Tral Blazer 5k/10k - Run5k

I started this race with a big hope that I might be able to set another PR since I haven't run a 5k since February at 19:58 (6:25).
I started at the very front of the group with only about 6-10 people in front of me. The start was a gun start with a chip finish, so I wanted to be near the gun time to make sure I got a "fair" time.
At the start of the race I nailed the gas right off. I was hard on the hammer to try to clear out of the traffic that would have to get through some of the narrow first couple of turns. At the Fanny Freezer I got trapped behind and inside of a group of runners That I had to literally split to get out of them. I didn't want this to occur again so I putt the hammer down fast.
After making it around the first turn everything began to break up fast. Small groups of runners formed of not more than a few people in each. I was following a guy that was wearing a pink tutu. We were running similar paces so I thought I would use him to help pace me throughout. I found out he was running the 10k rather than the 5k by chance....kind of. I saw Sean Gorman directing traffic on the course and he told me to pick up the pace because " you're getting beat by a guy wearing a pink tutu." I explained; "I am drafting" to help him understand my strategy ;)
After this I passed the guy wearing pink and ditched him after finding out he was running the 10k and was hoping for a 47:00 finish and he told me he hadn't broken 20 on a 5k yet. When I heard that, it was my cue to put the hammer down a little bit more.
Ahead of me appeared to be a lot of people but I didn't know who was doing what race so I just focused on a very hard pace. At this point I was about 1.5 miles into the race and I could tell I was going to be hurting for the remainder of the race.
This was the same place that I began to remember what the course profile was.......HILLY!! The .6 miles had 2 sharp climbs that netted only 63 feet. These took a lot out of my momentum and energy level despite trying to maintain effort and not pace.
After these 2 sharp climbs it wasn't over. Over the next .75 miles there were 3 more climbs of shorter elevation change but just as sharp. I was spent! I had hoped to be able to pick up the pace for the last .5 miles but I didn't have it in me. I again hoped that the last .25 miles would be more friendly to me but I was wrong again.
I seem to have a weird kind of knack for being able to pace myself for a race. It's not that I pace so evenly but that I seem to wear evenly across the entire course. As much as my mind wants to put more out for the last part of a race I just can't find it in me.

I wouldn't under estimate the course. I knew the area this race was in and forgot about the hills.
My training hasn't been the best as of late either. Plantar fasciitis has been slowing me in my training plan but not for this race in particular. I had no problems to speak of during the race.

Tried to get some air!! I had to place my hands on my knees for a couple of minutes to be able to breath.


Training. Plain and simple.


The swag for this race was pretty amazing! A UA tech shirt, water bottle, can coolie, dish washing detergent, a shoulder bag with large reflective striping. Very nice swag.