Sweetheart 5K Race Report
I knew that the Seven Hills Running Club's Sweetheart 5K didn't start until 2 p.m.; however, I rolled into Huntsville at about noon. After making a pit stop at McDonald's, getting something to drink at Walgreen's and picking up a magazine or two and a book at Hastings, I made my way over to Bowers Stadium to wait on Ken Johnson and crew.
The Sweetheart 5K was their monthly club run/event and they are even more informal than the Run The Woodlands 5K Series; however, the bottom line is that the course is challenging and accurate and the people are great to be around.
We started in the parking lot of Bowers Stadium. There was a total of nine (9) runners doing the 5K. Robert Duncan and J.C. Guzman were certain to battle it out for the win and did as J.C. outlegged Robert by a second, 20:28 to 20:29.
Two-thirds of the first mile was in the parking lot. I passed 70-plus-year-old True Cousins before the half mile mark and eventually got to the first mile marker at 9:17.88. I wasn't too far behind Ken's son, Ben Johnson; however as we all headed out towards the turnaround point, I was surprised that Robert and J.C. weren't further along then they were.
During the second mile, I had to brisk walk twice as I went into oxygen debt. Hans Jaeger, who I was surprised that I was ahead of, warned me to keep moving because he would catch me. I made it to the mile 2 mark in 19:18.52 (for a second mile of 10:00.64). Shortly after passing the marker, I needed to take my third walking break (this one for just 60 steps).
After turning back into the Bowers Stadium parking lot to continue retracing our steps in return, I passed the 2.5-mile mark in 25:27.69. I knew there was not a PR to be had on this day.
As much of the remaining .6 miles was downhill or flat, I'm not surprised that I covered that portion in 4:58.41 (versus 2-2.5 in 6:09.17). But the pace of the last 1.1 miles was officially 10:07, my slowest all season since the club's Resolution Run 5K on New Year's Day. (Again, it was the hills!) My finishing time was 30:26.10 -- my slowest of the 2005 season!
Believe me, I'm not complaining. This event was just a $1 and I had done a 10K the day before and a challenging 5K about 6 hours prior. However, my 43-second drop between mile 1 and mile 2 was the worst drop this season (most had been 30 seconds or less) and mimiced a near 58-second slip the day before at the ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run 10K.
The key on Saturday at the Bearathon (half marathon) in Waco will be to start out slow and aim for a steady pace of 10:30/mile or better.
The Sweetheart 5K was their monthly club run/event and they are even more informal than the Run The Woodlands 5K Series; however, the bottom line is that the course is challenging and accurate and the people are great to be around.
We started in the parking lot of Bowers Stadium. There was a total of nine (9) runners doing the 5K. Robert Duncan and J.C. Guzman were certain to battle it out for the win and did as J.C. outlegged Robert by a second, 20:28 to 20:29.
Two-thirds of the first mile was in the parking lot. I passed 70-plus-year-old True Cousins before the half mile mark and eventually got to the first mile marker at 9:17.88. I wasn't too far behind Ken's son, Ben Johnson; however as we all headed out towards the turnaround point, I was surprised that Robert and J.C. weren't further along then they were.
During the second mile, I had to brisk walk twice as I went into oxygen debt. Hans Jaeger, who I was surprised that I was ahead of, warned me to keep moving because he would catch me. I made it to the mile 2 mark in 19:18.52 (for a second mile of 10:00.64). Shortly after passing the marker, I needed to take my third walking break (this one for just 60 steps).
After turning back into the Bowers Stadium parking lot to continue retracing our steps in return, I passed the 2.5-mile mark in 25:27.69. I knew there was not a PR to be had on this day.
As much of the remaining .6 miles was downhill or flat, I'm not surprised that I covered that portion in 4:58.41 (versus 2-2.5 in 6:09.17). But the pace of the last 1.1 miles was officially 10:07, my slowest all season since the club's Resolution Run 5K on New Year's Day. (Again, it was the hills!) My finishing time was 30:26.10 -- my slowest of the 2005 season!
Believe me, I'm not complaining. This event was just a $1 and I had done a 10K the day before and a challenging 5K about 6 hours prior. However, my 43-second drop between mile 1 and mile 2 was the worst drop this season (most had been 30 seconds or less) and mimiced a near 58-second slip the day before at the ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run 10K.
The key on Saturday at the Bearathon (half marathon) in Waco will be to start out slow and aim for a steady pace of 10:30/mile or better.
posted by WalkSports.com | 9:10 PM
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