MikE
09-21-2003, 12:54 AM
... and it didn't s@ck! Finally ran a decent race. It's a popular five mile road race called "Night Moves", which starts at 8pm and is run through downtown Columbus. It's usually well represented [1500+ runners] and in the past has attracted some of the best talent around. I've proably run the event 14 times in the last 21 years. In fact, my five mile P.R. was on this course... 20 years ago.
I'd decided to run with Julian in the baby jogger but with the after effects of Isabell still about decided to run solo. The training has been going well the last three weeks and was really looking forward to the challenge and for a change, not "blowing up".
I was having a good race last year when my hamstring cramped and I was immobilzed for 5 minutes till the knot in my leg relaxed [ouch]. I figured I had a good shot at breaking 40:00 but who knows :dunno: So this year I pretty much had the same time goal, in addition to just having a "good race" [run smart].
The night was cool and surprizingly not as breezy as expected. I got off to a good start, got in rhythm and was "on pace" through 4 miles. There was a small group of runners around me that kept "pushing the pace" and I said, "we can break 40". One of the girls in the pack slowly pulled ahead and as I was trying to go with her I came apon a familiar figure. It was Rodney, a ex-club member who I had run many races with but never "run with". So it was a bit of a shock to see him "back in the pack". I knew that he wasn't running as much as when he ran College track / X-C but he is 17 years my junior and [still] in great shape.
So I say, "hey, what the hell you doing back here?" He said he was "pacing a buddie", and since he had paid his entry fee he was sticking to his word. He said that he had just ran a "alumni race" with his ex-teammates and ran "32:20" for a five miler. He asked me,"is that good?". I said, "for me, it would be". He fondly recalled that his marathon P.R. was at the same pace [6:30] as the five mile race he just ran. I said, "well, I'll vouch for your marathon time, and I can relate to slowing down... trust me".
For some strange reason there was no digital clock at the "finish" and honestly I wasn't absolutely certain where the finish line was so I stopped my watch at the beginning of the chute - 40:04. All-in-all, a very good time was had, and now I'm looking forward to the Columbus Marathon relay in one month. MikE
I'd decided to run with Julian in the baby jogger but with the after effects of Isabell still about decided to run solo. The training has been going well the last three weeks and was really looking forward to the challenge and for a change, not "blowing up".
I was having a good race last year when my hamstring cramped and I was immobilzed for 5 minutes till the knot in my leg relaxed [ouch]. I figured I had a good shot at breaking 40:00 but who knows :dunno: So this year I pretty much had the same time goal, in addition to just having a "good race" [run smart].
The night was cool and surprizingly not as breezy as expected. I got off to a good start, got in rhythm and was "on pace" through 4 miles. There was a small group of runners around me that kept "pushing the pace" and I said, "we can break 40". One of the girls in the pack slowly pulled ahead and as I was trying to go with her I came apon a familiar figure. It was Rodney, a ex-club member who I had run many races with but never "run with". So it was a bit of a shock to see him "back in the pack". I knew that he wasn't running as much as when he ran College track / X-C but he is 17 years my junior and [still] in great shape.
So I say, "hey, what the hell you doing back here?" He said he was "pacing a buddie", and since he had paid his entry fee he was sticking to his word. He said that he had just ran a "alumni race" with his ex-teammates and ran "32:20" for a five miler. He asked me,"is that good?". I said, "for me, it would be". He fondly recalled that his marathon P.R. was at the same pace [6:30] as the five mile race he just ran. I said, "well, I'll vouch for your marathon time, and I can relate to slowing down... trust me".
For some strange reason there was no digital clock at the "finish" and honestly I wasn't absolutely certain where the finish line was so I stopped my watch at the beginning of the chute - 40:04. All-in-all, a very good time was had, and now I'm looking forward to the Columbus Marathon relay in one month. MikE