USATF always does a nice job with this meet and there are very few chances for a 40+ runner to get on the indoor track, so I put this race on the schedule. I wasn’t really ready to do any fast indoor track racing (I’ve only been running for 9 weeks) but I’ve never let that stop me from racing before. This year I consider any racing I can do before March to be a bonus.
I couldn’t convince anyone else to join me for the 1:30 drive to Providence, so I was one of the first to arrive. I checked for permission to set up in the upper stands and dropped my bag and box of t-shirts before heading back downstairs to get my number. When I returned five minutes later everything was gone! I wasn’t in a panic (I left my wallet in the car and keys were in my pocket) but I wouldn’t be able to race without my flats and orthotics. I was assisted right away and found all of my stuff in the cleaning staff area. I’m not sure why they picked that up but none of the trash left around up in the stands!
Bill Newsham let me know that the men’s 5,000 would be delayed 30 minutes as the women would be run separately (which only seems fair). That meant a slight adjustment to when I’d warm-up. I told everyone I saw warming-up about that delay (including telling Bill about it 5 minutes after HE had told me). Teammate Ed Sheldon joined me for a warm-up outside. There is a nice little park with a paved ¼ mile loop right next to the school. I’ve used this spot for a warm-up before and like the idea that I can’t get lost prior to the race. Stephen Peckiconis joined us for a few loops as well. I did not feel well. During the drive I had some vertigo which I sometimes get prior to a migraine. I hoped it’d just go away before the race. I switched into race flats and hit the track for another mile and some strides. I felt pretty good on the track and was calm as I watched the women finishing up their 5,000.
My plan was to hit as many 42 second laps as possible. Last year I’d run 17:26 and I was pretty sure I wasn’t that fit this year. My guess was right around 17:30 based on last week’s Fudgecicle race. So I’d be looking to hit each Kilometer in 3:30.
Right from the start I was in 8th place trailing one guy closely and a couple of guys right on my heals. The first lap was a little slow and I moved up on the outside of the guy in front and he upped the tempo a bit so I settled back in. I felt pretty good but knew it was a long way to go. We hit the first Kilometer in 3:32, so only a little behind schedule. One lap later Ed Sheldon went by and I went with him as we went around our group’s early leader. We started slowly reeling in a few guys in front of us. It was good Ed shook things up. We hit the mile in 5:37 and 2k in 7:02 (3:30 for the 2nd Kilometer). We slowed a little bit after that but I didn’t want to move from where I was at least until 3k. It was always interesting out there as we were lapping people pretty steadily (and Andy Gardiner flew by twice as he lapped most of the field at least twice). We hit 3k in 10:35 (3:33), continuing to click off mid 42’s per lap. We caught up to Brad Klindenst after passing 2 miles in 11:18. It was nice having a group to work with and even nicer to finally get down to “single digit” laps remaining. I went around Ed as Brad took off at 4k (14:08, 3:32 split). Brad really accelerated and I was on my own although I could hear the guys right behind me. I kicked with all I had but came up short of 17:30 with a 17:33 (last Kilometer in 3:25).
I was pleased with the race, this is a step in the right direction as the USATF NE road 10 mile championships are in four weeks. I finished the day with a confusing drive to the start of the “Providence downtown 5k”. I did the course as my warm-down and an opportunity to preview the course that will be the road 5k champs in September.
5000 Meter Run
1 Andy Gardiner M51 BAA 15:50.22
2 Bradford Klinedinst M40 WRT 17:24.91
3 Justin Renz M45 HFC 17:30.72
4 Dave Dunham M52 CMS 17:33.65
5 Michael McGrane M46 BAA 17:37.92
6 Edward Sheldon M52 CMS 17:38.84
7 Ralph Mead M50 17:57.35
8 Michael Daniels M37 18:01.45
9 Stefan Cox M25 RR 18:04.62
10 Michael Urquiola M49 GBTC 19:17.60
11 Lennie Schmidt M50 20:04.06
12 Bill Newsham M52 GBTC 20:16.71
13 Charles Kaufmann M61 Dirigo 20:32.96
14 Frederick Ross III M70 CSW 23:26.02
15 Richard Paulsen M73 NE65+ 24:41.85
16 Robert Knight M72 NE65+ 24:45.92
M50 5000 Meter Run
Name Age Team Time Points
==============================
1 Andy Gardiner M51 BAA 15:50.22 10
2 Dave Dunham M52 CMS 17:33.65 8
3 Edward Sheldon M52 CMS 17:38.84 6
4 Ralph Mead M50 unattached 17:57.35 5
5 Lennie Schmidt M50 unattached 20:04.06 4
6 Bill Newsham M52 GBTC 20:16.71 3
200 splits 400 Kilometer Rolling time
43.0
42.9
41.8
41.9
42.8
42.6
41.1
41.5
42.7
42.2 1:24.9 3:30.1 7:02.5
42.8
43.0
41.9
42.7
42.9
42.5
42.9
42.2
42.5
42.2 1:24.7 3:32.3 14:08.1
41.4
42.2
42.2
40.9
38.8
Scott Mason took some great pics:
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