Dec 22, 2007 10:47 PM
Get in Gear 5k RR
Gotta try this again -- right when I hit submit my internet went down and I lost the whole post. Don't you just love technology? This will be a theme for this post. 
Short version -- I finished second overall and 1st in my age group out of a TON of people. As near as I can tell, there were 1,446 total in the race. CamScam ran as well and finished 35th in his AG (1 - 19). His time was 27:40 without training at all -- please see additional note below about timing...
LONGER version...
A beautiful day for lounging around. A little bit warmer than I would like and there was a breeze.
Fashion Report -- kind of redundant because I wore what I always wear...
White MN RED Hat
Silver Oakley sunglasses
Black HRM strap
White MN RED Singlet
Gamin 301
Black MUG
MN RED split shorts
Balega Socks
Nike Marathongers
Started the day with a nice 10 minute shake out run @ 6:50 am (3 hours pre-race) just to get the legs moving. The dog and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Got to the race and did a 16 minute warm-up jog. I was wearing my winter warm-up wear and was sweating profusely as we finished!!!
Plan for the race was to get out HARD and run by position. Based off of previous results, there was a chance to win. Coach suggested getting out in 5:10 to 5:20 -- right!!!!
Got to the line and they said GO -- How could I argue.
I dropped the hammer and was surprised to find myself in first. YIKES!!!!
Had the bicycle and motorcycle escort and was feeling VERY uncomfortable. Not sure I like being out front. I sense a couple of runners not too far back from me, but don't want to take a look. I am trying not to look at my garmin, but finally do and see low 5s. OK, just settle down and RUN!!!
When I hit the first mile (garmin goes off two strides before the marker), the garmin says 5:26 (165 hrm), the person at the mile marker says 5:33???? This does not portend for something good. Oh well, standard comment # 1 -- SHUT UP AND RUN!!!
Shortly after mile 1, there's a left turn. I fight the urge to look back. Then there's a right turn. I can't help myself. 2nd and 3rd are about 40 feet back. I can hear their footsteps. I feel like a character in an Edgar Allen Poe story...
At the next right turn, I decide to put on a surge to see if I can put some distance on them when they can't see me. Works great on 3rd place. 2nd place? He's closing!!!
Mile 2 comes in 5:22 (169 HR) according to my garmin. Unfortunatley, the mile mark is quite a bit away on the course? Remember my comment about technology? If the garmin is correct, that's a 9 second 2 mile PR?
Just past mile 2, the footsteps are getting louder! The telltale heart...
At around 2.3, he comes abreast of me looking smooth and relaxed. Looks a lot younger too. I try to stay with him as he moves forward -- no good. I am fading!!! I look back, 3rd is nowhere in sight. RUN FOR POSITION!!!!
Mile 3 (according to my garmin) comes in at 5:39 (174 HR). Only problem, the mile marker on the course is WAY the heck out there! Who measured this thing? Supposed to be certified!!!
According to the math in my head (which was not very lucid), I should have a PR in me and MIGHT be close to low 17s. At this point, we meet up with the 10k runners who started 20 minutes ahead of us. I use them to try to keep the turnover. Pass a few of them and come across the line and look at the garmin -- 17:44. WHAT????????????????????????
OK,I feel like I am going to decorate the ground. Don't worry, shut off the garmin and walk before you splash something.
I grab some water and talk to a few other runners I know while waiting for CamScam.
Then I review the garmin details. Measured the course at 3.22? The last portion (after mile 3 was in 1:15?). So, now I have sour grapes!!! If the course is wrong, I just got cheated out of a HUGH PR! Oh well, nothing I can do about it. Just shut up and enjoy the fact that you RACED well!
I get home and check the results -- confirmed 2nd OA and that the first place runner was 27. young buck. Then the technology insult hits -- official time of 17:51! What the F&CK???
This was a chip timed race and I was in the front row! No way, I was 7 seconds slow in hitting the garmin!!!
ARGH!!!!
OK, this ends the sour grapes portion of this race report.
For the good news, I REALLY think that I am in sub 17 shape if I get the right course. This summer is going to be FUN!!!!
Thanks for reading.
Will post photos once they are published!
http://This message has been edited by hermosaboy (edited Apr-28-2007).
Short version -- I finished second overall and 1st in my age group out of a TON of people. As near as I can tell, there were 1,446 total in the race. CamScam ran as well and finished 35th in his AG (1 - 19). His time was 27:40 without training at all -- please see additional note below about timing...
LONGER version...
A beautiful day for lounging around. A little bit warmer than I would like and there was a breeze.
Fashion Report -- kind of redundant because I wore what I always wear...
White MN RED Hat
Silver Oakley sunglasses
Black HRM strap
White MN RED Singlet
Gamin 301
Black MUG
MN RED split shorts
Balega Socks
Nike Marathongers
Started the day with a nice 10 minute shake out run @ 6:50 am (3 hours pre-race) just to get the legs moving. The dog and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Got to the race and did a 16 minute warm-up jog. I was wearing my winter warm-up wear and was sweating profusely as we finished!!!
Plan for the race was to get out HARD and run by position. Based off of previous results, there was a chance to win. Coach suggested getting out in 5:10 to 5:20 -- right!!!!
Got to the line and they said GO -- How could I argue.
I dropped the hammer and was surprised to find myself in first. YIKES!!!!
Had the bicycle and motorcycle escort and was feeling VERY uncomfortable. Not sure I like being out front. I sense a couple of runners not too far back from me, but don't want to take a look. I am trying not to look at my garmin, but finally do and see low 5s. OK, just settle down and RUN!!!
When I hit the first mile (garmin goes off two strides before the marker), the garmin says 5:26 (165 hrm), the person at the mile marker says 5:33???? This does not portend for something good. Oh well, standard comment # 1 -- SHUT UP AND RUN!!!
Shortly after mile 1, there's a left turn. I fight the urge to look back. Then there's a right turn. I can't help myself. 2nd and 3rd are about 40 feet back. I can hear their footsteps. I feel like a character in an Edgar Allen Poe story...
At the next right turn, I decide to put on a surge to see if I can put some distance on them when they can't see me. Works great on 3rd place. 2nd place? He's closing!!!
Mile 2 comes in 5:22 (169 HR) according to my garmin. Unfortunatley, the mile mark is quite a bit away on the course? Remember my comment about technology? If the garmin is correct, that's a 9 second 2 mile PR?
Just past mile 2, the footsteps are getting louder! The telltale heart...
At around 2.3, he comes abreast of me looking smooth and relaxed. Looks a lot younger too. I try to stay with him as he moves forward -- no good. I am fading!!! I look back, 3rd is nowhere in sight. RUN FOR POSITION!!!!
Mile 3 (according to my garmin) comes in at 5:39 (174 HR). Only problem, the mile marker on the course is WAY the heck out there! Who measured this thing? Supposed to be certified!!!
According to the math in my head (which was not very lucid), I should have a PR in me and MIGHT be close to low 17s. At this point, we meet up with the 10k runners who started 20 minutes ahead of us. I use them to try to keep the turnover. Pass a few of them and come across the line and look at the garmin -- 17:44. WHAT????????????????????????
OK,I feel like I am going to decorate the ground. Don't worry, shut off the garmin and walk before you splash something.
I grab some water and talk to a few other runners I know while waiting for CamScam.
Then I review the garmin details. Measured the course at 3.22? The last portion (after mile 3 was in 1:15?). So, now I have sour grapes!!! If the course is wrong, I just got cheated out of a HUGH PR! Oh well, nothing I can do about it. Just shut up and enjoy the fact that you RACED well!
I get home and check the results -- confirmed 2nd OA and that the first place runner was 27. young buck. Then the technology insult hits -- official time of 17:51! What the F&CK???
This was a chip timed race and I was in the front row! No way, I was 7 seconds slow in hitting the garmin!!!
ARGH!!!!
OK, this ends the sour grapes portion of this race report.
For the good news, I REALLY think that I am in sub 17 shape if I get the right course. This summer is going to be FUN!!!!
Thanks for reading.
Will post photos once they are published!
http://This message has been edited by hermosaboy (edited Apr-28-2007).
