Race Report: Sarah's Stride 5k (May 22nd, 2004)
Where: Hart Park: Wauwatosa, WI
Weather: Very nice spring day / evening, with rain later, but not during
the run.
Course: Very similar to the Blarney Run 5k, just backwards. Finish was a
loop around the track.
Runners: 560
Winning Time: 15:08 - 4:53 pace
My Time / place: 18:12 / 5:52 pace 33rd overall 5th age group.
Results: badgerlandstriders.orgsarah04.aspOpen ↗
Sarah's Stride is an afternoon race that typically attracts
a lot of top runners because of the $$ prizes to the top 5
men and women runners and 1st male and female masters
runners. Naturally, given the high profile of this race, I
wanted to have a good showing. This was not to be on this
day. From the first warm up step I took, I felt completely
out of rhythm. I am not sure what caused this. It may have
been because of the race start time being 5pm, it could have
been because I didn't have a chance to run the day before of
all the rain, but it was kinda a bad omen from the start.
Naturally, I got way too excited started way too fast and
confused myself with the top runners who were running sub
five minute pace. I hit the first mile in 5:33 and
immediately knew I was doomed. Not that I had gone out way
to fast, but everything felt all wrong. It felt like a death
struggle trying to regain some type of tempo with my
breathing, and it felt like I was going backwards because of
all the people passing me. I was at 2 miles in 11:30 and it
was pretty much just like that until I finished at 18:12.
After the finish I gave back my timing chip and got in line
for refreshments. There was a lot! Water, various breads,
apples, bananas, milk (regular, low-fat, chocolate, low fat
chocolate, high fat) and other items that I am forgetting. I
also had a fist full of entry forms for future races that
the volunteers were handing me as I walked by. After the
race, I paced around the infield of the track stuffing food
in my mouth while making mental notes of how I can change my
training to not have another disappointing performance such
as this race. Later I was talked to the winner of the race
(who is a truly awesome runner), and he told me how he was
going right up to Green Bay to run in the Green Bay Half
Marathon in the morning. (He won that too). He asked about
my race and I described it as "craptacular." We discussed my
training and I emphasized "speedwork, speedwork, speedwork."
My overall fitness seems to be very good, I just need to do
some fine tuning before the next race, and I will be much
better prepared.
Thanks for reading.
-Aaron TheYAM.net