Harbortown

Woohoo! The race directors got the course right this year!
It was a fun race and a good test of fitness, though the results were not quite what I had hoped for.
My plan was to run a sub 17:00 5k. A barrier that I have simply not broken through since that freshman year at UTK. I went out slower than normal and hung with the guy who was leading the race. He was taller and a more muscular guy than you tend to see at the front, but it was obvious no one was wanting to lead out yet. I fell in behind him, and stayed that way until we turned into the Harbortown Neighborhood and away from the Mississippi River, not 100 yards to our left.
At this point, another young guy came up alongside me. He looked to be in his late teens. Ah I remember the days when I was that age and used to stick it to the older guys. In fact this kid ran, and ended up winning this race, much like the one overall road race victory I have to my credit, but that is for another time.
He and I, and the other guy when three wide as we looked for the best tangents in the zigzagging course, that was completely in the shade and amongst great looking town homes built right up against the street. Sadly this did not change the near 90 degree heat index.
Funny thing about this part of the run was that I felt a slight urge to put in a dig and go hard for about 15 seconds to see what would happen. I was not red lining, and in my training runs I do this and tend to recover quickly. However, not feeling it prudent, I stayed with the young guy who was now my only companion. We went through the first mile together in 5:18, ten seconds ahead of my goal pace.
Now this is where I simply do not have the 5k figured out. Push, or conserve, or dwindle. At this point, push was forced upon me, as another young guy, with great closing speed came alongside me and went by. Noticing him, the leader picked up his pace, and we began to work harder, or so it seemed. THey began to pull away, and I thought, well here is where I let the dream of winning go, and just hold to my plan of running my pace. Ha Ha, now that is a funny thought.
As we neared roughly the half way point, I ended up passing the guy who had charged up on us as he was beginning to fade. I found out after the race he is an 800 meter and mile guy in High School, to which I doubt he has any real competition. So I sat in second with first place probably about 30 meters ahead of me. At this point the heat was bothering me, and for whatever reason, holding the steady pace was hurting more than I thought it should, as I had been a good boy and not put in a dig. This however must be stated. There is true growth in how I start and that was noticed yesterday. Generally I would notice that the runners were not interested in going out fast, so I would then take that time to blitz the first mile, and probably would have gone through in 5:05, but I didnt, and so I was glad for that new found discipline, yet mad at myself for beginning to lose steam. Second disclaimer, not excuse mind you, disclaimer. I had just worked three 10 hour days in which I did not get home until close to 1 in the morning, on top of trying to carm in a 45 mile week.
I went through the second mile in 11:06, bummer, coming off the pace at this point, but I thought maybe I could put in a little extra and manage to still slide under the elusive 17 minute mark. I began to hear footsteps from behind and that is never good. I gave up second place not too far after the two mile mark, and this is where the hurt really began and tends to do so often. With less than half a mile to go, more footsteps and I slotted into my final finishing place, fourth. A final time of 17:37, for a 5:41 average.
So, what does this have to do with getting to the Olympic Trails? Racing is good. We learn from racing, we learn where we need to improve, and how we handle pressure. We learn how to respond the next time, and we tend to push the body harder than we would in workouts. The good news is, I feel this sets me up well for New York Training. I need to run at or around 6 minute miles in order to finish in the 2:30's. This pace was far faster than any mile I SHOULD run in New York. Remember, it is a build up to that pace and ability, one I intend very much to focus on.
-Funny tid bit. I told my 4 year old he could go with me to get my overall age group trophy. We were standing close to the stage as they were going through all the young uns, and Cade was asking alot of questions, and right before they hit my age group, and get ready to call my name, Cade looks at me and proclaims, "I have to go potty" and begins making all the appropriate gestures, and is really beginning to freak out. So we get my trophy and exit immediate right into the porta johns. Now that is how to accept an award!
Many thanks to my wife for bringing out the kids and enduring all of these races, and to my mom for her help in watching the boys! Thanks!
Next race up, pending funds, Davies Plantation 10k, and/or Firecracker 5k.