Cinco de Mayo Cuatro Miler race report (Read 415 times)

It's a bit long, so I apologize. Turned out to be a great day! Yesterday was my second race of the year, another four-miler. Another afternoon/evening race, so I had all day beforehand to be lazy before hitting the road. But instead, I mowed the lawn before the rain came. Yes, it rained pretty good at about 2:00 or so in the afternoon (race started at 5), and drizzled off and on through the race. The cool temperatures (62 degrees), light rain, and little bit of wind combined to make for decent running conditions. If the clouds had not been out, it probably would have been a hot one. But it ended up being a nice day for a run. I still hadn’t decided my game plan when the gun went off just after 5. Was I going to take it easy, doing the run/walk mix and enjoying the company of those in the race with me? Or was I going to go at a good sustained effort for four miles and try for a new four mile PR? The first 60 yards or so were downhill out of the Corazon Spa, and as we got out to the street, the course had it’s one major uphill. Maybe a quarter mile of uphill, and the rest of the course (until you get back to that hill going down to the finish) was pretty flat. I felt good at the top of the climb, so I decided I’d push the effort and see how it went. I wasn’t ruling out walking yet, but I knew that weather combined with how I felt I could probably get under 34:27 (March’s four-mile PR). The asphalt trail running through the park was not much more than 10 feet wide, and though there were only around 500 people who raced, it was quite crowded. Since I’d started in the back of the pack (I like starting back here because I like passing more than I like getting passed), there were a lot of slightly slower runners to go around. Thankfully, they had mowed down five or so feet of the grass on each side of the trail. As WSM (Wicked Step-Mother) put it, “every time I looked ahead and saw you, you were in the grass!” The footing was good despite the afternoon storms, and I used the space to my advantage. They didn’t have mile markers, so there was no clear indication of how far we had gone. This worried me a bit from a pace standpoint. If I had gone out the first mile too fast and was now maintaining that effort, I was probably going to feel some major pain about three miles in. That said, my pace didn’t feel too fast, and I trust my training (what little I’ve done anyway). Cinco de Mayo Cuatro Miler (A few hundred yards to go, and still cooking along) Coming out of the park and back down the hill towards the finish line we went (as seen in the picture above). I spent half of the downhill making sure I didn’t have to worry about slipping on the wet pavement before I lengthened my stride and went for it. Coming down the hill, I turned left into the spa’s entrance drive, and then finally right towards the finish line which was uphill. Still, I pushed hard to the end and finished in 33:00, a new personal record. The official stats say 33:55, but I didn’t cross the start line until 0:55 had passed. And I’ve decided that since it’s my running world, I’m only counting the time I spent on the course. Yes, I could start up front with the elites, but I’d only get trampled and probably go out way too fast. I like where I start, and I’ll keep my time my way. It’s official to me. I turned in my stub, and quickly headed back to the finish line to cheer on WSM and Cletus (again, names changed to protect the innocent!) when they came in. WSM came through first at around 36 minutes (I’m not sure of the exact time. I know she told me, but I forget), and Cletus came through at about 39:20. The walking crew of my Dad, wife, and Cletus’ wife came through at about 1:15 and I’m proud of them all. I know for sure that my bride and Cletus’ as well had never done that distance, and while running on a drizzly day might be okay, I don’t think walking would be that awesome. But we all had fun, and we’re looking forward to next year.

Maybe he's just pretending those are incognito names, and he is using their real names to throw us off Nice job on the report and great job on the PR!

Yeah, Drew!! Congrats on the PR Nice report