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Highlands Ranch Turkey Day 5k - Run5k


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Highlands Ranch, Colorado
United States
Highlands Ranch Chamber of Commerce
42F / 6C
Sunny
Total Time = 20m 17s
Overall Rank = 38/1249
Age Group = M30-39
Age Group Rank = 6/133
Pre-race routine:

Clif Bar & banana at around 7 am. Picked up Tom (tebeal) and headed to the race with Erica. Packet pickup and then back to the car to stay warm.
Event warmup:

Jogged to the start from the car and stretched a bit. A few strides and wedged my way into the start. Amazingly bumped into Erica among all of those people. Wished her good luck and tried moving towards the front a bit more. Somehow we were at 5 minutes until race start and then the next thing I knew they were saying 15 seconds!
Run
  • 20m 17s
  • 3.11 miles
  • 06m 31s  min/mile
Comments:

Congested start. 1200 people in one lane of traffic. I think they had both lanes blocked off to traffic for the start so they should have had both lanes open for the start.
Started off at what felt like a strong pace. Made the first right turn into the wind and tried to tuck behind bigger runners as it was pretty windy (14 mph headwind). Long uphill through about 1.5 miles and just tried to stay steady and draft when I could. Not sure if there was a 1 mile marker or if I just missed it so I'm not sure what my initial pace was.
Hit mile 2 @ 13:24 and quick math said 6:41 average. Not a really good pace I thought to myself and was a bit disappointed. Would have really liked to have the mile 1 split as it was uphill and I would have known how much faster mile 2 was. Still I felt pretty good and no one was passing me at this point.
Around 2.25 miles the magic that is Ipod kicked in. This is why I started racing with music: AC/DC's "Thunderstruck-Live" just happened to queque up. Chills down my spine and kind of a zone kicked in and it was game on. Powered up the last little hill and started picking off runners. Oh yea, you lanky guy with the spastic left arm and way too short shorts, you're mine. Guy with the blue top and looks like TriathlonSean from the back but I'm in too much of a hurry to take a sideways glance as I go by, you're mine. Yea you who I hate you because you're 16 and don't have to work hard and you're wearing ugly wicked witch knee high socks (and you're a guy?) with a tie dye shirt high school kid, I'm going to really try to catch you.
And I did. He gave me a little sideways glance when we made the last turn 75 yards out, which I interpreted as "whatever old guy." So I gave him a big shiteating grin and took off after him. About ten yards left I caught him and said "yooooooooooooooHooooooooooooooooo" in his ear! In the end, I beat him by 4 seconds because of chip time. He could have cared less but I was vindicated.
What would you do differently?:

I think I could have pushed faster from the beginning. I finished with a 6:17 mile, which tells me I had lots left in the tank.
Post race
Warm down:

Walked around as quads and hamstrings tightened up from old man trying to outkick young gazelle at finish. Heard someone yelling my name and it was Sean! Didn't know he was going to be there. Walked around and chatted and had some refreshments. Where was the beer? You'll get that PR Sean! Airlife Memorial 5k in May. Deadflat course. Let's do it! I need to see the other side of 20 minutes again myself...

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Oh some fever on Sunday and Monday. But I felt pretty good today. And it's a difficult course. Uphill and into the wind.

Event comments:

WTF? Race started on time? Packet pickup a breeze?

Just need to widen the start and this race will be nearly perfect.




Last updated: 2009-11-06 12:00 AM
Running
00:20:17 | 03.11 miles | 06m 31s  min/mile
Age Group: 6/133
Overall: 38/1249
Performance: Good
Was there a mile 1 marker? Mile 2 was at 13:26. Mile 3 (6:17).
Course: First 1.5 miles pretty much uphill and into the wind through the neighborhood. Then downhill onto the greenbelt where it flattens out with a few rollers.
Keeping cool Good Drinking
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5

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2009-11-27 10:48 AM

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Extreme Veteran
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500100252525
Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Subject: Highlands Ranch Turkey Day 5k


2009-11-27 3:54 PM
in reply to: #2533090

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Pro
4277
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Parker, CO
Subject: RE: Highlands Ranch Turkey Day 5k

Great race and nice job with negative splitting that last mile!  I normally do this race but missed it this years.  Figures because I think yesterady was the nicest weather we've seen on Thanksgiving in years.  Anyway...fast time for an old guy!

2009-11-27 6:36 PM
in reply to: #2533090

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Regular
77
252525
Denver Colorado
Subject: RE: Highlands Ranch Turkey Day 5k
Great job Todd! Awesome kick at the end too! Way to kill that kids ego! I had front row on watching that one! You took 6th in our age group too! Way to go man!

Thanks for all your encouragement! Hope to break that 20 min 5K in May for sure!

Take care buddy! Great to see you!
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