Cinco De Miles

I’ve finally started to feel good enough to consider racing after getting injured back in February.  Although I’m still not 100% (glute is still bothering me) the oblique issue seems to be resolved.  I’d done a few workouts over the last 3 weeks and a couple of long runs as well.  Neither seemed to set me back so I decided to give the Cinco De Miles 5k a shot.  I’d done this Millennium managed race back in 2019 and recalled that the course was reasonably flat…for Bedford NH.  I headed up the day before to check out the slightly altered course which actually took out a little of the downhill at the start.  I also used this as an opportunity to break out my brand new Skecher racing flats.  They felt comfortable and light.

On race morning I went out early (5:30am) and did 3 miles to try to loosen up.  The logic I was using was that my second run of the day was always faster if I’d done a morning run.  Must be something to do with getting older and slowing down and needing more time to get loose.  I met up with teammate Jim Pawlicki and we headed out for a warm-up/course preview.  Not many out on the course as the 1,500 runners would be spread out with start times from 9am to 11:30am.  As has been the case for the last year all racing has been a time trial format.  At most Millennium races two runners would start every 10 seconds.  That kept things pretty spread out but also was close enough that (generally) you could see a few people ahead and maybe even catch some.  All starts were based on the time you told them you thought you could run.  I entered myself at 18:40 which is exactly 6:00 pace.  I’d run an 11:42 two-mile in a workout a few weeks back so I was hoping I’d actually be able to break 6’s but knew I’d be rusty after this much time away from the racing scene (11 weeks).  Jim and I got in a nice warm-up then I put on my race gear and did another mile to stay loose.

I was seeded 18^th, so my start was only 1:20 after the first starter.  That helps keep the nervousness down and 5k’s make me very nervous.  They are so short, like a sprint!  I went out controlled and was surprised that the guy who started with me was gone in the first 50 meters of the race (he definitely did not seed himself correctly as he ran over 36 minutes!).  I concentrated on the guys in front of me and not working too hard in the opening ½ mile.  I hit the mile in 5:53 and was feeling pretty good.  I slowly reeled in one of the guys in front of me and got him a little after 1.5 miles.  My second mile was a 6:04 so I was still thinking I could sneak under 6’s with a good finish.  I forgot how the “little” 30’ rise from 2.4 to 2.6 really hurt.  I was still thinking that I’d get some momentum on the downhill and kick the final quarter-mile.  I kind of ran out of steam and just managed to get in under 6’s with an 18:36.0.  Most seemed to think the course was a bit long with Garmin giving them 3.13 to 3.15.  I got 3.12 which is close enough.  I ended up finishing 15^th and took first in the 55 (and first over 50).  Jim met his goal as well coming in under 21 minutes (20:50).  We headed back out for one more loop of the course as a warm-down and were out of Bedford before the 9^th wave had even started.

Not a bad day, next up the Manchester 10 mile on May 8.