Throughout the summer, as I ran one 5K PR after another, my predicted mile pace kept dropping, and I kept laughing harder and harder, because I didn’t see how there was any way in hell that I’d be able to run that fast.

Keeping that in mind, my reaction to this performance makes zero sense whatsoever, but I do tend to be very hard on myself, so there is that.

Based on my 5K PR, McMillan predicts a 6:09 mile.  Which seemed ridiculous, but somehow, after I ran a 6:18 time trial a couple of weeks ago, I decided that it made sense to target 5:59 as my A goal.  6:09 therefore became my B goal.  Normally, my C goal would be to PR, but since my official mile PR is the 6:45 from last summer’s North Avenue Mile — AKA, eight seconds faster than my current 5K PR pace — a PR would happen unless the sky fell.  So I decided to target my unofficial mile PR as my C goal instead — under 6:18.

I created a workout and sent it to my watch: five quarter mile splits with a pace alert if I dipped below 5:50 or above 6:10.  Because both times I’ve raced a mile in the past, I went out too fast and paid dearly for it the rest of the way.

I didn’t go out too fast this time.  In fact, I went out exactly at the pace I wanted to.  That stupid blasted incline in the second quarter ruined everything.  I stayed in my desired range for the other three quarters, but not for that one.

I can’t even.  I am so pissed at myself, I can barely see straight.  I know that 5:59 was a huge stretch, but I really do believe I can do it.

When I crossed the finish line in both of my previous mile races, I felt like puking and/or dying.  I didn’t feel that way this time.  Which, to me, means that I obviously did not run as hard as I should have, and I can’t blame the hill for that; it’s my fault.

Unofficial result.  Didn’t even make my B goal.

Official result is the same: 6:11, 1633/6314 OA, 225/2877 F, 52/685 F30-34.

There is no reason to look at McMillan predictions here, considering that those from my 5K PR are faster than this… but still.  These give me a few extra seconds of wiggle room, I guess.

5K — 21:28 (6:54/mi)
4mi — 27:54 (6:58/mi)
5mi — 35:35 (7:07/mi)
10K — 44:34 (7:10/mi)
15K — 1:09:04 (7:24/mi)
10mi — 1:14:30 (7:27/mi)
HM — 1:39:22 (7:35/mi)
FM — 3:29:08 (7:59/mi)

The worst part of this is that I won’t have a chance at redemption until at least next summer.  And knowing me, by then 5:59 won’t be considered good enough.  No, I’ll need 5:45.  Ugh.

 

I'm having a hard time collaborating your ire. What exactly am I missing? Did you expect to run strong up a hill, and finish strong the last two quarters?

 

You ran a really good race, maybe with time you will see it. How did the organization with the heats go? Also, what did you do for a warm-up in all that congestion?

Oh, I'm just irked because I missed by two seconds.  Even with that hill, I should have been able to run 6:09.  It shouldn't have slowed me down as much as it did.  I mean, it's not a mountain!

I know it's not a bad result.  Particularly when compared with the last time I ran this course.  But I very, very rarely run a race after which I don't tear it apart and find every last thing I did wrong.

I did not run the ten miles to the race, believe it or not.  It wasn't too congested, really -- everyone who was waiting to get into the corral for their heats (there was only one corral that they loaded up fifteen minutes prior to each heat) was on the sidewalk on the west side of the street.  I ran on the sidewalk on the east side, down the course and back up (with music_girl117, who may or may not pop in with a RR of her own), threw in a few strides and called it a day.

 

Seconds in the mile are like minutes in a 5k. Sooo many things have to go right for you, and even then one may not be happy.

 

What'd you do for punishment, run 10 miles home?

Nope.  11.  (Or 11.4 according to Strava, which I'm inclined to believe since my Garmin didn't hit mile 1 until I had run from 60th to 37th, and twenty city blocks is a mile.)

I agree with LRB.  I think you ran as strong as you could with that hill in the stupid middle.  Who put that thing there?  Anyway, 2 seconds on the mile is very close.  You'll smash this one next time, I am sure.

I should HOPE so, since it's almost a year away!  

That seems like a pretty good result to me.

 

 

I have never raced a mile, but the above is my take. It seems the pacing strategy is so critical, you can't possibly expect to just go out and nail one. Like you kept attacking the 5k, and kept cutting down your time, you can do the same for the mile if you want.

Believe me, I would.  If they came around more than once a year, if that!  (There are a few track miles here and there, but those are always on Friday nights so I can never do them.)

It's just odd that that hill was there.  I lost time on it too!  You still ran really well overall, and I enjoyed meeting you!

You ran a great race.  So close to McMillan...next time, without the hill, you'll have no problem!

Congratulations! I think you did great overall.