2008 Heights Run 5K

5K, 19:31 chip time, 6:17 pace, Max HR = 185, Avg HR = 170, 48% Z5, 46% Z4, 83 degrees, 75% humidity
Official Results = 44/668 overall, 6/43 age group 30-34

I had a good time, even though I didn't have a good time. Translation: I enjoyed myself, but I finished a minute slower than my 18:32 PR set in Lafayette on April 26 of this year.

This should come as no suprise since I haven't been training at my normal intensity level over the last month as I nurse my ankle. Furthermore, the race temperature was oppressive.

But I've said in the past that I gauge my race day success as a function of effort, and I have to call this a very successful race in that regard. In Lafayette my max HR was 182 (lower), my average was 168 (lower), and I spent 43% in Z5 (lower) and 50% in Z4 (higher). So I put forth more effort at this race than I did in during my PR. (It was 70 degrees with 90% humidity that day)

Notes:
* My goal was to follow Jeff Eisle as long as I could. I knew it wouldn't be the whole way, but I thought it would be longer than a half mile. Hahaha. He's running really strong right now.
* Sean Wade won with 15:02 chip time. He hasn't had "time this week to get a good workout", so he ended up entering for a workout and running alone the whole way. He is a machine.
* I stayed up until 2:30 AM getting ready for the party, and I woke up at 6:30 AM to get ready and finish the party preperations. So I was running without lots of sleep.
* No Achilles pain, although the pain never seems to be a function of intensity so much as distance.
* Will passed me at about the 3/4 mile mark. He looked strong, as usual, and floated right past me en route to a 18:17 chip time and a third place age division award (45-49)
* Diana Hirst took the female overall with an 18:24 chip time. She was the only female ahead of me, and you can believe I tried as hard as I could to keep up with her. It became obvious to me at a very early point that I would end up in her wake. I don't know her personally, but I've met her at Will's hills before and I admire her competitive spirit and work ethic.
* Thanks a bunch to the Power in Motion group that cheered me on after I made the turnaround and headed back. I felt like a celebrity being cheered on by name, and my spirit lifted as my pace improved.
* Joe Oveido, my PIM coach, finished fifth overall with a 16:38 chip time.
* Bret Riley won his age group (35-39) and came in third overall with a 16:20.
* Ted Traynor destroyed his age group (55-59) with an 18:38 chip time.
* As usual, the Tornados kicked butt, and I'm proud to be a member of their team even if I can't keep up with our ringers.
* Kudos to the Heights Neighborhood association for putting on a great race with 5 year age groups and chips for the first time.
* Thanks to the Dynegy Running Club for sponsoring my entry.

I can't really remember much about the run itself. After the half mile point I started getting passed until about the 1.5 mile mark. After that I don't think I was passed but I did pass a few people. One guy would yell out in apparent agony about every twenty feet. I was motivated to pass him so I wouldn't have to hear him, but also to see if he would yelp as I passed. I had a strong finish, as compared to the rest of the run, but I probably should have started my kick earlier.

I'll write more about the after party later, which was a complete success by the way. Thanks to everyone for coming!

splits: 5:58, 6:30, 6:28, 0:35

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TDLY - 6/7/07 - I tried to run a threshold run with Cory, but I didn't have it in me to keep up with him. I think I loaned him my watch this day and it was the first day he ever used a GPS watch. If you're a competitive runner then beware -- the watch can be addicitive after only one use! Blog Entry.