Fudgcicle 5k(+) race

My workout on Wednesday (2x1 mile at a little over 6's) went well with no calf issues so I decided to give it a go at the Fudgcicle series 5k.  GLRR has been putting on these races since the 1980s.  It is a great winter series that is held no matter what the weather every weekend in January and February.  The suggested entry fee is $1 and you get a professionally timed race.  On this morning the roads were clear, temps were in the mid-20s, there was very little breeze, and a bright sun.

Teammate Dave Lapierre met up with me (after having already done a loop) for a warm-up loop.  I switched into racing flats and headed out for another mile.  I'd seen Dave Corbett earlier in the morning and also David Perloff (who'd won last weekend).  At the start I saw Will Swenson and Justin Daglish.  This would be a fast field.  I definitely would not be fighting for a win as I was hoping to run right around 6:00s for the slightly long 5k course.

Daglish and Perloff headed off into the lead at the start with Corbett and Dan Guttenplan next.  I was surprised as Swenson must have decided to go out easy and he sounded very comfortable running next to me.  Will decided to up the tempo after we passed the mile (in 552).  He caught Guttenplan almost immediately.  I slowly closed the gap and moved into 5th place around 1.5 miles.  Not much changed as we hit 2 miles in 1148 (556).  Guttenplan made a solid move after 2 and I focused on sticking with him.  The little hill (really just a gentle up) always hits me.  We turned the corner at 2.5 and I moved back into 5th place.  I could see way up ahead that Daglish was on his way to a win (and the fastest time run this year) and Swenson had moved into third (and sub 18 after a slow first mile with me).  Guttenplan stayed right on me as we hit 3m in 1749.  I was able to gap him a little in the last .13 for 5th place and 5:56 pace.  No complaints!  Dave had a nice run taking over a minute off of his time for last week.  We finished the morning with a final lap around the course.

1 Justin Daglish        27   1/12  40 M4049 CARLISLE   MA   17:22  5:36 

2 David Perloff         85   1/2   24 M2029 LOWELL     MA   17:34  5:40 

3 Will Swenson         134   2/12  46 M4049 ANDOVER    MA   17:42  5:42 
4 David Corbett          3   1/7   34 M3039 Stoneham   MA   18:00  5:48 
5 Dave Dunham          259   1/22  53 M5059 Bradford   MA   18:35  5:59 
6 Dan Guttenplan       160   2/7   37 M3039 LOWELL     MA   18:37  6:00 
7 Brian Hutter         271   3/7   37 M3039                 20:23  6:34 
8 David Lapierre       245   2/22  53 M5059 Chelmsford MA   20:39  6:39 
9 Paul Coughlin        226                  Marlboroug MA   20:44  6:41 
10 Bryan Riley          89   4/7   39 M3039 TYNGSBORO  MA   21:17  6:51 

With Will Swenson in the first 1/2 mile of the race