[hup]

My Napa training schedule called for an 8-15K race today, but the best I could do locally was this small, flat, fast 5K .... oh well.<br><br>
Weather was perfect at 45 and sunny for the 8:45 AM start. There were about 250ish runners in the 5K and 150ish in the 2 mile run/walk, which started at 8:15 (not sure of the point of offering a 2 mile AND a 5K but hey, whatever)<br>
I'm in the first week of taper and was hoping to run a controlled, but hard effort, shooting for 7 minutes for the first mile, then dropping to 6:45, then just seeing what I could do the rest of the way.<br>
The start was good and I felt very relaxed and comfortable. I hit mile 1 at 6:25, but felt great. I decided then to attempt to run hard the rest of the way and see what happened. At the turnaround I felt strong and was motivated to push it home. Mile 2 was a 6:39, mile 3 a 6:29, and I finished in a surprising 19:49 (I have a suspicion the course was a few yards short, but have no proof other than the 3.08 that my Garmin measured). I'd have bet you $50 I wouldn't get close to 20 minutes ... I just didn't feel like my legs had it in them. With the solid marathon mileage I've put in I felt no fade whatsoever to the end. Maybe there's something to this training stuff, eh? <img alt="wink.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/wink.gif"><br><br>
hup<br><br>
39th OA<br>
3rd M45-49

 

[alan fletcher]

nice race - mile 3 as fast as mile 1 is always good in a 5k (and something i never achieve). i think you may be on to something with this training thing!

 

[LizRuns4101]

Great job, Hup! Way to run strong. Very consistent splits there, I guess training is definately paying off <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif">

 

[millbot]

Nice racing, hup. What was in that birthday cake?

 

[Nettie]

Nice job! <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif">

 

[RunsTheBitterroot]

Hi Hup, great job on your 5k, looks like training works. Larry

 

[JJJessee]

Fantastic Hup<br>
Its always nice to find out there is more in the tank than it feels like.<br>
Congrats on the hardware<br>
jjj

 

[Johnny]

Great job hup, congrats on the sub 20 and AG hardware as well

 

[choovie]

Woot! Woot! You are a speedy guy! Congrats on the great race -- sounds like you are in terrific condition right now <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"> No fade in the end either? Impressive, Hup!

 

[dromedary]

Great job hup!

 

[Boyerdavea]

Excellent race. It is great to see someone run on pace for all three miles. Great job! <img alt="banana.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/banana.gif">

 

[Tamster]

wow - you are one speedy hupster!! Congratulations on that sub 20 and placing 3rd! nicely done!

 

[mmoonptdeux]

Nice work hup - sub-20 time, 3rd in AG hardware, and great pacing - can't beat that!

 

[rosecoloredglasses]

Henry,<br>
Nice Run!

 

[Opie]

That's the ticket, Henry. While training for a marathon, win hardware at a 5k. You can't go wrong!

 

[Fortunate One]

WTG, Hup! I got into the game a little late to hope for any sub-20's. I'm glad your training paid off bigtime.

 

[Jim24315]

There sure is! For a while I thought maybe you'd forgotten <img alt="biggrin.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif">. I can promise you this too--if you get right back into doing what you have been these past several months as soon as you recover from Napa, you will be improving a lot more--more than you think! Again, this is a promise. I've found that it takes 2 or 3 years of dedicated effort, even for those of us who have been at it a while but have taken a lengthy break from serious training.<br><br>
Have a great race at Napa!<br><br>
Jim