OWL-DRAGON

Run Run Run

I ran two Friday night races in June. The Cinqo De Monko (the Fifth Running of the Monk) was a last minute decision. We will be using a new timer for the Haverford Township Race. When I spoke to him last week he mentioned this neighborhood 5K he was timing. He touted it as a great race and at the last minute I decided to give it a try even though I had done my usual Friday morning trail run. It was a warm, muggy night and the course was very hilly with an interesting figure eight loop. Nice event with beer and hamburgers as an after race treat.

This last Friday I did a much bigger race. The Media Five Miler. Beautiful night - the best weather they have had in years. 1206 registered and 1108 finished. I wanted to try my newest toy, a garmin forerunner, that my wife had gotten me. I think there must be some delay in how it calculates pace because it showed me faster on the uphills and than the downhills. My pacing seemed to be all over the place. I had a disaster (or rather I caused a disaster) early on in the first mile. I knocked another runner down or least I was the runner closest to her when she went down. It was so crowded at that point she may have been tripped from behind. I was very upset and was sure she would be furious with me. But she got up, insisted she was ok, and insisted I go on. After the race I apologized again but she was dismissive and said at least she had an excuse for being so slow. It was nice she was so forgiving – I think I would have been angry and much less charitable.

Saturday I got to be at the shore and did a run along the beach. The forerunner confirmed my estimate of the distance from Ventnor to the end of the island. I was amazed at how inconsistent my pacing was. I had attributed my wildly varying pace Friday to the hilly course. But here on the beach I expected to see a steadier pace yet I found it very hard to settle into a set pace. I was surprised of how a little increase in effort affected the pace but also how difficult it was to sustain that effort. It brought home that focus is a key to pacing and if I let my mind wonder it will be very raggedy.

Next Sunday a 15K trail run (it is the Double Trouble – you have the option of doing a second loop and making it a 30K but looks to be hot and humid and I will be quite satisfied with 15).