Today was the Father’s Day 5-Miler in Central Park. A club race. Not a great deal to report, though. I knew I wouldn’t be fast and I was right. But I did not expect to be as slow as I was. Or as uncomfortable.
It’s a clockwise loop finishing at Tavern; you head up and take the 102nd Street transverse and then half-a-lap home. It was warm. It was humid. I picked JS up on the way down — JT was up doing something in Vermont — and I screwed up timing-wise; we had enough time if we simply hopped on the subway, but I thought we could jog/walk down. By when I realized we had to take the subway, things got a bit tight.
In the event, we had plenty of time to get our numbers, stash our baggage, and get into the corral. I was not particularly anxious about the race since it’s early days in my training. But after the 5K at VCP last week I had done a Repeat workout on Tuesday and a Tempo run on Thursday. The latter was only 15 minutes — 4000 meters — but it was a straightforward 6:08 pace.
So it was unnerving to see the 6:10 at mile 1 and feel not so great, even though the first mile is largely uphill. 12:20 or so at 2. Well heated. I figured that once I turned south on the Park Drive, I could cruise. This is what happens in 10Ks. But I had nothing. Pure struggle and in no way relaxed. Just short of 3, after fighting it over and over, I pulled off to the left. Walk a bit then start up again. The people I was with had not gained much; it was a brief stop.
Stop again. Then a third time, at a water stop before 4. Once more at 4. And then a real struggle over the final mile. Never comfortable. Struggle every step of the way. Finish in 32:02, a PW, 11th AG, and for the first time in a road race under 80 age-graded. 78.
(As I headed in, I thought of that picture from the Mini. I must say that if a kid ran out on the course, I would never have seen her. My focus was extremely narrow: a few yards ahead and down.)
JS did extremely well, getting second in the 50-54. Our masters did well, winning. But we were well behind in the 50-59. Many guys I know were over 30, who normally would not have been. So I think the heat was a major factor, making JS’s race all the more remarkable.
One must battle the danger of a slow race, even one you know will be slow going it, becoming a depressing event. With the heat — it was in the 80s and humid — I knew I would suffer. As I knew I would from the lack of speedwork. But I am discouraged by the absence of any smoothness. That, I know, will come back.
Sometimes a bad race is just a bad race.
NYRR had a finish-line camera. You can see everyone finish. There is quite a bit of carnage for a 5-miler.
14 comments
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June 20, 2010 at 2:03 pm
Jaymee
I know it stinks to have a race like that, Joe. Some wise runner once posted on my blog the advice they had received from their coach after a particularly painful 1500, ” it can only get better.”
June 20, 2010 at 3:30 pm
joegarland
I wish I’d thought of that. Thanks.
June 20, 2010 at 6:32 pm
michjoy61
Hey Joe,
Sorry for the bad race you think you had today. It does sound bad for a few reasons. You had to stop more than once to walk for a moment and for water when I assume you never do…..you never felt comfortable, you struggled…..
Welcome to my world. That is me in every race. So, to me it really doesn’t sound so very bad. Plus a 32.02 for a 5 miler, to me is outstanding. I know it is a PW for you. Man….wish I had your speed.
But again, I get what your saying……tomorrow will be much better brother!!!!
June 20, 2010 at 6:40 pm
Stephane
Joe, no excuses : if you can walk, you can run !
June 20, 2010 at 8:45 pm
Mark Thompson
My personal worst came at the Rye Derby last year, during a record hot day. I think I ran a 38 or 39 something. I stopped & walked several times just to survive. I don’t do well in hot weather, no matter what shape I’m in.
June 20, 2010 at 9:56 pm
Flo
Hot weather: it’s a bear, it sucks, it steals your soul. OK, well maybe not that last one, but it certainly will make a feeling-not-so-great day, even more so. It was a great speed workout if nothing else, next one will be better.
June 21, 2010 at 6:30 am
Ewen
Bad races are an education Joe. One learns more from bad races than good ones.
Looks like a beautiful day (for a picnic in Central Park). The number of blokes ripping off their shirts at the finish, and those stopping right on the line, tells me it wasn’t that pleasant for racing.
June 21, 2010 at 8:42 am
joegarland
Perhaps a bit better at the Van Cortlandt 5K on Thursday night.
June 21, 2010 at 9:41 am
Alex Gardner
Good to know I’m not the only one suffering from post-bad-race syndrome. It’s going to make the next one sweeter.
June 22, 2010 at 11:28 am
Robert James Reese
The next one will be better. I like your “Sometimes a bad race is just a bad race” approach.
June 23, 2010 at 4:37 pm
Brenn
I’ve seen age-based and distance-based running calculators. I’d be interested to see a heat/humidity based one. I’m certain there were many PWs in that race.
June 24, 2010 at 7:45 pm
joegarland
Well, for comparison purposes, I was 207 in the last club race, the HK 10K, at 82.0 age-graded and 219 here at 78.0. That makes the performance of someone like Jonathan (and Paul and Bobby (of the Bronxville Running Company, who was 12th)) all the more impressive.
December 31, 2010 at 9:27 am
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June 19, 2011 at 10:27 am
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