|
|
|
|
Floridaboiler
POTFH
|
|
|
Joined: 18 May 2002
Posts: 11322
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
|
| Back to top
|
|
 Posted: 05/17/04 - 20:35 Post subject: Ravines Run 5 Mile Cross Country Race (Saturday Night)
Well I ran this race again this year. If you remember from last years report here and the year before at Cool Running I have always struggled at this race. Not sure why yet but I sure do.
I woke up Saturday morning feeling tired. I didn't think much of it. I guess I figured my long week of work had worn me out some. I coached Jason's game and we won again (separate report will be written about that one) and when we got home I had a strong urge to take another nap. I knew then I was in trouble.
Finally 5 pm came and I left for the race. Got there at a little before 6 and talked to my friends and I finally tried to get loose 30 minutes before post time. As we took our jog I had yet another hint that I was in trouble. My legs weren't loosening up like they usually do. After an easy 15 minute jog I was sweating nicely but I still didn't feel it.
Post time came and as we started from yet another new starting point so who knows if the course distance is right we all gathered. The gun went off and I went out at what I thought was a comfortable pace. I hit mile 1 in just about 7 flat not bad, maybe a little quicker than I wanted. I thought maybe after I got through a mile at race pace I would feel better. By mile 2 my split was 7:38 about what I wanted to average but I could tell I was struggling. My legs just weren't turning over. Mile 3 I was down to an 8 but that was kind of expected due to the short but steep hill we are supposed to traverse.
By now I was really hurting. I knew it by mile 2.5 that there was no way I was going to set a PR. My body wasn't into it and neither was my mind. Usually one or the other will push me through to the end so I know that I tried my hardest. Not today. I trudge along to mile 4 in a split of 7:56. Normally I would have been ecstactic with that but since I felt like garbage I wasn't excited at all. I made my way down the big hill, jumped the small creek and got out-kicked by one of the guys that has joined the lunch time runners where I work. That really ticked me off. I am competitve and I hate to lose so to lose on the last couple of steps to someone I normally beat really made a bad day worse. When I finally stopped my watch after getting through the chute it said 10:57!!!!! Which gave me a watch time of 41:33.
I just looked at my watch and headed straight up the hill to the beer and the burgers. After a couple of beers, Nothing like Old Milwaukee to drown your sorrows in, and talking with my friends we all said that the last mile had to be long. Even I didn't slow down from an 8 minute mile to a 10 minute mile.
The results got posted today at: http://www.coolrunning.com/results/04/fl/May15_Ravine_set1.shtmland now I see that for the team event I was dead last! 
So this now makes 3 times I have run the race and apparently the course hasn't stayed the same yet and my times are getting progressively worse. I honestly thought I had a chance at breaking 40 minutes on the course today and I got left in the dust by the guys I was going to use to pull me to that pace.
Lesson Learned: I guess Saturday was not my day to race. Maybe my body is still recovering from the 50K??
Next Steps: Train Smart for my Race for the Pies 5K on June 5. Everyone that breaks 20 minutes gets a free pie. The thing with the free pies is that they are frozen and they give you them right then so if I finally get 20 minutes I will be drinking beers with one hand and a pie in the other.
Thanks for the vent everyone.
|
|
|
|
|
JACKED UP
PRESIDENT
|
|
|
Joined: 06 Jun 2003
Posts: 21238
Location: www.johnnydu.com
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 05/18/04 - 09:14 Post subject:
Nice effort. Sorry you had a bad race. I suck at evening races myself, always have.
|
|
|
|
|
robp
Pyromaniac
|
|
|
Joined: 26 Jul 2002
Posts: 16242
Location: Waiting in line at the beer store...
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 05/18/04 - 09:47 Post subject:
At least you ran it FB. Chalk it up as a bear of a training run.
|
|
|
|
|
jrjo
Gone Fishin
|
|
|
Joined: 15 May 2002
Posts: 16451
Location: Lake Wobegon, MN
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 05/18/04 - 09:55 Post subject:
If the adage of a day of recovery for every mile raced is even close to accurate, I would say that 50km is still in your legs.
Good luck gettin' the pie!! 
|
|
|
|
|
genie
Master of Prissface
|
|
|
Joined: 14 May 2002
Posts: 16194
Location: Finding serenity one day at a time
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 05/18/04 - 12:08 Post subject:
Cross country courses are always tougher than road races, though, aren't they? You gave it good effort and you may indeed still be worn out from the 50K. I say  anyway.
|
|
|
|
|
copteacher
Adjunct
|
|
|
Joined: 08 Jun 2002
Posts: 20588
Location: Teaching in the Halls of Justice
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 05/18/04 - 20:37 Post subject:
the way I look at it. Finishing a rough race or running badly is always better than quiting.
You keep going to the race even though you know it bests you. One year you will best the course.
|
|
|
|
|
Phar lap
Member
|
|
|
Joined: 20 Jun 2003
Posts: 1006
Location: A flawed Utopia
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 05/19/04 - 02:58 Post subject:
Take heart Boiler, your finishing position in XC is a better indication of how well you ran, not the time you achieved on the day.
XC. courses normally vary every year even when held in the same area.
There are no records for XC. Only previous best times.
|
|
|
|
|
rolling rock
The Pinball
|
|
|
Joined: 15 May 2002
Posts: 16218
Location: unknown zone
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 05/19/04 - 07:01 Post subject:
i really don't like evening races either..very hard to get motivated to race that late in the day--add to it the cross country effect and it's a real mental challenge  i still say you did a great job all things considered. i mean, coaching little soccer guys is at least a 5K's worth of energy.
i'd kill for a 41:00 5 miler.
rest up and go for that pie!! 
|
|
|
|
