CATS Victory for Victims 5K - Run5k

Haven't done any speedwork to speak of this year...mostly focused on getting through LA Marathon healthy. Had a really solid 6.5 mile tempo run with my club two nights before the race, so I had a feeling I would at least have a respectable time if I stuck to the 5K, rather than the 10K.

First race with new Garmin Instinct GPS watch...which meant first race of my life with a heart rate monitor. Kind of a meaningless data point for me at this point, but I figured I'd at least keep a peripheral eye on it to see if I got near my (assumed) max HR, which I know is well above 180. (Most of the race I was in the 150s, but did get up to 171 near the end, so I think my effort was appropriate, fwiw.)

Lined up at the front with some younger guys I knew would be faster--I'm usually in the top dozen or so in this race when I do it (wound up 9th). A guy who looked like he might be around my age came up on me around 1km, but he couldn't get by me...ran with me for about a mile, then couldn't hang after that (ended up not far behind me...and turned out to be in the next younger AG).

Pushed pretty hard and thought I just might sneak in under 20:00, but wound up 20:25.7. Only my 8th fastest 5K ever (I've only run 17, according to my race log), but quite possibly my most even splits ever.


Maybe go out slightly harder...my left psoas was threatening to pull, so I was pretty focused on my form the first 1/2 mile as a result.

Walked around a little. Ate 1/2 of a small banana. Did a nice comfortable 1/4 mile cooldown.


Lack of race-specific training (particularly interval sessions) so far this year. That and the fact that I'll be 59 in three weeks...


Well organized charity race in its 17th year. I've done the 5K and the 10K (even the 8K when they had it one year) multiple times.