It was a good race ...except for that whole following the course part.
This morning was the modestly named "Race for Humanity" at USP. I don't really feel in 5k shape yet, but I really wanted to race. So my goals were to run hard, and finish under 20.
The race started at 9, so I woke up around 7, ate some breakfast, and hit the road for a warmup run around 8. Ran around the hood, then over the South St Bridge, around the hospital, and finished with a few strides, pulling in to the registration table right around 8.30. Got my bib, found my friend Jen milling around the start, and went with her for some more light jogging. Came back with about 5 to go, checked the course map (but did not check close enough!)--it looked like two loops around a Woodland / 46th / Larchmont / 43rd, with spurs to/from the starting line. Jen and I and walked over and got ready near the start.
The starting gun went off sooner than I expected, and although I was in the third or fourth row of people, I got caught behind a row of three slow college kids and felt the main pack of runners rush by. It was windy, so I wanted to tuck in and draft someone doing sub-7 pace for the first 3-4 minutes, so after we turned the corner onto Woodland, I closed the gap back to the pack with all the action, and got in behind a guy about my age. Most of the next half mile was up a hill, but we started passing people (who all started faster than they could sustain). Then the crest, and I fell into what feels like a fast pace, and it's easy. I noticed the first mile marker go by in 6:39, and given the slow start and hill, I start to feel pretty good about my chances.
We zoom down the hill and I scoot across another gap and make contact with the group ahead. People are really fading now, but I feel better and better. Ahead of us there's a guy with some HS XC shirt on, and I move through the group and try to make a move up to him. The course loops around to Woodland and back up the same hill, and I catch up on the hill and tuck on in behind him for the windy climb. I missed mile 2, but as we crest the hill the second time, I make a move and try to open up a little gap. Then I hear him behind me and he makes a surge as we come down the hill on 43rd the second time. I stay with him, and as we approach Woodside and the USP gym, we're running side by side.
Now, the course was two loops, and there were race marshalls near the bottom of the hill pointing people we'd just lapped around to the second loop. I should have been thinking about figuring out which way to turn, but I was so focused on XC dude, I make a little surge and hang a right. I'm ahead all of a sudden (in hindsight, he was probably trying to figure out which way to turn and slowed), but he stays behind me and starts following me back up the hill. We go another few hundred feet before I catch my breath just enough to say "where's the finish?!". He goes "Oh shit!" and we look behind us to see the pack that was behind us turning towards the driveway. Oh shit, indeed.
We turn around and backtrack towards the finish. When I see the chute I kick hard, but with our detour, we cross in 20:4x. Shit!! I pat him on the back as we exit the chute and say sorry for leading him off the course. So, I have no idea what my 5k time was. But I now have a 5.2k PR! Woohoo! Uh, yeah. Not actually so exciting.
Even so, while I'm pretty pissed that I don't get to know what my finish time would have been, I am pleased that I ran a strong race, and am confident it would have been in the 19s (= sub 6:30 pace.) Those were the two goals I was shooting for... so, on the whole, a good day. And looking forward to another in a few weeks.
Call it 3 mile warmup + 3.2mi race for 6.2?
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