Today (well, technically yesterday), I ran a 3000 race on the track for fun. It was steaming hot and humid today, but it went just fine. Especially, because I didn't train for this race at all. Just last Wednesday, a running partner of mine from the Wednesday running group talked me into participating - and I thought, what the heck, I swap my Thursday tempo run into Tuesday, I'll warm up, run the race, some more fast running, a cool down, and let's call it a tempo.

2009 Summer Track Series

Presented by Strictly Running & The Columbia Running Club

3000 meters Race Report

I arrived to the track well in time. That point, there was only another girl, who was about to run, so I sort of worried it would be a VERY small race. Later some more people decided to join in, so there were enough runners to occupy the waterfall line across the track - that is like 6 or 7.

I did four laps for warm up, which was a little excessive in the hot weather, but I didn't want to compromise my 5K training. I still considered this to be just a regular tempo run - spiced with a little racing. I felt a bit of stiffness and muscle pain from last weeks high mileage, but it went away with the warm up. I was still sweating from my warm up when we lined up - then off we went.

The 3000 meters starts at the half of the track, because you run seven and a half laps. It immediately goes into a turn. I lined up politely around the middle of the track, but I soon had to realize that I started quite fast compared to the other runners. For the first half of the turn I tried to gauge who runs faster then I, so that I can settle behind the person. All this complication was, because (naturally) I wanted to go to lane 1, the shortest lane - at the moment, after half turn, I still ran in lane 2. Also, I was tied with the leading guy in lane 1, which actually means I was faster than him, because I ran the longer arc. That was when I decided to sprint ahead and occupy the first position.

My time goal was 12:12. McMillan running calculator gave this projected time using my best 5K. I knew it wasn't realistic to beat this time with the preparation, heat, etc. This meant 1:37-1:38 laps.

My half lap time was right on spot. I continued pacing myself carefully. It worked very well, I ran the first few laps at around 1:35-1:38/lap.

There was a serious runner in the field - a high school track runner - but today, he also just raced for fun. He was breathing on my neck for the first few laps. It was a little annoying for one, and I also though how great it would be if he was in front of me, and I could pace myself of him. So at the end of lap 3, I slowed a bit, and let him go. At the exact same moment, he accelerated, and I couldn't follow him. Great. Pain and tiredness started to kick in. It was OK, as long as I didn't remind myself how many laps are left. (We were only halfway!)

I tried to keep our distance limited - not that I had any hope of beating him, but I thought I could run a great time, if I kept close to him. He pulled away for about one lap, but not too far. Our distance grew until about lap 6 to maybe 30 meters. Meanwhile, I slowed down a bit clocking 1:38-1:40/lap. The pain started to become unbearable. However, I was still breathing on pattern.

In lap 6 I tried to accelerate, or at least not to slow down any more. That time I also discovered, that the high school runner didn't increase his lead any more. In fact he seemed to slow down a bit. Before we passed the line that marked the starting of the last lap, I was no more than 20 meters behind him. That was about that same time when my rhythmic breathing fell apart. Torturous pain wandered in every piece of my body, but I had my reward: now I was breathing on the guys neck. At about 200 meters to go he pulled to lane 2 (very polite!) and I passed him. I kept accelerating. I lapped a slow girl the second time. (She didn't pull to lane 2, so I had run around her, which ISN'T nice, considering she was lapped!) I turned to the final straight, I kicked, I sprinted, and I won the race.

I though I would die afterwards, but I didn't even throw up! :) My time was 12:09, which shows that my pacing was quite good! I was completely satisfied. Even though this is not a spectacular time, this was probably the best I could run today. The organizers told me how much they enjoyed watching the race - with a last lap overtaking for the first place. Pretty cool!

I actually ran the other two races (600 meters and 1600 meters), but not nearly as hard. Then I ran a little cool down to finish a total 8000 meters for my workout. It was a good day!