Hopkinton winter 5k

I hadn’t raced in 65 days (Chelmsford Alumni XC the day after Thanksgiving) which for me is akin to a lifetime.  A hamstring pull in early December put the kibosh on racing and I was tentative coming back from this as this was the same hamstring I’d completely torn back in April.  I’m trying very hard to listen to what my body is saying.  Trying.  My mileage has been good, and I’ve slowly gotten my training run tempo up.  This week I did a three mile lunch run in a step under 7’s with no repercussions so I felt it would be safe to race a 5k.  I’ve had good luck at the Hopkinton Winter 5k’s over the last few years and the timing was right, so I signed up for another go at the out and back “mostly flat” 5k race.  The part that isn’t flat is about ½ mile leading up to the turn which also happens to be where the road turns to dirt (which in the winter means either mud or ice – or both).

On race morning I did 3 miles at 530 am to loosen up a bit.  My stomach was not feeling great, and I was tired, not the ideal way to start the day.  I felt a little better when I got to Hopkinton and had a decent warm-up checking out the course.  The temperature was right at 32 degrees but there was no wind.  The road was in decent shape and the dirt section was a bit icy but not terrible.  About 100 lined up after being assured that it was chip timed so “don’t crowd the start”.  One little kid shot out like a rocket at the start but was pretty  much done 100 meters in.  I found myself with another guy in third place as we rounded the first turn.  The leader was slowly pulling away.  By the half-mile I was 10 seconds back and alone in second place.  Nothing would change, although at times it seemed like I was closing the gap ultimately, I was ‘first loser’, 18 seconds back.  It was another minute to third place.  I had hoped to run under 630s, so goal met.  I’ll take it as a good starting point.

Place          Time          First           Last            Sex             Age            City            State          Pace

1                 19:52        Mason      Howe        M                22               Sanbornton NH         6:20

2                 20:10        Dave          Dunham   M                59               Bradford  MA             6:25

3                 21:08        Norm        Goupil       M                45               Contoocook NH        6:44

4                 21:37        Chrisr        Johnson   M                56               Concord   NH              6:53

5                 21:58        Michael    Popham   M                42               Bedford    NH              7:00

6                 22:31        Jonathan Kovak        M                53               Contoocook NH        7:10

7                 22:58        Charlotte  Boyington F                13               Chester     NH              7:19

8                 23:07        Stephen   Laboe        M                32               Concord   NH              7:22

9                 23:10        Finn           Kovar        M                14               Bow           NH              7:23

10               23:18        Ellen           Raffio        F                  55               Bow           NH              7:25