Notes
NYSCTC Championships 3k @ SLU. Seeded 14th, just made it into the fast heat. After running 8:59 @ LLs, was feeling confident that I could run 8:55 or better and qualify for ECACs. Also hoped to score.
Not sure how I feel about this race. As expected, the leaders went out slow (Bobby went right to the front and did NOT want to be there). I got out well, and floated between 7th and 5th or so through the first K in ~3 flat. Which didn't really matter, since it was a slow pace and everyone was really bunched. It started to pick up after that, I fell back to 7th by the 1600, which was maybe 4:45? So pretty perfect, hit 2K in 5:56 and was struggling to hold it together as people started going by me and separating, last two laps were pretty ugly, 76 last quarter.
So, right after the race I thought it was ok, decent time (if not what I wanted), and there was a big gap between 11th (8:59) and 10th (8:53). But I'm actually pretty disappointed. I put myself in the right spot and had a good opportunity to run a fast time but I didn't respond well. The start was a little slow, sure, but 5:56 at 2k is pretty much right where I wanted, and at that point I was right with the pack I needed to be in if I wanted to run my time. If I could have just kept up the same pace as from 1k-2k, then I would have been looking at low 8:50's. Instead I folded, I had to make the decision on lap 9 or 10 and I didn't. But, it's hard to say whether that is mental or I really just wasn't ready to run that pace, I'd say that LL's was pretty ideally paced and maybe I needed it to be perfect to run 8:55. I was feeling pretty sick / sore afterwards, more so than previously I'd say.
So somewhat of a disappointing way to finish the season, but in terms of raw performance it wasn't terrible, purdy gives it a 4:30 mile so still maybe my 2nd best ever performance? Not terrible for a "bad" race, and certainly wayyy better than State's last year (4:4x mile implosion-fest). Pumped as hell for Outdoors, time to get right back on the horse. I've had a hot streak going these last 3 races and it's time to build on that, bump the volume back for the month of March and start working at hurdling. People are always throwing around that your steeple and 2 mile times should be similar, and I do believe that 8:59 converts to a sub 9:40 outdoor 2 mile, so the goal is DEFINITELY to qualify for ECACs (sub 9:40). That would be good enough for top-3 at LLs the last two years, and top 4 or 5 at states every year except 2011. Let's get after it!