SEA 5k

My ankles had been bothering me all week (arthritis) which really impacts my training.  I just go with how I feel and this week I felt slow (and I was).  I signed up for the CARS series and this would be my first race of the 8.  I had missed the opening race last weekend due to a conflict with the USATF championships.

I'd run the SEA race 6 times before and knew it well.  The race has a bunch of loops around the big industrial park.  It is dead flat and you rarely travel in any one direction for an extended period of time.  That'd be good on a cold and VERY windy morning.  I scouted the course for a warm-up and it was well marked, even the mile marks were dead-on (except for 3m which was WAY off).  After my 3 miles I quickly changed into race gear and headed out for another mile in race flats.

A few guys (and one gal) flew out at the start.  I took a bit to get rolling and counted 10 in front of me when my watch beeped at 1/2 mile.  I was hoping to get under 18 minutes but the wind was pretty nasty.  I hit the mile in 5:46 and had moved up to 6th place.  I caught the first woman soon after the mile and we caught one of the fast starters at 1.5.  That'd be the end of passing for me.  I hit 2 miles in 11:34 (5:48) and figured I still had a shot at breaking 18.  Soon after Erin Lane (the top lady) accelerated and I couldn't match.  I kept telling myself "make a move with 1/2 to go" but when I hit 2.5 I had no move left.  I could see the race lead change right at the 3 mile mark (2.9) but that was all I saw.  I pushed to the line but was not happy to see 18 and the clock was still ticking.  Damn that GS timing!  I crossed the line, took 2 strides, THEN hit my watch and still came out with 18:08.  My official time was 18:10.  I did end up winning the Age Graded category which I guess is something :-)

Next up the Merrimack River 10 mile trail race which is more my "speed".

 1   1/3    MOPEN   17:40   5:42 Timothy Lindberg  24 M   242 Ashland NH                73.49% 
 2   2/3    MOPEN   17:51   5:45 Samuel Berube     17 M    33 Bow NH                    73.31% 
 3   3/3    MOPEN   17:56   5:47 Kirpal Demian     16 M   117 Bow NH                    73.86% 
 4   1/3    FOPEN   17:58   5:47 Erin Lane         37 F   276 Hopkinton NH              83.26% 
 5   1/13   M5054   18:10   5:51 Dave Dunham       54 M    17 Bradford MA               83.75% 
 6   1/9    M4549   18:34   5:59 Mark Laprade      45 M    67 Bedford NH                76.54% 
 7   2/13   M5054   18:36   5:59 Scott Clark       52 M   198 Gilmanton NH              80.54% 
 8   3/13   M5054   18:41   6:01 Darin Brown       51 M    48 Madison NH                79.56% 
 9   1/9    M3034   18:47   6:03 Daniel Hrobak     33 M   219 Merrimack NH              69.95% 
 0   1/13   M2029   18:52   6:05 Dylan Tuttle      21 M    81 Alton NH                  68.82%