Darn, darn, darn...

This past Sunday, I particapated in the second race of the 2008 Panera Bread Bucks 5k series, the New Hope-Solebury 'Spirit Run' 5k. Not having run in the past week and a half, I wasn't sure how I was going to do. It was a beautiful day for a race--cool temperatures with cloud cover. If you ask 10 people what to wear that day, you would have gotten 10 different answers.

The race also featured a team event. There is always last minute scrambling involved in this as you don't know exactly who is going to be showing up that day. But, with one minute to spare before entries were due, Team Blue Dawgs was formed and was an official entry.

When the race started, I had a lot more energy that I imagined. (I also started my watch a little late as I didn't know exactly where the start line was). The first mile is mostly downhill from New Hope-Solebury High School down into the town of New Hope. My first mile was around 7:30/mile pace.

The second mile goes through the town of New Hope and starts to climb up to a beautiful country lane that is part Mechanic Street/part Stoney Hill Road. It is not a terrible climb to get to Mechanic Street but will slow you down. At the two mile mark, the timekeeper called out 15:45.

Now, my PR for a 5k is 24:43. In the back of my mind, I calculated I needed to do the next 1.1 miles in a little less in 9 minutes in order to PR! Not a course PR! A 5k PR! The fastest I ever ran this course was 25:18. And, I knew what was coming up. And, it's not pretty (well, it actually is pretty if you are walking, biking, jogging. If you are racing, it's not pretty). For the most part, there are a series of hills you need to climb for that last mile. And, mentally, I knew these hills can whip me.

After climbing the 'big' hill on Old York Road, you start the last 1/4 mile again going uphill on Route 179 and then around a corner, back into the NHS High School parking lot for the last 100 yards. Going up Old York Road always, always makes me feel I am about to lose my breakfast. At that point, you just want to finish. But, as I rounded the corner for the final 100 yards, I noticed that I could finish under 25:00. So, I made a mad dash and finished officially at 24:56. My watch said 24:48 but, as I stated, I was late starting it, so I estimated I did 24:53, just 10 seconds off my PR. (So, so close)

(BTW, you can watch parts of the race on the Bucks 5k Series Homepage on B5k-TV (http://www.bucks5kseries.com/). The Blue Dawgs finished second in the team event and I won a dinner at a Mexican restaurant in the raffle at the end of the race)

In truth, I didn't expect to do well. But, I broke my course PR by 20 seconds. And, I was about 10 seconds off my 5k PR. Thinking back on it now, I know I could have made up the 10 seconds some place. The questions I have are--can I reasonably expect to ever set another 5k PR? At what age do I have to be before I can expect that I would never be able to break that record? In some ways, I was lucky to start my long distance career so late. Talking to different people who have been at this longer than I have, their PRs were in their youth (teens, twenties, thirties).

But, yes, I think physically I can break a 5k PR. But, mentally? After that two mile mark, I have to admit, I didn't have the confidence to be able to stay on the pace I needed. I have to get over the fact that I think I am going to explode holding a pace for a PR. And, I truly believe, if I can get over that mental hurdle (and, I understand, this is NOT an easy hurdle to get over as I have been trying to overcome it the past 5 years), I will break my PR. Should I wear my Garmin for the race? Does this help me set the pace or hurt me by my mind falsely telling me to slow down even if my body is not giving any warning signs to do so?

I need a flat, 5k course in cool weather in the next few years before its too late.

(Note: Good luck to SteveRunner at the Boston Marathon. Steve, I know your ankle is hurting so be careful. Some advise: either rest the ankle for the next, oh, three months and I'm sure it will be much better before Falmouth. Or, keep running on it, averaging 50 miles or so for, again, the next three months and it will all be fused together with your leg and foot before Falmouth. Just wasted energy anyway keeping your ankle nimble.
I will be running the Penn Relays Distance Classic 20k this Sunday with the 10 mile Broad Street Run two weeks after that.
Happy Anniversary to ME! It's been one year since I started this blog. I didn't realize I would look forward doing it so much each week. Thank you all for your kind words along the way.

RIP-Joe F. You were truly one of a kind.)