Summer Slam 5K
As I said yesterday, it was going to be hot and terrible today and it was. Starting race temp was 84 w/ 71 dew point = pure misery. I probably ran too far and hard for my warmup. Ran almost 3 miles and averaged 7:45. I was just sweating my #### off from the get go.
Look around at the start of the race and see a few familiar faces but don't notice a whole lot of competition. I do see one guy that's run sub 19 several times this year. I'm thinking of pacing off him for a bit. I knew the first mile was going to tell me what I had today. Start off relatively fast but about 800 meters in I'm 6th. I still have my sub 18 minute guy in my sights and he's not really gaining any ground on me. In fact, I catch him about 400 meters later. Pass a couple people along the way. Just past mile 1 we both pass 2nd place.
Mile 1 - 6:07 (185 BPM)
We chat a bit and we both act like we are dying...I'm not lying though. Almost to mile 2 and he's not lying either...I take 2nd place from him and don't look back.
Mile 2 - 6:17 (194 BPM)
Okay, now I'm hurting real good but I get the sense that he's still close behind me so I dare not look...don't want to show weakness. I just power forward through the suck...and boy does it suck now. I feel like hell but I'm not about to give away silver.
Mile 3 - 6:11 (198 BPM)
.15(course was bit long) - 49 seconds or 5:36 pace (200BPM) actually hit 202BPM!
Official finish time was 19:22 but I had 19:12 at 5K unofficially. 2nd overall out of 388 and 1st place age group out of 43. Didn't stick around for the awards but I think I won a $50 gift card to some running store. Not too shabby.
That was both fun and miserable at the same time. Feeling like I had pretty good shot at sub 19 had the conditions not been so terrible. Definitely another encouraging result.