Notes
Yesterday I posted my intention to go for sub-20:00:
http://forums.runnersworld.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/608106477/m/7631040294
Thank you all for your advice and encouragement!
This was my second time racing a 5k. I did the exact same race last year in 21:08.
Well, I just got back from the race and guess what? I did it!! I'm really liking these night races.
I was actually quite nervous for once because of all the pressure I put on myself to achieve this goal. I was also a little worried that I might have left my race on the track a few days ago. I just reminded myself that this is not the goal race to try to calm myself down.
I decided to use the strategy in the study mentioned in the recent (and also a past) issue of RW. Go out 6% faster than race pace for the first mile, then go at race pace. I didn't really know what my race pace should have been. A pace that would achieve 20:00? Something based on my splits on my last 3 x 1-mile? McMillan? Well, I decided that 6:18 to 6:20 was going to be my goal pace, based on my last interval workout. So 6% faster would be 5:55 to 5:57. Well, I didn't see my time at the 1-mile marker, but the person standing there yelled out 6 minutes flat so I was pretty happy with that. I then settled down a little bit for the next little bit (I don't know the second mile split because other than the first mile, the markers are in kilometers). I was feeling pretty good during the middle, then I just had to hang on for dear life to cross the finish line in under 20:00.
Well, guess what? The big clock said 19:0x and my watch said 19:20 so I'm pretty sure the official result will be under 20:00!
There was a BBQ at the end which is a nice change to get something out of the entry fee - this one was pretty cheap too. Don't get me wrong, I understand and I'm quite happy that a portion of the fee usually goes towards a charity, but it was just nice to get fed for once!
I wonder what my revised goal for my half next weekend should be. I ran a hilly 8k 3 weeks ago in 33:30 and during my last tempo, I did the 8 mile tempo portion at an average pace of 7:05 in the rain and wind. Any thoughts? I guess I'll go for a primary goal of 1:35 to be conservative and then really go for it if I'm feeling good.
Here are my km splits for today's race:
1 - 3:38.4
2 - 3:52.5
3 - 3:51.1
4 - 3:58.6
5 - 3:59.5
Thank you for reading.