Though this was not my first time running a race in a ~100 mile week (that honor goes to the Run with The Wind 25k), it was my first time racing a 5k with this many miles on my legs. Although I know mileage slows you down, I workout with a lot of miles on my legs all of the time, so I rationalized that it wouldn't matter much and hoped to beat my heat advisory time trial time from 3 weeks before. The time trial was during a cut back week of 70 miles, but I hoped I'd gained fitness since then and expected I was capable of 18:15-18:30 in summer conditions. The race had prize money for the top 5 overall and top 3 masters, so my main goals were to get in the top 5 and win masters. For hot races I tend to prefer place goals, as realistic heat-graded times are never that motivating to attain!
When I warm up for short races I do a few minutes at tempo effort, and when I saw my tempo effort was getting me 6:39 pace pre-race, I was a little concerned - but I've had every combination of good/bad warmup/race, so I mostly brushed it off and lined up on the starting line with ice in my sports bra and shorts, trying to stay cool. It was around 78* with a 65* dew point, which is not great but I don't think we could have expected any better. 90* with 75* dew point would have been far worse!
I checked out the other women around me on the starting line and after the gun kept my eye out to see where I was at. Three women went out pretty quick, then when things sorted out I was in 4th. The course was out and back twice, meaning 3 hairpin turns but also meaning you could see where you were at every quarter of the race. At the first turn, I didn't have much lead on the 5th and 6th women, so I knew I was going to need to stay on it to meet my top 5 goal. The woman in 5th looked like she was likely in masters, so I was motivated to widen my gap on her.
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| The most common comment on this photo when I shared it on social media was about the gas price |
Like usual, I ran by effort and didn't look at my watch. I felt like I was pushing well and running hard, and if I'd had to guess I'd have said 5:50 pace. I am really glad I didn't look at my watch because I'd have been pretty disappointed to see 5:50 effort was getting me 6:10ish pace!
At the halfway turn around, I had a bigger lead on 5th but still not a lot - and I was working hard! I focused on the men ahead of me and trying to pick them off, and I successfully did for multiple men (I think 6). The course was marked each kilometer, so I also focused on pushing during the 3rd and 4th kilometers, since that was where I fell off in the time trial. I noticed that one of the lead women had fallen off the others and seemed to be slowing dramatically, so then I started telling myself to go get her.
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| Final stretch |
At the final hair pin turn, I felt comfortable with my lead over the 5th woman, and tried to push as much as I could, with a small hope that I could catch 3rd. I closed the gap between us but she was still at least 15 seconds ahead of me. When I first saw the clock, it started in an 18, but then I saw that advance to 19 and was pretty disappointed. I ended up crossing in 19:19, but they didn't do chip time so my gun time is my official at 19:25. Results are here.
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| Awards |
I think if Liz hadn't been at the race with me, I'd have wallowed about my time on my cool down, but instead we chatted the whole way and I stayed in a positive mood. We ran a little over 4 miles, then I picked up my winnings. I was pleased with my placings, so I had mixed feelings about this race, but I moved on really quickly from it and enjoyed the rest of my weekend - including a 20 miler the next day. It wasn't what I thought I was capable of time-wise, but it wasn't for lack of trying! I know the mileage slowed me down some, and of course the heat did too, but everything else was pretty ideal so I don't know why I wasn't better.
Not to be dramatic, but I've been wondering lately if my PR days are behind me. I'm currently training well, learning more, and giving running just as much as I ever have, but I'm not running exceptionally. Whatever the case with my performance, I'll continue to train and race because I love it - cheers to enjoying the process! - though I don't love the thought of slowing down. I am fully appreciating the masters division though!
