Race Report: Run Geek Run! 8k

I ran the RUN GEEK RUN! 8K this morning on Hains Point. The weather was brilliant -- well, except for the wind. Although temperatures were reminiscent of a late summer day, there was a 20+ mph wind from the northwest. We had it at our backs on the way out, but in our faces on the way back. 

I hit mile one exactly as planned (5:05) alongside, or just behind, Ryan Witters. I picked it up a whisker and ran 5:01 and 5:04  for miles 2 and 3, respectively, but slowly lost ground to the negative splitting Witty. I felt good at the turn-around but suffered bad from mile 3 to 4.5 fighting solo in the wind. My pace slowed frustratingly to a grind as I pressed towards the finish line. I never fell asleep per se, and kept trying to snap out of my rut, but I just didn't have it. Rubbing salt in the wound, I was passed in the last 1/3rd mile by a kid named Scott Allen. I could hear the sound of his flats slamming the asphalt and heard Texas Paul shouting at me to go. But it was no use. The kid from Chinatown went by me as if we were running totally different race paces, because we were. It was awful, but it was just what the doctor ordered.

I came through the finish in 25:32, good for 3rd today.

Some good news: I hit 5k in 15:42, a full six seconds faster than I ran Kentlands outright just two weeks ago. I went into the well, red-lined it for a few minutes, then came out, but still didn't have much near the end.

Some bad news: I averaged 5:15s for the last 2 miles (yuck) but part of that was a result of the 20+ mph wind. Wind aside, I still should have been able to muster more of an effort than that. I hate getting beat in the last 1/3 mile, but that guy was running at a different speed at that point and I had nothing left to try and match him.

Overall, I am quite pleased and it's a major step in the right direction for me. Hopefully I can run a sub-51 effort at Army Ten Miler. That's optimistic, but not outside the realm of possibility, especially if I continue to improve. That type of time/effort would essentially put me back to where I left off pre-injury and, that my friends, would be fantastic. For much of 2012, I've been running like an 80% fox; running times that I've typically been capable of running. Hopefully, I am finally beginning to see the light. I am definitely finding my legs again and the more I work out/race, the more comfortable I will feel. 

It was great to have a solid team of guys (and girls) out there today. Lot's of strong performances: 1 sub-25, 3 sub-26 and Wertz, the 5 man, just over 26:00. Witty looked ridiculously smooth and coasted the course, Wertz and Myers ran times close to their PRs, Tex ran a great rust-buster, Viking closed well.

Splits
1 - 5:05
2- 5:01 10:06
3 - 5:04 15:10
(5k - 1542) - 5:03 pace
4 - 5:18 (ouch!) 20:28
5 - 512 (adjusted per the 8k distance)