|
|
|
|
CoachCraig
Member
|
|
|
Joined: 23 Dec 2003
Posts: 276
Location: Eugene, OR
|
| Back to top
|
|
 Posted: 04/07/04 - 13:00 Post subject: Upcoming Race Panic!?
I'm doing a track 5K on Saturday. It is at the legendary Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, the site of more records and running history than any other track in the country. Racing there is basically like playing Carnegie Hall.
This has me nervous to start with, but this is a free, all-comers meet run just prior to a major meet, which implies a fairly low level of competition. Still, I was getting a bit panicky that I might be in way over my head, especially how poor shape I am in given my injury. So I hunted down last year's results to get an idea of how low-key this race really was. Unfortunately I got a bit of a shock. The 800m was won in 1:49 by a Kenyan. The 1500m was 3:54. The 3000m was a bit slower, but still way beyond me at 9:06. Last year the 3K and 5K started together, and only one guy kept going the full distance. This meant first (and last) was 15:27.
So, now I'm really freaked out. Had I been in the race last year, I would have been dead last throughout the race, and run the last lap and a half by myself because everyone else would have finished already. Also, because this is the last race before the main track meet starts, there may be several thousand paid spectators there to witness me bringing up the rear. Yikes! Any words of wisdom from the group?
|
|
|
|
|
spongebob
Former FFL Champion
|
|
|
Joined: 15 May 2002
Posts: 3602
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 04/07/04 - 13:29 Post subject:
Wear a Riff Raff shirt.
|
|
|
|
|
purple hayes
Frightened Inmate #2
|
|
|
Joined: 14 May 2002
Posts: 14462
Location: ON YOUR LEFT!
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 04/07/04 - 13:48 Post subject:
| Runner X wrote: | | Wear a Riff Raff shirt. |
If you agree to wear it, I'll personally pay shelf for the shirt + s&h to get it to you.
seriously.
On track...I'd be freaked out too. Even if I were as fast as you are, the thought of coming in dead last in front of all of those people would terrify me.
|
|
|
|
|
spongebob
Former FFL Champion
|
|
|
Joined: 15 May 2002
Posts: 3602
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 04/07/04 - 13:54 Post subject:
Hayward Field, the Olympic Trials, Penn Relays, Boston Marathon.
I would love to say that I competed in any of those venues, even if I finished dead last. After it is over, you will have a lifetime to think back about what it was like to run at place where great runners became legends.
|
|
|
|
|
Pebbles
Member
|
|
|
Joined: 21 May 2002
Posts: 2947
Location: Bedrock
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 04/07/04 - 15:32 Post subject:
| Runner X wrote: | Hayward Field, the Olympic Trials, Penn Relays, Boston Marathon.
I would love to say that I competed in any of those venues, even if I finished dead last. After it is over, you will have a lifetime to think back about what it was like to run at place where great runners became legends. |
Well said X!
|
|
|
|
|
Pug
The Movie Geek
|
|
|
Joined: 21 Aug 2003
Posts: 8924
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 04/07/04 - 15:49 Post subject:
| Runner X wrote: | Hayward Field, the Olympic Trials, Penn Relays, Boston Marathon.
I would love to say that I competed in any of those venues, even if I finished dead last. After it is over, you will have a lifetime to think back about what it was like to run at place where great runners became legends. |
And...there are Riff Raff shirts?
|
|
|
|
|
purple hayes
Frightened Inmate #2
|
|
|
Joined: 14 May 2002
Posts: 14462
Location: ON YOUR LEFT!
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 04/07/04 - 15:53 Post subject:
| Pug wrote: |
And...there are Riff Raff shirts? |
Sorry, it's the clearest photo I've got. Maybe someone else has a clearer one. Shelf may still have some left over from the original batch he had printed up.
|
|
|
|
|
Running Brewer
Member
|
|
|
Joined: 12 Oct 2004
Posts: 3872
Location: Santa Poco
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 04/07/04 - 16:07 Post subject:
Last edited by Running Brewer on 04/08/04 - 12:54; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
spongebob
Former FFL Champion
|
|
|
Joined: 15 May 2002
Posts: 3602
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 04/07/04 - 16:18 Post subject:
I would like to wish you luck and also let you know that I'm jealous as hell. You'll do great.
If someone DIDN'T get nerves for a race like this, then they are probably dead.
|
|
|
|
|
CoachCraig
Member
|
|
|
Joined: 23 Dec 2003
Posts: 276
Location: Eugene, OR
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 04/08/04 - 12:11 Post subject:
I had another idea - run the 3K instead. The 3K and 5K start together, and last year only one guy kept going for a 5K. I'm not sure if it would be good or bad if I was the only guy, or one of just a couple, in the 5K. I haven't done the speedwork for a 3K and even a 5K is a sprint right now. However, I should be able to stay on the lead lap in a 3K and there will likely be a lot more guys doing that distance. I'll have to think about what criteria I would use to switch to the shorter race. I don't want to get to the starting line, find everyone else is doing the 3K, and then not know what to do.
I did jog over to Hayward Field yesterday and do a little bit of pace work on the 200m practice track in the next field over. The main track was closed to the public, with some very fast guys tuning up for Saturday.
|
|
|
|
|
Pug
The Movie Geek
|
|
|
Joined: 21 Aug 2003
Posts: 8924
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 04/08/04 - 12:19 Post subject:
| Running Brewer wrote: | Next we have RB modeling the very fashionable Riff Raff shirt.
|
That is sweet!
|
|
|
|
|
runaroundsue
Member
|
|
|
Joined: 18 Sep 2002
Posts: 6629
Location: supporting GREENer pastures
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 04/09/04 - 10:50 Post subject:
| Runner X wrote: | I would like to wish you luck and also let you know that I'm jealous as hell. You'll do great.
If someone DIDN'T get nerves for a race like this, then they are probably dead. |
I'd be throwing up by now.....so I won't offer any advice 
|
|
|
|
|
gretriever
Hipster Doofus
|
|
|
Joined: 16 Jul 2003
Posts: 19385
Location: A moving target in a firing range.
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 04/09/04 - 12:27 Post subject:
| Runner X wrote: | | If someone DIDN'T get nerves for a race like this, then they are probably dead. |
Or any race, for that matter.
|
|
|
|
|
spongebob
Former FFL Champion
|
|
|
Joined: 15 May 2002
Posts: 3602
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 04/09/04 - 12:58 Post subject:
Runner's World suggests bringing lots of water and carrying a disposable camera to capture the memories. 
|
|
|
|
|
Running Brewer
Member
|
|
|
Joined: 12 Oct 2004
Posts: 3872
Location: Santa Poco
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 04/09/04 - 15:15 Post subject:
Good Luck Saturday Craig!!!!
|
|
|
|
