Notes
Hollis Fast 5k
Pretty darn hot today. I didn't have the most relaxing day, but I didn't want to care a whole lot about this race so that was perfect. Drove down with the team - yes, felt very good to be a part of the team rather than just racing with the team - and warmed up the course with everyone (about 3.5 mi). There weren't enough bathrooms and I waited and then had to ditch the line to find the bushes. So I ran most of the time between 5:40 and 6:25. No strides, no stretching or sitting. It was about 85 or so at the start and given everything leading up to the starting line I wasn't feeling super confident.
I was about 3-4 rows back from the front at the start. It was pretty tricky and I had to pass on the outside and make a fast move up to the 4th chase pack. Went through the first mile fast (4:41.5). I mentally held back in mile two - that's where doubt started to creep in. Though at that point I had moved ahead of the third chase pack and the first two groups had split up into a string of runners. I was also getting passed/caught up to by Greater Boston TC runners. I decided my 2nd mile should be about 10 seconds slower, which it was, and then would roll from there. It turned out to be a pretty good plan. I struggled with the mental piece, wanting to believe I was tired and that I couldn't keep up with the people who were going to pass me. In the end only one person passed me and I ran some of the best splits of anyone in the race (few ran the 3rd mile faster than the second). I closed the last 800 hard and passed a couple of runners in the last 100 yards, which felt great.
A huge race mentally for me - great mental strength brought me through the finish in under 15 and got me to 7th place. Now I can't wait to start to drop some more time after I start doing a lot more speed work. Woohoo.
Splits
4:41.5
9:33.5 (4:52)
12.23 (2:49.5 @ 800 to go)
13:34.75 (1:11.75 @ 400 to go)
14:42 (68 last quarter)