Beginners and Beyond

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ROAR for Autism 5k RR (Read 37 times)

Half Crazy K 2.0


    Summary

    Not my best day by a long shot.  I had never run a 5k slower than McMillan predicts using my half marathon time until this race. This was a full minute slower than a 5k on a similar course back in March. Finish time according to Garmin was around 27:30.

     

    Long Version

    I ran the ROAR for Autism 5k on Sunday. It supports the Center for Autism & Related Disorders at Kennedy Krieger Institute. I linked the their website if you want to know more about them, I can’t fully explain how many different services they offer as far as diagnosis, treatment, research & education. This was my 6th year participating. The first 3 years I did the bike rides. Since the 5k was added 3 years ago, I went with that option. This was actually the first year that there weren’t bike rides. The event is held up at Oregon Ridge Park, which is in northern Baltimore County. It is really hilly. Growing up, I remember begging my parents to let me go skiing there. The ski hill is no longer around, but you can still see the bases for the tow lines. The 5k is an out and back, rolling hills, but considering there is a ski hill at the park, the 5k hardly qualifies as hilly.

     

    I have been stuffed up from allergies for the last week. Friday I decided to see if Sudafed would help and took the first does Friday evening. Dumb idea. I barely slept Friday night, so I was pretty groggy on Saturday. I was still stuffy Sunday when I got up and was debating between easy jog or at least try to make the race a quality workout.

     

    Since I had done this event before, I followed the directions to get to the park from the south. Usually there is a long line of cars coming from the north. I bypassed most of that. I got there about 40 minutes before the race. The park is anything but flat and there are no sidewalks or shoulders on the road leading to the park, so I was going to have to warm up in the park. I knew it was a bad sign when I was feeling winded on the short hills. I finished my warm up near the lodge, which has indoor plumbing. Got in line for the bathrooms, and then made my way to the start.

     

    This year the 5k started inside the park, which mean we would run downhill for roughly 100 feet or so before making a right hand turn onto the road.  It was announced later there were 500 runners. I started in the first 100 or so. I knew the first mile would probably be a little dicey. There were a lot of kids in the front, some had seeded themselves correctly, others not so much. But the same can be said for adults. In the first half mile, I saw 3 different people stop to tie their shoes. Not all exercised common sense and got off the road to do so.  This was my fastest mile.

     

    Mile 2 was rough. The first part is mostly downhill, again, not steep, but definitely losing elevation. Coming back up it just sucked. I felt the congestion the most on the uphills.

     

    Mile 3 wasn’t too bad. I at least felt like I was in a rhythm, even if it wasn’t at the effort I wanted. The last part of the race was brutal. As in I had my slowest pace after mile 3. The race started about midway on the hill. At the end of the race, you had to fully go up the hill, not long, but just steep enough to be brutal, and then turn onto a grassy slope to go downhill a bit and then slightly uphill to finish.  I had no kick.

     

    Despite this being a less than stellar effort, it still took me some time at the end to recover & feel normal again. Once I did, I did a slow 2 mile exploration of the park. Holy hills. Then I hit up the Wegman’s tent. They are one of the sponsors and have loads of samples set out in one of the pavilions. I now have tons of veggie chips, pop chips and other goodies. After getting all my samples, it was time for the mascot challenge. There are local mascots like the Raven (the Oriole couldn’t make it due to the game), college mascots and the mascots from the Kennedy Krieger School programs. Here’sa link to  the video from the first one back in 2013.

     

    So despite being a lousy 5k, it was a nice event & all for a good cause.

    Jack K.


    uʍop ǝpᴉsdn sǝʇᴉɹʍ ʇI

      "So despite being a lousy 5k, it was a nice event & all for a good cause."

       

      That's what it's all about. Hats off to you fer showing up and trying to compete. Trying to race when not  feeling 100% is usually no fun. I ran a 5k last July 4th and it was HOT. I wasn't feeling well to begin with but I am too stubborn to DNS. This was the one race where I felt like I was going to pass out after finishing.

       

      You'll do better next time out. Smile

      GinnyinPA


        Not a bad way to spend a nice Sunday.  I still haven't figured out allergy meds and running either.  To sleep too much or sleep too little or skip the meds entirely and not be able to breathe.

        hog4life


          IMO, to be a minute slower is not much under the circumstances.


          delicate flower

            Allergies, congestion, and hills...doesn't sounds like things were lined up for optimal performance.  All you do is take what the day brings.  Like hog4life said, a minute off pace isn't bad at all.

            <3

            happylily


              I agree that you did well considering you were sick. Racing is hard. Racing while sick is damn hard. Congratulations! And I'm glad that you still managed to enjoy yourself despite everything. That should always be the goal, no matter what. None of us are doing this to earn a living...

              PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013

                      Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013

              18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010

              outoftheblue


                I agree, it's going to be tough to race to your potential while you are sick.   But, good result, considering everything.

                Life is good.

                LRB


                  I once ran a race with a fever and did a whole lot worse than you did so kudos for keeping it close to your fitness.

                  LRB


                    Question about your McMillan time; are you using the half marathon equivalent time to race the 5k or racing the half marathon off of the 5k equivalent time?

                    Half Crazy K 2.0


                      Thanks for the encouragement. The late spring has caused everything to bloom at once, which looks really pretty but sucks for allergies.

                       

                      LRB, if I plug the 2:05 and change HM into the calculator, it gives me a 5k equivalent of 27:09. Usually my 5k is way better than what my half would predict (for example, I ran a 2:12 half, followed by a 25:40 5k, calculator would predict a 28:30 5k based on that half time).

                      LRB


                        LRB, if I plug the 2:05 and change HM into the calculator, it gives me a 5k equivalent of 27:09. Usually my 5k is way better than what my half would predict (for example, I ran a 2:12 half, followed by a 25:40 5k, calculator would predict a 28:30 5k based on that half time).

                         

                        Yeah most people would be much faster at the shorter distance than the longer distance would predict. You are on top of it then.

                         

                        Trying to run the half marathon equivalent off of your 5k PR time on the other hand is fun and exciting, because usually you are pushing yourself to your upper limit.

                         

                        Good stuff, what is next for you? Will you be doing that race you were speaking of now that things have calmed down? I saw Ray Lewis' speech by the way, I would eat a steak if he told me too. lol

                        scottydawg


                        Barking Mad To Run

                          Sounds like you managed to enjoy yourself in spite of the stuffiness and grogginess.  Congrats on your race, on scoring some goodies, and on being out there for a good cause.

                          "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Theodore Roosevelt

                          Half Crazy K 2.0


                             

                            Yeah most people would be much faster at the shorter distance than the longer distance would predict. You are on top of it then.

                             

                            Trying to run the half marathon equivalent off of your 5k PR time on the other hand is fun and exciting, because usually you are pushing yourself to your upper limit.

                             

                            Good stuff, what is next for you? Will you be doing that race you were speaking of now that things have calmed down? I saw Ray Lewis' speech by the way, I would eat a steak if he told me too. lol

                            There is a 5k on May 17 that is almost flat that I want to do. The 10k a week later is up in the air-- need to see when city hall is no longer under heavy guard since that's where the race starts and ends.

                             

                            Its funny with Ray Lewis. When he was playing, the shouting always seemed made for TV. Then I got 2 spinervals DVDs he is in. He's motivating.

                            Zelanie


                              Glad you were able to keep the streak alive and participate in this one.  It sounds like the allergies and the meds both got to you, boo!  Hopefully the bloom is at a slightly different week next year.

                                Nice job, HCK, even though it was slower than you wanted.  Any race with a Wegmans tent is a win.

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