This was the Kansas City Corporate Challenge race so they split the men and women into 2 heats. There were 1007 men in the race and over 900 women so it's probably good that they did that as the start was quite crowded. The other benefit was that while waiting for our start we could cheer on the women as they were coming up the dreaded hilly finish.

I lined up between the 6 and 6.5 min. mile markers. Last year it started so slow I had to swing out wide and pass people by running on the grass. So this year I thought if I started more to the front, I could get into my stride early on. That didn't happen this year but it wasn't as bad as last years pace. A lot of 7-8 min. milers started at the 6 min. mile marker which was a bit optimistic. I haven't run enough 5K races to know if that's the norm. The course is fairly nerrow at the start and with over 1,000 racers, it was no surpise to me that a guy went down in front of me. Luckily he was near the left edge of the road so I don't think anybody else went with him.

It wasn't until about 3/4 of a mile into the race that I could get into a comfortable stride. That's of course where the long incline starts. I felt good, wasn't sure of my pace until I passed the 2 mile market (13:05) so I felt a bit of confidence having average 6:30 to that point. I knew that going under 22 minutes was in the bag, the question was could I go under 21....If you had anything left in the tank after the first 2.5 miles that hill took the rest, and my tank even collapsed a little trying to suck whatever fumes were still in there.

You really appreciate a flat course having run this one.

2009 Time: 22:34
2010 Time: 21:10

Took nearly a minute and a half off last years time so at least I'm improving.


Start at the 5 minute mile marker.

Drank some chocolate milk, ate 1/2 a banana, drank some water. Talked with my co-workers.


Not enough hill work. Not enough speed work.


The race was pretty well organized. I had, nor heard any complaints.