Race Recap: Dairyville, USA Orchard Festival 5k

Dairyville, USA Orchard Festival 5k 3.14 mi 00:21 06:33 pace

My goal coming into this race was to be faster than 21:00 It's a goal I've had since March, when I had a crappy weather 5k, and April where I had 2 5ks that were poorly measured courses. I figured this course would be pretty accurate because race directors are big time ultra runners in the area.

BrookLynn, Bradley and Raegan before the start of their race

I started with a 1-mile warmup that was very easy, but enough to get loose. My feet felt good, and have felt good the last few days. I figured I'd be able to be fast, but haven't really trained much in the last 2 weeks post-half. The kids all ran the "Youth Mile" race and did great. All 3 of them PR'd! Milkshakes all around!

The super fast kids were running today, a couple sub-16 5kers there. I set out to run my race and pace at least 6:45 per mile. The "Go!" was shouted and off we went. I felt good, tried to just let those guys go. About a half mile, I looked down to see 5:49 on my average pace on Garmy. Better slow down! I backed off, the lead group kept distancing and I tried to settle into my race. The first mile ticked off at 6:20, not too fast, considering it's only a 5k. I was mostly running by myself, but there was 1 lone duck (let's call him Juan) sitting out there 100 yards away. My goal was to just reel him in.

By the time mile 2 ticked off (6:47, still ahead of goal), "Juan" was only 10 yards in front of me, and by 2.3 miles I overtook him. There was nobody in front of me now. The fast kids were probably done and my thought was just maintain pace, and don't get passed by "Juan." The turn to the home straight is nice, once you're there, you can see the finish in the distance, and it's only slightly more than half mile away. All of a sudden I could feel someone closing in on me, a female who passed me like I was standing still. Yikes!

The finish

Coming into the finish I put on a kick, but could only do so much because the left foot pain I've had since 10 miles into the half was back again (It's at the in-step, arch, and tender to touch...) I ran through the line and stopped my watch with a 20:38 time.

I'm happy to have beaten my goal ( by 22 seconds no less) and now I have another goal for future 5k's (sub-20)

Props to Tim, Michelle, Eric and Sherri who ran the 10k. Great job guys and gals!

Splits: 6:20 - 6:47 - 6:36 - 6:25 (final .14)

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/121791593

Race Recap, San Jose Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon

Hillary W. and I drove down yesterday, checked in to our wonderful, super-close-to-the-start hotel, and walked to the Expo. Very fun, bought some stuff, got some free stuff, met some Marathon Bar people. Once Chris got there, he and I went to the expo so he could pick up his gear, then we all left to Heidi T.'s sister's house a short drive away for a home-cooked pre-race dinner. Better than a restaurant for sure, and great company too!

I woke about 6:20, had some crappy coffee and ate, and headed out the door to meet Chris to make our way to the start. Our hotel was perfect as we only had to walk about 3 blocks to get to the corral aisle. We waited for Heidi to arrive to say hello and wish her luck, then continued to our assigned corral.

Coming into this race, I prepared well, trained hard, and made sure I was sufficiently rested in the days leading up to today's race. My feet have been feeling good, minimal blister issues, and I really felt good, not even any nerves this morning. More excitement than anything. I was starting to feel that sub-1:40 goal was attainable today.

After the National Anthem, we got started. The waved start didn't really work out, because everyone pressed forward once the gun went off, so Chris and I just made do and went with the crowd. It was probably a blessing because it slowed us down so we couldn't go out too fast. Chris and I settled into a nice pace that felt comfortable and the first couple miles clicked by quickly (7:33, 7:31). Chris told me he was going to back off a bit, and wished me luck.

The next 3 miles ticked by quick also, and I was feeling good. I wrote 3 splits on my forearm so I could check at miles 3, 7 and 11 to make sure I was staying on time. I decided I'd consume my Pineapple Roctane GU sometime around mile 6 or 6.5. I was still feeling good, noticed some tenderness in the ball of my right foot, but nothing too bad at this point.

Mile 7 was where I started to slow down. That pain in the right foot was getting more painful. Chriscaught me, tried to encourage me by telling me to block it out. I was able to run alongside him for an additional mile (through 8) but at that point, the pain was more than at the ball, I could feel it in the area where the big toe meets the foot in the fleshy area. I haven't had a blister there before, but it was getting more painful with each right foot step. Chris pulled away. I kept trying to get back to him, keeping him within 50 feet for about a half mile, but then it became too much.

At this point, my bubble was deflating. I was realizing with a 7:55 mile 9 that my sub-1:40 was slipping away. I kept trying to push through, but I kept getting slower and slower. Miles 10-13 were rough. At this point it was just damage control, and DON'T WALK like others were doing.

Coming into the final stretch, I knew what I had to do. I had to kick, and kick hard in order to just be done with this race. I turned it on and closed the final tenth of a mile from 6:09 to the end maxed out at 4:35 pace.

I'm super happy for Chris. He ran a great race and had a huge PR. I'm super happy for Heidi, who ran her first half and beat her goal time by over a minute. I'm also happy for Jessica W. who also had a HUGE PR, and we got to meet after the race. I'm appreciative of my wife for her encouraging and empathetic words after the race and during our LOOOOONG drive home.

I am pleased that I PR'd. My last half was 2 years ago (US Half 11/1/09 1:53:54). So I officially PR'd by 8 min 23 sec. I say officially because I ran a training half 3 weeks ago and ran 1:46:28, unofficially, LOL.

Race splits texted to Hillary's phone during the race:
3.1 - 23:32
6.2 - 47:13
10 - 1:17:26 (Faster than my 10 mile race in March)

First 9 - 1:08:39 (7:37, on target for goal)
Last 4.26 - 36:52 (8:39, blowing goal of the radar)

Overall finisher 1045/9831
Age group 177/777
865/4415 males

Oh, and I'm going to get my money back guarantee from my purchase of the Wright Socks. They're guaranteed to not allow blisters. Guaranteed!