The course was great. Fast and flat. Only 67 feet elevation gain. Accurate (3.15 on the Garmin).
The only issue today was the wind. 15-20MPH per accuweather. When I checked last night, I wondered about my pacing and came across this little gem from Daniels.
| Wind Speed (negative values denote tailwinds) | VO2 Demand | min/km | min/mile |
| -20 mph (-8.9408 m/s) | -9.6% | 3:00.3 | 4:50.1 |
| -15 mph (-6.7056 m/s) | -8.7% | 3:01.9 | 4:52.7 |
| -10 mph (-4.4704 m/s) | -6.8% | 3:05.3 | 4:58.1 |
| -5 mph (-2.2352 m/s) | -3.9% | 3:10.4 | 5:06.4 |
| 0 mph (0 m/s) | 0.0% | 3:17.2 | 5:17.4 |
| 5 mph (2.2352 m/s) | +4.9% | 3:25.8 | 5:31.2 |
| 10 mph (4.4704 m/s) | +10.8% | 3:36.1 | 5:47.8 |
| 15 mph (6.7056 m/s) | +17.7% | 3:48.0 | 6:07.0 |
| 20 mph (8.9408 m/s) | +25.6% | 4:01.6 | 6:28.9 |
In this particular table I inputted my average pace from today (6:07) @ 15MPH wind, and was able to see equivalent paces in various conditions. This made me feel better about today:).
OK, so the race.
Here are the splits from my Garmin (not that good at cutting and pasting).
| 1 | 6:01.8 | 6:02 | 1.00 | 9 | 0 | 6:02 | 6:02 | 4:40 | 176 | 182 | 76 |
| 2 | 6:05.8 | 6:06 | 1.00 | 5 | 0 | 6:06 | 6:06 | 5:30 | 185 | 188 | 86 |
| 3 | 6:18.4 | 6:18 | 1.00 | 23 | 31 | 6:18 | 6:18 | 5:22 | 188 | 190 | 91 |
| 4 | :48.9 | :49 | 0.15 | 0 | 7 | 5:26 | 5:26 | 5:07 | 190 |
Ended up with 6:07 pace for 3.15 for 19:15, HR 183. 5th woman!
So how did it go down.
I had several goals for this race:
1. To run each mile at a higher HR than the one before. Not pace, but HR.; CHECK
2. To run mile 1 @ 5:55-6.; ~CHECK
3. To run mile 2 @ 6:00-6:05~CHECK
4. To focus on my breathing and stay focused on the race.~ CHECK and ~~ CHECK.
5. To run sub 19. NOT TODAY!
I warmed up for 20 min with no watch, just easy pace. I did 4x10 sec strides fast to get HR up. Paces for these were 6:30 to 6 for the last one. It was cold. But I like cold. I warmed up 10 min one way, and I was pleased that I did not feel the wind. When I turned around, however, I felt it and it was strong. I immediately realized that the last mile of the race will be hard.
Mile 1 went fine. I felt good, as good as you can feel running 6 min pace (not easy for me, ha!). I got passed here by 5 women and I never saw them before. They looked fast and I knew one of them, Kara Haas, who runs sub 18s easily in her 40s. I assume I had a tailwind for the first mile, and that was clear based on HR. The next mile was mostly with a side wind. I passed one woman, and then I was alone. I focused and maintained 6pace for most of it. But then we turned into the wind and I slowed down. Last mile was all into the wind. My watch showed 6:26 at some point and I felt so defeated. I could not go faster. Then I got passed by this guy who does Fresh Pond a lot, and I went with him for a bit which helped my pace (later on he told me he hoped I would go with him!). But he was just too fast (always faster than me at FP) and I could not keep up (I wonder if he were a woman, whether that would have helped...). I pushed as hard as I could when I saw the finish line, but was not enough. I knew it at the beginning of mile 3. Could I have fought harder? Based on HR, yes. Average HR was 183. I race half marathons @ 185 average. For 5Ks, I should be in the 190s. The thing is, 185 in my last half marathon did not feel as bad as that last mile felt today. This tells me that I need more steady state/tempo runs. Oh, and less headwind would be good too.
In spite of not breaking 19, I had a great time before and after the race. I loved to talk to other runners. Funny to me how I was a bit disappointed in my time, but so many others were impressed. Speaks to how relative "fast" is.
5Ks are hard in a different way than HMs or marathons. You never really feel good. The concentration required is intense. You need practice to run a good 5K, I think. Things happen quickly and so much depends on reaction time. No time to really think things through. For a very analytical person like me, this is good. For my development as an athlete, this is good.
So I go again in 2 weeks. If I don't get the sub 19, I try again later. I don't think one can continue benefiting from track workouts for more than 8-10 weeks, without a break. And I have other plans for my winter. But, breaking 19 will continue to be a goal. It will surely happen, I have no doubt, as long as I continue having fun running:)
15 comments:
Wind makes a huge difference. 19:15 is an awesome time. I am certain you can run a sub 19- just a question of when. Are there any fast 5ks coming up before winter hits??
So now I want to know what the estimated paces were. ;) Sounds like a solid day to me. I'm a little nervous I won't be able to break 19 in a couple weeks. It's been forever since my last 5k and they really are a shock to the system. It's like running all out for almost 20 minutes. It takes some hard core concentration and mental toughness. And you're right, one little distraction that breaks your concentration can cause you to slow down. Anyway, this race proves you're right there...
Oh yes, you're so disappointing-ha!! You badass you! Super job today 6:07 avg. pace in a race with a headwind in the toughest part of the race is just awesome!!!! Awesome awesome! And I'm jealous:) Jealous in a loving, excited, pumped, very very happy for you, kind of way!!! Jealous of the happy feeling you have inside that I love getting from good races!! I also know this very excellent race will be a distant memory in a couple of weeks when you beat it! Big smiles for you. So deserved after this LONG healing up stage you've had. Big things, big things coming your way! And, YES, fast is SO relative. It ALWAYS is even when you run 18 minutes!
HR is still confusing to me at times. There is a ton of my data that I can't really explain based on how I felt.
Yes, 5K's are so very different than marathons or even HM's. I do think you need practice for them to really run them to your potential!! I think the more you race, the more able you are to deal with what you know is inevitable and push through it effectively. I have never felt good in a 5K and I've never been able to completely hold focus for 20 minutes. I always lose concentration. So tough. Yet, somehow my legs can give me a good final .12-.15 after feeling like death in mile 3 so I haven't learned how to run them yet:) Would need more practice!! Babble babble. Anyway, I think we should run a 5K together. You can finish and then run all the way back to mile 2 and pace me to the finish-ha!
OK-mega comment over. Yes, keep having fun running!!! First and foremost. You should have a GREAT DEAL of fun this year updating your sidebar throughout the year all healthy and ready to roll!! XO
Dang it! I did not mention in my last post that you also need to choose a race with no wind. Oh well, now you know:)
You clearly can run 18:30 based on your workouts thus I wonder why didn't you adjust your pace when you knew that there will be headwind going back? Why didn't you go out in let's say 5:53-55 for the first tailwind half to give you a cushion for the second half that would be into a headwind?
It seems to me that 5:50s miles are no problem for you.
I do not know whether that's the best strategy though, but if all you care is time then I think it is. When I did that one decent 5k race in 2010 it was all up and down with a long uphill at the end and I knew that the last mile will be slow so I let it rip on downhills to give me cushion.
What do you think? Was doing something like that feasible?
glad you had fun reagardless. tough to do itin the wind, you never gain as much from having the wind at your back as you lose by having it in your face. i remember the name kara haas from when i was living and racing in the boston area.
here's a thought, as i recall there are a cosiderable number of indoor 5 kms in your area in december/january/february. i remember actually going to a valentine's day meet (from montreal) a number of years back at BU (I ran a totally frustrating 18:01). anyway, why not jump into one of those. no wind. great competition. you just have to be unbothered by the thought of running 25 laps... but some people (mmmonyka!) LOVE having all the quantitative feedback (me too actually). anyway something to think about.
I am incredibly impressed with your pace and your timing. But I am even more impressed with your strategy. I've only ever done one 5K race and that was in a sprint tri - I'm scared of them because I know how hard they are. Otoh I can see how they help and how they speed you up and focus you - girl those paces are FAST! Love what you're doing and how you concentrate. Oh and thanks for your comment - you totally get it I think and I really appreciate that.
Not a sub 19, but a darned good try at it coming off the FLU and with a headwind for mile 3!!
You made great plans and executed well. You just couldn't reckon with the wind.
Looking over Mmmonyka's strategy, I have to agree about getting a cushion. I think with a 25-30 minute tempo (and this race really was that workout) holding sub 6 should be no problem.
The 5k is so fun to practice with though---and it gives you a chance to really see what new angles to try and you don't have to wait 3 months to use these ideas. :) Happy you will be going out and trying again soon.
You'll have it in the bag on a good course with good weather. Prize money would be nice!! Impressed with how fast you are back at it, in such short time :)
Curious which site you got the wind speed chart??
runworks.com!?
Raina, http://www.runworks.com/calculator.html
Yup, it is a Daniels calculator. Honestly, I don't agere with the effect of the tailwind, but who knows. Also makes me feel super about my 7:20 pace @ Baystate 2011 in 20MPH winds! I always felt I should have done better there based on my training, and the wind explains it for me:)
@Katie, you are going to go sub 18:30. just don't wait around for slow pokes like me. Just checked the course in Lowell. It is even flatter than the one I did over the weekend!
@ Mmmonyka - I have never managed to run a PR by going out faster than I thought I would be able to hold. I do agree about the strategy you describe though:)
Thanks everyone!
What I meant was that the tailwind should have allowed you to go faster (at 5:50ish pace), not you working harder.
Based on that funny "wind" calculator your starting pace converts to 6:30ish pace if there was no wind:) Ok ok, I know that it is not accurate and you also said you do not fully agree with it, but still 6:01 with tailwind seemed to me like you held back, instead of trying to take advantage of that tailwind and create a cushion.
I certainly would not recommend this "cushion" strategy if there was no downhill or tailwind at the beginning. I only recommend it in conditions like these.
Next time I do a race with tailwind at the beginning I will try it and let you know how it works out for me:) It seems to work on a downhill/uphill course.
ahh! the elusive sub-19. i know you have it in you, and i'm pretty jealous of the 19:15 ;) good luck in the next one!
Well, I am a week behind in reading this but way to go on a solid run! Going sub 19 can be tough-even when you've done it before. (At least that's how I feel!)A 6:07 average in high wind is awesome. Wind is probably the hardest element for me in a race. Bring on rain or even heat but wind- no thank you!
I'm sure you will get your 18:xx next time!
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