1999 Seminole Stampede 5k

This race was frustrating. A “damn” race. I ran 24:24 for a second-running-life PR by 4 seconds. But, did I?? Here’s how it went.

Fog. Visibility is less than a quarter mile driving to the race. And it’s worse at the race site, which is in a park next to a lake. Can’t see the registration location until I’m within 200 feet of it. I don’t run well in humid conditions. Damn!

I’ve not been running well....or much....for the last 3 weeks. Too many visitors. Too many big pancake breakfasts out. Too many fried fish sandwiches and Guinness. Low mileage for 3 weeks now. No speed work except for weekly races. Losing my base. Feel like I’ve gained 5 pounds. I think I’m losing ground instead of continuing the good progress toward my spring goal of sub-50 minute 10k that I was making through February. Damn!

Don’t feel like racing hard this morning. Maybe I’ll just run an easy 27 minutes and not report it on the Forums. No one will know the difference. Aaaah. There’s FrankS of the Masters and Merv forums. I was hoping he would be here. Glad to see him. Last chance before I leave Florida next Thursday. Uh oh. I can’t sluff off with an easy race in the presence of the quintessential competitive runner. Got to bust my butt now. Damn!

Late starting a warm up. Only have time for about a half mile jog and a couple of strides. Temp is OK. Low 60's. Even so, sweating profusely as I stand at the start in this humidity. Damn!

Last minute race strategy. I’ll just make sure the first mile is faster than the 8:15 first mile of last weeks race and try to hang on as best I can. Gun goes off. Lousy start. The course immediately narrows and goes into a sweeping 180 curve. Jams things up. Who the hell laid out this start? Why did all the people who want to run slower than I do start in front of me? Can’t get around anyone. Damn!

About a quarter mile into the race. Finally got some running room. Got to push to make up ground. One mile split coming up. 8:36??!!?? I sure thought it was faster than that. It’s 20 seconds slower than last week!! I might not even break 26 minutes! Double damn!!

Push harder in the second mile. Course snakes its way through the park on roads and trails. Never ending curves. Not a straight stretch longer than a couple hundred feet on the entire course. Great opportunity to practice running tangents. They might help to make up a little time. Second mile spilt coming up. 8:14. Not good. Feel like I’m dying and still can’t even get to the average pace I ran in my slowest 5k this year. Even if I can hold on to this pace the rest of the way, I’ll barely get 26 minutes. Damn!

Let’s try chasing a few people down. Might help to take my mind off of how bad I feel. Get that guy 20 yards ahead. Now the woman in the red shorts. Then a few more people. No 3-mile split, but we are getting close to the finish. One pack of 3 runners left that I can see in the fog about 100 feet ahead. Checklist time. Stay relaxed. Loose jaws and hands. Shoulders back. Head up. Hips forward. OK. Passed two of them. Just one more 10 feet in front of me. I see the finish line appearing through the fog. Time to kick. Pump the arms. Leg turnover will increase to keep up. Push off later and stronger for a longer stride. Feels good. I can feel my pace increase. His kick is as strong as mine. I’m going to stay with him, but I’m not going to pass him. Damn!

Getting close now. I think I can read the clock. 24:04??? Impossible! Can’t worry about trying to figure things out now. Just kick to the finish. All the way. Don’t slow down until you have crossed the finish line and are in the chute. 24:24!! Hot damn!!

Post race assessment - My watch says I ran the last 1.10685 miles in 7:34, which is a 6:50 pace. That isn’t physically possible for me at this stage. Something is wrong. Either the course was short or the mile markers/splits were incorrectly located. I suspect a combination of both. I don’t think my first two miles were as slow as the splits indicated. But, I also think I ran closer to 25 minutes than 24:24. Bottom line is that I don’t know if I am closer or farther from my goal than a couple of weeks ago. Damn!

This race goes into my log as a 24:24 5k, but with an asterisk. I won’t log it as a PR....just as a “damn” race.

Jim2

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