Race Without My Watch?! Crazy, Right?

 Hello Runners,

I’ve been thinking about the 10k race last Sunday, and need to get something off my chest.

I was racing with my watch on, like I always do, the screen set to show me my current and average pace.  My PR going into the race was 37:43; 6:05 pace.  My goal was to maintain my pace faster than 6:05 and set a new PR.

I was having a good race, in a small of group of guys clicking off 6:00 miles.  I know this because despite the course not having mile markers I would periodically check my watch.  I was feeling surprisingly comfortable, not really under stress at all, almost like a tempo effort, as we went thru 5k and approaching 4 miles.

At about 4 miles, one member of our small group picked up the pace some, not a super hard surge but he gradually gapped us.  It was one of those mid race decisions - do I go with him or stay back with the group?  My watch told me to stay back, I was 5 sec/mile faster than my PR and I still had over 2 miles to go.  But, I was feeling comfortable, I could have gone with him.  If my watch had said we were on 6:10 pace I probably would have because I “should” be able to.  I never caught back up to that guy, and he ended up beating me by 13 seconds.  I held the 6:00 pace thru 6 miles, which was NOT easy, and then was able to pick it up some the last 400, but I never got closer to catching him.

My Coach keeps telling me to stop watching my watch during races.  I’ve seen professional and experienced racers compete without watches.  I’ve always thought that was crazy, or at least I am not experienced enough to race without my watch - I wouldn’t know how hard to go without checking in with my watch periodically.

 Based solely on how I was feeling when it was time to make that decision at mile 4, I should have gone with the breakaway.  Now, maybe I would have died a mile later, but I would have given it a shot and actually “raced” vs time trialing. 

I’ve been racing for 5 years now, it’s time I do more listening to my body and pay less attention to what my watch says. I may fail a few times, but maybe I’ll get a big break through every now and then.  I’d be racing.  Either way it’s pizza, beer, and smiles past the finish line.

Thoughts?

Onward.

Race Report: DCRRC Fort Hunt 10k

 Hello Runners.

Yesterday I raced the DCRRC (Washington DC Road Runners) 10k at Fort Hunt Park in Alexandria, VA.

Big Shout Out to DCRR for putting on a race, an actual road race, during Covid.  Protocols were put in place, wear a mask and go out in groups of 10 or less - each group spaced by about 30” at the start.  About 50 runners total with no fanfare, but plenty of good ol’ competition.

The weather was perfect - clear sky, low 40’s, and little wind.  The course is 5 loops around the park, with gradually rolling hills.  About 30’ of up/down per 1.2 mile loop.  I set my PR on this course last March, right before Covid shut everything down.  37:43; 6:04 pace.

At 8:00 sharp the Director said “Okay 6:00 pace and faster come on up”.  I hesitated, but figured the next wave will not be 6:05 pace, but more like 6:30 or 7:00 pace - so I stepped forward with another 8 or so runners in the “first wave”.

Off we went, pulled our masks off and 4 of us quickly settled into 6:00 pace.  Two younger lads and two old folks (my teammate Pete and I are both in our mid 50’s).   About 2 miles in one of the younger lads dropped down to 5:55 pace or so, 3 of us held the 6:00 pace.  We crossed 5k around 18:35.

This would have been a 5k PR a couple years ago, I was 5” / mile ahead of my current 10k PR pace, and I was feeling - well - comfortable.

Around mile 4 the remaining youngster dropped his pace some, so now it’s me and Pete - the old man train pushing to the end.  Pete’s a little faster than I am, and I was in new territory, so I had no problem letting him pace me in.

About 5 miles in my hard but comfortable feeling turned into an all out effort.  I thought Pete had picked up the pace, but looking back on our splits he was just holding pace.  We passed our Coach about this point, and he yelled “If you wanna break 37 you have to go now!”  This didn’t compute to me, and I have never been close to breaking 37, so I figured this was just some encouragement to keep fighting.

Just before the 6 mile mark I started my sprint (Strava says I covered the last .2 at 5:40 pace).  Pete went with me, both of us trying to move our old legs as fast as they’d go.  In the end, I lost the sprint by 2 seconds, but still came in with a time of 37:10!  33 second PR!!  I’m feeling pretty stoked about it.

After running the indoor races last weekend, I was taking a chance by racing again 7 days later.  Turns out it was a good chance to take.  For those interested, twice now I’ve set big 10k PR’s after training for, and racing a 3k.  After racing and training at 5:30/mile, 6:00/mile seems more “manageable”.  Don’t know if this makes any sense from a training science point of view, but it’s worked for me.

I was feeling pretty beat up after the indoor races, and just ran easy miles all week, with only a few strides on Wednesday.  None of it felt good.  I did a lot of extra foam rolling and stretching.  Saturday, the day before the race I finally felt my legs coming back.  Still - I was going to pull the plug as soon as I felt any of the wrong kind of strain. Luckily, nothing ever came.

I’m still sore, but not injured.  In fact, my left plantar and IT band are better than they have been, And my left hamstring and glute are holding up okay.  If I could just have two right legs I’d be in business!

So now - couple weeks of easy running, then build back up for a mile race in late May.  If I find a good 5k or 10 miler before then, I might jump on that too.

Onward

Race Report: AAU Masters Indoor Championships

 Hello Runners.

Yesterday I competed in the AAU Masters Indoor Championships in Virginia Beach.  USATF has cancelled everything due to Covid, but AAU kept this meet on the calendar - so many on my Team (Athletics East) made the drive down.

This is my first and only indoor meet this year - I did attend two meets last year.  I ran the 1500 / 3k / and the 4x400 relay.  It was fun, rewarding, and TIRING.

Virginia Beach is about a 4 hour drive from my house, so I drove down on Saturday afternoon, had dinner with the Team and checked into a hotel Saturday night.  My first race was not until 1:00 on Sunday, so I was able to sleep in, have a small / light breakfast around 10:00 and made the short drive to the Virginia Beach Sports Center.  I arrived around 11:00.  I'd forgotten what a "thing" it is to register for an indoor meet; spike check, security, race officials, when/where can I warm-up, etc.  The facility and the 200m track is GREAT.  All brand new and fast, with banked turns and bouncy surface.  If you like indoor racing, this is the place to be in the Mid-Atlantic region.

First Race: 1500 (Start time: 1:00)

• My goal for this race is "Less than 5:00".  
• I thought I could go as low as 4:55, but really wanted to get under 5:00.
• This translates to 39" - 40" every 200m lap.
• There's a big screen right in your face as you finish each lap, so it was easy to know if I was on pace.
• I didn't run with a watch - I've found thru my limited experience on an indoor track, that I NEED to pay attention to the track and the runners around me, not looking down at my watch.
• I was in a race with some much faster runners - the winner won in 4:27 in a 4-way sprint finish.
• After the first 200, I let these faster guys go, and became the leader of a "second pack" running each 200m a few seconds slower than the lead group.
  
• I went into "Time Trial" mode - and tried very hard to click thru each 200m in 39" - 40".
• I already had that lactic acid feeling in my arms after the 3rd lap, so I knew the next four laps were going to hard....
  
• After 4-5 laps, I was pretty much on schedule, but it was slipping - very slightly - away....
• With 200m to go I was 2 seconds behind 5:00 pace.  I had to GO.
• Just then, a Team Mate of mine passed me, and I got in behind him as we kicked for the finish.
  
• With his help, we ran the last 200m in 36", coming in at 4:58!
• Goal achieved!
• I tried as hard I could to come back around and win our own little race, but I was pipped at the line.  But I'm pretty sure had I just time trialed it in I would not have gone under 5:00.
  

Second Race: 3k (Start Time: 6:00)

•  Yes - that's right.  5 hour wait for my next race.
•  Good and bad.  More time to recover from the 1500, but also more time to get stiff and frankly lose motivation to run again.
• I watched my Team Mates race shorter distances, 800m, 400m, etc.
• Around an hour before the start I did my warm-up routine as if I hadn't already raced.  I really didn't know what else to do.
• I wasn't feeling too bad as we lined up for the race, pretty much recovered from the 1500.
• My goal for this race is 10:30.  3:30 per k.  42" per lap.  5 laps per k.
• As with the 1500, there was a "lead pack" that soon left me.  I was now running with another Team Mate (no, not the same one as the 1500), in the "second pack".
• We were on track thru the first k.  Coming in around 3:29.
• The 2nd k I let a gap grow between me and my Team Mate - I was falling behind schedule.  I lost 5 seconds to my goal: 2nd k was 3:35.  This was a MENTAL failure.  I was tired, realized I had 6' to go, and got cautious.  I was tired, let negative emotions in, and started to use the excuse I had already run a 1500...and this is hard.
• In the 3rd k, my Team Mate started to come back to me some, so I decided I was going to catch him.  I was able to pick up the pace some, and almost caught him.  Once again just got pipped at the line.
• Overall Time: 10:37.
• This is 7 seconds faster than the 3k I ran last year (which was NOT after a 1500), so I don't feel too bad about it.  I think I could have run 10:30 had a not had the mental lapse in the 2nd k, and some fatigue still in my legs from the 1500.

4 x 400 Relay (Start Time: 6:40)

• What would a Team Meet be without the 4x400?
• All hands on deck, take the baton, run two laps as fast you can, and give it to someone else.
• I was second leg, ran a 1:12 on dead legs.
• It was fun....build team work.

What did I learn?

• I'm a better racer when I have someone to chase down.  I'm not good at front running.  I already knew this - but it was definitely reinforced in these meets. Every time I had some to follow/catch, I was able to find another gear that was NOT there when I was leading the train.
• Nike DragonFly's are pretty good.  Not sure I'm a lot faster in them, but I do notice some bounce and my feet / lower legs are not as beat as when I use other spikes.
• I can run fast when I'm tired.  
• Mental - dude it's all mental.  Just f*cking run!  There's more there - 

 I haven't done ANY mile pace work going into this meet.  I did two 3k workouts over the last 6 weeks, and that's it.  I feel good about getting a little faster for outdoor events later this Spring / Summer.

Next up:  DCRR Fort Hunt 10k next Sunday.  Loudoun Street Mile on Labor Day...and whatever pops up on the calendar.

Onward.