Run For Kathy 5km Race Report

This was probably my last 5km of the year and therefore the final chance to get under the elusive 17min barrier. I had gotten close in the past few attempts and knew that this was a relatively flat course. The weather on race morning was almost ideal....a cool 50 degrees and no wind. Milling about at the start it was good to see that the winner from the previous year was there and so I could have someone to pace with.

So at 9:00AM the gun went and as I always seem to do I took the front of the field and led them out of the park onto the streets.

The course is pretty much an out and back with a short loop in the middle. I wasn't focused on anyone else in the first 1/2 mile and just concentrated on the pace and making sure that I didn't go out too hard. About 3/4 of a mile into the race I could only hear one set of footsteps behind me and without looking I sensed that it was last years winner....the battle was on.

Mile 1: 5mins 21secs (5km pace = 16mins 35secs) I was still in the lead and only had one other for company, the rest of the field was a good hundred meters or so back. Having competed in this race for the past few years I knew that the 2nd mile was the most difficult as it has the only noticeable hill. I was still leading the race and was feeling relatively good. I made a small surge on the hill to gain a few meters of space from 2nd place but the surge wasn't significant enough to get a clear gap.

Mile 2: 5mins 33secs (5km pace = 16mins 54secs) Coming past the 2 mile marker I was still leading and had just about 6mins and 1.1miles to get me under the 17mins finishing time. Now back on the main road, the guy behind in 2nd made a effort to take the front and unfortunately it was enough to get a few seconds on me...perhaps leading the first 2 miles had been a bit optimistic with someone pacing off me and doing no work.

Finish: For just under the next mile I was a) trying to catch up for first and b) trying to get under the 17minutes......I knew it would be close and coming back into the park you can see the finish line. With just 5 secs to spare I crossed the line for 16mins 55secs and 2nd place. First place was a mere 6 secs in front.

So the race was a success....I got under the 17min barrier and also managed to snag a $75 gift voucher for a Washington D.C. steakhouse. Not bad for 3.1miles of pain!


Next up is this weekend's Long Course Duathlon World Championships in Richmond, which take place on Sunday morning.

Let's try this one again...

Before the flurry of events in the next month I have one last quest.....to get under 17mins for the 5km. This Saturday I have my last chance of the year (based on the current schedule, anyway) at the Run For Kathy. Last year I did 17mins 3secs for my current PR and so it is certainly a possibility on this course. I have done a bit more speed work than I had last year (just prior to IMFL) and so will give it everything.

After the race my taper starts for the Duathlon World's on Sunday Oct 21st and also for the rest of the day I will be glued to the internet watching the live stream of the Ironman World Champs from Kona. [Looking for tips for next year :-)]

Finally the shoes can go

You may have just heard a round of applause......that was Sarah celebrating as I threw out my latest pair of running shoes. Yes, after about 15 weeks they were in such a sorry state that they had to go and a new pair made their way out of the box in pristine condition. It's hard to describe the abuse that my running shoes go through in their lifespan, particularly during the Mid-Atlantic summer where humidity and heat are a runners enemy.

In general my road running shoes last about 380 miles or until I begin to feel some knee pain, which is a sure sign that the shoes are wearing out. This year that mileage has taken me about 15 weeks as I have been covering approximately 30 miles a week (including mileage in my trail running shoes).

At the end of their time though, my shoes are desperately in need of replacement as racing especially just crushes them. If my shoes were on "This is your Life" this would be a quick synopsis........

1) Week 1 - Brand new, still white and nicely cushioned.

2) Week 2 to 3 - Only weeks of training along the roads of PG County.

3) Week 5 - First triathlon, get drenched through aid stations and stay soggy for the entire journey home.....doesn't like this racing lark.

4) Week 6-8 - Still trying to get over the shock of the race experience but still being pounded through regular training. No longer in pristine condition and are an off-white color.

5) Week 9 - Oh no, another race......begins to be less than enthusiastic about water, energy drink and globules of Carbboom being dropped over it. An even longer soggy journey home and abandoned to the dark garage to dry and think about what its done.

6) Week 10-12 - Back to the regular grind and a distinct feeling of being unwanted. Rumors are flying that a new shoe may be on the way.

7) Week 13-15 - Hanging on for dear life now and just keeping the trash bin at laces length. The smell has meant a permanent home in the garage and a daily berating from Sarah that the "stink" gets into the house.

8) Week 16 - Unless a race is due (never race in new shoes) the life of the old shoe is curtailed and they find themselves curbside on a Monday morning looking longingly at the smug new white shoe being brought out of the box....if only they knew what was in store.




And on that note I have a 5km race this weekend with 3 week old shoes, still sparkly white and ready for a PR!

Next Up.....

After last week which turned out to be my biggest training week of the year at over 14 hours, I had a day off on Saturday as we spent the day with Matt and Natalie in Dover, DE getting our yearly NASCAR fix at Dover International Speedway. On Sunday I was back out training and got in a good 4 hours on the bike.

With the official start of Fall a few days ago, that can mean only one thing....the beginning of the 5km and 10km running season. So to start the season off I have planned a 5km race in College Park this weekend and that will serve as good speedwork in preparation for the coming duathlon's and triathlon's. Having not done a short race for a while (the 2006 edition of the Run For Kathy was my last 5km) it will be interesting as to how I do but I aim to just go pedal to the metal and try and get a PR which would put me under 17 minutes. My current PR is 17:01. In recent weeks I have been doing a bit more speedwork and so we can see if that has made any impact yet. With the race being at 9am, I plan to ride home afterwards and get a 2-3 hour ride in.

I must also mention the stellar performance of Kerri Robbins (team-mate at ABRT) at the 70.3M race this past weekend in Cancun where she placed second (4hrs 52mins) in her age-group and 11th overall female (70th race overall). It hasn't been confirmed as of yet but no doubt that performance qualified her for the 70.3M World Championships in Clearwater. I believe Ashley Halsey (another ABRT team-mate) also qualified by finishing 3rd in age group (5hrs 31mins).......I'll see you there.