I had a 5k this weekend, and it was finally a little cooler (70’s at race time) on a relatively flat course. About a 100 people there. There was another race in nearby Lexington, so the field was a little thinned by that. I have been experimenting with the “go out fast and hang on” philosophy for 5ks recently, so I hit the first mile in 6:30. Over the summer this method has produced some decent times, though that last mile can get pretty rough. I was afraid of a bad time this weekend because my legs felt dead all week as I tried to continue my typical mileage when I think I hadnt recovered adequately from the 15k on Labor Day. In this race, I noticed I was breathing better and able to keep from slowing the pace too much, though my lower legs still were complaining from all the abuse.  My second mile split was 6:55. I tried pushing the pace a bit in the last 1.1 because I felt much better than I normally do from a cardiovascular standpoint. I was able to pass a few people, and finished strong – third mile at 6:50, the last .17 at 6:11 pace. The course was usatf certified, so I think I just ran it inefficiently (I didnt memorize it before). Finished in 21:13, 8th place and 1st overall age group. I was pleased with the result and it was nice to take home some hardware (a commemorative glass).

Next up is a 10k on Sept 26. This will be fun for me, because I’m assured a PR. I skipped a 10k in April and there havent been any since. I’ll be happy with anything sub-50, though would prefer to be around 46.