login
Kennett Run 5K
-
No new posts
Kennett Run 5K - Run
View Member's Race Log View other race reports
 Run
Comments: "Mile 1 - Cruising" Gun (horn) goes off...settled into race pace and dodging the crowd, but a solid start. Got into a rhythm though my HR is settling in a little high for this pace. First turn about a half mile in I see my cousin's husband marshaling traffic so I yell to him and scare the hell out of him. :-) Got to the first hill and my legs were just flat, no power on the hills - this might not go well. Down hill a bit onto State Street and we pass the mile marker into the first climb. 8:05 split / GAP 7:56...not bad but I'm in a pace hole already and the hill in front of me looks daunting. "Mile 2 - What Did I Get Myself Into?" We begin long climb #1...probably 1/4 mile maybe 5-6% grade. I'm already toast...legs want nothing of it. I push as best I can but I'm barely holding 9. Eschewed the water station the first time by (though I'm already getting hot and not feeling great), crested the hill and tried to make up some time...getting back under 9. Then there's a turn-around back into the hill...this sucks. Wheels are shaking at this point and I'm struggling holding 10 at this point. Get to the top, walk the aid station to get some fluid, then do my best to hammer down the long hill to make up some time. Split 9:04 / GAP 8:45 no way in hell for sub-25 but at least I can shoot for sub-26. "Mile 3 - That Last Hill is a Doozy" Tried to settle back on this relatively flat part into low 8 pace but I'm just not having it...holding more like just under 9 if that. Went by Brian again and said "I'm really glad I didn't sign up for the 10K!!!" Hit the final hill and just full-on crashed..had to walk a bit. Got near the top and started running again, then did OK the final 1/4 mile or so with a kinda sprint. 9:52 split / GAP 9:32, sprint was sub-8. Crossed the finish line at 28:15. Eek. What would you do differently?: Do a Parkrun instead? Seriously...completed not prepared for this course. Probably didn't help traveling this week either. 2/10 effort. I ran a faster pace in a 10K four weeks ago...this was just ugly.  Post race
Warm down: "No Seizing Up" Walked around a little, grabbed a water bottle, soft pretzel, and a beer to take home (best part of the race - should have grabbed a six-pack!). Used the steep climb up the trail to my car as my cool down, then did a bunch of stretching and foam roller before hitting the road. Managed to not totally seize up the rest of the day, though I was really out of sorts. Felt better by dinnertime and I felt I had more in me...not totally wiped out. What limited your ability to perform faster: "Maybe I Should Try Some Hills" I've run nearly 200 miles YTD and the vast majority have been on a treadmill or on pancake flat areas like Florida or Hilton Head - totally unprepared for this course. Still had a good time though and good to see the old 'hood. Event comments: 5/5 for the Kennett Run organizers...lots of volunteers, spectators, post-race spread, and my high school band was playing from one of the rooftops on the brutal hill. I'll do this again, but certainly taper my expectations!! Last updated: 2025-05-05 12:00 AM
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
{postbutton}
 2025-05-05 2:34 PM |
Expert  4949     Middle River, Maryland Silver member |  Subject: Kennett Run 5K |
| General Discussion-> Race Reports! |
{postbutton}
|
|
|
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
|
View profile
Add to friends
Go to training log
Go to race log
Send a message
View album
CONNECT WITH FACEBOOK
United States
75F / 24C
Sunny
Overall Rank = 105/496
Age Group = M 50-59
Age Group Rank = 10/26
"Let's See How Far We've Come" OR "Who Says You Can't Go Home?"
Two themes for one! Apologies to my mid-2000s rockers Matchbox Twenty and Bon Jovi, but this race represents a test to see how far I've come back (spoiler alert: not very!) and a return to my high school stomping grounds (where I sucked at cross-country, and apparently still do).
I've had a great fall - winter - spring training run, first with a successful 16-week winter cycling plan then a 10-week run build including a well-run 10K a month ago. Almost up to 200 miles for the year which is the 3rd most year-to-date into May ever for me, and most in 11 years. I tapered for this race, though taper involved spending a couple of work days in Nashville, including staying out until almost 1 AM on Tuesday night so not quite an optimal lead-up as travel always takes something out of you.
Slept OK the last couple of nights and felt a little taper madness. Had some Italian food the night before and a couple of beers - pre-race routine of champions. Got to bed early, woke up a little earlier than a I wanted but should be fine.
Pushing for sub-25...my VDOT and Garmin think I should be able to do it.
"I Remember These Hills"
I know for a 5 I need to REALLY warm up, so I started at 5:15 with a quick 20 minutes on the trainer, then a bunch of stretching and the foam roller...legs felt a little flat and I was really stiff, back was giving me a little hell so not a great start to the day. Ate some toast and an apple, coffee, showered then hit the road.
Got to the homeland around 7:45 for a 9:05 start, probably too early but I needed to get my packet and all. As I was walking to the race I had to descend a really steep hill - I forgot how hilly this place is!!! We have some hills near me but nothing like the constant up/down grind they have here. No wonder I sucked at XC in high school.
Packet pickup went fine, really good vibe. It's already getting really warm for early May - very humid and in the low 70s.
Walked back to the car and jogged a couple of loops around the block to start my warmup, stretched a whole bunch. About 8:30-ish walked back down to the race start and then completed my warm up with some more jogging and a few strides. I'm warmed up but probably not ready for the onslaught about to come.
10K racers go off at 9, us five minutes later. The course is a loop, very hilly (an understatement...this is the toughest run course I've run since high school). Mile 1 a bit net downhill, Mile 2 net flat but two really big hills (up and down...nothing flat at all other than the crest), then Mile 3 is net uphill but the final 0.4 is gradual down. The Plan is 7:50/8:15/8:15/sprint. Decided to go without a water bottle which in retrospect was probably a mistake.