It seems like Catwhoorg will be representing us in the racing world this weekend.
Good luck!!! We can't wait to read your race report
07/15 catwhoorg - Summer Steamer 5K Kennesaw GA,
"Champions are everywhere; all you need is to train them properly..." ~Arthur Lydiard
MM #5615
I did a race today...actually two. The Golden Lake Gallop 4 Miler and the Golden Lake Gallop 2 miler. They, also had a 1/2 mile race for the kids, but they did not let participate in that one. These are all fundraisers for the high school cross country team. We had an okay turnout...we never have very many.
I have been doing this race for many years...I was going to say, "before Ryan was born," but he's going to be 27 in October and I can't believe it's been that long...but maybe it has. Anyway, except for the high school's all-time top runner, I used to go and kick the high school kids' butts....it always felt so good. Then 12 years ago, the new assistant cross country coach started running it and I could tell that it always bothered him that he couldn't beat me. In fact, he stopped doing it for a few years because he had to, "help with the race." We are pretty good friends and we have raced against each other in a few other races over the years--including a duathlon--and he has never beaten me. Well, this year, he knows I have not been running well. In fact, we went for a run last Saturday and he saw how much I'm struggling, right now. Now, to his credit, he has been working out pretty hard, lately, because he and his wife have gotten really big into the Spartan races. So, today--he raced it....and I could tell from the very beginning that his goal was to beat me.
I had planned on taking it fairly easy. My plan was to go out at 6:50 and take 10 seconds off each mile. I really wish I had stuck to that plan. With the coach right behind me, we went through the 1st mile in 6:19. I knew I was going to be in a battle and, mentally, I just wasn't strong enough. He passed me at the 2 mile mark which we had run in 6:34....and I was done. I was demoralized and just felt sorry for myself the rest of the race. I ran the 3rd mile in 6:51 and the 4th in 6:36 that took every bit of effort that I had left. My time was 26:21.
Of course, if you do the math on my initial plan of starting at 6:50 and taking off 10 seconds each mile, you'll come up with 26:20. But my friend beat me! He has never come close to beating me! I am not very happy about that.
The 2 miler was about a 1/2 hour after the finish of the 4 miler. I was not going to do this one but, this is the race that I pulled my hamstring in, last year, and I wanted to prove to myself that I could get through it. My plan was to take it easy and just get it done without hurting myself. I let the high school kids take off and didn't even think about trying to stay with them. But all of a sudden, 2 adults passed me--including a woman--and I just lost all common sense and pushed the whole way....which was still only good enough for 13:06. BUT--I didn't hurt myself, so that was an accomplishment.
I know I shouldn't complain and feel bad. I know that these times are decent times for a guy who is just a couple of weeks away from turning 59 years old. But I just have to do better than that. I have to get my mental toughness back. I have to get my confidence back. I have to get my speed back.
Okay--I'm done complaining. Thanks for listening.
Mike got chicked! tee hee hee Nice racing there...even if it wasn't what you wanted.
Trails Rock!
Trails are hard!
I just went back to look at a few runs where I ran down our big hill in Maine and I didn't come close t seeing 6's Very impressive!!
Need a fast half for late fall. Then I need to actually train for it.
Oh yeah, Mike got chicked.
Okay...for the record...as soon as this adult man and this adult woman passed me, I picked it up, passed both of them right away, and beat them both. Believe me, I have been chicked many times...but not today. Geez...
Nice going, Mike! You and catwhoorg are running faster then I ever did, so no complaints allowed!
Gopher the Gold 5K - Riverbends Park - Shelby Twp, MI
My 5K on Saturday was about a 50/50 asphalt/trail route with some of what passes for hilliness in this area. A couple of people that I know in my AG didn't show up, so I figured I had a good chance to at least place. Conditions were perfect -- sunny and mid-60s, plus shade coming up most of the way. It was a light turnout -- probably due to the plethora of charity runs in the area. There was also a 10K distance where I knew a few of the entrants from our club.
The start was on the pavement as we made our way along the pathways until ducking into the woods just before the mile mark. The first tenth of a mile had been hectic since I made the mistake of starting too far back. Being a charity run, this meant slow groups of three-abreast walkers ahead of me, berserk kids zig-zagging through the crowd only to burn out an stop right in my path, etc. But once I broke free the traffic was no longer a problem.
The path through the woods was very shaded, cool, and moist, and even though it had rained for about three days this week, there was really no mud to speak of. However, there are always trip hazards due to tree roots. I was doing just fine until I swerved slightly to avoid a big one and made a down-pointing gesture for the runners behind me. This must have distracted me just enough that I lost concentration for a second and next thing I know I caught my toe on a root (I assume) and pitched forward onto the dirt/gravel path. I got up, checked myself quickly, and continued on while a few others kindly asked about my well-being. It stung, but at least no blood. My biggest fear was that I'd get hurt with a vacation trip coming up next weekend and, to be blunt, my DW would be less than pleased!
The trail was a bit hard to run on in spots since even though it was generally wide enough, there were one or two well-worn grooves that were hard-packed dirt. I was a little concerned about turning an ankle, but finished that section at about the two-mile mark and started back downhill toward the finish, being a bit more cautious than when I started out.
I finished at 28:20 and won my AG (out of 5) by over a minute. My 5K times have been remarkably consistent this year, with the two that were on flat, fast courses being a 28:05 average and the two with trails and/or hills at about 28:18. I'm entered in another one out at a local air base that should be super-flat, so we'll see how that goes. Might as well exploit being at the top of the AG while it lasts!
Doug, runnin' cycling in Rochester, MI
"Think blue, count two, and look for a red shoe"
Labrat
Sort of hard to do a good RR for a 5K, but here Is a collection of my thoughts.
First up weather was hot (74 F) and humid, I was worried this would be worse than it actually was, thanks to sweating out all those miles already this summer. Long range forecast had rain, but this got better as the week went on.
Got there at about 6:30 to get my bib (#1 -yay) and shirt, which was an hour before the gun. Grabbed some water and then did about a 2 mile gentle jog to warm up. Ran backwards on the last mile of the course, then back to the finish. I know the roads pretty well, but was nice to visualize where I wanted to really push hard in that last mile, and get a feel for the elevation changes.
Lined up on the front row and on the right hand side to be well placed for the first turn (to the right). After that turn, things started to settle down a bit, there were about 6-7 people ahead of me (5k and 10K started at the same time). After the starting shakeout I wasn't passed by anyone the whole race.
First mile was relatively flat, then the second mile started with a steady climb (If you check the map in my log there is a V dip at 1.5 miles which is an artefact only, not reality), then the last portion of that was a long steady decline, where I really worked on upping my cadence and taking advantage of the descent. Was holding pace quite nicely, and into he third mile onto a local mixed use trail where I began to really push towards the finish.
Last quarter mile was mostly uphill slightly. Which was familiar from my recon run, so I knew to really push hard early in that 3rd mile, and then save some energy to deal with that. Crossed the line with 20:59 showing on the clock so wasn't sure I had the sub-21 in the bag until the race awards, where my official time was announced as 20:57, 1st place in my AG.
Auto split times were 6:47, 6:51 and 6:51, which were obviously just over the mile in each case as I averaged 6:45 on the (certified) course.
Jogged a mile and a half or so to cool down and flush some blood through the legs.
Checking back, thats 59 seconds faster than this race last year.
5K 20:23 (Vdot 48.7) 9/9/17
10K 44:06 (Vdot 46.3) 3/11/17
HM 1:33:48 (Vdot 48.6) 11/11/17
FM 4:13:43 (Vdot 35.4) 3/4/18
Marathon Maniac #957
Nice racing for Mike, Roch and Catwhoorg!
Mike - I can only dream of those paces...did you win?
Roch - glad you didn't get hurt and congrats on the AG win!
Catwhoorg - speedy 5K, and congrats on the AG win!
Life is a headlong rush into the unknown. We can hunker down and hope nothing hits us or we can stand tall, lean into the wind and say, "Bring it on, darlin', and don't be stingy with the jalapenos."