SEA 5k - CARS series race #2

I was worried all week.  My quad was bothering me again and other parts were also feeling the 15km race.  I ran pretty slowly during the week and had no confidence heading into the weekend.  I was very concerned that anything fast might make the quad worse. 

I heated up my ankles and the quad and then got in the car for the 45 minute drive to Concord.  This race is not the most scenic (all in an industrial park) but it is dead flat.  I got my number then met up with CARS teammates Jim Johnson and Darin Brown for a warm-up.  It felt a bit quick to me but my quad seemed to be holding up.  I switched into racing flats and bumped into other CARS teammate and fellow 55+ Ernie Brake.  We were fairly close at Gilmanton so I was curious what E-brake was hoping to run.  I mentioned my hopes of sub-6s which would be aggressive based on my 15k last week but about right based on Gilmanton.  Last year I'd run 18:10 on a windy day, this year I thought anything under 18:40 would be good.

About 300 runners and walkers stormed out at the start on the multi-loop course.  I found a reasonable pace and settled in.  I counted about 30 ahead at the first big turn.  At the next turn the top woman went by (and cut me off!).  Ernie was with me as we passed back through the start 1/2 mile in (2:53).  I was surprised and happy with how fast we were, I felt pretty good just some soreness in the quad.  Ernie started to pull away as I got cut off again on a tangent (by the top woman again!).  I always cut tangents but I always give space to anyone behind me.  I wonder if there is a rule for road racing like track racing where you can't cut in unless you have 2 strides.  Anyway, by the mile (5:47) Ernie was at least 5 seconds ahead and looking strong.  I slowly closed the gap and caught up to him right before we hit 2 miles (11:39).  We locked into a good fight back and forth over the next half-mile.  A few times I thought I broke free but he rolled right back up on me.  With a half mile to go I latched onto Tyler Labrie as he flew by and that helped me gap Ernie.  I was happily surprised to hit the finish in 18:12, only 2 seconds slower than last year and first in the 50+.  Ernie came in 9 seconds later (which was close enough to get him the win in the age-graded).  The team took first place as we put 4 in the top 6 masters and the same in age graded masters.

Next up - NHTI 5k on Friday April 19th.

Top masters

    1   1 M4044   16:43   5:23 Jim Johnson               41 M       1 Madison NH              
    2   1 M5559   18:12*  5:52 Dave Dunham               55 M      15 Bradford MA             
    3   2 M5559   18:21*  5:55 Ernest Brake              57 M     195 North Sutton NH         
    4   2 M4044   18:35   5:59 Mark Doperalski           42 M     246 Deerfield NH            
    5   1 M5054   18:40   6:01 Jim Angell                54 M     147 Hopkinton NH            
    6   2 M5054   19:12   6:11 Darin Brown               52 M      76 Madison NH              

Overall

1   1/3  MOPEN   16:09   5:12 Louis Saviano III                      28 M   248 Sandown NH                80.42% 
2   2/3  MOPEN   16:10*  5:12 Aidan Cox                              13 M   316 Northwood NH              86.71% 
3   3/3  MOPEN   16:20   5:16 Andrew Tuttle                          23 M   197 Alton NH                  79.49% 
4   1/11 M3034   16:37   5:21 Kanoa King                             30 M   272 Portsmouth NH             78.37% 
5   1/13 M4044   16:43   5:23 Jim Johnson                            41 M     1 Madison NH                82.59% 
6   1/12 M1519   16:57   5:28 Kirpal Demian                          17 M   155 Bow NH                    77.20% 
7   2/12 M1519   17:05   5:30 Benjamin Neff                          16 M   140 Bow NH                    77.54% 
8   1/13 M2029   17:07   5:31 David Martino                          26 M   192 Laconia NH                75.85% 
9   3/12 M1519   17:08   5:31 Colin Lessard                          16 M   107 Bow NH                    77.31% 
10   1/11 M3539  17:14   5:33 Ryan Kelly                             37 M   342 Concord NH                77.89% 
11   4/12 M1519  17:24   5:36 Sam Berube                             18 M    46 Bow NH                    74.65% 
12   2/13 M2029  17:32   5:39 Timothy Lindberg                       25 M   181 Ashland NH                74.05% 
13   3/13 M2029  18:11   5:52 Tyler Labrie                           27 M   281 Concord NH                71.40% 
14   1/18 M5559  18:12*  5:52 Dave Dunham                            55 M    15 Bradford MA               84.26% 
15   1/3  FOPEN  18:20   5:54 Amber Ferreira                         36 F   343 Concord NH                81.31% 
16   2/18 M5559  18:21*  5:55 Ernest Brake                           57 M   195 North Sutton NH           84.92% 
17   2/11 M3034  18:32   5:58 Phil Brogan                            33 M   142 Concord NH                70.89% 
18   2/13 M4044  18:35   5:59 Mark Doperalski                        42 M   246 Deerfield NH              74.83% 
19   1/15 M5054  18:40   6:01 Jim Angell                             54 M   147 Hopkinton NH              81.51% 
20   5/12 M1519  18:46   6:03 Nathan Demers                          18 M   158 Bow NH                    69.21% 
21   3/11 M3034  18:49   6:04 Daniel Hrobak                          34 M   234 Merrimack NH              70.13% 
22   2/11 M3539  18:55   6:06 Charlie Krautmann                      38 M   256 Canterbury NH             71.46% 
23   4/13 M2029  18:56   6:06 Branden McCoo                          24 M   153 Loudon NH                 68.57% 
24   2/3  FOPEN  19:10   6:10 Abby Shafer                            24 F   290 Lebanon NH                77.04% 
25   2/15 M5054  19:12   6:11 Darin Brown                            52 M    76 Madison NH                78.02%