Notes
SOME 5k downtown from Freedom Plaza on Thanksgiving morning. That's about the time I'd expect right now, with only very little speed work last week, a few weeks after the MCM, and then feeling pretty bad the past few days and consequently running little. I started out fast, maybe in the 5:30s, but after maybe a third of a mile I backed off, eventually to just under 6:00 pace, as my body realized I wasn't going to stop soon. But it turned out that I didn't need to back off that much, since I didn't actually feel bad and was able to pick it up in mile 2. That may actually be the fastest second mile I've ever run in a 5k (or any distance). I felt solid and started thinking that I might be able to beat my PR if I could just hold that pace. But at the beginning of mile 3 my stomach started feeling sour and I couldn't stay under 6:00 pace anymore. I had completely forgotten about what 5k's do to my stomach. I tried gutting out a faster pace near the end but that just made my stomach feel worse without moving me any faster. This is a fine first 5k in 5 months, though, intended mainly to remind me how these feel and to see where I'm at, not to mention getting a workout in. I should be able to hold sub-6:00 pace in the Jingle All the Way 8k in a few weeks. I'll count the DCRRC 10k as another warm up race before that (in terms of expectations, since I still plan to run hard).