[donskiman]

<span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:Century;"><span style="color:#808000;"><b>I've done this race several times in the past, but this year it was in a new location - downtown Colorado Springs. This is one of the flattest areas in the whole city. I had been hoping it would be warm enough to go with shorts and a t-shirt, but at the time we were getting ready at home it was in the mid 20's and cloudy. A bit too brisk for me, so I wore the same clothes as the last several races. At least there was no wind for a change!</b></span></span></span><br><br><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:Century;"><span style="color:#808000;"><b>This is one of the bigger races for Colorado Springs. About 1400 people this year. They were using chip timing for the first time. The course was a combination short loop in the first mile, then out and back.</b></span></span></span><br><br><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:Century;"><span style="color:#808000;"><b>I left Vicki and Donnie as they waited in a potty line, while I went to do a warm up run. Then I had to wedge my way in near the front so I could get a good start. While I was standing about 4-5 back from the front and off to one side, I could tell there were many people in the front that shouldn't be there. I just hoped I could get around them quickly.</b></span></span></span><br><br><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:Century;"><span style="color:#808000;"><b>The gun sounded and the race started. Within the first 20 yards a few people in front of me were coming to almost a complete stop and I nearly ran a woman over. One of the slower runners apparently had fallen and that was the cause of the problem. Fortunately I was able to get around them without too much loss of time. In the first mile I was passing people and getting passed fairly often. After that it settled down a bit. My plan was to just hammer along as far as I could, recover a slight bit, then hammer to the end. The plan worked OK, except I couldn't seem to find the extra gear right near the end.</b></span></span></span><br><br><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:Century;"><span style="color:#808000;"><b>Since this was a new course I couldn't compare times with past races. My goals were to beat my previous best St. Patty's time, set a 5K PR, and to run under 22:00 for the first time ever. Well 2 out of 3 ain't bad. I finished in 22:01! So close. I think if they had provided a finish line clock to see approaching the finish I may have been able to get those 2 seconds with a final push. Oh well, I am still very pleased.</b></span></span></span><br><br><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:Century;"><span style="color:#808000;"><b>Vicki raced conservatively so as not to reinjure herself, but still had a decent time of 29:02. Donnie had some good training runs and I thought he might do well, but he caught a cold at school and was coughing and not feeling his best. He finished in 32:46. I know he can go much faster as he did a 2.65 mile run with me in 23:05 last Sunday.</b></span></span></span><br><br><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:Century;"><span style="color:#808000;"><b>Next Saturday Vicki and I are doing a small 5 mile race on the trail near our house. It's a fund raiser for the local high school running team. There will likely only be about 100 runners.</b></span></span></span><br><br><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:Century;"><span style="color:#808000;"><b>I ran 80.29 miles this week, including runs of 15 & 21 miles. I'm still not doing any speedwork at all except the races, but hopefully the weather will warm up so I can focus more on speed and a bit less on endurance. I'm kind of amazed at how fast I've been able to race because most of my runs are done at least 2 minutes per mile slower. I never even approach my racing speed in any of my training runs.</b></span></span></span><br><br><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:Century;"><span style="color:#808000;"><b>I got some new shoes this week too. I've been wearing Nike Air Pegasus for several years and like them except I don't need the clunky heel where they put lots of cushioning for heel strikers. Still I got some new Pegasus and wore them for the first time on the 21 miler. I also got some New Balance 902, which are lighter with a lower profile but still have some cushioning in the midfoot/forefoot area. My final pair was something to replace the Saucony Fasttwitch Speed shoes I've worn for long distance racing. The uppers on the shoes disintegrated. The new shoes are Adidas AdiZero Mana and I wore them in the race today and they seemed to work just fine. I'll rotate the Pegasus and 902 for my training runs, and the Adidas I'll just use for racing. I should be OK on shoes at least through the marathon in May.</b></span></span></span><br><br><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:Century;"><span style="color:#808000;"><b>Happy running!</b></span></span></span>

 

[hobey]

Nice work Don! Congrats on the new PR!

 

[TriAndStopMe]

80.29 for the week?!? Wow! And with the traffic jam, you should feel like you hit all three goals. You would have if not for the jam up.<br><br>
Great work!

 

[bcc594]

Good work. The start of those 5ks can be a bit chaotic. The kids who pull up after sprinting the first 400m, the newer folks who line up wrong. Great race, and congrats on the PR.

 

[LookiLoo]

Sounds like the Race for the Cure starting line <img alt="biggrin.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif"> That's an awesome time - and an even more impressive weekly total!

 

[Kate60]

Great job. Crowded race starts are scary sometimes, hope the guy who fell is okay.

 

[ksurp]

Nice job! Congrats on your PR.

 

[donskiman]

Thanks all. I'm happy with the time. That makes 6 PRs since the first of the year. Can't complain about that. I'm thinking there is still more speed in me once I start doing some speedwork.

 

[kimber45]

Great race! You definitely would have been under 22:00 if there hadn't been the chaos at the beginning.

 

[kylemcm]

Great job and gratz on the PR!!<br><br>
How does that saying go? Something about hurdling the fallen... Heh, but I thought that was at the end of a race. I hope the guy was ok.

 

[Thor]

Great job on the PR, Don, especially considering you did not rest up at all for this race, with you having logged a lot of mile in the week before. You'll no doubt get very close to 20 minutes once you get a month or two of quality speedwork under your belt.<br><br>
Nicely run!

 

[niemsco]

Great race and on 80 miles for the week? Wow! If I ran 80 miles for the week, I'm not sure I could do a race... I know I wouldn't want to <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif">... You'll destroy that 22min goal when you get some rest.<br><br>
You are right about those finishing clocks, they are real motivators to push you at the end. Congrats!

 

[Dougie Fresh]

Congrats, Don. 22:01 is impressive and so is 80mi on the week. I just can't believe you didn't stop to help someone who'd fallen and just ran right around them though. Shame on you! <img alt="wink.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/wink.gif"><img alt="wink.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/wink.gif"><img alt="wink.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/wink.gif"><br><br>
j/k<br><br>
Nice race and RR!

 

[donskiman]

Thanks again. I have run every day this year so far - an average of about 9.5 miles per day. I've already PRed 6 times in distances ranging from 2 miles to 20K. After the 5K yesterday I came home and ran just over 7 miles at an easy pace to help remove the lactic buildup. Today I only managed 5 miles due to freezing rain/snow/fog - I was afraid people in cars wouldn't be able to see me and visibility was down to about a block so that made it difficult for me to see the cars as well.<br><br>
I'm sure the person who fell was OK. There were already several people helping and I wasn't going to stop with 1200 people surging from behind.<br><br>
I've been racing well, but all the races have been C races. I don't taper at all and if the race is short I usually run several miles afterward.<br><br>
The 80 mile week was my most ever. I had done 6 weeks of over 72 miles leading up to it. This week may only be in the 50-60 range because it's supposed to snow all day tomorrow and that will likely limit how much I can run again. I do think that running all these miles in often nasty weather has made me much stronger mentally. That should be a big help when the important races start later this year.

 

[pcsronbo]

impressive, not only the speed but the distances overall. How's the body holding up? If it is, you are already on track for a MONSTER year.<br><br>
Your fitness was sub 22 so I think you met your goal really. The traffic jam was a fluke!

 

[em73]

great job, not just with the PR but with the training/racing overall.<br><br>
you fast people are an inspiration to us BOP'ers

 

[mmoonptdeux]

To crank out that time with the mileage you've put in - very nice! Looks like you'll have sub-22 easy; it's just a matter of when

 

[donskiman]

My body is holding up well. I get a few minor aches and pains after a race or a real long run, but easy running the day after seems to help with recovery. The only difference is that most of my runs are now in the 9-11 mile range, even though I'm still going at an easy pace. The other thing that has helped is I stretch after almost every run - probably 5 out of 7 days.<br><br>
I may have a sub 22 in me, but I don't count it until I do it. Ultimately I would like to go sub 20, but I'm not sure if I have the genetics for it and my age is somewhat of a limiter. Plus it may be difficult for me to push myself hard enough when doing speedwork as I do 99% of my running by myself. Doing longer, easy paced runs isn't difficult because I just kind of zone out. Speedwork will take lots more focus.