I started with about a 1.5 mile warm-up and then did some stretching. The legs felt pretty good. I did a few strides close to race time, and I was feeling pretty good. I decided to go with just a t-shirt, shorts and a hat despite the cold temperature. My plan for the race was to go out easy and pick it up the last few miles. I wasn't trying to break any records or place high at all. I just wanted to go out and have fun racing. Given my mileage and training times recently, I thought 6:45-7 minute pace would be doable.
I lined up a little ways back from the starting line as I didn't want to go out too quick and get sucked into a sub-6 first mile or anything. It was a bit crowded for the first half mile or so, but it thinned out after that, and the crowd kept my pace reasonable. The pace felt comfortable and perhaps even a little slow, so I was waiting for the mile marker to see where I was at. I passed 7 minutes and then 7:30 and no marker! Finally I crossed it at 8:45! I hate it when the first mile marker is off. It throws off your entire focus. I picked it up the second mile and hit it in 5:56 according to the marker, but I think it was a little short. The next mile was in 6:27, which I think was correct. Somewhere between 2.5 and 4 I developed a killer side stitch. I finally got it loosened up a bit and picked it up between 3 and 4. I passed most of the guys who passed me when I slowed down with the side stitch. Miles 4, 5, and 6 felt pretty good. I was just cruising. I hit number 4 in 6:41 and number 5 in 6:54, and then the fun began. Shortly after the 5th mile the 5K runners came down the hill on the south end of campus and merged with the 10K course into the finish. They started the 5K 15 minutes after the 10K which meant that I met the bulk of the 5K pack filled with recreational runners and moms with strollers. I spent the next mile weaving in and out of slower runners and finished the last 1.2 in 7:04. My total time was 41:49 according to my watch or 41:46 according to the finish clock. Both are right around 6:45/mile pace, but I'll have to wait for the official results to really tell.
Overall I was pleased with my race and the organization of the event. The traffic control was superb and the course was clearly marked. I didn't like the poorly marked miles and the merging of the two courses, but it was okay. I enjoyed my race and didn't feel like I pushed it too hard. I probably could have gone faster, but it gives me a good start to the year and the idea was not to kill myself. It was my first race since October 2006, so I was pleased with the results.
Mile 1: 8:45 (long)
Mile 2: 5:56 (short)
Mile 3: 6:27
Mile 4: 6:41
Mile 5: 6:54 (maybe a little long)
Last 1.2: 7:04 (a little short?) | 