Christopher's Run

I took most of last week off because my ankle was bothering me a bit. However, it felt fine on Sunday after an easy run, so I want ahead and did the 5K on my schedule. The rest had put some pop in my legs, and I was feeling just the right amount of pissed off (on that scale that runs from middle-distance ("howling berserker"), to ultramarathon ("contemplation of perfect peace and one-ness of the universe"). 

The guy I parked next to told me I was going to win, which I discouraged him from placing any money on, as most of the HFC low sticks were there to represent. When the gun went off I went out after the lead pack, because in my head at least I am a front-runner. The hot pace pulled me along to a quick start, and I settled into 4th. 

Round the mid-way point, two of my HFC teammates caught up to me, and we ran hard for a ways together. Eventually AJ gapped us, and Chris and I ran more or less shoulder to shoulder until the last 400m or so, where he slipped ahead. 

Finished in 6th (5th/HFC) in 16:48. 

Here's a picture I liked taken right before the finish (Chris is just out of the frame ahead of me):

Great Bear 5K

Finish time 17:13, place 3rd. Splits were 5:12 @ mile 1, 10:40 @ mile 2. 

The leader went out like a rocket and won in 14:45--I looked him up afterwards, and he's a Kenyan with a 13:42 5K PR. Needless to say it was cool just to be in the same race as him (he shook my hand after and told me "good job"!)  So, I was mainly racing against #2. I kept pretty close and never really lost contact with him, but somehow couldn't be bothered to close enough to make it a tight race. 

I'm a little disappointed with how I did--I didn't hit my time goal of breaking 17, and didn't really feel like I left it all out on the course. On the bright side my ankle, which had been bothering me a bit over the last week, felt totally fine during the race. 

Ah well--I'm probably going to race again next weekend. Onward and upward...

13x400m intervals

13 x 400m intervals, with 200m jog recovery, in 75,9,7,7,7,6,6,5,7,6,7,6,4. Done in trainers. Conditions were ideal; left my house by 5:35 and was starting my intervals by 5:57--it was cool and clear, with no wind, a perfect spring morning.

This was faster than goal 5K race place (5K RP++, I guess). I will do one more track workout before the Great Bear, probably 9x600, trying to run accurate 80-81 second 400m splits.

ladder intervals

Ladder Intervals @ 5K race pace, 1:20 / 400m, with 400m jog recovery.

200   0:36
400   1:18
600   1:56
800   2:38
1000 3:20
800   2:42 (slow)
600   1:59
400   1:18
200   0:38

Done in New Balance 980s, which are pretty chunky. My left ankle has been feeling a little finicky, but nothing new about that. It generally works itself out after a couple miles. Beautiful spring morning today.

JJR Race Report

It was good to be back at the James Joyce Ramble today! This may be the road race I have the longest history with in the Boston area, dating back to when I lived in Dedham, and discovered, quite by chance, that a huge race was setting off not a quarter mile from my house. I believe my casual "run to work and back, 0-quality, rarely race" training plan propelled my to a forty-something-something finish back in 2005 or 6, or whenever it was.

I've tried various things leading up to this race. Two years ago I ran it off no sleep after taking a red-eye train back from Philadelphia, T'd back to my town and speed-walked the 2 miles to my house before piling into my car to the race. Then I went and set my 10K PR of 35:21.

Last year I made the JJR a target race, carefully prepared for it, got a full night's sleep, showed up early, and ran a high 36.

So...this year my morning preparation was to clean my bathroom, then bicycle the 8 miles over to Dedham. The morning activity actually left me feeling pretty good--awake and relaxed. I picked up my number and went and did a warmup with Brian from HFC. When queried about my goal I said "under 36", which seemed plausible even though I haven't been doing much quality lately.

JJR was once again the site of the USATF Master's 10K championship, who started 3 minutes ahead of the main crowd. This makes the event function sort of like a handicap race, with the advance field strung out in decreasing order of grayness. It also makes the general results look waaay better than normal, as we shall see...

I ran the first (downhill) mile in 5:35, having long-ago given up any hope of negative splitting the JJR. Great to see the HFC cheering section at the turn just past Dedham Center. I ran a 17:05 or so through the first 3 miles, feeling consistently strong.

Of course the trick in the JJR is the section of hills through mile 4. In particular, the challenge is to keep enough fuel in the tank so that you can floor it through the flat 5th mile. I didn't quite swing that trick, and started to fall off pace a bit, letting two guys and the lead woman separate.

I kept pulling hard through the 5th and 6th miles, though nobody was around me except a scattering of people in the master's race, finishing with not-much of a kick in 35:52.

I was 10th overall, but really 32nd when the masters runners are included.

Good race! I cooled down with the HFC guys, then hung around for a bit until my legs felt strong enough to bike home (at which point it was time for the traditional post-race nap/comatose stupor).