This morning was the 36th annual Pioneer Run, in Phoenix, OR. They had 5K and 9 mile races as part of this event.  As with most Southern Oregon Sizzlers events (our running club in So. Oregon), the majority of the racing field are young highschool and 20 something runners – which makes for a very fast field.  John and I headed down to the race (about 45 miles from home) early with plans of ample time to get bib numbers, run 2-ish miles to warm up and time it so we would return to the start about 5 minutes before the 5K started.  The 9 milers started 30 minutes prior to the 5K. (our own local celebrity of sorts, Hal Koerner, winner of this past WS100, took 3rd in the 9 mile race).
I did a little over a 2 mile warm-up with John and it was nice to be able to use his Garmin to see what different paces felt like. His plan was to warm up with me, but then run with Linda while she did the 5K, so I wasn’t going to have the benefit of his Garmin to keep me on track. My previous PR in the 5K distance is 26.28, which I set this past summer, and my goal here today was to go under 25 minutes. To do that I knew I needed to run right about the 8 min/mile pace throughout the entire race. This is faster than my normal pace, so wasn’t sure how well I could hold on to that pace for the entire race.
The running conditions were great – overcast, 50 and the rain held off til after the race was over.
The race started and I messed up getting my Timex in chrono mode, so the first few seconds were spent running and getting in the right mode.  I felt like I might be going out too fast, because by about ¼ mile, I was already breathing WAY heavier than I should. Everyone starts out so fast though and it’s hard to remember the pace you want to keep and then actually keep it. I hit mile 1 at 7.46, so that explained the sucking wind feeling at the beginning. I hit the half way turn around at 12.27 and knew that I was on pace at this point to get my sub 25.  I didn’t see mile 3 marker til after I passed it and didn’t even want to look at my watch at this point, but mile 2 overall felt slower than an 8 min/mile pace, so I knew I needed to pick it up a notch during mile 3 if I wanted to hit my goal. There are a few slight declines on mile 3 so this would work in my favor.  Coming in on the final stretch gets a bit zig-zaggy with a couple 90 degree turns through the residential neighborhoods, but as soon as I came within view of the finish line at the highschool, I saw a 24 something on the clock and gave it everything I had at that point, which brought me the closest to puke threshold that I have yet experienced.
Final time was 24.48 and I was real pleased with that. I felt like I gave this race my maximum effort and on the limited and sporadic amount of speedwork that I do, I don’t think I could have done any better. Unfortunately, my 24.48 still was not enough to give me an AG award, but I did place 4th (out of 9 I think?) in the 40-49 AG.
Fashion report: blue running skirt, light gray short sleeve shirt, long sleeve blue running shirt, Boulder marathon running hat (compliments of John), Asics Evolutions.
This was my last race of the year and I was pleased to finish it off strong. 2007 has been a good running year for me.


----

Tamalina[/URL" target="_blank">