10%

So I have been doing a lot of thinking about being pretty consistently top 10% of females every race I do. Doesn't seem to matter the distance or even event, tris, ultras, marathons, 5ks you can pretty much bet on me being top 10% exactly in women. I've decided that enough is enough I want to break into the top 10%, enough of being exactly 10!

So with that in mind and a good fartlek workout on Wednesday I signed up for the Reindeer Run 5k in Lakewood this morning. I had no idea what pace I ran on Wednesday but I figured it was decent and if the weather played along I'd give it one more go to achieve sub 20.

Salty picked me up this morning and I was nervous but I felt good. My left hamstring is a bit sore and my quad was a bit out of sorts but considering I ran a 50 mile race two weeks ago I felt pretty good. Got in a good 30 minute warm up with Daisy and Salty and threw in some strides to remind my legs what fast feels like.

It was cold this morning but the sun was shining and there was hardly any wind. I'd been told this was a fast out and back course, no hairpin turns. If I was going to break 20 this was the day to do it. Lined up with Daisy and JP. I wanted to cling to JP as long as possible as she has been consistently running 19:50s this year. Unfortunately she told me beforehand her goal was to cling to Salty who was going for something under 19. Yikes. So I decided I'd just go out and see what happened.

The bell went off and we made our way around a slight curve before the crowd thinned down. JP didn't seem to be too close to Salty so I decided to just stick with her, she is a smart racer and if I could keep on her for 2 miles I'd have a shot at sub 20. I felt pretty good. Breathing was good, none of the residual exhaustion from JFK which I had Wednesday in the later Fartleks. I had Daisy right with me but there was no talking this morning. In a 5k there isn't much room for error.

The first mile seemed to take forever but I just kept my eyes on JP and tried to literally follow her footsteps, keeping my foot strikes in line with hers. No looking at the watch except at the mile markers today. I tried to tune out time and just run strong. First mile 6:14. Sweet. I was happy and wasn't worried that it was about 12 seconds faster than the overall pace I wanted. I knew if I just held onto JP my pace wouldn't falter.

The second mile brings your around the only turn and the sun made it a bit hard to see. The roads were a bit messy here but we navigated it fine. JP and I went back and forth with a gal I knew from Tri swimming here. I just stuck to JP like glue knowing I needed to keep with her through 2 to have a shot at sub 20. Mile 2 6:23.

I did the math and knew that meant I could run a 6:40 my last mile and still go sub 20. That made me extremely happy. The pace still felt good. I had to step it up a notch to hold onto JP. I let her pull a bit ahead but anytime the gap opened up I pulled myself forward to close it. We could still see Salty in the distance so I knew we were doing well. I kept telling myself that 6:40 was very doable. The pace started to feel difficult but I knew I could hold on for one mile. I didn't feel beat and knew I just had to keep my head together. I figured I had slowed down a little bit because the pace felt harder. I assumed the lactic acid was starting to take it's toll.

I was shocked when we came to a man shouting out the 3 mile split and my mile was 6:07. Holy crap I thought. Just hold on and you've done it. It seemed like a long .1 miles and I knew since there was no actual 3 mile marker that I needed to keep pushing in case mile 3 was actually farther ahead. I didn't have much of a kick but I held my pace and tried my best to push a bit harder. I looked up at the clock and saw 19 and what I thought was a 5 and pushed it over the line hoping I had made it. I looked down at my watch 19:28. Holy crap! Ecstatic I gave out a holler.

10 years later and I finally got that 20:03 monkey off my back. It feels damn good. I have no idea if I was in the top 10% but I am so pleased with the day. Official time was 19:23. 5th overall, 1st in age (by 2 seconds!). I had no idea my swim pal was so close. All my gals pr'ed or had exceptional days including age group or overall awards for Salty, JP, Daisy, and JT! It feels so good to go out on a bang like this for the year. PRing in distances from 5K to 50 Miles. Now I just need to take down that half and full marathon next year!

I am so glad Salty convinced me to go out to this race. Thanks girl!

29 comments:

Papa Louie said...

E-Speedy gonzalez!! Congratulations on setting a 5K PR! What a great way to close the racing season. Now have a great holiday season with your family.

B Bop said...

Sounds like a great day was had by all. Congrats on the PR!!! And so soon after JFK??? How you do that??

Quinto Sol said...

A.W.E.S.O.M.E. Simply, awesome... Congrats on breaking a HUGE milestone in your running; what next? sub-19? :-)

Neese said...

I was with you every word... excellent report and a phenomenal race/finish!! Congratulations on totally meeting and exceeding your goal!!

Mnowac said...

Good job, I saw that you got first in our age group. You are AWESOME!

Monica

Soapin' Cindy said...

That's Phenomenal! Holy Cow! Under 20 minutes?

Anonymous said...

oh you made me nervous. when you wrote about hearing how fast you were going, you led me (LED ME!) to think that you'd crash just before. oooh, you are the stephen king of race reports, wummun. glad to see that you were just scaring me for schitz and giggles. congratulations!

nydampress said...

In a word. WOW!
I am so happy for you! What an achievement,what else can I say?
YOU ROCK!

Brett S. said...

Great job E. Sounds like you just hang with a group of friends that are to fast :) It's like when I show up at a race with Vince. I know there is no hope of beating him at any distance so there goes at least one person in my age group.

Great job though. Keep it up next year and you'll drop the half and full.

Josh Middleton said...

I heard about your #1 placement on Monica's blog. Congratulations!!

Anonymous said...

wow, AWESOME! SO happy for you. congrats.

Irene said...

When I grow up I wanna run just like you!

There are no words beyond great, or awesome, or fabulous. I'm speechless!

Congratulations!

Dream Chaser said...

Yay!

Janet Edwards said...

Girl, you had this coming for a long time! You ran a fantastic race and totally deserved it with all the training you have been putting in! Way to demolish that goal! You rock speedy!

The Salty One said...

All I have to say is......

TOLD YOU SO!!!


:)

Steve Stenzel said...

GREAT RUN!! And "fartlek" is a great word, although that's not new news!

Michele said...

WOW!!!!
You ARE E-speed!!
Congrats on the awesome PR what a way to end the year.
Sure you can't make it to huntsville next week to pace us to a sub 4????

Adventures with MS said...

Holy Smokes...you rocked this race!

Congrats

Charlie said...

Well done.

Anonymous said...

Fantastic race, plan and execution! Reading your race reports tells me you are a very thoughtful racer, and racing is both physical & mental. Atta way E!
Happy for you!

Anonymous said...

GREAT job E! I really liked the report! You are a blur.

JenC said...

I think you've proved that you can be smoking fast at long and short distances. Whoever gave you a hard time last year is eating some crow now!! Congrats buddy!

Pat said...

great race report and congrats on the PR's. I guess I'll just have to read more of your blog.

Afternoon Tea With Oranges said...

HUGE CONGRATS! Man, that's awesome Elizabeth! Great report by the way...I felt like I was running right with you!

Fe-lady said...

Oh to be young and so versatile! (Is that how you spell it?)
Wow...I have probably NEVER gone sub 20 in a 5k. Congrats on a great race and racing season!
Enjoy the cookie making and carols and decorating with your loved ones...after your last trip to the mall! :-)

GP said...

Wowzaas! I can't even digest how fast that is. Great job!

Rae said...

Wow!!! That's an awesome way to end out your running year!! Massive congrats!

Trisaratops said...

I am late to the party here, but CONGRATS!!!!

You put the SPEED in espeed! Yahoooooooooooo!

Send a little of that my way on May 18, OK? Just a little. Too much and I might explode with speedy-ness! :) You rock!

Lloyd said...

Damn.

That's all I got. :)