 Last night I was yapping with TG and told him that I'd do this 5K race if I felt good, but not if I felt off, or even on the fence. Well, I must have lied because when I woke up this AM, I did not feel good. I did not feel bad. I just felt flat. But I decided to jump into this anyway, to get a new baseline as to where I am at, and because racing does provide a bit of fuel for rekindling the fire.
It was cool (30s?), overcast, and a touch humid. In my warm up, I, as one is prone to do in warm ups, worried about how my connective tissue felt, how my legs felt a bit heavy, and the like. I ran into Andy Ames and chatted with him a bit. It seemed like his warm up pace was a bit quick for me and I wondered if this race was going to represent a step backwards. But, in any case, I was there, in the ring, and so you have to give it a shot.
We got out quick - of course. All these races go out quick and I was about 20 deep about a minute into the race. With this initial play in, I began the task at hand and began focusing on keeping relaxed but rolling up those who had gone out too fast, while not becoming someone else's victim. I felt actually pretty good in this first mile and split (fwiw) at 5:25. Right past the first mile, I passed the last person I would get for the race (I did not know that at that time of course). I was a bit concerned with the mile split, thinking that I had maybe gone a bit too fast in the start and felt like I was begining to pay for that in some of the short climbs in the second mile. It was a bit of a lull in there, I was not in direct contact with anyone, and I lost a bit of focus and drive. I hit the two mile split in 5:42 (11:07). I began to get my head back and tried to begin to push, realizing I only had about six or so minutes left of running. There were some good straight stretches and I got a 5:36 third mile (16:42), finishing in 17:15 (I had about two clicks faster on my watch but its common for finish chutes to add two seconds). This landed me ninth, and 3rd in the 30-39 age bracket (age group won by some tri guy named Matt Reed ...).
I am happy with the improvement this race shows. Again, I did not feel particularly stellar, but I am showing improvement in 5K time, and so that has to reflect an improvement in fitness (17:44 at Oatmeal 5K, to 17:15 today). The course is probably a touch short, but Andy said it has something like 35 turns. A good number of those turns are more like switchbacks than just 90 degree turns, and a couple had some ice. So, I'll call it even. While I am happy with the improvement, particularly with it coming on a week where I felt I was off, I realize I have work to do. It has taken me about three months to drop 40 seconds off the 5K time. I want to drop at least another 40 on it in the next three months. This will require a bit of shift in focus, more to particular interval workouts, but I think I am ready for that. Again, I felt flat, not bad, not good ... maybe a bit race rusty mentally in my ability to dig in the middle mile. I certainly did not feel like warm death at the end of the race ... it seems that I am able to get to that kill yourself state better the fitter I am. I do think that the faster opener shows that I am getting some of that turnover. Just need to keep that going for a few more miles!
I am giving this week a B-. It would have gotten a C or worse given I did not have a long run this week, and the mid week distractions, but I did manage to pull myself out it and show improvement in this race.
9 miles with the race, added a real easy five in the evening on the mill. Felt good, not sore at all. | 
