Race Report – Lex’s Run 5k.
So – you wanted more race reports… This will teach you…I don’t run a lot of 5K’s, but when I do…wait no that’s a beer commercial. What is it with those beer commercial copy writers? They must all have hypnotism degrees.
So, I’m supposed to start at the exciting point with a hook that will draw you in, right?
At the ½ mile mark I was still in the lead on the narrow dirt path. There were 4 of us. I was thundering forward at a 6ish pace, I had Luau on my right shoulder and ‘the guy we all knew was going to win’ on my left shoulder. With the other guy trailing right behind.
This isn’t how it is supposed to be. I’m not ever supposed to lead a race, especially a 5k. This isn’t right. It’s a perilous thing to upset the order in the universe this way. It can cause the end of the world if you’re not careful.
I turn to “the guy we all knew would win” and said, “This is a sad state of affairs! A 48 year-old midpacker still in the lead at this point in the race? You guys should be ashamed of yourselves”
I let my foot off the throttle as we went into the turn because I knew that hill was coming and I had no intent of holding that pace. I kept slowing to see when, like commuters following that car with the blue-hairs going 5 miles per hour under the speed limit – they would be forced out of pure frustration to pass.
And pass they did. The “guy we all knew would win”, sure now that there was no threat, put the hammer down and the 3 of them pulled away as I slowed to a crawl, not willing to break myself on this hill in the first mile.
I’m so soft these days. No killer instinct. In fact I slowed so much that to other runners from the chase pack passed me going up the hill. I retook one of them on the long downhill. I could see Luau in 4th place a couple hundred yards ahead as he made the two mile turn, nice compact stride with a solid cadence in those blue Bikila’s like he was running down the beach.
From that point on there was not much hope of catching the 4th place guy and no chance of the 6th place guy catching me. I settled into a not-uncomfortable 80% effort pace and cruised home. Not much of a performance – but hey every day alive and vertical is a new PR in this world, yeah?
I finished 5th overall and 4th in my age group. That’s just how it is in Massachusetts. You can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a 40-something 6-minute-miler. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m midpacker and that keeps the universe on an even keel. No sense upsetting the karma.
Yes indeedy, I suited up and ran a 5k last weekend. You remember me talking to Doug – ReallyNotARunner – Doug – you have to change your handle – a few episodes back. This race is a labor of love that Doug and his wife Lex created so I went to meet some of the local Twitterati and show my support for some nice people.
We had absolutely awesome racing weather – overcast in the low 70’s. I through Buddy the Wonder Dog in the car and we got lost trying to follow Google maps. He is a enthusiastic but innefective navigator. I didn’t get a good warm up in or any stretching or oiling. I got a couple strides and then it was gun time. Typical for me. I once ran through registration into the start of a ten-miler in Maine – having to pin the number on as I raced.
The problem with these short races is they always leave me feeling like I could do better. They are the cocaine of our sport. You feel compelled to come back and try again, to do better.
But I digress…The course was interesting. The people were nice. I got about $50 worth of stuff for my $30 entry fee. Knowing Doug I’m sure it’s going to get better exponentially and grow every year.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
That was a fun race…I gotta tell you though, I think 5K’s hurt more than marathons do…