Hello Runners.
Yesterday, our Team - Athletics East, held a Team Time Trials / Races of various distances at a HS track in Alexandria, VA. I decided to you use this meet to try (again) to break 18:00 in the 5k.
A few weeks ago I tried to break 18:00, went out too fast, and crash and burned 2.5 miles in. This time I had a team mate pace me at an even 18:00 pace (1:26 / 1:27 per 400) thru 3k to keep me from spazzing out, and give it my best shot at getting to 17:59.
I got some excellent pacing and clicked off the laps, feeling pretty comfortable. About 3k in, my pacer pulled off, and it was time for me to finish it. Was able to stay on pace, getting splits from my Coach and I continued to go round the oval.
In the last couple laps, I started to feel like I was going all-out; my crash and burn from last time got into my head, and I started to get into my head too much (again)....afraid I was going to crash again. With all this shit going thru my head, I lost track of what lap I was on, and hit the 5k mark without ever kicking. I was being told by my Coach how much I had left, but somehow it didn't compute in the fog of the 'big effort' to stay on pace at the end of the race.
I ended up with a time of 18:02. A PR, but short of my goal. As my friends and Team Mates say "A PR is a PR". Period. So, I've chosen to be happy with the result. The time confirms my 10k PR last month was not a fluke....confirming my new level of fitness.
An hour later, I "paid it forward" by helping another Team Mate run a great time in the 1500. He wanted to run each 400 in 73". I was able to pace him for the first and last 400. It felt good to help him out, and I got to run a couple fast reps.
I will continue with my Coach's Training, it's making me faster, and I'll hopefully dip under 18 in my next 5k.
Shorter distance races coming up for me. 1500 and 3k at a Track Meet in Leesburg in a few weeks, then the Loudoun Street Mile on Memorial Day.
Onward
