Mission: Accomplished...

Tonight, I ran a local 5K. I planned on using it to gauge myself before signing up for a more popular 5K. The race tonight was called the Lord Wakefield Weekly 5K Fun Run. They run the same flat course every week - it is USATF measured at 3.1 miles (and confirmed by the Brunet 1997 Saab 900S method of measuring distances). It only cost $2; there are no frills, medals or food. Just come to run or race. Most important, the results are posted on Cool Running.

I did not know the course, but figured it can't be that hard since it is around a lake - keeping the lake directly to my left was most imperative. I did not know if there would be mile markers. I did not know anyone running that could have been a good pacing partner.

All of that to say that as we lined up at the start line, they announced the names and times of some of the runners in recent marathons and half-marathons. There was one male who ran a 3:09 marthon on Sunday. So, I figured, he could probably run a 19:00 5K - "I should stick with him", I thought to myself. And so, I did. He started smoothly and immediately worked into a quick pace. I asked him where 1 mile was and he pointed out spray paint on the ground. I tripped my watch. The shadows and the night sky made it hard to see the watch which left me thinking that it clocked over 6:20. Subsequently, I sped up slightly to make-up some time during mile 2. My watch had a lap of 5:57 on the second leg. I decided to keep up that pace for the final 1.1 miles.

At this point, I was ahead of the marathon man and running in first place. I approached an area where the course turns left. One problem loomed; there was a rather large triangle that essentially created two left turns to get to the same road. I did not know what to do. Turning my head and body backward I yelled out to the marathon man, "Left here!?" He replied, "No! Next Left". Another problem... I heard "next left" as "left, left!" Since I started to go straight, I corrected myself to make the first left; marathon man immediately corrected me, "No, straight! Next, left!" I corrected myself again, went straight, made the next left and tried to keep up the pace. After negotiating the complicated left turn, the marathon man yelled out, "Next right!" Again, I was very thankful.

[Just a moment to sympathize with marathon man. During the run tonight, I forgot that he ran a marathon on Sunday - this past Sunday! He was probably looking for an easy night and instead here comes some newbie running on his heals. Then, the rube (me) has the audacity to go ahead of him without knowing the course and yelling back, "Which way?" He and his aching body had to put up with a lot, no thanks to yours truly. So, I am sorry, marathon man. Truly I am.]

Anyway, I run through the final turns, pass the 3 mile indication that has been spray painted on the road and am surprised at how quickly the finish line came into view. Seeing it ahead, I pick my feet up only to realize that my speed may have been a little too quick too early and am only able to increase speed slightly. Still, I feel that I have plenty of time to cross the finish line.

The end result: my best 5K, yet - 18:37

18:37! My splits ended up being 6:00, 5:57, 6:40 (last 1.1). It turns out that my watch did not say 6:20+ after the first mile so, I was sped up slightly inorder to keep a similar pace for mile 2. At any rate, who cares? I just broke 19:00.

So, the challenge is to Mac - I know you can do it - and loads of encouragement go out to AlotmoreflashGordon. The speed work will work. Don't underestimate yourself. As for me, I am still going to run the other 5Ks that I have planned. I would like to build on that time and prove it not a fluke for the night. I am confident that I can break 19:00 again, but not so sure about 18:37, especially with any kind of hill mixed in. So, the challenge is still very present for me.

But for tonight and for the record - as of October 22, 2008, mission accomplished!