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<p>I was going to skip this report due to time constraints, but since PR's are so rare for me in 5k's, i thought I should at least document it for myself <img alt="" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/wink.gif" title=""></p>
<p> </p>
<p>This was the 10th Annual Fall Classic,which benefits the Voorheesville School and Community Foundation. The Foundation in turn benefits many extracurricular activities at the school. I remember the year that proceeds from the race were used to purchase hurdles, jumping pits, and other track and field equipment when no funds were available after the construction of the new track facility at the school. A truly good cause, for the kids.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This race had a rather late start - 9:30 AM - this past Saturday, the 16th. When I drove to the school to register on my way home from driving #2 Son to his PSAT, I saw that there were only about 45 people pre-registered, and I had a very good shot at an AG win, a trophy for 1st School District member win, and/or maybe an overall top 3; but I also knew that due to the weather we've gotten at this small race the past few years, there would likely be a lot more people showing up for day-of-race registration, since it had stopped raining after a fairly turbulent week in the Albany area. So I reminded myself that my "mission" for the day was to attempt an assault on 19:59, and in doing so, best my PR of 20:39 set at the same race (on a different course) in 2009. Those two things I could sort of control - who showed up, I could not control. That brought me back down to earth and got me back in focus.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>My plan was to run a fast first mile, a slightly slower 2nd mile, and have a little something extra for the finish. Specifically, I wanted to run 6:20 / 6:40 / 6:30 / sprint the finish. I knew this would be a challenge, mentally, because my 2-mile race PR, though it's a bit soft, is 13:29, and I was asking myself to beat that by :40 and then run another mile, plus. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>As expected, some fast 40's and even some fast younger runners registered prior to the race, and as I approached the starting line, I saw that those uncontrollable things took care of themselves, and it was now settled that I would be running against the clock, solely. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I executed the race plan as well as could be expected. Miles 1 and 2 went by in 6:17 and 6:35, so I was actually :08 ahead of pace, but I was definitely feeling like I was going to need a push to run mile 3 anywhere near as fast as mile 2, much less faster. At about the 2.25 mile mark, the headwind, which only was bothersome for about 1/2 mile, went from steady to gusting, and nearly stood me in my tracks a couple of times. At that point, the runner ahead of me was now out of sight (he finished 1 minute ahead of me), and there was no indication of anyone breathing down my neck, so it was very difficult to do anything but hold my pace the best I could.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I guess i must have fallen back to about a 7:00 pace for the last 1.1 mile, as I crossed the line in 20:35. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Mission: sort of accomplished. While I didn't really come close to breaking 20:00, i did set a new 5k PR by :04, and in the process cut :47 off of my 2-mile PR (unofficially). </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Overall - finished 9th out of around 90.</p>
<p>M40-49 AG - 4th out of 15</p>
<p>School District - 2nd place, but no trophy. The guy ahead of me, in 8th, took that honor.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I did earn a shiney bronze medal, since the overall winner was 40, and that bumped me to 3rd.</p>
<p>(If there were a 45-49 AG I would have taken a gold, but no sense regretting that - another 'uncontrollable'.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Brian</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This was the 10th Annual Fall Classic,which benefits the Voorheesville School and Community Foundation. The Foundation in turn benefits many extracurricular activities at the school. I remember the year that proceeds from the race were used to purchase hurdles, jumping pits, and other track and field equipment when no funds were available after the construction of the new track facility at the school. A truly good cause, for the kids.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This race had a rather late start - 9:30 AM - this past Saturday, the 16th. When I drove to the school to register on my way home from driving #2 Son to his PSAT, I saw that there were only about 45 people pre-registered, and I had a very good shot at an AG win, a trophy for 1st School District member win, and/or maybe an overall top 3; but I also knew that due to the weather we've gotten at this small race the past few years, there would likely be a lot more people showing up for day-of-race registration, since it had stopped raining after a fairly turbulent week in the Albany area. So I reminded myself that my "mission" for the day was to attempt an assault on 19:59, and in doing so, best my PR of 20:39 set at the same race (on a different course) in 2009. Those two things I could sort of control - who showed up, I could not control. That brought me back down to earth and got me back in focus.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>My plan was to run a fast first mile, a slightly slower 2nd mile, and have a little something extra for the finish. Specifically, I wanted to run 6:20 / 6:40 / 6:30 / sprint the finish. I knew this would be a challenge, mentally, because my 2-mile race PR, though it's a bit soft, is 13:29, and I was asking myself to beat that by :40 and then run another mile, plus. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>As expected, some fast 40's and even some fast younger runners registered prior to the race, and as I approached the starting line, I saw that those uncontrollable things took care of themselves, and it was now settled that I would be running against the clock, solely. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I executed the race plan as well as could be expected. Miles 1 and 2 went by in 6:17 and 6:35, so I was actually :08 ahead of pace, but I was definitely feeling like I was going to need a push to run mile 3 anywhere near as fast as mile 2, much less faster. At about the 2.25 mile mark, the headwind, which only was bothersome for about 1/2 mile, went from steady to gusting, and nearly stood me in my tracks a couple of times. At that point, the runner ahead of me was now out of sight (he finished 1 minute ahead of me), and there was no indication of anyone breathing down my neck, so it was very difficult to do anything but hold my pace the best I could.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I guess i must have fallen back to about a 7:00 pace for the last 1.1 mile, as I crossed the line in 20:35. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Mission: sort of accomplished. While I didn't really come close to breaking 20:00, i did set a new 5k PR by :04, and in the process cut :47 off of my 2-mile PR (unofficially). </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Overall - finished 9th out of around 90.</p>
<p>M40-49 AG - 4th out of 15</p>
<p>School District - 2nd place, but no trophy. The guy ahead of me, in 8th, took that honor.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I did earn a shiney bronze medal, since the overall winner was 40, and that bumped me to 3rd.</p>
<p>(If there were a 45-49 AG I would have taken a gold, but no sense regretting that - another 'uncontrollable'.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Brian</p>
