My report is a little late this week. We just got home from Florida last night and this is the first chance I’ve had to post it.

 

The Azalea Trail is a race that I originally targeted for my primary spring season goal of running a sub-50 minute 10k. However, since I have eased off (goofed off?? J) on my training regimen in the last month, I knew that I was unlikely to achieve it there. My races of the past month have indicated that I was in 51-52 minute condition. So, the goals I set going into the Azalea Trail were: floor goal-52; realistic goal-51:15; and ceiling goal-break my second running life PR (SRLPR) of 50:32, which I set a month ago.

 

The race conditions were excellent.....as good as they can be for a race in Mobile, Alabama on a late March morning. Temp around 50, low-to-moderate humidity, and a light breeze. The only thing that was missing was overcast skies, as the sun was shining brightly. The course is out and back. The first half is run under a canopy of Live Oak trees that stretch over the wide boulevard from either side and meet in the middle with stately mansion homes lining the way. The second half runs through neighborhoods before ending back in the heart of the city at the Civic Center. The crowd support is good. Girls in formal antebellum dress are located along the course. Just a beautiful venue for a road race.

 

Although I knew I wasn’t quite up to a 50 minute race, I also knew that the Azalea Trail can be a “breakthrough” race under the conditions that we had. It happened for me once before in this race in 1986 under similar conditions when I surprised myself by running sub-43 (42:54) for the first time. Within two months after that I was running 10k’s consistently under 42 minutes and ran my first running life PR of 40:58 six months later. So, I decided to try to start as close as I could to a 50-minute pace, see how long I could hold it, and hope for another breakthrough. But, it wasn’t to be this year.

 

After 30 seconds to cross the start line, my 5k splits were 25:14 and 25:24 for an overall time of 50:38 (51:08 clock time). My mile splits were 8:06, 8:02, 8:11 average for miles 3-4 (I missed the 3-mile marker), 8:15, 8:21, and 1:32 (7:10 pace) for the last .214 mile. However, the last two splits are inaccurate. I increased the pace slightly in mile 6, despite a side stitch. Plus, although I did have a strong finishing kick, there is no way I ran the last .214 mile at a 7:10 pace. The 6-mile clock was incorrectly placed......surprising for a race such as the Azalea Trail. The two times I ran this race previously, it was positioned before the last turn to the finish. This time, it was about 10 yards after the turn. And, the course hasn’t changed.

 

So, I came within 7 seconds of my ceiling goal and a new second running life PR and I finished 22 of 93 men in the 60-64 age bracket. I’m satisfied with that. I’m still within 40 seconds of my spring goal.....and it’s within reach. At least I haven’t lost any ground as a result of being a slacker and abusing my diet for the last month. J Now that I’m back home, “vacation” is over until we leave for France the first of May and, hopefully, I can get back to some serious training and a more sane diet.