Notes
25th running of the Capaha Classic 5K. I haven't run this race for 4 years and signed up as a prep effort before next week's Hoops 5K in hopes of judging current 5K racing shape on a hilly course. Courses are somewhat similar in nature with several long hills. Bram is running this race also as a prep for next week.
We both have plans for the race and will have to do it on a rainy course. It has been raining steadily since I woke up at 5:00 this morning. Wasn't suppose to begin raining until around 7 but I guess Brian Alworth and the other meterologists have forgotten what the wet stuff looks like as it hasnt rained all Spring/early summer.
We line up at the starting line and wait around for about 5 min as the police escort hasn't shown up. The RD tries to send everyone the wrong way right off the bat (WTF) but is corrected by several of the runners. I line up on the second row right behind Bram who is behind Willie and his sis. Looks like he has hit a growth spurt. However, I digress.
We take off from a whistle start and I try to relax as I am following Bram through the first 1K of the race which takes us to the top of the first Perryville Rd hill. The front runners are out fast and we are following people who range in age from 10-53. Move out of the park area onto Perryville and we look to be in around 15th place. Feels like we are literally crawling and Bram mentioned that post-race during the cooldown. Our first 1/2 mile is at 6:15/mile pace.
The race leader is Roy L and, while he is opening up a little bit of a lead as we move up Perryville hill, it doesnt appear as if he is hammering the pace. The CBEM analysts' note this and it is verbally documented and concurred. At the top of the hill I am ready to accelerate and, Bram, being his usual sly self tells me, "Happy hunting". That is funny.
As I accelerate to what I consider 5K pace (not looking at the garmin and running on feel) I focus on the leader. Move into second place just before the one mile mark. I pull up to RL at the 1.25 mile mark just before turning onto Bertling Rd. We run together up Bertling, down the steep descent and up the 2 hills on West End Blvd. My take on the situation is that I will run alongside him as long as possible then attempt to stay as close as possible when he unleashes his 53 sec 400 kicking speed. As we come to the top of the last hill on West End I tell him there is one kilometer left at the Crain Funeral sign. I fully expect him to take off at/near that point as I plan to accelerate on the last kilometer. I am feeling good as I begin to accelerate slightly.
I have a couple second lead as I turn onto Rose Street and expect to be passed at any time as there is .50 mile left on the course. I continue to accelerate down Rose and, while I can still "feel" him behind me, I cannot hear his footsteps. As I turn back to the Park by the ball field I am now going nearly all-out and hear Roy's brother and buddy yelling for him to close the gap. Now two-tenths to go and I have one more incline to traverse prior to the last .09 mile downhill finish.
At this point I AM running flat- out, hoping I am running fast enough. Watch the clock turn past the 18 min mark as I am halfway down the last decline and cross the line at 18:06 in first place. I cannot believe it as I run about 15m past the line and turn around as Roy is crossing at 18:10. Not sure what exactly he was doing during that race but in no way thought I would hold him off at the finish. Hurt?, out of shape?... Regardless, I win a beautiful OA plaque for the effort. Chalk one up for the "old men" as they take 3 of the top 8 spots with a bunch of HS and youngsters in the mix.
Able to run negative splits today with miles of: 6:07/ 5:46[11:53]/ 5:36[17:29] and :37 sec for the final .14 mile which is 4:25 pace. :) Official results have me at 18:08. Interesting when you see 18:06 flash up as you are passing the finish clock and the finish line. Both Bram and I have 3.14 miles so the course was about 10-11 seconds "long".
Joe W, newly 45 y/o marathoner, finishes 3rd OA with Andy J right behind him. Bram cleans up the 50+ age group by smoking all of the comp, including a good StL runner who ventured down into the SE MO Masters "meat grinder". He may want to stay up north for awhile... :)
Great prep for next week and it will be a blistering fast field with many of the local college distance runners toeing the line as well as local favorite Bryan K, last year's Hoops champion and endurance running God.
My first race as a 47 y/o. Found 2 cents during the cooldown run then went to the gym for some easy spinning and a good stretching session for my beat-up legs. Rewarded myself with a 32 oz Diet Dew as I had been abstaining all week. Enjoyed that quenching drink and will again be Diet-free until the Hoops race is finished. I am a firm believer you have to sacrifice something you like in order to be both disciplined and mentally make you tougher. I learned this from my Hall of Fame HS wrestling coach Jack Smith..... one of the biggest influences in my life.
Bram runs a very good time and CBEM should be well represented next week. Another one in the books and on to the next event. Scheduled for bag-stuffing on Wed night for 500+ bags at Fitness Fitness for the Hoops event.