2006 Dash for Downs 5k

5k with a cold

I came down with a cold on Saturday night with a scheduled 5k race on Sunday morning. Sunday morning I was feeling a little crummy, but not too bad so I decided to go for it. Besides, I had talked Roger and Dru into this one so I didn't want to bail out (plus I already paid and picked up my race packet).

We arrived and picked up our timing chips. I'm really horrible at sticking those things on my shoes. They always flop around. How many races at this point and I can't get the stupid timing chip on right? It was pretty cold (about 45 degrees) so we were all wearing long sleeves. Dru and I wore capri type pant things. Basically ankle-length loose running shorts. She didn't have warmer running gear so I loaned her some of mine.

We tried to keep warm by doing some fast walking around the track where the race started, then we stretched a bit before heading to the start line. I had a hanky stuffed in my pocket that I had to keep pulling out to blow my nose on. The air horn sounded the start of the race after a fairly annoying performance of the national anthem (just sing it like it was written, don't get all fancy with it).

The first mile and a half was on a mulch trail which was really soft and my shins didn't give me any problems, however, I was severely lacking in energy and really having problems keeping my breathing in check.

Allow me to back up for a moment to Friday night. Roger and I went to a track at the nearby high school after work for some speed work. After we warmed up, we did a fast lap around the track (8:10 min/mile - very fast for me), then we walked around the track once to recover. Next Roger wanted to run a 100 meter as fast as possible, which we did (I ran it in 30 seconds at 6:48 min/mile). Evidently he ran too fast though, because he was in pretty sorry shape afterwards. He felt very sick to his stomach. He rested while I ran around the track a few times working on a rhythmic breathing technique I read about in a book I recently bought about running. The trick is to breath in for three steps and out for two - rinse, repeat. I ran for a mile doing this and felt pretty good. I didn't think I was going that fast, but every time I looked down at my watch, it said about 8.5 min/mile. Whoa! I just kept going and kept checking. It kept saying that! How on earth was I sustaining that pace? It must have been the breathing. I wanted to keep going, but I felt bad leaving Roger sit there in the cold (because it was getting a little chilly and it was past dark). So I packed it in after just under a mile. I looked at my GPS: .95 miles at 8:19, average of 8:44 min/mile. Wow!!!!

Back to Sunday and trying to recapture that feeling. Not working. I want to stop. I want more than anything to just pack it in and walk the rest of it. But I'm a little too stubborn, plus, there was Dru right in front of me, so I picked it up a bit and kept pace with her. She kept me going the whole race. It got a little easier near the end, but it was the hardest race for me ever. It was cold (though we warmed up and took off our longer overshirts and tied them on our waists) and the wind was whipping in every direction except behind us. I really felt horrible.

We eventually caught up to Roger who was doing a run/walk. He waited for us to catch up to him and the three of us entered the track together for the final lap on the track to finish the race. Dru had some leftover energy and sprinted ahead. I had none. She finished with a personal best of 35:46. Go Dru!!! I finished at 35:52. Before I was sick I was hoping for a personal best - somewhere in the 33-34 neighborhood. I came in at 35:52. Not my worst time for a 5k race, but not my best (which still stands at 35:42).

I really hope I'm well by the Capital 10k on Sunday.