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Village Runner 4th of July 5K - Run


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Redondo Beach, California
United States
68F / 20C
Overcast
Total Time = 00m
Overall Rank = 861/1602
Age Group = M35-39
Age Group Rank = 88/123
Pre-race routine:

Get up at 6:30 or so.... eat PB and honey on wheat, gatorade, gel about 1/2 hour before start
Event warmup:

Just some light running and stretching.
Run
  • 28m 35s
  • 3.1 miles
  • 09m 13s  min/mile
Comments:

Prologue - In all my years of racing (which consists of 6 months, really, and involves one 5K -- now two -- and two triathlons, but the point remains valid nevertheless....) I have been beaten by people with the swim characteristics of a concrete block, I've been beaten by guys in wife beater shirts and tennies (no cages) on the bike, I've been beaten by people that look like they are in the throes of death as they pass me on the run, but never, not once, have I been beaten by........... a 3 legged dog. Until today. And not just any 3 legged dog, mind you, but one so evil that it mockingly stopped to take a pee, just so that it could hunt me down from behind, the polyrhythmic sound of 12 toenails in need of a clipping on asphalt -- clackclackclack, clackclackclack, clackclackclack.......haunting my every waking moment. His evilness was heightened by the fact that he wore such a cute, innocent face as he passed me.....

Anyway, on to the Race - No idea where to put myself in the mass of people, wanted to hit 28:59. Anything with a 2 and an 8, in that order, would make me happy. As we waited, they had a WICKED good singer sing the national anthem. Sounded like Wynonna Judd. And OK, I will admit, I got a ittle teary eyed. I get the same way when they play the anthem at the Olympics. Bitchin song, if I may say........especially today

Started somewhere in the middle, and once the race started, began the slow shuffle to the start line. Definitely not as many people as my previous 5K, but the street was narrower, so for a while there was just nowhere to go. Started wondering if my future might again hold a 2 and a 9 (and if so, hopefully in that order).

Mile 1 split was 9:23. Not bad, I say to myself. I am sweating a bunch already, but not hurting (much). I am comfortable with this pace, so decide to pick it up a bit (won't even talk about all the people that passed me, as there were a multitude as usual, but I got to do some passing of my own).

The run to the turnaround seemed to take forever. Didn't help that it was short rolling hills. It was around here, however, that I first glimpsed the tripod beast from hell that was to haunt me to the finish.

And what's with these kids? You've heard it before, but it's fun watching kids run. Don't care about pace, or form, or what their time is. They just like to run.

There was also one wheelchair racer. Not the hi tech carbon fiber wheelchair racer, but almost a normal wheelchair (it wasn't, it just wasn't tricked). And the guy worked hard to struggle through. On the final uphill, I passed him, could ear him grunting, it was hard for him.

Water station at the turnaround. 1/2 way there. Time was... oops, forgot to look.

Mile 2 split was 18:35. Cool, negative split, 9:12 mile. Do believe that's the fastest timed mile I have run. Could see the light for the final turn up ahead, just get there. It was between mile 2 and 3 that the mangy beast stopped for his morning ritual. bastard, even though it was ahead of me, thought it was out of my life for good. Started to feel slightly dizzy, so monitored that, but it went away.

Mile 3 - Short uphill at the light, then right to the finish line. I missed the mile 3 marker altogether, had seen it in the warm up but now it was gone. The dog passed me. I didn't care about missing the marker or the dog, I wasn't going to slow down at this point. Mile 3 wa probably in the 9:15 range, or so, almost a neg. split.

Sprint, or something faintly resembling sprint, to the finish line... Guy in the wheelchair also reached the finish about that time. I gave him a pat on the back and a "good job."

28:35, 24 seconds below my goal.

What would you do differently?:

Not much. As in the last 5K, I felt like I left most of what I had on the course. Could not have pushed harder at this point.
Post race
Warm down:

Walk around, talk to friends who went a hell of a lot faster than me.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

ummmmm, my legs? Weight and more running.

Event comments:

First 5K in Feb. 05 was at 9:37/mile. This was 9:13/mile. Some improvement, and I've had to deal with a hip injury and shin splints since then that have kept me from running a lot. But I'm not sure if it's enough of an improvement over 6 months? I guess it is what it is.....




Last updated: 2005-07-03 12:00 AM
Running
00:28:35 | 03.1 miles | 09m 13s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/123
Overall: 0/1602
Performance: Good
Max HR 182, Ave 171
Course: Catalina to Ave I to Esplanade, down Esplanade to Torrance Blvd turnaround. Nice course along the ocean, minor hills, just enough to notice.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Not enough
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall:
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
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? No
Post race activities: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 3

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2005-07-04 6:44 PM

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Subject: Village Runner 4th of July 5K


2005-07-04 7:08 PM
in reply to: #190009

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Elite
3020
20001000
Bay Area, CA
Subject: RE: Village Runner 4th of July 5K

Sorry about the beast from hell... it can be humbling when someone (or something) blows by you and you can't figure out where they are getting the speed from.

Hmmm... you've improved nearly 20 seconds a mile in only 6 months, and you think that this is not good enough?  I think that is a great improvement.  If you keep up the pace, you'll be running under 9 minute miles by the end of the year, and that is not too shabby you know.

Congrats on the race!

2005-07-04 8:39 PM
in reply to: #190009

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Master
1551
10005002525
Virginia Beach, VA
Subject: RE: Village Runner 4th of July 5K

Great race, loved the dog part of the story.

2005-07-04 8:47 PM
in reply to: #190009

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Master
2233
200010010025
Mechanicsburg, PA
Subject: RE: Village Runner 4th of July 5K
Good race and report as usual bud. Think back a year (if even that long ago) and think about how far 3.1 miles seemed. Now you're not just running it, but making nice improvements very quickly. Be proud of what you are doing for yourself clyde!!

-Frank
2005-07-04 10:19 PM
in reply to: #190009

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Expert
725
50010010025
Wilmington, NC
Subject: RE: Village Runner 4th of July 5K
Great story! Three legged dog out runs man. LOL

BUT you set a personal record and did a great job of pacing! Take your improvements as they come and keep working!
2005-07-05 7:04 AM
in reply to: #190119

Pro
3903
20001000500100100100100
Andover
Subject: RE: Village Runner 4th of July 5K
LOL! Great report, Chris. And CONGRATS on beating your goal! :D


2005-07-05 7:24 AM
in reply to: #190009

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Master
2005
2000
South Florida
Subject: RE: Village Runner 4th of July 5K
Beautiful job on the run..Good to have a goal, even better to smash it...Of course the tripod dog beat you - he has THREE legs, you only have TWO!  DUH.
2005-07-05 7:48 AM
in reply to: #190199

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Philadelphia, south of New York and north of DC
Subject: RE: Village Runner 4th of July 5K
Great race, Chris!  9:13/mile!!! 

Very funny story too.
2005-07-05 12:31 PM
in reply to: #190009

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Pro
4228
2000200010010025
Broomfield, Colorado
Subject: RE: Village Runner 4th of July 5K
Woo hoo Chris!  GREAT run!  You kicked butt!
2005-07-05 8:17 PM
in reply to: #190009

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Master
1480
1000100100100100252525
Plant City, FL
Subject: RE: Village Runner 4th of July 5K

Congrats on an amazing race Chris!!  You have come a LONG way in a short period of time!!   Did you at least pet the dog at the end and give him a bagel or something??!!

2005-07-05 10:10 PM
in reply to: #190009

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Champion
19812
50005000500020002000500100100100
MA
Subject: RE: Village Runner 4th of July 5K
Chris...great job! Glad you met and beat your goal and you are getting faster. I like the dog aspect of the race...atleast he was cute!


2005-07-07 7:29 PM
in reply to: #190009

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