Monday, October 12, 2015

TaTas 5k




Ran an 18:59 5k at the Run for TaTa's race in Wilmington, NC on Saturday. Felt like it was a faster effort than that, and in fact my garmin recorded the distance run as 3.22 miles. So unofficially I am chalking the effort up as around an 18:30 5k. Finished 13th overall out of 750+ runners, and was the 1st Masters finisher. Actually was awarded $75 for top Masers, which unless I am forgetting a race, was the first time I have ever won prize money at an event.

Also the Cape Fear Flyers kids I help coach ran very well; was so pleased and happy for them afterwards as were my fellow coaches and some of the parents who were in attendance.  Several of the kids won age group awards in the 5k, and also we had the 1st place finisher in the mile race. It's a tremendous feeling to see hard work pay off, and the kids reap the benefits while also enjoying themselves

I am still fighting through some aches and pains; specifically my left achilles, and discomfort on the bottom and side of my right foot. For the moment neither of which prevent me from doing what I have been doing, and want to do.  Though it would be nice if some of it would abate in the near future, and necessitates continual monitoring and efforts to alleviate.

Felt like I had a pretty good effort and ran a fairly smart race Saturday. Splits were 6:04, 5:52, 6:00. First mile included some maneuvering around fellow competitors, especially the field of women who started this unique chaser race 2 minutes and thirty seconds before all the men.

Pushed the last quarter to half mile hard, and ended the race with a real hard kick from about 200 meters out. A guy who I passed even joked about it afterwards how I was flying on in to the finish. But I've learned from the past, that even if a gut wrenching kick is not necessary to try and beat a fellow racer, I usually will see my time later and think dam had I just gone all out it would have made my time 3, 5, 8? seconds faster which would have made my finish time a little more pleasing to me. And in this case it got my official finish time under 19 minutes. Plus it's good training for when I may really need that kick.

Mainly though I didn't shy away from the pain. I was able to sustain and push through especially in the darkest stretch of the race from about the half way point to around the two and half mile mark, where there was a turn around. And that voice which can get progressively louder, progressively more persuasive... the one which pleads and begs us to slow down, tells us this hurts too much, asks us why in god's name are we doing this?  That voice I was able to pretty much stifle and mute, and just for this race not pay too much heed to.

It'll be back again next hard workout. Next race. And I'll deal with it then.

For now, I will enjoy the fruits of my labor.

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