Chasey Chasey

Today Total: 11k
Week Total: 29k
Month Total: 140k
Year Total: 667k

CR 5k Challenge

Well last of the rhyming titles for a while but it seemed appropriate - other bloggers suggestions do appear in the text but not as rhyme :-)

Putting this into context - I looked up my old training diaries and I have not raced over a measured 5k course for nearly 20 years - the Evil Gastroc Twins would not allow it when I came back to running in 1996 and it has been a battle ever since - hence my focus on longer (slower pace) distances. But the twins have been remarkably good since Christmas and I felt confident to have a lash.

I was a bit apprehensive at the start - the ITB was still a bit sore, its only 2 weeks since Six Foot and not having raced 5k (or even run 5k in training) for a good while I wasn't sure which group to go in. I eventually settled on 24mins but when the starter called us up I didn't know anyone in that group and thought "hang it - I'll join fellow Team J mate Kit off 23mins".

The racing snake Kit Kat took us out fast - the Garmin was useless this morning but I think we crossed the first k marker in 4.18 - I chased Kit for the first 2 and a bit k but after that she and the other runner in our group gradually drew ahead and I pretty much ran to about 3.8k on my own.

Johnny Dark was the first of the big chase pack to rake me in and I went with him for a while managing to catch and pass the other runner in the 23min group. But then the world and his dog started to go by (I'm not convinced the majority of the pack seeded themselves entirely honestly) and I trailed off a bit.

Maybe I'm lazy and don't run hard enough - I don't know - but I always (no matter what the distance) can manage a kick at the end and over the last 200m I picked up the pace and passed a couple of runners who had previously passed me - immediately ahead was Go Girl and I set my sights on her but ran out of track to finish 1 second behind her (GG was off 22mins so she beat me by 61secs).

Finished in 22.50 (av 4.34) so it was a good decision to go off in the 23min group and I guess this is now my "recent" PB.

The jog back (av 5.37 pace) was a nice social jaunt - I spent most of my time with Go Girl, Kit, Rags, Gnome and somewhere along the way we also picked up Professor. To our delight Jen_Runs and the Owl were waiting for us back at the start and I was disappointed that due to some other commitments I couldn't go off and have cake or breakfast with this convivial company.

I really enjoyed this morning - the ITB behaved whilst running (bit sore now though), the group of 40 or so (guess) were great company, the format with everyone finishing within 2mins of each other was great fun with lots of PB's and lastly I was very happy with my time - what a fantastic way to start the weekend.