Glorious Gallop 5K

Just like the title suggests, this 5K was glorious in many respects. At first sight, it seems like your typical small town 5K: no chip timing, a small field, bottled water as the only post-race refreshment, and no T-Shirt. But if you hold this race under the microscope, you'll discover many desirable attributes: the course is flat and fast, the field is highly competitive, and the weather is cool. I selected this 5K on an impulse after many CT runners told me that it had multiple downhill segments. After a six-month drought of no 5K PRs, I wanted the perfect conditions so I could destroy my previous mark of 20:18. The race boasted a late start time of 7:15 PM, which offered plenty of time to ice and stretch, and allowed the sun to sink deeper toward the horizon. Once my Dad and I arrived at the race (Dad had to watch this one from the sidelines to accompany my grandfather as a spectator, who is still recovering from neck surgery), we went to the gym and paid the small entry fee of $15 and in exchange I was given a race number and a cute souvenir pedometer. I quickly pinned the number to my Jacksonville Running Company tech shirt then scurried off and ran a mile warm up. Once I felt warmed up, I laced up my racing flats and headed over to board the bus, which whisked runners up to the start and offered a preview of this point-to-point course. Upon arriving at the start, I began a methodical and thorough warm up, including running another mile and conducting strides, plyometrics, and stretches. For this race, I was not donning my usual flashy singlet with matching shorts. Instead, I took a different approach and sported a tech shirt with some normal Nike shorts. At about 7:10 PM, everyone started to line up on the cramped residential road, and I tried to snatch a spot up near the front. I don't remember any cannon but just a squished mass taking to the streets. I got a great start and cruised down the numerous downhills. Although the race course was nestled in a a typical Connecticut rolling hills environment, the first mile featured a series of consecutive downhill segments. However, half of them were steep enough to roll down, so my quads were reacquainted with the "pulverized into ground beef" feeling I've been encountering after my training runs on some major CT hills. Good thing I was wearing my Garmin watch because there was no mile marker, let alone a clock. I clocked a fast first mile in 6:08. The second mile brought us around to a lake, which included many less steep and gradual hills. I pushed harder into a headwind, trying not to fall off my pace too much in the second mile. I picked off several runners in this segment and it seemed that I was the one born and raised on hills. Again, there was no mile marker for the second mile, which I ran in 6:27. Once I passed water and gulped it down between breaths, I pumped my arms and charged up a long hill. At the apex I reached into another gear, leaned forward, and again used my arms to propel myself. I passed the 4K mark in 15:40, which was a 20 second PR for that distance en route to this 5K finish. With half a mile to go, the course spared the runners with a gradual downhill to the finish, which I strided down. One last turn put the finish in sight, and a moment later I crossed the line in a major PR of 19:20, a full minute faster than my previous best. Dad came over to congratulate (and envy) me. But no age group award for me, as Dad saw many older teenagers ahead of me who likely snagged the top spots in the ever competitive 14-18 age group. Checking results the next day, it showed that I finished 43rd out of 337 runners and 16th in my age group -- a very competitive field! To celebrate my achievement, Dad and I headed over to the festive local carnival held in conjunction with the race and got some hot, hand-cut french fries and then headed out, topping off a great day and a great race. Stay tuned to my blog as my next race is to be contested on Wednesday. I'm determined to prove this PR was no fluke and might even shave some seconds of it. So long runners and keep PRing!