Notes
Despite dealing with a gimpy foot for the last week managed to smoke my 5K PR. The day was cold (7 feels like 4), dark/overcast, rainy and windy. I was going to wear a long sleeve but changed my mind for short sleeves right before. Warmup was pathetically inadequate but the bleak weather meant everyone was in the start line early and I wanted a good spot. Did about 400m just enough to get heart up, plus some knee lifts, butt kicks. The rain stopped briefly for the race, although my shoes still got wet from the pavement. Noticed there was a 22 min pace bunny (the only bunny there) so started with him and a small group. This race starts out fast! The bunny got 10-15m in front of me at that point but I was running 4:15 at 400m and people were passing me like crazy. I reeled many of them in, not very many passed me after that first K. Broke the race down into miles, first one solid but controlled, second was uphill and mostly into the wind but I just focused on form and breathing. Our bunny was a bit behind me but I could hear him offering general advice and encouragement. Turnaround at just past 3K had the wind at our backs, so everything was easier. Last mile just held on, feeling encouragement how quickly its gone by without any lactic acid walk-breaks. At 4K the bunny told us to gradually increase the pace so we are sprinting by the end. The extra 25 seconds from Goal were in this K. Awesome.
500ml beet juice 2.5 hours pre-race
oatmeal, fruit, almonds, maple syrup, milk 2hrs pre-race