The running club here in Las Cruces puts on 3 races a year. I used to be on the Board and worked them all. There are a few other races from time to time and then nearby, well-known events like Bataan. My favorite race here is always a Sunday in February. It used to be Super Sunday and took place on Super Bowl Sunday. But that's the same day as the El Paso Marathon nearby and the day after a local 5k, Cupid's Chase, so the current Board changed it to the first Sunday of the month and renamed it Super 5 because it features a 5 mile and 5k, as well as the obligatory kids' 1 mile fun run.
I conferred with my Coach as always when I signed up for the 5-miler. Sometimes we come up with a time goal together but this time, she was right in the middle of a brutal race season of her own, so I just decided on my own to hope for last year's goal (which I crushed then) of sub-46:30. Of course then I was living in Albuquerque and running there and in Santa Fe, so high altitude training definitely makes a difference. I gave it 100% at the finish and my pace graph proves it. (I'll upload it to my log in a few minutes). My time was 46:41. My splits on Strava show my last mile was the fastest with sub-9 so I'm happy about that. And of course I liked getting a 3rd AG award! There were 5 in my AG (60-69) so it's not like I could just show up and get one. My age grade rating was 56.6% (59.1 last year). As ya'll know, it's an interesting way to review race results over time. So my PR at this distance is 42:49, 11 years ago, with an age-grading of 55.7%. So although slower in absolute terms, my current times are relatively higher quality! It was a good time with friends, as always. Thanks for reading.
"I didn’t run a race until I was 41 and that was a marathon! Let that sink in for a minute." -me
Hi Opie,
Thanks for the RR, and congrats on being only about 10 seconds off last year's goal time, earning an AG award, and scoring big on the age-graded scale. Excellent racing!
Jay
Without ice cream there would be darkness and chaos.
MM #5615
Congratulations, Opie! Sounds like you had a great time.
Great running. Congratulations. Your pace is about what I'd like to be running if I could shed some weight.
Nice racing Opie. Well reported as well.
...Nicely Done..........
check in
with us more often
we just assumed you were on a Secret Mission for the government
we didn't know which one
..nothing takes the place of persistence.....
Excellent racing Opie! Thanks for sharing the report with us.
Tammy
If it were secret, how could I tell you? Sorry I don't post often now.
...Nicely Done.......... check in with us more often we just assumed you were on a Secret Mission for the government we didn't know which one
Nice racing, Opie! I can't recall many 5-milers in my past but I definitely wasn't running that fast in my 60s. 😁
Doug, runnin' cycling in Rochester, MI
"Think blue, count two, and look for a red shoe"
Rose Colored Glasses
Hey Opie,
I enjoyed reading your race report! I can't remember what year Ralph and I ran Bataan but I do remember the sunrise there was the most beautiful sunrise I have ever seen.
What a great time you had at this 5 miler! Congratulations and I look forward to the next report!
Remember hanging out in Knoxville that one year? I loved seeing us finish on the Jumbo Tron.
And we had food and beer with tomwhite and pie jones and munchkn and various others I am sorry I can't remember.
Anyway. It was fun.
"Anytime you see the word "inflation" in the news, replace it with "record-breaking corporate profits" and you'll get what's happening."
Oh yeah, I remember! And we went to church. If I remember, it was a Catholic mass and I snickered to myself because my Catholic in-laws would always tell me I couldn't take communion at their church because I'm Episcopalian. What a fun trip!
Oh yes! We always liked to go to mass on our quest for marathons in every state.
I forgot we went together! (I thought we had reciprocity? But let's not discuss it. Wink wink)
Nice racing Opie!
"During a marathon, I run about two-thirds of the time. That's plenty." - Margaret Davis, 85 Ed Whitlock regarding his 2:54:48 marathon at age 73, "That was a good day. It was never a struggle."
Thanks again, everyone!