Great weekend

Yesterday had to be one of my more productive runs of the season. I woke up to a beautiful and sunny Saturday with temperatures in the 60's. After getting my gear together I met Chris for a 10 mile "warm-up" before our 5K race. The 10 mile warm-up was great. Chris and I ran 4 miles, took a short break to register for the 5K race and then headed back out for another 6 miles. The pace was perfect (upper 7:50's), the conversation and company was great and the running conditions couldn't have been any better.

After our 10 mile run we had 30 or so minutes before race time so we hung-out, did some stretching and a little second guessing of ourselves because of our 10 mile run before the 5K race. When I lined up to race I immediately spotted two runners that ran the race last year and had beat me. At this point I was already planning my race and semi-conceding to at least a 3rd place finish.

At the sound of the gun we all took off. I was at a comfortable pace (upper 5:10's) and right where I thought I was going to be; 3rd place. The first mile and a half is all down hill. Knowing this I wasn't planning on doing anything stupid. I was going to run my race. I can, at times, get a head of myself and run other people's races. Not this time! This was my day to run my race.

After all of the downhills the course levels off to the turn around spot. At the turn around I was still third, but about 10 feet from the first two guys. When we turned around I heard the cops tell the guys to stay to the left, but the first guys swung a little to the right and had to self correct. At this point they had to run a few extra feet and I decided to plot my move. The guy in first picked it up just a bit and the second place guy started to drop back. This was it; time to make a little move. I over-took second place with 1st place right there. I maintained second going up the first hill and suddenly realized that all the hills in my neighborhood could pay off. These hills were nothing! They were a little longer than what I run, but not as steep. Taking that into consideration and looking at the first place guys form starting to crumble I picked up the pace a bit and passed the guy in first place. At this point we just past the 2 mile marker and I was able to maintain my pace going up the hill while the guys behind me started to suck wind.

So now I'm in first place! I haven't been here before; leading a race was something that I haven't done since high-school and those times were usually only in relay races. I've been close in my individual races, in the top 5, but never leading with the finish so close. I crested the hill and took a left into the college campus. From here I knew I had 3/4 ths of a mile left. I could hear the race announcer say that the first place runner had entered the complex and suddenly realized he was talking about me. The only thing that came in my mind was "don't get passed, don't get passed". There were too many people watching at this point and getting passed in-front of everyone would have been embarrassing. I didn't want to be that guy. When I made the turn I took a peek over my right shoulder and could see that #2 was 30 or so seconds behind me. This was a good feeling because I knew that this was mine to win. I made my way around the parking lot and headed on the track. Here I had a view of the people behind me and with a 1/4 mile to go there was no way, unless I got injured, that I was going to get passed. So I just maintained my pace and crossed the finish line in 1st. What a great feeling.

And then I saw Chris. He was in 4th and looking great. The guys who we pegged as being his competition were no where to be found. 4th place was Chris's.

What a great race for both of us. We both had a great warm-up with an even better race afterwards. I couldn't have asked for anymore. The only disappointing thing was my miles this week. I was really short in my weekly miles. This week is going to be my last long week, so I have to make this week count.

Gary's Gallop 5K
Time - 16:46
Pace - 5:24
Place - 1st
http://badgerlandstriders.org/results/09GARYS1_Results.TXT

Miles this week - 52.6
Miles this month - 159.7
Days thus far in the month - 18
Days ran this month - 16
Days off this month - 2
Miles in the month of January - 241 (Average 7.77 miles per day)
Miles in the month of February - 205.5 (Average 7.34 miles per day)
Miles in the month of March - 267 (Average 8.61 miles per day)
Miles this year - 873.2

Today's run was an 11 miler in the rain. My legs were a little tried from yesterday's effort, but overall I felt really good. I left the watch at home, but I was in the 6:45 range. The leg turn over and overall form was right on. I couldn't have asked for anything better. And believe it or not I really liked running in the rain. The clothes had to be an extra 5 pounds with all the water, but it was semi-refreshing running in the rain.

So today is my 7th straight day of running with my next scheduled day off next Sunday. This is my last week of "training" before I cut back a bit on the miles, so this is one week that I can't let the miles just "slip" by. No matter what I'm going to get the 71 miles in this week. Rain or shine I'll be getting the miles in. Heck, I've put so much into it thus far, what's another 6 more days? Then my next three weeks will be 55 miles, 45 and then 40 - - almost a walk in the park.

Miles this week - 11
Miles this month - 170.7
Days thus far in the month - 19
Days ran this month - 17
Days off this month - 2
Miles in the month of January - 241 (Average 7.77 miles per day)
Miles in the month of February - 205.5 (Average 7.34 miles per day)
Miles in the month of March - 267 (Average 8.61 miles per day)
Miles this year - 884.2