Sunday, June 14, 2009

A First for Me


A couple of weeks ago I got the bright idea to run a track 5k. I thought I could do better because of the even surface. A couple of things I didn't take into account were, that it would be afternoon before it started, and it would be very hot.
The run was yesterday. The schedule said that the 5k would start around 10:30. So I arrived at the suburban high school track around 9:30. It was warm, but completely overcast. I thought this would be good. I did a few easy warm up laps, and then they cleared the track. So I went into the stands to watch the events. This went slow in my opinion, but I've never attended a track meet before. But to me there was way too much time between events. There weren't too many people running the 5k so they put us all together, which was fine with me because otherwise the masters group would have been last. We line up, and start. If you've never run a track 5k, it's 12.5 laps around the track. Each 2.5 laps = 1k. So we start at the 200 meter mark, halfway around the track, so we can finish at the s/f line. Since it was so hot, and now all the clouds were gone, I had thrown out all ideas of a great time and just decided not to overdo it. Several people that I felt were slower started out much faster than I did. But I had passed most of them by the 3rd lap, and lapped all of them before the finish. Don't get me wrong, I was lapped also, and double lapped by the leaders. They have a sign at the s/f line with "laps to go" but that is only for the leaders if you get lapped. I was wearing my Garmin, and I knew how far I had to go. They tried to bring me in a lap early, and I almost let them do it, but I continued on around for the last lap. Just before I finished, I lapped a guy, I knew I had lapped him, because he was one that had started fast, and I had passed before the 3rd lap. Anyway, they told him he was finished right after me. I knew he had another lap, but I didn't say anything. He came up to me and asked me if I didn't think he had another lap to go, I said I wouldn't worry about it, it really doesn't matter since we're not high schoolers. I finished in 22:41. Not great, but good enough for 1st in age group. I would like to do another track 5k, but under much better conditions.
Today I decided to run trails. I had the idea that I would just take it easy, and run all the colors of the Draper trails. I ran green, blue, red, green, orange, green, and yellow. I tacked on a little more to make it an even 10 miles. It was very humid, but I go an early start so it wasn't too hot.

5 comments:

Willie said...

Hey that sounds like a fun race. Where was it?

You should come do speedwork with us on Tuesdays.

RBR said...

Congrats on the age group win! You are so darn fast!

I knew we were kindred spirits! Congrats on 25 as well.

Kevin said...

Congrats on the age group finish, though I wonder how bored you were running in circles for 12 times. but, I guess that's how the olympians do it.

chris mcpeake said...

Nice job finishing first in your age. Pretty good time. I dont know how they could miss count peoples laps tho. Got to love the track.

A Plain Observer said...

they tried to bring me in a lap earlier adn I almost let them. That made me laugh!!! I know that feeling. I have done track meets with my club and it's mentally hard. Well, all 5ks are hard...racing is hard