Notes
Line up for the start. Don't see last year's HS rabbit nor do I see any of the ARK master's crowd. Oh well. Time to race. Near perfect day, feeling good and no excuses not to run well. 5-7 mph wind today.
Take off and in 6th place at the first turn. Evidently in a fast crowd today as several HS and JH kids decide to waste their legs on the first 300m of the course. Relax and check down pace toward 5:20 range until getting out about 500m. Begin to thin out at this time and following about 4 kids to the second turn. At this point, while holding pace, can tell they are all just about finished so just after we turn I go by them. No one attempts to keep pace.
1/3 mile into the race and it looks like a solo effort from here. Hit the one mile mark at 5:24.9 seconds. As I turn the corner see Bram running in second then.... no one. Wow.
Know the second mile will be toughest as it is mostly into the wind. Work on holding pace and concentrating. Feeling good. Hit the two mile mark at 11:00 for a 5:35 split. Now have the wind to my back. Starting to have to work to maintain pace but feel I am doing OK. At the 2.5 mile mark can feel myself slowing just a little bit and know I need to speed up if any chance of 17:0X. Turn back west and begin final .65 mile drive to finish. Hit the 3 mile mark at 16:32 for a 5:32 mile split. Needed to get there by 16:25 due to course being .02-.03 miles long.
Last .35 miles pick up the pace. Nearing the finish line and see clock moving toward 17:00. Kicking now; will not get 17;0x but working to get a PR. See it click 17:12 and cross under finish arch just as clicking over to 17:13. Last .14 miles in 41.8 sec for a 4:50 pace. Official time according to them is 17:14. CBEM team sweep the top 2 places wth official times of 17:14/18:19. Saw Bram go under finish arch just as clock ticked to 18:18. Next two guys in were high 19 min times; Box and McDowell, I believe. Garmin distance of 3.14; Bram has 3.12. We will split the dfference and call it 3.13 as that is what we determined last year.
Overall, great day to race and had a blast. Took the Corning Cup up to SE Missouri for the next year. Awesome. PR'd by a few seconds. Fastest 5K race since I was 42 y/o. I'l take it
Bram nearly PR's on straight HM training schedule.
***Today's efforts by the CBEM team are as follows: Hammes: 46 y/o: 17:14 actual time = 82.91% =15:33 age-graded equivalent. Bramlett: 50 y/o 18:18 actual time = 80.52% = 16:01 age-graded equivalent. I do not remember ever seeing two national class times for two master's level runners at any of the local races I have participated in. CBEM pulls off impressive feat, if I do say so myself.
My second race in a row with a national class time as I was able to break the 80% barrier with my 10K effort at Last Try. Feels great.