Law Week 8K Race Report
Going into this morning things were coming together for a nice race. I had two weeks of high milage along with quality, and solid progress with the mile repeats. I had a nice taper week this week, my best session ever at the track on Tuesday (as far as average 400 time), and a good race a few weeks ago at the Strider Handicap 5K (that turned out to be 3 miles flat). My weight was a couple of pounds higher yesterday morning than I wanted but even that was gone this morning - 152.4.
But I knew the weather was going to be ugly - warm and humid, unseasonably so for late March. We haven't had much opportunity to train in those conditions, though I tend to do better than most when adverse conditions are present, and I think I benefit from training in the late afternoon and evening, when temperatures are higher. That proved to be the case today (somewhat) though the conditions definitely prevented me from posting the kind of time I anticipated. I'll bet alot of others can say the same.
I hit mile one in 5:52. I certainly didn't expect to hold that pace throughout, especially given the conditions, but it actually wasn't all that uncomfortable. Mile two was a respectable 6:02 for a two mile time of 11:54. We hit the turnaround at Sheperd and I was beginning to feel the effect of the conditions. I was breaking a sweat and longing for that mile three marker. It came soon enough and I had a still respectable 6:05 for a three mile total of 17:59.
But mile four was where I finally gave in to the inevitable slowing that I had been staving off during mile three, especially on the hills. I posted a mile four time of 6:34 (!) but wasn't getting passed by anyone so everyone else was struggling as well I assume.
I'm used to this course as a 5K but those have you finish about where you started, right by Sam Houston park. With this race we had to head into town a couple of blocks and loop around a building then head back to the park. It made it difficult to know how much farther I had to go but finally I could see the finish line. That mile four had certainly kept me from going under 30 minutes but I really didn't know where I was time-wise because the last marker was nearly a mile back. I closed the 10 foot of distance between the nearest guy in front of me (Stephen Mayor) and we ran side-by-side for ten or fifteen seconds. Finally, with about 100 feet to go he reached down for another gear. I answered as best as I could considering how gassed I was but I didn't have it in me to stay with him. On another day maybe. He finished one second ahead of me as I came in with a 30:39, good for a 6:11 overall pace. I'm sure I could have gotten at least one more mile in at around 6 minutes if not for the muggy, warm air.
My time turned out to be good enough for 3rd in the 45-49 age group. It's not gonna age-grade well though, no ones' will.
I'm disappointed with my time, though I understand fully why I wasn't able to hit my target. And hitting three miles in 17:59 bodes well for my next 5K. That's in three weeks. I'm not doing the Bellaire Trolly Run. I'm going to get in two more great training weeks then shoot for a 5K PR on April 19.
But I knew the weather was going to be ugly - warm and humid, unseasonably so for late March. We haven't had much opportunity to train in those conditions, though I tend to do better than most when adverse conditions are present, and I think I benefit from training in the late afternoon and evening, when temperatures are higher. That proved to be the case today (somewhat) though the conditions definitely prevented me from posting the kind of time I anticipated. I'll bet alot of others can say the same.
I hit mile one in 5:52. I certainly didn't expect to hold that pace throughout, especially given the conditions, but it actually wasn't all that uncomfortable. Mile two was a respectable 6:02 for a two mile time of 11:54. We hit the turnaround at Sheperd and I was beginning to feel the effect of the conditions. I was breaking a sweat and longing for that mile three marker. It came soon enough and I had a still respectable 6:05 for a three mile total of 17:59.
But mile four was where I finally gave in to the inevitable slowing that I had been staving off during mile three, especially on the hills. I posted a mile four time of 6:34 (!) but wasn't getting passed by anyone so everyone else was struggling as well I assume.
I'm used to this course as a 5K but those have you finish about where you started, right by Sam Houston park. With this race we had to head into town a couple of blocks and loop around a building then head back to the park. It made it difficult to know how much farther I had to go but finally I could see the finish line. That mile four had certainly kept me from going under 30 minutes but I really didn't know where I was time-wise because the last marker was nearly a mile back. I closed the 10 foot of distance between the nearest guy in front of me (Stephen Mayor) and we ran side-by-side for ten or fifteen seconds. Finally, with about 100 feet to go he reached down for another gear. I answered as best as I could considering how gassed I was but I didn't have it in me to stay with him. On another day maybe. He finished one second ahead of me as I came in with a 30:39, good for a 6:11 overall pace. I'm sure I could have gotten at least one more mile in at around 6 minutes if not for the muggy, warm air.
My time turned out to be good enough for 3rd in the 45-49 age group. It's not gonna age-grade well though, no ones' will.
I'm disappointed with my time, though I understand fully why I wasn't able to hit my target. And hitting three miles in 17:59 bodes well for my next 5K. That's in three weeks. I'm not doing the Bellaire Trolly Run. I'm going to get in two more great training weeks then shoot for a 5K PR on April 19.
posted by Lance Collins at 6:28 PM
4 Comments:
Hey, good race. Just guess we are going to have to get used to these conditions. It seems like the wind is blowing harder everyday.
Junior
Nice race Lance. I have my doubts as to the accuracy of the 4th mile mark. That mile was a 6:31 for me.
Scott
Nice race; that warm humid air was tough.
Good race, and way to stick it out there through the end. Tough weather and the tough Allen Parkway "hills" combine for a tough race, but you turned in a very good race.
Great job.
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