Finley River 5K "Race Report"

  A good nights sleep, bowl of cereal, out the door with a plan to run a "Threshold Pace" run (tempo). Where that would be is the question! I did manage to find a comfortably hard pace....where I could of pushed a bit but opted to hold right there and not race.
   Beautiful morning with overcast skies and a fresh rain, a real large turnout!! Since this was the only race in the area most of the elites were there, I lined up on the outside mid-pack, had a good sweat going from my 1 mile warm-up...and off! Lots of slower runners in front started too fast...a guy dropped his Ipod in front of me and I had to leap around him as he stopped suddenly....I looked at charmin' Garmin and noticed it said 7:18...whoops! I slowed down knowing if I didn't I'd surely die! Nice and smooth, rhythmic breathing, easy course...some folks were racing which was okay...I let them go....one mile 8:07.
  Mile two was very interesting and enjoyable! I found this threshold, and perhaps it was a little too easy, why?An 8:22 second mile? No, as I was maintaining I heard a light breathing pattern coming on my right shoulder....I'm not going to race! It was a tall young lady running barefoot! I said "you sure are light on your feet!" She liked that and we began a brief conversation, I shouldn't of been able to chat! So maybe I was sandbagging? She said this was the first race she'd run barefoot, she eventually pulled away as I kept a steady pace, made the turn and began to catch quite a few people who were toasting, one guy wanted to race....he didn't like me passing him so he began to push...I didn't I just maintained, coming to a turn I drew such a tight line I guess I demoralized him as I passed him he fell off for good. I came upon two "rabbits", people who walk then run, I just kept the pace, one eventually finished ahead of me by a few yards as they sprinted in...I resisted....the other got beat by the tortoise...8:28 third...not bad, but not what I would of liked, the last .12 (Garmin D) was :58. 25:55 unofficial. I saw that I was way down in the age group....I knew this would not be a good time for me but it was a great training effort! I am pleased. Heel feels great!
  I did stay around for the door prize drawings, I won the first one!!! $15 bucks for Bob Evans restaurant!
  So I broke even, got a cool shirt, saw some friends, and had a quality work-out. I was proud of myself that I could show self-control and maintain a fairly even pace....I think I could of pushed a little more but don't we always. So, next up, September 11th. Another pace race...not the goal race. Hope you have a great week-end! Go Bubba Watson in the PGA! Peace!