Running is therapy

Despite missing our exit and arriving at the starting line 5 minutes before start time, Jen and I had a really good race today.

On Thursday, I went over to the barracks for a 4 mile run and my goal was to get out, touch 8:10 miles for most of the run and see how it felt. If I could keep it up for a couple of miles I figured I would be gold for today. I ended up running all 4 at 8:10, and figured the magic of race day might yield a 40 minute 5 Mile PR.

We got there just in time, and I had to hide our race bags inside the check-in building and sprint across the street to use the bathroom before the start. As we lined up I spotted Bill milling around with his camera. he came out and talked to us for a couple of minutes before race time and was even kind enough to lend Jen his gloves.

“Runners set, runners GO!”. And we were off. Turn out was good, but it wasn’t terribly congested at the start. I started in the back of the pack and picked my way through people for the first half mile. I clocked in the first mile at 7:30, too fast but not fatal. I felt great, but knew trying to sustain that would be a mistake. 5 miles is the first common racing distance where you can really hurt yourself if you don’t pace (IMO). I reigned it in and hit the next couple of miles around 8 minutes a mile. I knew I was in good shape for 40 minutes.

During the 3rd mile there is one decent hill, it takes you up and up and up. Bill was there with his camera, and that always lends a boost. After all, no one wants to be making a puke face in their picture. I finished the hill stronger than I would have thought if I had seen it prior and started lopping down the other side. The last mile was in sight and I felt really good.

I did have some nerves as I realized 40 minutes was probably going to happen, but it wasn’t written in stone. In the last 3 tenths of a mile or so, I saw Bill again, and I asked him if I had a shot at 40, I figured he could see the clock. He had no idea, as we were both too far yet. I was struggling to see through my foggy glasses that I had forgotten to leave in the car and I thought I could make out 39:4x, crap, there was no way I was going to beat 40.

Then as it clicked over to what should have been 40 minutes, I realized it had said 38:4x and I was in perfect shape to hit sub 40. I crossed the line (officially) in 39:17.

Bill and I walked back up the street a bit to watch Jen come in. As she made her way down the street, I ran out to run in with her. She asked me “How close is that girl behind me”. Looking up the street and seeing no one for a 1/4 mile behind her, I said “I think you got her, there is no one there”. She finished up in 57:14 feeling good.

The shirts are pretty nice Brooks tech shirts. A well put together race, that was a total blast, I recommend it.

Motionbased Link (I started the Garmin a little late).

Some Stats (unofficial):
Distance: 5.05 Miles
Time: 0:39:12 (pace: 7:45)
Average Heart Rate: 175 bpm
Calories Burned: 744

**Update** I found a workaround to the Motionbased problem, so I added stats and edited the post. **Update**