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Somerset Back To School Classic 8km

October 20, 2013 (Morning)

Exercise Type: Run

Weather: terrific, 50s, clear

Comments:
I was concerned that I'd be worn out from running around at Saturday's meet, but other than an aggravated juncture of my right glute/upper hamstring, I was feeling fine (although I like to think I was a bit more worn out than I realized in the second half of the race. Jogged over from the house, picked up number, and did a thorough and focused stretch and warm-up on quiet Surrey St. Got the glute working pretty well and headed to the start line for four striders and a quick hello to Bill Solers and a SFS grad, Colin Losey. I wore the yellow DS Trainers with blue insoles in them for the entire day.

Went out in control down the hill and felt only a little challenged on the series of uphills during the next half mile. Came through the mile in 7th and feeling pretty controlled, yet it was 5:30. (I'm not entirely sure this wasn't a bit early... my memory was of the mile being a bit further down the road in past years. Passed someone soon after and passed Colin Losey just after the two mile mark as we turned onto River Road. Considered leaving him to mope, but decided to be a coach and encouraged him to "latch on" for the hill up River from Willard. Encouraged him again half way up, but could tell he was straining. He fell off as we turned onto Little Falls. I kept pretty good focus, but allowed an old-looking guy to come up to me along that stretch. At first he didn't pass and I even tried to surge a bit to loose him, but then I became very weak mentally and decided I didn't much care if I held him off for 5th or let him go by and settled for sixth. It is embarrassing to acknowledge that I just didn't really care, but I was just not willing to hurt... (maybe this is the biggest liability of being 40... or maybe all my competitive juices are focused on my teams). Either way, I let him go and just tried to focus on having decent form the rest of the way. The four mile marker was mislaid early, but there was a woman calling out splits at the correct spot 40 seconds later. It took me far too long to build up a head of steam along the final Wisconsin downhill, but I came in pretty well (Seeing as I'd not pushed myself in the fourth mile.) My mind was far too set on just not going slower than 30:00 and I clearly did what I tell my athletes not to do... underperformed because I ran with the wrong goal... satisfaction from racing is not about times... it is about performance.

5:30(short?), 11:30[6:00(long?)], 17:34[6:04], 24:10[6:35(adjusted)], 29:50[5:40(5:50 mile pace)]

Either way, I finished in 29:50 for a 6:00 avg mile pace. Then jogged home and showered and drove back to pick up my awards for first in 40-49 age group. Rest of the day and into Monday, the right glute was terrible and I can't bend over.