Downtown YMCA Turkey Trot - Run5 Mile


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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
United States
YMCA
40F / 4C
Sunny
Total Time = 59m 5s
Overall Rank = 817/880
Age Group = 35-39
Age Group Rank = 58/60
Pre-race routine:

Woke up, ate some granola, drank a small cup of coffee, drank some water and got some stuff together.

Delay at the house (read "kids") made me run a little late, so when I arrived downtown I had to scramble to get my bib and chip... which they put on the FIFTH floor of the Y... The steps were part of my warm up I figured. By the time I got my bag, shirt, bib and chip, I didn't have much time... less than 10 minutes before the start. I couldn't make it back to my car... threw my shirt on, which made me over dressed but... my fault for being late.
Event warmup:

I had jogged from the parking garage, did five flights of stairs and then stretched while in line. I felt really nervous. I don't know why.
Run
  • 59m 5s
  • 5 miles
  • 11m 49s  min/mile
Comments:

I was a little lost on this run... I didn't know what to expect in the cold, so I was overdressed even without adding the t-shirt at the last minute. And being slightly scattered, I made a mistake that could have been disastrous. I forgot my IT-Band. I was probably a quarter mile into the run when I realized it was still in the van. Doh! My knee had not been bothering me since earlier this summer when I got the band, had started doing some strengthening exercises and stretching... so I just kept running. I had zero problems with it. *whew*

I started close behind the 11:00 pace setter. I started easy. I wanted to finish and didn't want to burn out early. Still when I came to the first mile marker they were calling out times and I was at 11:30-ish. I got to the second mile marker, I was at 23:00... But at mile 3, they called out 35:05... but I had walked through the water station right before it... or I probably would have made it... BUT THIS WAS MY BEST THREE MILES... All of my 5k's had been over 37:00. THey never called out the time at mile four...but I am sure I lost some time there. My energy dipped there. I felt sluggish. From the four mile marker, I had to go back over Clemente Bridge. This bridge is not flat. It rises to the middle and then goes back down. I walked the last ten seconds of the rise, and started to run again. My tank was feeling empty.

Getting back off the bridge, I knew I was close. When I made the turn onto the Blvd of the Allies, I could hear the announcer at the finish line. He was calling out times and letting us who were at the top of the rise know what pace was coming up... which was great, because I heard that 60 minutes was coming up. I picked up my pace significantly. I could feel my heart pounding. I felt like I was going to puke, and I just kept running. I crossed the line... and got some water.

I had never run this distance before, and was shooting to finish under an hour, which I did. I had hoped that I might break an 11:30 pace... which I did not.

What would you do differently?:

I think I should have had some gatorade with me on the run... or a gel. RIght near the end, I felt like I was empty, so I probably could have some energy before that.

I probably should have worn less too. I don't know why I was so worried about the cold. I have played entire soccer games in the snow wearing only shorts and a long-sleeved jersey. BAH! I also noticed that I had some...umm.. chafing issues. When I got home and hit the shower, I was greatly disturbed to find raw nipples, and an abraded... perineum. The funny thing is, I didn't notice the issues until soap and water hit those areas. Sting!
Post race
Warm down:

I grabbed some water and walked around. Then going to the awards, I walked back up the five flights of stairs... slowly. *ugh*

What limited your ability to perform faster:

I am still working to increase my base. Speed is still an issue on everything. But I will point to the above as part of my issues.

Event comments:

Very cool race. I enjoyed it. Fairly flat but interesting. Beautiful day. Good organization... and they raffled off two brand new treadmills at the end. The entry fee alone was worth the chance of winning one of those... :)






Last updated: 2006-11-06 12:00 AM
Running
00:59:05 | 05 miles | 11m 49s  min/mile
Age Group: 58/60
Overall: 817/880
Performance: Average
Course: The course was a beautiful course through downtown Pittsburgh. It started on Blvd of the Allies, ran towards the Point, over Clemente Bridge, then wound around PNC Park, near the river, and then around Heinz Field, before returning back over Clemente Bridge, and retracing our course back to the starting point. The course was all concrete.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
Physical exertion [1-5] 3
Good race? Ok
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? No
Post race activities: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4