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Quick report. So, I bagged off of doing my long run @ 7:00am on Saturday morning to go to the Jingle Bell 5K and see if I could break 21:00 for the first time ever.<br><br>
I waited kinda late to leave the house for the 9:30 start. I wasn't pre-registerd. Fortunately, I quickly found a place to park and registration and chip pick up went very quickly.<br><br>
I had called my co-worker once I left the house and talked him into coming out to race too in spite of the fact that he stayed out drinking and playing poker until 2:00am the night before.<br><br>
The weather was perfect...sunny and about 55 at start time. The previous two years have been freezing cold.<br><br>
Having done this race a couple of times before, I knew the course well. I also knew that it was a gun to chip timing (meaning there's no mat at the start to cross, everyone's time starts at the gun). So, a good start was going to be critical.<br><br>
I lined up right on the line, with no one in front of me. The gun goes off and we're going uphill right off the start. That's not too bad, because we'll be screaming down this same hill to the finish line.<br><br>
I can see the leaders and I'm trying to settle into my pace. A week or so prior to the race, I had done mile repeats on the track and all the miles were sub 7:00 min pace. So I figured that I could string 3 of those together for the race. Goal pace was about 6:45. Then I'd empty the tank at the end and see what happens.<br><br>
There were no mile markers on the race course. This really is more of a fund raising fun run/walk than a serious race. But, there were the usual fast guys there anyway.<br><br>
I was wearing my garmin so I could see how things were progressing.<br>
1st mile: 6:37 - AVG HR 170<br>
Felt pretty good<br>
2nd mile: 6:55 - AVG HR 176<br>
part of this mile was uphill, I was just trying to hold it all together for the last mile<br>
3rd mile: 6:46 - AVG HR 177<br>
part uphill and part downhill, trying to get the pace going!<br>
.12: 4:58 pace - AVG HR 179<br>
Gotta love a downhill finish.<br><br>
I was flying down the hill staring at the race clock at the line. I could see it every second that it moved. I knew that it was going to be close.<br><br>
I flew over the mat and stopped my watch. 20:55 on my watch. Results were finally posted today. Officially a 20:53.8<br><br>
I didn't stick around for the awards ceremony. Looks like I ended up 4th in my AG. One place outa the hardware, but I'm getting closer.<br><br>
I'll take it. It's another PR by over 1:30! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/banana.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="banana"><br>
One more race to go this season.<br><br>
For anyone interested, the results are here:<br><a href="http://www.birminghamtrackclub.com/finishing/2007/JBR07_AG.htm" target="_blank">http://www.birminghamtrackclub.com/f...7/JBR07_AG.htm</a>
I waited kinda late to leave the house for the 9:30 start. I wasn't pre-registerd. Fortunately, I quickly found a place to park and registration and chip pick up went very quickly.<br><br>
I had called my co-worker once I left the house and talked him into coming out to race too in spite of the fact that he stayed out drinking and playing poker until 2:00am the night before.<br><br>
The weather was perfect...sunny and about 55 at start time. The previous two years have been freezing cold.<br><br>
Having done this race a couple of times before, I knew the course well. I also knew that it was a gun to chip timing (meaning there's no mat at the start to cross, everyone's time starts at the gun). So, a good start was going to be critical.<br><br>
I lined up right on the line, with no one in front of me. The gun goes off and we're going uphill right off the start. That's not too bad, because we'll be screaming down this same hill to the finish line.<br><br>
I can see the leaders and I'm trying to settle into my pace. A week or so prior to the race, I had done mile repeats on the track and all the miles were sub 7:00 min pace. So I figured that I could string 3 of those together for the race. Goal pace was about 6:45. Then I'd empty the tank at the end and see what happens.<br><br>
There were no mile markers on the race course. This really is more of a fund raising fun run/walk than a serious race. But, there were the usual fast guys there anyway.<br><br>
I was wearing my garmin so I could see how things were progressing.<br>
1st mile: 6:37 - AVG HR 170<br>
Felt pretty good<br>
2nd mile: 6:55 - AVG HR 176<br>
part of this mile was uphill, I was just trying to hold it all together for the last mile<br>
3rd mile: 6:46 - AVG HR 177<br>
part uphill and part downhill, trying to get the pace going!<br>
.12: 4:58 pace - AVG HR 179<br>
Gotta love a downhill finish.<br><br>
I was flying down the hill staring at the race clock at the line. I could see it every second that it moved. I knew that it was going to be close.<br><br>
I flew over the mat and stopped my watch. 20:55 on my watch. Results were finally posted today. Officially a 20:53.8<br><br>
I didn't stick around for the awards ceremony. Looks like I ended up 4th in my AG. One place outa the hardware, but I'm getting closer.<br><br>
I'll take it. It's another PR by over 1:30! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/banana.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="banana"><br>
One more race to go this season.<br><br>
For anyone interested, the results are here:<br><a href="http://www.birminghamtrackclub.com/finishing/2007/JBR07_AG.htm" target="_blank">http://www.birminghamtrackclub.com/f...7/JBR07_AG.htm</a>
