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Like Eric before (I wish I knew you'd be there, I would've tried to find you), I also ended up running the Run Like The Wind 5K in San Ramon. The long drive (over 40 miles for me) plus relatively early signup time (they said day-of registration closed at 7 AM, but they were taking registrations past that time as it turned out), so it wasn't until last night that I decided to sign up day of the race for the 5K.<br><br>
Due to injuries, this was my first race of any kind in over 4 months. It's kinda' been a winter of a lot of rethinking for me. Coach Sheldon has a quote in his sig line saying it's better to be 100% undertrained than 0.1% overtrained, and I was well past that 0.1% by end of last year. The downtime in the winter has made me look at my life at running & tris in a more long term view and I've vowed to be a lot smarter about things.<br><br>
This was also my first 5K race ever to boot - I don't have a lot of fast-twitch fibers in me, so these speed races never appealed much to me. However, with this being my first week since last mid-Nov. over 20 miles run-wise, this was a good opportunity to figure out where I was fitness & pace-wise. First mile would be an attempt of what I perceived to be HM pace, second mile 10K pace, third mile 5K pace, and then close as hard final 0.1.<br><br>
The course itself was a gentle rolly kinda' course through a big housing development in the hills of the east bay here. 1st mile started off downhill but then came back uphill final quarter mile. 2nd mile started off flat but ended up going uphill for the last 1/2 mile. 3rd mile was what must be a runner's dream - flat to slightly downhill (save maybe for the concrete sidewalks that we were routed upon.<br><br>
1st mile - 8:32 (that's right around my HM PR pace, so all good there)<br>
2nd mile - 7:51 (a little less than my 10K PR pace; with the uphills, not too bad.)<br>
3rd mile - 7:17 (ugh! Not that I have much of a top gear, but still with the downhill and stuff, kinda' slow.)<br>
final 0.1 - 0:36 (6:00 pace)<br><br>
Final: 24:16 watch time (24:37 clock time); a PR by default being my firstie<br><br>
I felt pretty good at the end, and it was pretty cool to be picking off everyone with my negative splits. However, I figure if I was really <span style="text-decoration:underline;">racing</span> this 5K, I'd be panting like heck and trying to hold on like everyone I was passing was.<br><br>
The post-race nutrition was kinda' interesting - first time I ever saw ice cream bars offered. It was still a bit chilly when most of the 5K'ers got in, so the freezers holding these treats were left untouched in favor of the more usual stuff (fruit, gatorade/water and bagels/muffins.)
Due to injuries, this was my first race of any kind in over 4 months. It's kinda' been a winter of a lot of rethinking for me. Coach Sheldon has a quote in his sig line saying it's better to be 100% undertrained than 0.1% overtrained, and I was well past that 0.1% by end of last year. The downtime in the winter has made me look at my life at running & tris in a more long term view and I've vowed to be a lot smarter about things.<br><br>
This was also my first 5K race ever to boot - I don't have a lot of fast-twitch fibers in me, so these speed races never appealed much to me. However, with this being my first week since last mid-Nov. over 20 miles run-wise, this was a good opportunity to figure out where I was fitness & pace-wise. First mile would be an attempt of what I perceived to be HM pace, second mile 10K pace, third mile 5K pace, and then close as hard final 0.1.<br><br>
The course itself was a gentle rolly kinda' course through a big housing development in the hills of the east bay here. 1st mile started off downhill but then came back uphill final quarter mile. 2nd mile started off flat but ended up going uphill for the last 1/2 mile. 3rd mile was what must be a runner's dream - flat to slightly downhill (save maybe for the concrete sidewalks that we were routed upon.<br><br>
1st mile - 8:32 (that's right around my HM PR pace, so all good there)<br>
2nd mile - 7:51 (a little less than my 10K PR pace; with the uphills, not too bad.)<br>
3rd mile - 7:17 (ugh! Not that I have much of a top gear, but still with the downhill and stuff, kinda' slow.)<br>
final 0.1 - 0:36 (6:00 pace)<br><br>
Final: 24:16 watch time (24:37 clock time); a PR by default being my firstie<br><br>
I felt pretty good at the end, and it was pretty cool to be picking off everyone with my negative splits. However, I figure if I was really <span style="text-decoration:underline;">racing</span> this 5K, I'd be panting like heck and trying to hold on like everyone I was passing was.<br><br>
The post-race nutrition was kinda' interesting - first time I ever saw ice cream bars offered. It was still a bit chilly when most of the 5K'ers got in, so the freezers holding these treats were left untouched in favor of the more usual stuff (fruit, gatorade/water and bagels/muffins.)
