You could call it a kind of 'coming out of retirement' but frankly I only laced the sneakers up 2 weeks ago to try and put some high tempo (heart rate) miles in for cross season this fall.
Results here of one of my last (if not) last 5k XC races.
The last time I raced a running race was Providence US Grand Prix in 2004 running with the open team Whirlaway. After that race I managed one tempo run with a few friends in the hills of NH before blowing out my Achilles and limping home. Add 1.5 years of no running I picked up a bike to trim the waist, and never went back to running.
Each year I dabble in training. After logging a few weeks I convince myself like a cheap suit I am back, but after a month into cross season I hang up the shoes and trade them for interval sessions in my cold damp dark basement.So much the same, two (2) weeks ago I managed a 20 minute run. After 4 days of not being able to shake the pain and agony of post first run I ran again. Repeat the cycle for 2 weeks.
I have had the last 3 runs feel good. Managing to clock sub 7:15 miles for 5, dabling in sub-7's on a few miles I planned a run this past Saturday of 6-7 miles. Coming off only 2 weeks and years of ignoring the sport my 6.3 miles on Saturday left me on a high. I slowed my pace down and managed to tick off 7:20-7:30's with ease. Russian roulette.
Fast forward to Sunday night, tinkering on my ol'favorite site coolrunning I found a local XC summer 5k-5m series. Why not?
Tonight I paid my $5. 100% of the fee goes to the trail preservation of Mines Falls (race location). Ker' and the kids jumped in our rig to come watch. On the drive over we took bets on how slow I would run. I figured 23:20-ish. I managed 24:10 for 5k Saturday feeling smooth as butter so 20sec/mile faster seemed reasonable. Paid my entry fee kissed the girls and hit some hill repeats to warm up.
At the line I didn't notice anyone. Wow, I have been gone a long time from the local race scene. With 50-75 runners I knew no one, this in a summer series that weekly sees 50-100 finishers. My race strategy was to 'sit in' and just run for the cross workout. I wanted to hit the first mile in 6:35-6:40. Going into the woods I was somewhere in 15th spot. Up ahead was a group of 4-5 high school XC runners leading us all into the woods. Around me there was a small 3-4 person group, and another 4 man group in between the lead runners. At the 3/4 mile spot I put in a small 5-6 stride surge (ol' race team trick Coach K taught us). I gapped 2 runners, pulling through them. Managed to pull in 1 more runner before I was overtaken by 1 runner (Jim Hansen).
At the 5k/5m split we hitched a right over the bridge to hit mile 1. 6:08 first mile - shit. Faster then I wanted but why did it feel so smooth? The guy that had come through me was now on my shoulder. My bike racing tactic kicked in, and I had a f-it moment and popped behind him and sat on his shoulder for the next mile. Fearing I would upset him I pulled through at mile 2 coming back on to his shoulder. Shit I missed the split I had hit 'stop' on my borrowed watch instead of split. The time still read 6:08. No knowing where we were I asked the guy what he runs for 5k's on this XC course. His suggestion of mid 20's had me feeling ok. Slow i comparison to years past but for my first race in 5 years and running for 2 weeks mid-20s, hell I was retiring from bike racing and running with Pre. Look at me boys! (NOT)
I knew we had less than 1/2 mile and remembered the 3M chalked onto the gravel finish. Behind us a runner was getting ready to pull through and knew he would kick given he had chased us down he had the guts & energy to kick. At the 3M chalk he went. I jumped on his train we gapped. It was a straight finish up the gravel trail. I pulled around finishing 2 bike lengths (did I just refer to a running race finish as bike length)?
Good for 6th place finish in the 5K with a 19:51 finish (6:24 pace). For a XC trail 5k, running for 2 weeks not racing in 5 years, no speedwork, I'll take it.
Running I have missed you, oh so much.
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