CHS Hall of Fame 5K and Wind Gusts/Guts

Saturday, 10/15/11--CHS Hall of Fame 5K. 18:44.

My family and I arrived at Wilson Park at about 8:00 for the 9 AM race. It was quite windy and in the low 50s. I began my warm-up at 8:10 or so, about when I had planned. DJ and I ran about a mile and a half before stretching. I followed my usual routine. With 12 minutes before the gun, we headed back to the pavilion near the start. Many more people had shown up by then, although by most measures, this 5K race is a modest one.

I saw my buddy Justin, whom I talked into coming out for this event for the first time. I also noticed a couple of college-age men who'd likely take the pace out hard. The gun went off...and I was wrong. The first part of the race, slightly uphill, then slightly downhill, was rather pedestrian. The start was unlike last year's race where there were three guys in front of me from the start.The wind was gusting as we approached the mile mark. I peeked down and saw what I thought was 5:57. Oh my God! How slow! I was way off pace and a far cry from last year's first mile of 5:22 or 5:23. Today, I was hoping for 5:20, but figured I'd hit 5:30 with the wind. I knew we were going slow, but not that slow! At least we were all in it together, including CHS XC coach Ryan Comstock.

As we made the turnaround, I lost a little ground but rebounded. Heading towards the hill I felt myself inch closer to the two guys closest to me. I passed them going up the hill and had a clear lead approaching the 2-mile mark. I figured I'd eat extend my lead. But then Tommy Ferguson came back at me...for a few minutes...until I pulled away. For nearly I came a mile I held the lead. I felt the two young me, Tommy one of them, inch within about 5 meters. With a quarter mile to go, they took off and left me in lah-lah land. As I made my way up the last hill, I was just hoping that no one would catch me. I was fried. I realized that I would be third and have to settle for a slow time. I still maintain that the course is 3.15. So my 18:44 translates into about 18:20, which still way off the 17:00 campaign I thought I had forged this season.

Perhaps it's time to start training for the indoor season.