Ill-advised Racing

OBJECTIVE
3.1 mi. : finish

ACHIEVED
3.13 mi. @ 7:13/mi. (22:35)

8:00 AM 61° 86% 4 mph

I probably shouldn't have run this race today. However, my employer is corporate sponsor and our running group received 35 paid entries. Late Friday afternoon, I checked the registration listings and found only 4 or 5 coworkers had registered so I signed up. Thinking that if Saturday's long run didn't go well that I'd just not race today.

This run is a HUGE local fundraising event for cancer research. On the course - all at the same time - are timed runners, untimed runners, family run/walkers, and walkers. Walking from my car to the packet pickup table was difficult for me. I was still feeling yesterday's run ... BIG TIME. I walked back to the car and stretched. I heard the call for runners and tried slowly running to the start. Wasn't happening .... Luckily they didn't start right away. I found a place in the pack, the gun sounded and off we went. I was behind slow people but that wasn't a problem today! My left ITB was throbbing and I had no get-up-and-go. Early in the race, I considered dropping out. I figured I might be hurting myself but honestly couldn't see I "good" place to drop out ... anonymously. So I slowed down even more and pressed on. I decided to "enjoy" the run as much as possible. When I saw the race leaders doubling back toward Reliant Stadium, it somehow lifted me. I cheered a few of them one then started cheering some of the other runners around me especially the young ones. I noticed that I was starting to pass people. My knee was still giving me a problem but not as bad as before.

I started focusing on the turnaround. I decided that I would work on my technique. Most runners started crowding to the extreme inside. This gave me the opportunity on the outside. So I swung wide while passing people then cut the turn and accelerated off the orange cone. I passed several others and got a lift. My knee was feeling better. I decided that my goal was to not let anyone pass me the rest of the way.

With .5 mile to go, I feeling felt good (relatively speaking). I picked up my pace. There was a long hill that I powered up smoothly; passing many others as I did. I turned hard for the finish and felt fine pushing to the end.

After the run, my knee was really screaming as I walked around trying the food samples available from the sponsors.

Normally this race result would have been a huge disappointment. But in context, I'm happy with the result:

* just ran 19 miles yesterday
* managed negative splits 7:41/7:30/6:39/ .14 @ 0:45 (5:21) [I think this is the first time I've gone negative splits in a 5K.]
* last year's time for this race 24:42

PRE RUN
Clif bar & water

POST RUN
water, pumpkin bread, spring roll, smoothie, granola bar, nutella crepe