Notes
Temp 62 Wind 6 mph.
Certified course and no-excuse weather. Good turnout of 152 after having to cancel last year. Take a spot on second row behind kehamm and Dougie.
By mile one, D1 college runner, who will win by 3:00 minutes, is gone. Second and third have been claimed by KEH & DA. Spots 4-10 will flip flop several times over next two miles with a couple decided at finish line. Hit mile one in 8th, passed two runners (eventual 9th and 10th place finishers), and was passed by two others (eventual 4th and 6th place finishers).
Splits 6:46 / 6:47 / 6:57 / 0:48 (6:28). Was well within sub-21 shape, and cost myself what should have been a 4th or 5th place overall finish. Took some time to let soak, analysis, and come up with thoughts.
Last two 5Ks: (1) Mile One = 6:20, Mile Three = 6:53 and (2) Mile One = 6:28, Mile Three 6:56. Knowing I would have several folks to chase, over compensated to go out slower looking to run even or negative splits. Rarely look at my watch in a 5K, and even then, only once. Did it four times in mile one today. Chilling, actually chatted with two others as I passed them to the extent I turned around and was looking back over my shoulder to finish the conversation. Had to come to a complete stop and run around a little kid and another runner after letting myself get pinned to the curb about 600 meters in. Never got settled into a smooth stride until approaching the courthouse at the end of mile one, and by then had pretty much took myself out of the game mentally before getting started.
Still had plenty of folks to reel in and had passed first two when eventual 4th OA passed me. A second pulled up mid-mile two and we were running together when Mr. Thurman III, who we had both passed and who at one time was in 2nd OA, sprinted past us both. Other runner, 24 year old from St. Louis, went with him. I let them go thinking both would burn out. Caught and passed T-III again, but 24 year old was gone. Eyed next runner in front of me, had the cardio and went to accelerate. Hip flexors did not respond and tighten up into knots. Felt myself slow down. Got the same sensation in both my last two 5Ks in mile three.
Had to converted to strict form and hang on mode just past two mile split. Saw finish line video and looked tight as I felt with left leg appearing to fire more sharply than right leg. Crossed line with three other runners on my tail at 21:19 (T-III), 21:23, and 21:24. May not have been able to hold them off much longer. (To help with recovery, advised by T-III to "keep moving" after we finish...thanks for the tip, junior).
In general, overconfident and not as mentally focused as needed to race. Also need to address my slipping volume and make some other training tweaks. Probably need about three months for benefits to be of use.
Passing time, good days or bad days, some things basically remain the same. CBEGM go #1 and #2 in 55-59 AG. kehamm sits out 14 months and comes back to knock on 80%'s door first time out of gate. Hopefully he has the bug again.