Notes
Temp 63 Wind 11 mph. Humidity 52%.
Nice turnout. 98 all together, mostly male (60), and a lot of HS kids. Line up behind Hammer, left side of road, on second row in the middle of the Paragould, AR HS CC or track team. Couple other adults on front row. Only other real adult runner (Steve L.) on other side of road.
We're off and big group out fast. About a block to first turn, and I want to clear some of the HS kids I heard talking about running a 20:00. Left, another block, left again. Shakes out fast and shakes out at a quick pace. Hammer in front group of HS kids. 30+ year-old and more HS kids trailing. Start picking people off on Columbia street. Right on 10th Street at 0.37 miles. 30 year-old hit a brick wall and I go by. Running 7th. Know Hammer wanting to go out around 5:30 or so. I'm a little too close, but not awful. Get about half a mile in and check Garmin. We're running at a 5:24 pace. Can't do that.
Ease a little. Just as I do, Steve L. goes by. I pick off a couple more kids before the 1st mile split. Running 6th, I cross the first mile stripe at 5:40 which means I've backed it down to around 6:00 m/m. Look to find my stride, settle in here, and maybe speed up a notch if I haven't already did the damage with the fast start. Steve L. pulling away, so lock in on next kid (19 yr-old Tyler D.) about 25-30 meters ahead. Several turns over next 0.40 miles, so focus on tangents. Check Garmin just after turn onto 3rd Street to head south into the wind for a little over half a mile. Still holding right at 6:00 pace during second mile.
Close only small distance on TD as we hit the 2nd mile split. Run a 6:01. Bill for fast start still not coming due. About half a mile north on 2nd street. More closing on TD. He's running in the middle of street, so know that if he takes poor tangent on next left turn back onto Vine Street he's mine. Opponent accomodates. Go by few steps after turn. Surge to put him away. Want to check pace, but think why bother? 5th place looking won, 4th place out of reach.
Head in knowing that if I can hold around 6:00, I'll be close to PR. Crest small hill (bump) on Harb Street and see front runners starting to near finish line. Clock comes into view, cannot break 18:00, but still might PR. Focus and run. Go through 3rd mile split at 6:04. Kick down to a 5:48 pace to finish, but course is 3.13 miles long, so cross line at 18:31. (Garmined at 3.14 last year running bad tangents. Better this year, but still 3.13.)
5th OA. Second AG to Hammer who is 2nd OA with a 17:31. His best time since August 2009. NE Arkansas HS star Dylan H. wins in 17:13. 14 year-old Carter S. 3rd, Steve L. 4th. TD and 16 year-old behind me in 18:37 and 19:25. Times go into free-fall shortly thereafter.
0.02 miles @ 5:48 m/m pace = 7-8 seconds. That would have been good enough to eek out a PR. Don't care, I'm happy. Very happy. 0:51 seconds faster than I ran this course last year. Sweet to see an 18:XX next to my name again. Been a while. Since July, have run every course 0:50-0:60 seconds faster this year than in 2009. Next up is an 18:38 couse...will that be the day?
Nice race, nice tee, and nice award. First experience with Stearns Race Timing. Class operation.