Race Report: AAU Regional Championships - 3k and 1500

 Hello Runners.

Last weekend, I raced the 3k and 1500 in the AAU Regional Championships, representing our Master's Team; Athletics East.

The event was held in the Prince George Athletic Center, just East of DC.  The 3k was run Saturday morning, the 1500 around noon on Sunday.  My first outdoor 3k, and the first time I've run two races on back to back days.  I have run a 1500 and 3k a couple times before on the SAME day.  Inevitably, whichever race was first on that day was my "good" race, the 2nd race ended up being more of a "tempo", or just get thru it, kind of event.

Going into the weekend, I was hoping having one full day of rest after the 3k would be enough recovery so I can could perform well in BOTH races.

3k: Saturday Morning.  Team Mates Coming Through

• Mark N, and I targeted 10:15 as a Goal time.  
• I thought this would be achievable based on my recent 1500 and miles times.
• Mark W., offered to pace us.  He is much faster team member, but was coming off two fast 800 races - and offered to pace "as long as he could".
• It was pretty windy day, and Mark is tall Guy, so I was willing to take all the help I could get!
  
• 10:15, using even pacing is 1:22 per 400.  Our strategy was to get out a little slower than pace for the first 600, and build the pace gradually as the race went on.
• The event provided 400 meter splits in the results, pretty nice.  So, here's how it went with Mark. W. on pacing duties:
  
• First 600 in 2:09: then even 400 splits of 1:21 to 1:23 for the next 5 laps.
• The final 400 in 1:15.
• Total Time: 10:18
• Mark never dropped off the pacing, and pulled all way thru to the end.  Nice!
• I was feeling pretty good thru the first 2k, but the last 800 or so, was quite hard. Every time I took  peek around Mark to see if I could pick it up some, I realized how much harder the effort is with the wind in my face and tucked right back in....
• PR by about 20".  (But, this is my first outdoor 3k...), previous PR was an indoor 200m track.
  

1500: Sunday at High Noon

• For the 1500, we didn't have a "dedicated" pacer, but the Open Men were combined with the Masters, which gave me a few Guys to run with.
• My Goal Time was was "Under 4:50" - which is what I ran last month at a meet in Leesburg.
• Even pacing for 4:50 is 1:17 per 400 (:58 for 300).
• I lead a group of 3 thru the first 300 in 59 seconds; it was windy and I "definitely" needed some help if I was going to hold 4:50 pace.  I had an Open category runner and Mark. M, from AE behind me.
  
• I could tell from the gun my legs were a little flat from the 3k yesterday, and I didn't have any pop at all.
• After the first 400, I pulled into lane 2, hoping one of the Guys behind me would come thru. 
• Another runner did go thru, and I was happy to sit behind him.
• The next two 400's were 1:19 and 1:18; a little slow, but I had nothing; I couldn't come around to pick it up any.
• At the bell, I was in 2nd position in our little group, as we started to kick.
• All three of us picked up the pace, but held our position.  My last lap was 1:13.
• Total Time: 4:50.4.
• A PR of 0.2" from my last race of 4:50.6.
• Pretty happy getting a very slight PR, and closing in 1:13.  I think I'm actually starting to develop a bit of kick.....

Next up - a 4th of July 5k in Reston, VA.  Looking forward to enjoying a more relaxed race "pre-Covid" style.  I'm going to try again to break 18:00....

Onward.