RACE REPORT: Leprechaun 5-Miler

What a way to kick off 2012!

The 20th Anniversary Leprechaun 5-Miler

Pre-Race
As you know, I hadn't planned on running this race until mid-week and I didn't register until late Thursday.  My only race-specific run was Thursday, so it was the classic C Priority race, run completely off the fly.

Going into the race, I knew my best 5k time was 6:14 pace and my 4 mile speed run was 6:12 pace.  Holding 6:12 for an additional mile seemed tough, so I figured 6:24 would be a safety pace and 6:12 would be my goal.

Three of us met up and drove down together.  It was supposed to be about 50 degrees, but it only hit 45 by race time and the sun didn't have any intention of attending.  As we stepped up to the line, I took the risk and tossed the shirt to the sideline.

Race
Four little girls shouted "Ready. Set. Go." and we were off.  I had it in my head that I wanted to run the first two miles at a sub-limit pace (maybe 6:20) and then pick it up from there, so I started out the gate at a steady pace and quickly took the lead.

That didn't last long.  Less than a quarter mile down the road, two guys passed me and I let them go.  "Just hold a steady pace" I kept telling myself.  We rounded the 1 mile mark and a guy was yelling out times.  "Five twenty!"  ...wait. What?!  I looked down at my watch - 5:44.  He was off twenty seconds, but that's still faster than I wanted to go.  As one runner mentioned, "The damage is already done!"

We hit a straight away and I heard a guy's GPS beep.  Assuming it was the mile tone, I hit my watch at that point - 6:05.  Much better, but I was already feeling the hole I had dug myself into in the first mile.  "Just keep it steady!"  The third mile had a couple really small inclines which I was happy to see; something to break up the race.  Just after the first incline, I heard another set of feet coming up behind me.  Coming up on the half way point, I decided I couldn't let them pass me.

Turns out it was the 2nd place female and she thankfully sat on my heals for the next mile.  It was the push I needed to maintain my pace.  The straight away on the way back was killer.  I kept thinking "ok, just to that house," but I'd get there and it'd keep going.  Mental killer!  

I hit the four mile mark at 24:14.  If I just held an easy 7:00 pace, I'd be under 32:00.  I was so close.  I pulled onto what I was positive was the final road and kicked it up a notch, though I could tell my body didn't want to hold it long.  As it should be with every race, my body did not have the kick for the finish, but I crossed as hard as I could.

Official Time = 30:32

6:06 pace

Post-Race
I just ran a sub-31 5-Miler!  I didn't know what the pace was, but I knew it was under my 5k PR pace.  Therefore, it's about time I crush my 5k PR. 

I grabbed my shirt, stuck around to see my friends finish - who both crushed their own goals - and then headed in and got some food before heading home.  It was a lot of fun running with friends!  I'm definitely going to have to do it again.  But for a 5k next time around.

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Questions
1.  What PRs are you out to break this year?
Now I'm gonna' have to crush my 5k PR, but I've got my eye on my Sprint, Oly, Half Mary, and Half Iron time this year. 

2.  Are you good at pacing yourself?
I'm horrible at pacing myself.  While I prefer the idea of running by feel, I know having a GPS for a time would help me. 


Swim fast.  Bike smart.  Run hard.