race report: 5k (almost)

You still won't part with those crappoy nikes, will you?

Donovan Rebbechi said:

After a layoff due to achilles tendon problems, I'm up and running again. No, they are not
completely better yet (sigh) but it seems I'm able to run long and run hard without them bothering
me too much.

My first race back was a slow and painful 10k, which at a time of 45:58, was my slowest pace of any
race this year (including a 10 miler) despite the flat course.

Just a week later, after a small amount of training and a very short "speed workout" (4 200m runs
in about 36 seconds on a track), I ran a face saving mile in 5:28 already reported by Globadisc.

On Thurs, there was a 5k run in the financial district of Manhattan. I was shooting for a fast time
on this -- I knew in advance that the course was going to be flatter than the 5k course they use in
central park, so it would be a good chance to run a fast time. My training had been going
reasonably well, so I figured that combined with a fast course, this could produce a good time.

I rabbited the largely downhill start, passing the (probably misplaced) first mile marker in 5:17.
Never saw the second mile marker. Did they have one ? I don't know. Held onto the pack for the rest
of the race, and ran as hard as I could for the last 400m.

My finishing time was 18:27. So I was thinking -- yes! a Sub 19 , and less than 6 min per mile!
(haven't run a sub 19 5k this year) Well it turns out that they later announced that, and I quote:

Due to unscheduled emergency utility construction, race officials were forced to make
last-minute changes to the race course. This resulted in a shortening of the course by
approximately 400 feet.

That's too bad, it seems downtown race in general this year have been fairly poorly organised,
partly due to the ongoing reconstruction in that area.

My time still extrapolates to sub 19 (though slightly more than 6min/mile). But the sub-19 will
have to wait until another day, in fact probably until next year. In the meantime, I'm going to try
my luck on some of the upcoming 4 milers.

Cheers,

In article said:

You still won't part with those crappoy nikes, will you?

Currently running in Saucony grid trigon, probably will move to Mizuno Wave Rider as my speed shoe.
Before that I ran in New Balance 806/805. Future shoe plans are to stick with Saucony and Mizuno.

I'm not a big fan of Nike shoes either (though their MP3 player is nice).

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi pegasus.rutgers.edu~elflordOpen ↗

In article Donovan Rebbechi said:

After a layoff due to achilles tendon problems, I'm up and running again. No, they are not
completely better yet (sigh) but it seems I'm able to run long and run hard without them bothering
me too much.

My finishing time was 18:27. So I was thinking -- yes! a Sub 19 , and less than 6 min per mile!
(haven't run a sub 19 5k this year) Well it turns out that they later announced that, and I quote:

Due to unscheduled emergency utility construction, race officials were forced to make
last-minute changes to the race course. This resulted in a shortening of the course by
approximately 400 feet.

My time still extrapolates to sub 19 (though slightly more than 6min/mile). But the sub-19 will
have to wait until another day, in fact probably until next year. In the meantime, I'm going to try
my luck on some of the upcoming 4 milers.

Congratulations, Donovan! Maybe it wasn't quite sub-19, but with the achilles still not 100% I'm
sure you'll get under it very soon. Glad to hear that running and racing aren't bothing it much now!
Sorry to hear that the race organizers screwed up, that's pretty disappointing to tell you *after*
the fact. But you did great!

Teresa in AZ