and it has given me a renewed need to get out there and run some more.  there were some fast people at that race - I came in 34th OA and 4th in the 40-49 AG.  But still - 34th out of 1300 people is pretty damn good and today I feel great!!!

Makes me believe there is still hope for me yet.  AT 35 and only really starting to take the whole training thing seriously I've always wondered if I could actually get some what faster.

Why to go!

Great racing Jeff.  Congrats on your PR and getting under 19:00!

Sweet!!   Maybe I'll break 20:00 for a 5k someday.  You have given me hope and made me feel extremely inadequate, both at the same time.

Great job Jeff!  Your log shows you've done your homework, and its good to see how well its paid off.  Keep it up!