Last year I ran a 5K on Thanksgiving as a test of my conditioning and I did it in 30:53 minutes. I was trying to beat 30 minutes, which I have been trying to do for the last several 5 K races I have raced in the last 5 years. I have run 3 5K races in the last 5 years. I just struggle in these "marathons".
I signed up this year for the Grace Works 5K, which is run around the Cool Spring Galleria at 8:00 AM on Thanksgiving morning. It was about 60 degrees at race time, pretty nice for this time of the year.
I was up early and put on 10 pieces of KT tape. I put a tape job on both feet and knees and wore my best support wear to keep from getting any cramps or knee problems. My knees have been getting a little loose lately and have on a rare occasions gotten twisted and that is a real annoyance. I was taped and compressed to withstand anything that was to come.
Last year I struggled at the start because I got into the starting chute too late and was mixed in with the strollers and other chaos and could not get a good pace early. It was a battle to make any time.
This year, I got in the chute early and started way ahead of the chaos and that was the smartest move I made for the race. I was after 30 minutes and at the lighter weight, I thought this was my best shot-ever. When we started, I was 4 seconds off the first runners, I did want to not mess up their races with my plodding butt. We were led out by three guys on Harley motorcycles, they were supposed to lead the pack-- so to speak. I got a great start and had a pretty fast pace and felt good. I did not look at my Heart Rate--I wore my monitor--because I knew it was going to be high. I was making good time and started to look for the one mile mark so I could judge my progress. The one mile mark was no where to be found!! Did they forget to put it out? Finally, we came to a marker for 2 miles and I checked my watch and it said 13:30. Holy shit! I must really be smoking up the track! I could walk in and make 30 at this rate! The final 1 mile was run in 10:11. I was not pushing because of the time split at 2 miles. I walked a couple of times, because my heart rate was 100% plus. But I pushed on and finished in 23:41. Wow! an improvement of 7 minutes over my previous times.. When I finished I was going to say something to one of the race directors and he was talking with one of the timers( it was chip timed and USATF certified), and I could tell something was screwed up with the course. I had ran it the previous year and realized that the course was not the same as last year. I went down to the race central and checked the course and the bikers and race leaders ran the wrong track! They turned in one block early and we ran a 2.7 mile race, not a 3.1 race.. That explained some of the low times. OK, now it makes a lot more sense. I was kinda bummed, I wanted to run a legit 5K under 30 minutes. Not this year.
I did run a 4.35 K in 23:41. I finished 9 out of 53 in the 60 to 64 year old class and 420th out of 2300 total runners. A big improvement over last year. If you add in 0.4 miles and make it the full 5 K, my time would have been in the 28:30 range which would achieve my 30 minute goal. I can take that, a 2 minute improvement.. I like my lighter weight, it makes a big difference.
I thought I would have a lot of soreness the following two days, but I felt great with only some fatigue in the knees and little muscle soreness. I did a thorough stretch the day after the race and that helped keep the soreness out of the legs. Now, I can take off a couple of weeks and get some rest and get some juice back in the legs.
For Thanksgiving, we visited Fleming Steak House near Vanderbilt and enjoyed some turkey and trimmings. Hopefully everyone can have a great Holiday season. Linda is making huge progress on her back pain and is back to work again. The procedure to help the leg and back pain was done about a week ago and she is getting stronger daily and the pain is slowly easing. She is finally gaining her old form and can resume a more normal daily routine!! Yea!!!!!!! I has been a tough go in 2016. I am excited for 2017, a lot more pain free days will be really welcomed.
On to Christmas, we put up a tree today, so it has started.
I signed up this year for the Grace Works 5K, which is run around the Cool Spring Galleria at 8:00 AM on Thanksgiving morning. It was about 60 degrees at race time, pretty nice for this time of the year.
I was up early and put on 10 pieces of KT tape. I put a tape job on both feet and knees and wore my best support wear to keep from getting any cramps or knee problems. My knees have been getting a little loose lately and have on a rare occasions gotten twisted and that is a real annoyance. I was taped and compressed to withstand anything that was to come.
Last year I struggled at the start because I got into the starting chute too late and was mixed in with the strollers and other chaos and could not get a good pace early. It was a battle to make any time.
This year, I got in the chute early and started way ahead of the chaos and that was the smartest move I made for the race. I was after 30 minutes and at the lighter weight, I thought this was my best shot-ever. When we started, I was 4 seconds off the first runners, I did want to not mess up their races with my plodding butt. We were led out by three guys on Harley motorcycles, they were supposed to lead the pack-- so to speak. I got a great start and had a pretty fast pace and felt good. I did not look at my Heart Rate--I wore my monitor--because I knew it was going to be high. I was making good time and started to look for the one mile mark so I could judge my progress. The one mile mark was no where to be found!! Did they forget to put it out? Finally, we came to a marker for 2 miles and I checked my watch and it said 13:30. Holy shit! I must really be smoking up the track! I could walk in and make 30 at this rate! The final 1 mile was run in 10:11. I was not pushing because of the time split at 2 miles. I walked a couple of times, because my heart rate was 100% plus. But I pushed on and finished in 23:41. Wow! an improvement of 7 minutes over my previous times.. When I finished I was going to say something to one of the race directors and he was talking with one of the timers( it was chip timed and USATF certified), and I could tell something was screwed up with the course. I had ran it the previous year and realized that the course was not the same as last year. I went down to the race central and checked the course and the bikers and race leaders ran the wrong track! They turned in one block early and we ran a 2.7 mile race, not a 3.1 race.. That explained some of the low times. OK, now it makes a lot more sense. I was kinda bummed, I wanted to run a legit 5K under 30 minutes. Not this year.
I did run a 4.35 K in 23:41. I finished 9 out of 53 in the 60 to 64 year old class and 420th out of 2300 total runners. A big improvement over last year. If you add in 0.4 miles and make it the full 5 K, my time would have been in the 28:30 range which would achieve my 30 minute goal. I can take that, a 2 minute improvement.. I like my lighter weight, it makes a big difference.
I thought I would have a lot of soreness the following two days, but I felt great with only some fatigue in the knees and little muscle soreness. I did a thorough stretch the day after the race and that helped keep the soreness out of the legs. Now, I can take off a couple of weeks and get some rest and get some juice back in the legs.
For Thanksgiving, we visited Fleming Steak House near Vanderbilt and enjoyed some turkey and trimmings. Hopefully everyone can have a great Holiday season. Linda is making huge progress on her back pain and is back to work again. The procedure to help the leg and back pain was done about a week ago and she is getting stronger daily and the pain is slowly easing. She is finally gaining her old form and can resume a more normal daily routine!! Yea!!!!!!! I has been a tough go in 2016. I am excited for 2017, a lot more pain free days will be really welcomed.
On to Christmas, we put up a tree today, so it has started.
Comments
Post a Comment