Here is the course elevation:

So there might be something there. But overall poor execution. As you know I am a total 5k noob. Can't be sloppy with pacing, because not enough time to make adjustments. The middle mile is where I need more focus. And look at your watch, FFS.

 

MTA - Official results online:

AG 1/33 - no tie, not sure what happened to the other guy

OA 25/1100

The graph would suggest that your pacing was not sloppy at all.

Had you increased the effort to compensate for the climb, your last mile likely would have fell completely off the map despite being downhill.

Nice job racing by effort!

DaveP, the pacing looks reasonable to me, looks like you had basically 1.5 miles going uphill. My theory is that you are not going to run nice even splits on a hilly course. Or at least that's what I tell myself when mine are all over the map. As long as the slowest part is uphill, you are doing something right. If you try to run at 5k pace uphill, you will blow up and wind up running really freaking painfully slow on the downhill.

Step, nice half & recovery from injury.

 

Ordinarily I show up way too early and end up with too much time to kill before the race. Which is much better.

 

Thanks for the comments on the elevation, I never think to check this before a race. I don't really remember this from last year, my splits were pretty even. Of course I didn't have the mad pre-race dash then either. And my body wasn't on West Coast time. Blah, blah. Anyway, found a potential redemption race on 6/28. Making a note to check the elevation; it's in Seattle, how hilly could it be?

 

Oh and LRB will appreciate this since he's done this race. The race starts with one ~0.5-mile lap around a horse track, then goes out into the streets. At the start, I overheard someone asking "how many laps do we do?" 

What type of horse track? Sand? Grass? I've done a 5k at Pimlico, that was the hardest flat race I've ever done. The race track was supposedly packed for humans, but it took so much energy to run on it since the sand was still fairly loose.

As far as elevation, the evil words around here are "relatively flat" or "fast". Which means it would probably look like the course you just did.  Or there is a big-ass hill, but you run fast on the way down.

 

Ordinarily I show up way too early and end up with too much time to kill before the race. Which is much better.

 

Thanks for the comments on the elevation, I never think to check this before a race. I don't really remember this from last year, my splits were pretty even. Of course I didn't have the mad pre-race dash then either. And my body wasn't on West Coast time. Blah, blah. Anyway, found a potential redemption race on 6/28. Making a note to check the elevation; it's in Seattle, how hilly could it be?

 

Oh and LRB will appreciate this since he's done this race. The race starts with one ~0.5-mile lap around a horse track, then goes out into the streets. At the start, I overheard someone asking "how many laps do we do?" 

Actually, I have never run that race. I was set to do the 10k in 2013 but pulled up the elevation map the week of the race and literally laughed out loud at the thought!

I ran the Art & Orchard 10k instead and have ever since. That was where I volunteered today.

Speaking of today, some of the drivers that were diverted were complete yay-holes to the cops directing traffic, I have never seen anything like it!

The officers kept their composure throughout, it was really impressive. One said they get that everyday! I could not be a cop that's for damn sure. I would be arresting mofos left and right. lol

Lauren - so sorry for your loss. You did what was best.

Dave - My 5k PR splits are pretty similar, except the 7:20 is the last mile. 

Cyberic - Your plan is pretty ambitious for a first marathon. I know you've trained for half marathons with lots of miles and workouts but long runs are another added stress.  When is your marathon again? If not til fall, I might keep the track sessions plus some fast finish long runs every other week and then add some more marathon specific workouts as it gets closer.

Lily - I generally use what McMillian gives me from my best, most recent race as MP for training.  If I am out of shape, I try for those paces anyway! But I wouldn't try for a goal pace that I haven't run a race to support yet.  Rather train to your current fitness and increase the pace as your fitness improves.

My running has sucked lately.  My legs feel tired and sluggish all the time and my paces are slower.  Not 100% sure why. I am trying a few things to hopefully fix it.

 

Excellent!  Are you hanging around or just passing through?

I'll probably hang around some.

You guys allow slow people to post here, right?  :P