Run For Scouts 5K - Schulenberg, TX
I headed to Schulenberg with Steve and Brian yesterday morning to take a crack at the Run for Scouts 5K. I still haven't figured out why we decided to drive 85 miles to do a 5K but it wasn't a mistake.
The race started at 7:30 (actually about 7:40 by the time they got around to it) and we got there just after 6:30 so we'd have time to register and warm-up. During our two-mile warm -up we couldn't help but notice that the course was anything but flat. It wasn't going to be a PR kind of day. But we also noticed that there wasn't any competition that we recognized, and only one person looked fast among those we didn't recognize, for what that's worth. You never know but we felt pretty confident that there weren't a ton of speedsters that made it out to Schulenberg.
The race started and instantly at least two dozen runners were out in front of me. Apparently they hadn't run any part of the course and had no idea of the fun that awaited them. I saw Steve and Brian on the leading edge of runners. Most of the runners in front of me had faded less than half a mile in. However, I did notice a guy who was easily a master-aged runner up near Steve and I thought, "Oh boy, Steve's gonna have more company than me in his quest for his first master's title". But that guy started to fade and was behind me by the first mile marker. In fact, everyone was behind me at the first mile marker but the one guy we thought was gonna be fast, Brian & Steve, and one young kid of about 14 or 15.
I hit the first mile marker in a time that was faster than I had planned - 5:59 - but it felt easier than I would have guessed it would, given the rolling course. And I was just a couple seconds back of Brian and Steve, who were battling the kid for second place. The leader was a guy who looked to be about 17, and it appeared that was about what he was going to run, 17-something. That put first place overall out of reach. I joined Steve, Brian and the kid just after the 1st mile. By the second mile marker, the kid was starting to fade. I hit the 2nd mile in 6:05 and it was just Steve and Brian and I left to battle for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, with Steve and I in contention for overall master. But I really didn't see myself actually beating Steve. To do that I would have had to make a strong move earlier and put some distance between us. He has too much sprint speed for me to hang around and try to take him at the end. This realization was unfortunate because it left nothing to pull me through mile 3. I clocked a 6:17. Steve and Brian were 30 or 40 feet in front of me, the winner had already finished, and I heard no one behind me. I did the final .1 in :31 and posted an 18:53. I think this would easily translate to something in the 18:30s on a flat course.
The young guy won with a 17:43, Brian ended up taking second overall with an 18:45, and Steve was third (and overall master), with an 18:47. I was 4th with my 18:53, and 1st in my age group, the 40-44.
For the post-race we met and hung out with Sean Dunbar, who made it in from Katy for his first race this year. He posted a fine 19:36, good for 6th overall. After a Gatorade, Brian and I went out for a 2 mile cool-down, then came back for more Gatorade, Kolaches, and beer. Yes, beer. They had a pony keg of Bud Light. Not bad.
Then later yesterday I went for a loop with my wife and our boys here in New Territory. When she finished I followed her home to drop off the boys, then went back for one more loop, for a total of 7 miles.
Total distance Saturday, 8/4/07 - 14.1 (2+3.1+2+3.5+3.5). 5K time - I've said it enough already.
The race started at 7:30 (actually about 7:40 by the time they got around to it) and we got there just after 6:30 so we'd have time to register and warm-up. During our two-mile warm -up we couldn't help but notice that the course was anything but flat. It wasn't going to be a PR kind of day. But we also noticed that there wasn't any competition that we recognized, and only one person looked fast among those we didn't recognize, for what that's worth. You never know but we felt pretty confident that there weren't a ton of speedsters that made it out to Schulenberg.
The race started and instantly at least two dozen runners were out in front of me. Apparently they hadn't run any part of the course and had no idea of the fun that awaited them. I saw Steve and Brian on the leading edge of runners. Most of the runners in front of me had faded less than half a mile in. However, I did notice a guy who was easily a master-aged runner up near Steve and I thought, "Oh boy, Steve's gonna have more company than me in his quest for his first master's title". But that guy started to fade and was behind me by the first mile marker. In fact, everyone was behind me at the first mile marker but the one guy we thought was gonna be fast, Brian & Steve, and one young kid of about 14 or 15.
I hit the first mile marker in a time that was faster than I had planned - 5:59 - but it felt easier than I would have guessed it would, given the rolling course. And I was just a couple seconds back of Brian and Steve, who were battling the kid for second place. The leader was a guy who looked to be about 17, and it appeared that was about what he was going to run, 17-something. That put first place overall out of reach. I joined Steve, Brian and the kid just after the 1st mile. By the second mile marker, the kid was starting to fade. I hit the 2nd mile in 6:05 and it was just Steve and Brian and I left to battle for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, with Steve and I in contention for overall master. But I really didn't see myself actually beating Steve. To do that I would have had to make a strong move earlier and put some distance between us. He has too much sprint speed for me to hang around and try to take him at the end. This realization was unfortunate because it left nothing to pull me through mile 3. I clocked a 6:17. Steve and Brian were 30 or 40 feet in front of me, the winner had already finished, and I heard no one behind me. I did the final .1 in :31 and posted an 18:53. I think this would easily translate to something in the 18:30s on a flat course.
The young guy won with a 17:43, Brian ended up taking second overall with an 18:45, and Steve was third (and overall master), with an 18:47. I was 4th with my 18:53, and 1st in my age group, the 40-44.
For the post-race we met and hung out with Sean Dunbar, who made it in from Katy for his first race this year. He posted a fine 19:36, good for 6th overall. After a Gatorade, Brian and I went out for a 2 mile cool-down, then came back for more Gatorade, Kolaches, and beer. Yes, beer. They had a pony keg of Bud Light. Not bad.
Then later yesterday I went for a loop with my wife and our boys here in New Territory. When she finished I followed her home to drop off the boys, then went back for one more loop, for a total of 7 miles.
Total distance Saturday, 8/4/07 - 14.1 (2+3.1+2+3.5+3.5). 5K time - I've said it enough already.
posted by Lance Collins at 12:13 PM
2 Comments:
Thanks for posting, I was looking for the results.
Sounds like a great time, for all!
No Jon Walk? I could have sworn he said he was going to be there.
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