Guelph Billy Taylor 5k - Race Report

When I run, truly run, I am certain of that. It is all there. My body does what it does best. The mind like a kaleidoscope constantly rearranges the things it has stored into new and exciting patterns. And my soul utterly loses itself in the present.

-Dr. George Sheehan

Race Weight 234 lbs
Weather: freezing and blowing snow

the bleachers	finish here / start across the track
before - with a lot on my mind	after -lookin' mighty light in the loafers

Milestone	Goal	Actual	Effect
Pre-Race	Scout out the start-finish area	discovered no start-line chip reader carpet!	realize I need to line up with the awesome runners if I don't want to run an extra 40 meters
Warm-up	increasing intensity drills	completed	felt pumped up
Can I see my wife?	See my wife	awesome!	felt pumped up
Start Line-up	off to the side but less than a meter or two from the start	done - with looks from the other young heathly runners	felt pumped up
Start!	don't go too fast out of the gate!	blew it! Ran the track and out the gates and down the road (about 300 m) in 4:30 min/k (7:12 min/m)	Garmin kept waking up the neighbors - "slow down"
1K	5:53	5:45	slowed down so much to match up my pace to desired that I got suprised on the K-rollover
2K	5:53	5:57	started the split running 6:12 ... had to pick up the pace un-pacefully
3K	5:53	5:59	aggregated average pace 5:54 at this split ... feeling pumped for the pilon turnaround
3K-Pilon	quick turn	holy s**t did I ever slow down	those 180 degree pilon switch backs are crazy ... I don't feel I can tell RDs what to do, but "RD do you know why there are no stop signs on a highway?"
Mid-3.5k	keep the pace	gusting wind and blowing snow in the face	pace drops to 6:08 ... watch starts telling me to "speed up" now
4k	5:50	6:06	don't seem to get down on myself, even though my thighs and ankles are burning... I pick two runners in front of me and decide to pass them
4.5k	5:50	6:02	still running into this wind and snow, but I'm getting pumped because I need to start booting it!
4.7k	setup for sprint	high-knee, longer stride, forward lean	soft track is a joy to run on ... my confidence is spilling out ... I know I can do this ... the finish-line announcer is announcing names and times of runners finishing ... holy s**t I'm pummped
Sprint Finish	hair-on-fire	hair-on-fire	boom! passed one runner ... boom! passed two runners ... boom! passed three runners  was able to advance from the 30-minute mark with a sprint
Final	29:04	29:48	New 5K PR, beating Dec-11 PR by 1 minute!
Post Race analysis	Ask about a shotgon start. Avoid these races in the future until I can develop into a faster runner. Keep yourself up during the bad conditions. Run only this split or to the next milestone, you'll have time later to run other parts of the race when you get there. Do your best now. Someone helped me during the sprint. There is no way I had the power to run the last 45 seconds at under a 4:00 min/km (6:24 min/mi) pace. My face and glasses were covered in snow. I know I ran it, I can remember the looks of people when I passed them. But I don't remember how I felt. I want to stretch my abilities out in this area. I really want to develop a better finishing kick. This was an awesome feeling. I couldn't setup the sprint sooner because the entry roadway into the stadium was a climb of about 30 stairs from the street below ... I rushed my legs adjusting them quickly right after the path levelled on the track surface. I missed my goal by 44 seconds. I probably missed it because I ran on ego at the start, instead of managing my energy better, and then I had this rollercoaster of run faster/slower for the next 4K.

official results

final run in:

Palm Sunday (and finish time)

Today Jesus enters into Jerusalem on the Christian calendar of commemoration.

Palm Sunday commemorates the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. The gospels record the arrival of Jesus riding into the city on a donkey, while the crowds spread their cloaks and palm branches on the street and shouted "Hosanna to the Son of David" and "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord" to honor him as their long-awaited Messiah and King.

The significance of Jesus riding a donkey and having his way paved with palm branches is a fulfillment of a prophecy spoken by the prophet Zechariah (Zechariah 9:9). In biblical times, the regional custom called for kings and nobles arriving in procession to ride on the back of a donkey. The donkey was a symbol of peace; those who rode upon them proclaimed peaceful intentions. The laying of palm branches indicated that the king or dignitary was arriving in victory or triumph.

"What?" you say. You thought I was going to post about my Race today! ... ok

* * *

I crossed in under 30 minutes. Probably 29:45-29:50. Very happy with the struggle I had in the running, and the way I booted back into gear and passed three chicks near the end. I'll have a full report tomorrow. Right now it's hot shower time. Race weather was:

1°C (37°F) blowing snow and rain Feels Like: -6°C (27°F) Wind: W 39 km/h (25 m/h) Wind gusts: 57 km/h (35 m/h)

It was a shotgun start and a chip finish. Which I really should have asked about at first - I don't like these kinds of races. Garmin said I ran 5.04 km in 29:50.  So I improved my PR by about in a minute in the 5k.  Improved through excellent training and a lot of luck!  Official results will be up some time soon (once Bubba drives in the tractor or something ...).

D-Day-1: Thanks Everyone ...

Thank you everyone for the cheering, wooting and general whoop-ass-conveyance!

The strategy was clearly summed up in the last post but my milestones and times look like this:

Milestone	Target Pace
Start	5:53 min/k
1k	5:53 min/k
2k	5:53 min/k
3k	5:50 min/k
4k	5:50 min/k
4.5k	5:20 min/k

My goal is to finish in 29:04 (old PR from Dec11 was 30:48)

Weather prognosis is 3°C (37°F ) with rain/snow mix.  See you all on the other side ... and thanks for the mojo!