Red Dress 5k - Run5k


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West Hartford, Connecticut
United States
Hartford Marathon Organization
75F / 24C
Sunny
Total Time = 22m 26s
Overall Rank = 10/518
Age Group = 35-39F
Age Group Rank = 2/78
Pre-race routine:

Decided on Thursday after good solid bike ft that I would like to run the 5k, registered morning of and warmed up.

woke up made coffee, ate a kashi bar and then headed to race site to register. hit portopotty

Event warmup:

30min prior ran for 15mins with 5 x 30sec pickups. very humid out so dripping with sweat.
Run
  • 22m 26s
  • 3.1 miles
  • 07m 14s  min/mile
Comments:

looked like there were several strong local runners and then some high school runners. I lined up on the 4th row back. No start chip mat so time is from gun.

Started and weaved for about 30s-45s to get into the top 10-15. pace felt good and actually a little easy but figured I was in a good spot. At about half mile was in the top 10 and running next to a woman who was in her 50's. But I felt good and easy, 8th place. passed mile 1 clock: 6:51 - fastest mile I have ever run, but felt really good.

I then slowed it slightly on a climb at about 1.5 I was passed by a woman later found out she was in my age group. Hit the 2mile clock at 14:05. I came to a .25 hill which slowed me even more, humidity and too fast of pacing early on hit me at this point and the slow down caused me to be passed by the next person, leaving me in 10th. During the last .25 I pulled it back together and ended up only being 5 sec between me and 6th, and 1 sec. off winning my age group.

10 overall/2nd age group
then 5k race = 22.26 clock/22.24 watch (new pr)
mile 1: 6.51
mile 2: 7.13
mile 3: 7.35 the second hill of this mile hit me.
mile 3.1: .43 (7.10 pace)
What would you do differently?:

line up front row and not underestimate myself. not go out as fast. get better at pacing and maybe with the help of a new pacing watch (Polar??, Garmin??)

Come to find out the 50ish woman was the girls track and cross country coach when I was in high school and is a former olympian. (Between 1976 and 1981, Merrill-Morin held the world record in the indoor 3,000 meters and two-mile run, as well as the outdoor record for the 5,000 meters. She also owned the U.S. 1,500, 3,000 and 5,000 records. ...she ran the 5,000 in 15:30.) - I finished 35s behind her. I could not have imaged/dreamed of running with her in high school.

Post race
Warm down:

nate brought kellie and maddux so we walked around park. met some other dogs and waited for awards.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

pacing!!! humidy.

Event comments:

This is a great race, back in 2002 I ran it when it had a 10k and a 5k. Now it only offers the 5k. It is very well organized and offers one of the only all women races in CT. They have a great woman's fair before and after the event. The location is beautiful in the rose garden. The Whole Foods Strawberry Shortcake afterwards is a nice touch, although I did not get any this year. Award was a heartshaped red crystal necklace. They had a kids race and 2 water stops on the course (I used it to dump on my head)

cons: don't tend to run right on time and awards take for ever.




Last updated: 2008-07-12 12:00 AM
Running
00:22:26 | 03.1 miles | 07m 14s  min/mile
Age Group: 2/78
Overall: 10/518
Performance: Good
Course: Start and finish at the rose gardens in Elizabeth park, initial mile through the park. then 1.75 on the roads around park and bak in to park to finish.
Keeping cool Average Drinking
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time?
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5