Resurrection 5K Race Report

Goal: 20:30. Dream: getting close to 20 minutes.

The race was only about 4 miles from our apartment, but I still got up early to take my time and get there early, so I showed up an hour before the start. This is small local race, but it was very well run: many volunteers, good organization all around. I picked up my bib, warmed up by jogging 10-15 minutes, then I walked over to the start area, which was about 1/2 mile from my parking place (and the finish line). I met ColumbiaSC5Ker (an RW-online friend) while waiting for the start.

We lined up in the front row, and exactly on time, the organizer gave the mark, when we were supposed to say "He is alive!" and start running. The first 1/2 mile was a steady, but not too steep incline. I settled myself right behind CSC5K, but I felt he was too slow for my usual pace, so I passed him at about just 1/4 mile into the race. This made me a little nervous, because I knew that he has run in the 19:30-20:00 range lately, and I was pretty sure I couldn't do that, but you do what you have to do - if he is having a bad day, I can't let myself to be dragged with him.

There were no mile markers, so I just ran by feel, trying to keep the pace of some runners ahead of me. Everything went fine: nobody passed me and I haven't passed anybody until about the 1.5 mile mark - then CSC5K passed me, so things settled into their usual order.

At about 2 miles, the hurt started, but I was able to overcome it mentally, and I believe I kept my pace. CSC5K told me at the end, that he ran big negative splits, so I guess I ran close to even splits, or maybe slightly positive ones (maybe I should get a Garmin at last). Then at about 2.5 miles, I even found some extra strength (or maybe it was the downhill), and I accelerated slightly. I started to hear the cheer at the finish line, and my watch was still showing 19:xx; then finally, when I turned into the short home straight, I saw the clock turning to 20:00. I sprinted my way down to the line - the end was a bit of a blur (I almost fell over a guy, who stopped in the middle of the chute). My official time is 20:09. I smashed my previous PR! I had thought I crossed the line at 20:05, but this is not the first time that I think I had a time that is a few seconds better than my actual time. I probably often black out close to the finish line. :)

Post race food was also pretty good: I had a few Oreo-type cookies, banana and water. I was really impressed with race: everything went smoothly, and even the award ceremony started on time.

I got a 3rd place in my age group, but I am so much prouder of this one than the age group win with 21:30 last August. Now I am at shooting distance from the sub-20 times. CSC5K ran 19:4x, and he was also 3rd in his age group. (I'm lucky he is a few months older than me, otherwise he would have knocked me out of the first three.) The course was easy with about 30 ft (~10 m) of net elevation loss, but it still had a few rolling hills, so I won't put an asterisk by my new PR.

Next step: two months of training and a sub-20 minute 5K in June. Tentative plan: June 22, Jailbreak 5K.