Notes
Temp 40 (WC 36) Wind 8 mph.
5th Annual Chaffee Race for the Cure. Travis C. puts on a quality event and locals are starting to take notice. Over 280 this year, almost triple the number from last two years. Lots of quality in the field. Large group of HS runners, many state-qualifiers. Usual fast masters field, and handful of other fast 20s and 30s.
First race in four months since HS injury. Thinking 19:30 is a gimme, hoping to maybe push it close to 19:00. Take spot on fourth row. Have Hammer, TJ, and Brandon B. in front of me, and Shawn G. behind me. Should have no issues getting out and no worries about someone tripping me from behind or stepping on my shoe. Speak to Joe W. who asks my plan. Says he looking to do about the same, so maybe can work together. Plans on 1st mile in about 6:15. Then he moves to front row.
Out with little drama, even with a half dozen little kids in the way. Start to settle about the time first Garmin alert goes off (have it set for every 0.50 miles). I'm in a group of four, JW and two HS kids (Adam R. and Clayton M.) Pack of ten out front have already separated 10-15 seconds. Billy L. in the group as a bandit to pace D'bert. Our group is on a 5:58 pace. Fast but not silly. Relax and get the legs under control.
We turn south into the wind around the 0.75 mile mark. I'm in the back of our pack and the HS guys are side by side with JW leading. Pull right up on them and duck the bill of my hat. Smooth and easy. Too smooth and easy, so decide to go around. Pull out into the wind, start to go, and feel effort increase what felt like ten-fold. Brake and slide right back where I came from. Much better...break time, I'll deal with the guilt later. Go through the first mile split at 6:08.
At 1.18 miles, we take a left on Capshaw. AR and CM fall off pace. Pull up side by side with JW. Chat some for 1/10th of a mile until next left on Main Street. Wind at our backs now. Give JW the tangent, but hop the wind wave and let it carry me by him immediately. Feeling fantastic right now. Just going to go with it.
Focus hard next half mile hearing him fall further and further back. Think I have him dropped just prior to two mile split. Go through at 12:06 for 5:58 mile split. Exchange with Daddy Z. on the road side and I'm speaking clearly. This is going really good. Check ahead and TayVee and Brandon B. next closest. They're still ahead +20 seconds or so, so I'm on my own.
Looking and feeling real good for sub-19 now. Relax, focus and look to get to next turn close to 2.4 mile point. Hit it, speak to offical, words come out clear, and I'm on to the half mile stretch on Dame Ave. Garmin alert at 2.5. Check it and I'm right at 6:00 m/m pace for race. Cool. Left HS tightens a couple of times here...not cool.
Closing some on Brandon B., but he kicks at last turn on 5th Street. I don't chase, but instead opt to relax, focus, and run my race. Did not know it until after race, but go through the 3rd mile split at 17:55 for a 5:49. 5:49!!?? Ten seconds better than I have ever ran the third mile of a race.
Finish it off in 0:35 for an 18:30 even. Second fastest 5K ever. 0:18 second improvement over 2010 time. I'm 10th OA and 1st in 46-50 AG. Third master to cross line, and fourth adult. Eric S. wins OA. TJ second, D'bert 3rd, and Hammer with 17:38 for 4th...on HM training no less. JW and Schmiz in after me in 11th and 12th. Both under 19:30. Nearly 300 folks, including some of the top HS runners in the area, and the old men take 5 of the top 12 slots.
Cannot think of one thing to bitch about or say I should have done different. Ice on the HS and looking forward to CBEM run in the a.m. As long as I've not re-injured myself, today was about as good as it gets.