Ok, it's been a while since I've done a proper report on a 5K.

Stuff -

- St. Greg's is a Buffalo News Runner of the Year event, so there would be ballers present.

- My training has been in regeneration mode since the ultra-suckfest.

- I ran a small 5K yesterday and had to stay on the gas the whole way to fend off a competitor.  (The golf cart pace vehicle broke down before 2 miles, and from there on out I was using hand gestures to keep stray drivers out of the way.  I *really* wanted to yell "Omaha!" while QBing cars.)

The weather today was favorable, sunny and calm and low 70's with very little humidity.  The course is fast, a flat popsicle route through shaded residential streets.

Legs felt good, no pains or soreness.  As I was stretching my hamstrings over a curb, a teenage girl stopped by to say "excuse me, you're doing that wrong."  She proceeded to give me pointers on a more effective calf stretch, to which I just smiled and replied "cool, thanks!", haha.  No reason to point out that I was not doing calves right then.

Lots of hellos and waves as the usual suspects went by warming up, out and back from the start area.  With about 5 minutes to go, I finished up with a quick stretch and scooted under police tape to secure a place near the front of the corral.  There were a few guys in University at Buffalo singlets, lots of people who belonged up front, and only a few who didn't.  No pack of kids or anything this race.

We got out cleanly, and I zipped through a gap ahead one of the top women to hopefully clear a lane for her.  And then, oddly, a pack of about 10 guys formed up front, almost lazily taking stock of who wanted to contend but not pretend.  No rabbits!  The Uni guys would no doubt drop the hammer at some point, but for about a mile the pack held.  Sure enough, even before I reached the first split reader in about 5:12, the top dogs found another gear and left the rest of us to sort things out.

I stayed tight with Zach, we always seem to run best when racing each other for some reason.  Friendly competition, but no quarter given.  Around 1.5 miles, Jim pulled along side, and I smiled and nodded.  Jim is probably the best masters runner in Buffalo... for at least another year .

There was lots of minor positioning for a short while, but none of us moved more than 5 yards ahead at any time.  At the two mile split, I sensed a tiny distress signal from Jim.  I don't know if it was a ragged breath, an almost imperceptible slowing, or what, but right then I laid a plan to try to beat him for the first time in a short race.  I surged as much as was prudent right then, and had one mile to go, every single step being conscious of form and turnover and where my arms were and not looking over my shoulder but waiting to be challenged back.  The rest of the world faded behind blinders, one singular task at hand:  don't get passed.

Then flying back towards the last corner, knowing that the kick had to start before the turn and the home stretch where everyone else would be planning to go hard.  "Fumes, fumes, shit, no.  No, you're breathing OK, stay positive, suck it up bitch and fucking run, run now."  Past trees, past a group of fast guys who had elected to sit this one out but were cheerleading, past the last bunch of spectators before the scaffold and the clock and there's no air anymore, just sprinting, knowing, he can outkick me with better speed, not looking back, not knowing. I got it, I got him, throwing my sunglasses and water bottle onto the grass and the atmosphere coming back for my lungs, staggering around before a fist-bump and congrats for Jim and then Zach and then others.

16:26, 5th OA, a PR driven solely by strong competition at a strange, un-fast juncture in training.  And now the question looms... with lots of speedwork, with focus... could sub-16 happen?  Maybe.  We went out slowly.  Maybe.

WOW.

Amazing to be able to PR the day after another 5k, and so soon after your 50-miler. Your legs must have some kind of Wolverine-like recovery powers.

 

And nice of you not to tell that girl "I'm about to run a sub-16:30, I think I know what I'm doing".

This^^

Wow indeed!  That is an awesome PR!  Congrats!

And now the question looms... with lots of speedwork, with focus... could sub-16 happen?  Maybe. 

That would qualify you for the Hobby Jogger Olympics. lol

The key word there is focus. No different than the marathon or any other race distance, you will never know what you are truly capable unless you focus on that particular event.

Nice racing in a Baller-laden field. 

Ummm... Wow... Speechless...

suck it up bitch and fucking run, run now." 

Haha, that's awesom! Really awesome race Jay. To do that the day after another 5k is amazing!

"Fumes, fumes, shit, no.  No, you're breathing OK, stay positive, suck it up bitch and fucking run, run now." 

Maybe I'd have more success with 5ks if I could learn to talk to myself like that.

Another exciting RR from you, with a glorious finish time included! Congratulation on the new PR! So amazing that you can run so well so soon after the ultra, and in the middle of no man's land as far as training goes. Truly awesome stuff!

Also, on behalf of that young girl, thank you for being a gentleman. You are sweet.

16:26? Damn.

Great race and you have a way with words in your race report. It almost felt like I was there. Of course, I can't fathom running that fast!