Training Log Archive: bill_l

All-American Fun Run

All American 5K

I'm really curious if anyone really is able to achieve a 5K PR on this course.

78F at race start? Not bad in the shade but hot in the sun. 70% humidity.

I really had no idea what to expect. Except for ST's last weekend, I hadn't run anything faster than T in weeks. Figured I'd pace myself properly at the beginning and see what I could do.

Started off a bit fast at 5:40 pace but its down hill, dialed it back to 6:05 for the tiny incline to Woodlawn. Got caught in traffic entering the turn onto argonne. Guy running 7's on the curb and a couple women cutting to the curb for the turn and I was stuck at a 7 pace on one of the flattest sections of the course; should have been doing 6:10. Went to the center of the road on argonne since everyone else was hugging the curb, upped the pace to 5:50 for the downhill.

More traffic turning from Argonne onto Park so lost a couple more seconds here.

Making the turn onto Lockwood is where I really started to feel the lack of speed training. HR was still well below max, but feeling the heat, brain was like "the hell with this, i'd rather be running a 50", or "that was a mile, time for a 1 minute rest".... Not a good feeling heading into the section of the race that I consider the hardest. From Park to just past Sappington is an incline. Another incline along the golf course. These aren't killer hills, just rollers, but it's really easy to back off your pace on this stretch if you're going by perceived effort. I think this stretch is what puts me over 20 every year, including this year.

The crowd had stretched out a bit, so I was running with a diverse group of about 10 other runners - a younger boy and girl, a couple of women, and several guys. Three of the guys looked to be my age, three or four other guys in their 20s or 30s. Passed the young girl and one of the 20/30's on the golf course incline. But the AG-looking guys were just ahead of me and I just couldn't pull them in.

Wasn't going to do any water but approaching Berry, my throat was super dry and I was starting to worry about drainage so I did grab a cup of water. The younger boy right in front of me went for 2 cups, surprising the volunteer who ended up wearing most of the 2nd cup.

Downhill from the water station. I think I passed the boy and a couple other runners between the water station and the turn back onto lockwood. But by this point I was in full-on sufferfest mode and was just trying to keep the AG-guys close.

No idea where I am wrt 20 I plod down the hill on lockwood at maybe a 6:00 pace mentally preparing myself for "this sucks" hill - the bit on lockwood from Woodlawn to the bend, just before Rock Hill. I was able to pass another 2 or 3 runners but not the AG-guys.

Had gas left to crank up the speed from the crest of the climb into the finish. 5:13 just before the line, but not good enough to catch the 2 guys I'd been trailing for the last 2 miles.

Finish clock was big enough that you could see it for the last 200-300m. Read 19:33 which really surprised me (I hadn't looked at the total time on my watch, only pace and hr). Was a good kick in the pants for the final stretch.

Finish clock said 20:05. Results and Garmin say 20:09. So close. A few seconds in the starting chute, traffic in the early going, off-pace in the middle....

Talking to one of the 'fast' guys, sub-18, at the finish - he thought that with the warm temps and the rollers, a 20 finish today would be roughly equiv to a 18:00-18:20 finish on a really flat course on a cool day.

Saw Dan Strieker and Rudy at the start, but didn't see them at the finish.

AG: 6th of 55
Male OA: 58 of 594
OA: 71 of 1319

2014 splits:
1 - 6:27
2 - 6:39
3 - 6:25
4 - 46.7 (5:08)

2015 splits:
6:13
6:49
6:28
0:57

2016 splits:
6:07
6:44
6:34
0:45

C • results say 20:09. so clos... 11

Slept late!

Easy pace felt hard so just did 3. Didn't meet the mileage goal for the week but the odds of going sub 20 tomorrow won't improve by running 10 in the heat today.

69F, light breeze. Sooo much better than yesterday.

AA5k route. Legs were feeling a bit tired towards the end.

Taking advantage of the good weather.

Summit and Pacific intersection, I'm usually watching for a car coming down the hill on Pacific (unusual since it's a dead end). Harder to see with the new house going up on the corner. Came close to T-boning another biker.

Stopped in the Hub and bought a new helmet. Long overdue. Pads in the old helmet were in tatters.

Grants to Gravois
82F.

With the wind going out was really hot. Breeze coming back felt better, but still hot. Got out early enough to beat the sun.

Backed off the pace about :15s/mile.
Carried the Nathan pack with a 70 bladder of ice water.
Picked up a free bottle of water from the Barn. Drank half, and dumped some on my head and arms.

Opted out of biking to work to give legs and body some recovery time.

Signed up for the AA5K. Temp on Sunday morning is suuuppooosed to be in the upper 60's.

C • maybe I'll see you there, t... 7

AA5K course

3x1 CI @ T

I don't know if I want to do this race or not. Haven't been doing the speed work so a sub-20 seems unlikely.

Easy cool down from A5K finish back to the house.

It was partly cloudy with a bit of a breeze at the end that felt almost cool.

Summer in STL.

CIC group ride + ride home.

Yes, it was hot. 98F.

Got home late and traded the planned 8 miler for sleep. Not much chance that I'll do it this evening so will fall short on mileage this week.

Dreadmill at the hotel. Who knew the Elizabeth River trail was virtually out the hotel door. Next time.

Perfect day here. 78f, clear blue sky, low humidity, and a nice breeze. Dinner on the deck with Will, Erin, and Julie. A relaxing end to a hectic weekend.

C • cliff cave trails 9