So like I posted yesterday, I had a 5K race today, which was my first run only race. I had no idea what to expect, but got some good tips as to how to go about it.
I made the decision to run with the MP3 in order to give me something else to think about. Had the HRM as well, because it would be easy to go too fast too quickly for me.
Got started about the middle of the pack, and for the first few hundered meters stayed behind a few guys who were going a little slower than I wanted, but kept me from gunning. After a bit I felt I could move a little quicker, so I moved out ahead and started to go a bit faster. Looked at the HRM, and it was sayin 155. For me I want to keep it below 160, especially this early in the race, because over 160 is where I start to get anaerobic and it kills me. The course went around a bend and down a hill. The water stop was at 2K, which I felt was a little misplaced, but there was also a half marathon going on, so no doubt the placement was based on that course. I reached the turnaround feeling fairly good, so I tried to maintain for a little longer. I was ok until the an uphill that wasn’t overly severe but I took it a little too hard. This left me a little short for the hill coming back.
That hill did a number on me. I have been maintaining a focus on lifting my leg more on uphill climbs, so as to avoid the calf injury I had earlier this season. This takes a bit out of me. Once up the hill it was around the bend and back towards the finish. In the last K, my head started to feel slightly woozy, so I was really just looking to not stop and not fall down. Once I saw the finish I was able to pick it up a bit and cross the line. A ST turtle category time of 26:36 was what the good ol’ clock said.
Observations: While on one hand I was disappointed with the time(I always like to think I’m closer to the top), I only decided within the last two weeks to do this race, and so it’s not as though a month of focused training has gone out the window. Obviously my run mileage will need to increase significantly, especially if I hope to do the 10K race that is at the end of October. I didn’t go out too fast, but I am left wondering if I could have gone a little faster, but I really don’t think I had that much left.
It was a great experience, and a nice way to polish off a summer that had fewer tris than I had planned or hoped.
Well, in most races it is not allowed. Second: yes, I think it slowed you down. You are also missing the best part of the race - the finish line cheering/crowd!
I witness a very bad accident once during a marathon ('05 Cincy Flying Pig). One of the wheelchair athletes was flying down a hill through “traffic”. He yelled “on your left” quite a bit, and most moved. One girl was wearing an iPod and couldn’t hear. Saw him too late as he tried to swerve, scared her, she moved the wrong way and bad crash. Apparently, he had some mechanical problems early in the race as they usually start first and are WAY ahead of most runners.
Interesting about the slow down effect. I would have said I couldn’t have gone more, but…you’ve done more of these than I have. A lot of people were wearing them, so I don’t believe there was a ban on them. I’ll go without it next time and see if it makes a difference.
Great job! The first race you do at any distance is always a crapshoot. But you always PR
I actually never drink in a race under 2 hours unless it is smoking hot. I am “drinking while running” impaired. Even during my half marathon I waited until the finish to get water (but it was 50 degrees and raining…).
And don’t worry, there are planty of turtles out here… (well, I’m here). Let us know how the 10K goes.
To me, racing is about going as fast as your limits allow and doing so while competing against several hundred/thousand others. if you need a HRM to keep yourself from going too fast, so be it, but get rid of the MP3. enjoy the experience of competing about all those other people, hearing the sounds of the volunteers and the crowd. it is only 26 minutes (and will be less once you get stronger).
basically, what you did today is to pay some $$ to run 26 minutes fast while listening to some music. you can run 26 minutes fast with your MP3 around your neighborhood for free.
one problem (imo) with the MP3 isn’t that it made you slower (which it may have), but that you were dependent on it and may have, either today or in the future, think that something besides your legs and lungs were the reason why you ran 26+. get out there. train more. run more. after you get your base up, do some mile repeats and on alternate weeks do a tempo run (in addition to your other runs). you will get faster, and it won’t be b/c of the MP3.
My suggestion would be to do more 5K’s and try to get you times down to the mid to low 20’s before trying the 10K.
Tempo runs and interval work you will probably give you the best results.
Well the 10K is Oct 29, so there is a nearly two month spread. The other part is there really isn’t any other race until then. I’d like to get another race in prior to the end of the season. I’m going to look at a Tempo Trainer to check my cadence. I have a hunch, but am really bad at sensing without some type of measurement, that my cadence could improve significantly. So that will help as well.
I guess I do want to clarify how this fits into the big pitcure for me. While cycling helps my cycling fitness, and swimming that fitness, I have found running is the best one for my overall fitness. That is to say, I always considered it my weakest/least enjoyed part of tri, but that if I can run 5K or 10K somewhat easily, my other two discplines will be improved as well. So I am trying to derive benefits that way from this as well. I am putting some ideas together to build up my mileage, and then see where it goes. I would treat the 10K similarly to this one today should I do it, that is to say set a baseline so I then have some data to work off of. Thanks for the feedback, because instead of signing up right away and committing myself, I will take 4 weeks of running, and see how I feel, and then go from there.
You know I was kind of resistant to the other feedback about the MP3 player, but I really like the way you put it. That really does make total sense. And yes I know the mileage needs to be upped. Like I said, I hadn’t trained specifically, I have just been doing a few runs each week without much of a focus. I only decided the last wek I would do it, and even there, had there not been another situation I would have likely passed.
But you’re right about paying money to do a run I could have done. That was a really good way of putting it.
Guess I’ll just have to learn to like the sound of myself breathing hard…
I did my first standalone 5k today too - great experience! (I’ve done road races from 20k to full marathons - this is definitely a different deal) I would definitely ditch the mp3 player, not worry about water or nutrition for such a short intense experience, and really focus on keeping the legs moving quickly, no matter how the rest of you feels! Actually, that’s what I did! Very small race so I was able to come second with a 21:57 - maybe next year I’ll be able to do worse - I hope so, if you see what I mean - there are precious few races in the immediate local area. Oh, live feed from IMoo is back. see ya! j
Well the 10K is Oct 29, so there is a nearly two month spread. The other part is there really isn’t any other race until then. I’d like to get another race in prior to the end of the season.
Pat, there actually are a couple more races around here in that distance range in the next couple months. There are (off the top of my head):
