Notes
Temp 67 Wind 5 mph. Humid (87%) Dew Point 61 degrees.
Great night's sleep. No drama drive to race. Fantastic warm-up. Turnout down about half from last year. Did an informal headcount at starting line during course instructions (runners? volunteers? walkers?) Looked to be about 45-50 runners. Identified immediate issue. Three premier HS CC kids on front line with Hammer and A-Wad. They'll all go 17:XXs or better. I recognize no one that will be ahead of me early that will run about my time. No one to race and pacing all on me. Line up on second row behind two younger guys and a 30ish athletic type.
We're off and I'm past the two younger guys after about 5 steps. Mr. 30ish is off quick and his day is done after less than 400 meters. A-Wad is the closest, but I know better. I'm flying solo...all freakin' race.
I have set the Garmin to alert me every 6:20. Figure there is no way my splits will be any faster and I'll have all the mile markers in front of me to help evaluate performace. More focused on getting into a flow and mile marker is on me before I know it. Garmin "chirp" right on. OK, I've done a 6:20 and it feels about right...few seconds later, the actual time alert goes off (the last was the auto lap chirp). I'm a ways past the mile marker now. Crap, I'm not only out fast, I'm out way too fast. (Mile split was 6:07)
OK, its done, its over, can't redo. In the past, I would have thought: "slow down and run within your ability". That seemed to always result in 7:00+ second mile splits. Today, I'm armed with new knowledge! IN A 5K, IF A RUNNER'S HEAD HAS PREDETERMINED A FIRST MILE SPLIT FOR A SPECIFIC TIME, AND THE GUESS IS WRONG, THE BODY WILL DETERMINE THE NEXT TWO SPLITS. There is nothing to think about right now but focus on form, efficient strides, and maintain race effort. The body will set the pace.
There is no "turnaround point" in this out and back course. We simply break off the street and go around a city block. I remember last year seeing the leaders pass me going the other way before making that turn. This year, not so. Awesome feeling!!
Make the loop and back on main route. 5 mph wind at my back now. Fatigue causes some breakdowns in form here and there, but I'm on it immediately and back in stride. Two mile mark...no alert...there it is. Not as far past it this time, but good enough. (Mile split was 6:24)
Quick math says a 6:40 or 6:45ish 3rd mile may get it. Not confident in math, doesn't matter, run hard. About 2.25 miles in. OK, now I'm really tired. Screw it, run hard. Another 100 meters or so, I may actually hurl at the finish line for the first time. Screw it, run hard. Past the cop working traffic control. Still had the presence to say "Thank You". It came out in English, so I know I'm still capable of more effort. Run harder. Third mile split, alert maybe one or two steps past. (Mile split was 6:28)
Swore would not look at finish clock until after last turn. Made it, looked up, and had just rolled over 19:00. Funny, the first two thoughts were (1) cannot wait to get home and post this, and (2) if this is what sub-20 feels like, do I REALLY want to do it again? Hammer was several meters shy of finish line trying to push me to a sub-19:30. Just not there. Final kick topped out at 5:12 pace in 0:35 finish. (Final time was 19:34)
1:02 PR. The three HS CC kids all broke the course record. Ran in low 16s. Hammer 4th, I think 17:15ish. A-Wad 5th Overall and 1st AG with something in the mid 17s. I'm 6th Overall and 2nd AG. No other runner broke 20:00. High Schoolers and Masters ruled. Wayne Course was there and finished shortly after I came in. He had told me at this race (my 3rd 5K) last year that I had the potential to do this. He posed with me for a picture at the finish line. Told me to keep going and asked me, "What's next?" Told him, "19:33."