Banking for a Cure 5k

I decided to do a last minute 5k one week after the half in Wooster.  It was held only a few miles from my apartment so it was an easy decision.  If you've been following the blog, I've been focusing on less distance and more intensity this year.  It's been working wonders as my half marathon times have been coming down.  This little 5k was timed perfectly by being two weeks prior to my next half.  My performance...meh.

We started out at Malabar School in Mansfield.  I took off with the lead pack which included a few young kids taking off at young kid pace.  Their parents really should tell them to not start off at a sprint in a 5k.  Another runner and I quickly took the lead and it became a two person race.  The scenery was just suburban homes and plenty of hills.  It was a pretty solid workout.  I abandoned my plan and started off with a 6:38 mile.  I intended to start off with a 7:00 and run negative splits but that dang competitiveness clicked in.  The leader was about ten feet in front for most of the race until the heat started in.  It warmed up fast and we felt it halfway into the race.  The second mile clicked in at around 7:06.  We were both slowing down.  I really slowed down during the last mile and I really regret it because the leader did too.  I had a great opportunity to pass him with about a half mile left but I had nothing left in me.  I crossed the finish in a respectable 21:38, good enough for 2/66 overall, but only 17 seconds off from the winning time.  I was kicking myself for this one, but I have to remember that I would have killed for a second place finish a year ago.  Plus, the heat was a killer.

Next race: Pomerene Foundation Fall Trail Run Half Marathon- Millersburg, OH

Buehler's Heart & Sole Half Marathon

 

Well, I'm a week behind on this blog.  I ran a 5k this morning but have yet to give my report for last week's race.  My fifth half marathon for the year was in nearby Wooster, the Heart & Sole Community Run.  I had the added bonus of running it with a good friend so that was pretty cool!

This race had a very early start of 7:30.  Love it.  Why can't every race start early?  Plus, it was unseasonably cool for mid-August with temps around the low 50s at the start of the race.  The GPS on my watch was malfunctioning, so I will not be reporting specific times on this one.  Let's keep it short and sweet despite my surprising effort.

We started out in the downtown area and ran north through some upscale neighborhoods.  My friend and I started out at a conservative pace because we weren't quite sure how bad the hills would be.  Wooster is very hilly so we planned accordingly.  There were paces for this small race and we tucked in with the 1:55 pace team.  I wanted to hang out there for the first 3-4 miles and see how I felt.  We encountered a few longer hills but they really weren't that bad.  More of a nice change of pace, really.  The pacer let us know we were around the 26 minutes at the 3 mile mark.  That's right where I wanted to start and I felt great. I started picking up my pace in the hope of catching up to the 1:50 pace group. 

We kept running through residential areas and hit a few more hills.  I knew by looking at the elevation chart prior to the race that the worst hills were over in the first half.  I'm just guessing that I was running a lot of 7:30-7:40 miles midway through the race.  We did hit one dull portion by making our way around a huge park.  It was right out in the open, flat, and the sun was starting to warm things up.  This was around the 7-8 mile mark.  We then made our way back towards the downtown area.  I kept my pace around 7:30 (guessing) and focused on running a sub-1:50, if not a sub-1:45.  

The last three miles or so were net downhill and a really great opportunity to make up some time.  Seriously, I felt great throughout the entire race.  I noticed I was passing quite a few people over the last mile or two.  The downtown area came into view and I kept pushing, crossing the line in a great time of 1:43:52.  This is only the third time I've broken 1:45!  Not too bad for a non-goal race.

My strategy this year of doing less mileage and more intensity is working wonders.  My half time is consistently strong now and I'm hoping for a couple opportunities to break my PR.  I followed this race up with a local 5k.

Next race: Banking on a Cure 5k- Mansfield, OH