Monday, July 6, 2009

Mission Accomplished: I Am Ahab

The holiday weekend contained too much to blog about, so I'll save you from an overindulgent race report of the Davey Tree 10-K and give you just the facts, ma'am.

If you really need a detailed report of the race, read this and this. Just know I did it.

Flashback to last week's flashforward, and here is how this weekend's events unfolded ...

Track Attack
Thursday evening, I visited the track -- a different track than I have been using of late. A better marked track too. This time, I could clearly understand the hitherto cryptic lines telling me where to start my 800-meter intervals when Lane 1 was occupied.

And now the statistical rundown:
  • Intervals: 5 x 800 meters
  • Goal pace: 3:25 or less per interval (6:52 per mile)
  • Lap 1: 3:15.04 (6:32 per mile)
  • Lap 2: 3:24.07 (6:50 per mile)
  • Lap 3: 3:22.03 (6:46 per mile)
  • Lap 4: 3:20.34 (6:42 per mile)
  • Lap 5: 3:21.79 (6:44 per mile)
  • Average pace: 3:20.65 (6:42 per mile)
  • Total distance: 5.5 miles
[Drunkard's note: Total distance includes one mile warm up, 400-meter recovery laps and one mile cool down.]

Maybe I should have kept my goal at 3:20 after all.

Seeking the White Whale
Mission accomplished. I ran the Davey Tree 10-K in less than 50 minutes. Results were not posted as off press time. My watch said 49:01, and the timer called out 49 flat. Of course, I'm not satisfied. I could have done better.

Like an idiot, I ran too close to Martini for the first mile and started too fast (7:19). Luckily, I recovered during the second mile. I kicked hard to the finish and approached the Puke Threshold, but my fast recovery after the race tells me I left too much out on the road.

What really irks me is the guy I didn't pass. Nearing the halfway mark, I heard this guy counting all the runners passing in the other direction. The Counter comes from behind to pass me just before the turnaround cone. I hear him pant, "37." I'm on the inside and re-pass him going around the cone, and he says, "38."

The guy was counting his place. I stayed ahead of him for about a quarter-mile, but it was forcing me out of my strategy. So I let him go ahead, to which he replied, "37." He was within view for the rest of the race, but I let him stray too far ahead and couldn't catch him with my kick, which I believe I could have started sooner.

For now, I am happy to have speared my 50-minute 10-K White Whale, but the beast has escaped to the Akron Marathon, where I must run a four-hour race to catch him. Now, the real battle begins.

And then 14 Miles
Yes, and then I ran 14 miles the morning after my 10-K PR. A group of three women had the pleasure of my company after they passed me at a road crossing. They couldn't get more than 100 feet ahead of me, but they kept looking back at me as if I were some kind of park-lurking creeper. I didn't have the legs to pass them, but I kept up with them for about five miles before they stopped. Their backward looks seemed to indicate that I was bothering them by being on their tails. I say, if you pass me, it's your job to separate. I'm not slowing down. Thanks for the even pacing, ladies.

Stockpiling Yuengling
I still had about half a six-pack of Yuengling Porter left from my birthday, but I got another case of it this weekend to bolster supplies. I was on a road trip to Pittspuke to check out furniture and banjos, but I can't cross into Pennsylvania without making a stop for some good, cheap beer. As a side note, I was drinking Yuengling Porter when I decided to run a marathon.

Crawling to the Next Race
Speaking of beer and running, the AkRun 5-K & Pub Crawl has been announced for Aug. 29, and for the first time since it started (maybe just last year) I'll be able to run it. I have a 16-miler planned the day after, but I can't pass up the shirt -- or the beer.

Cheers!

10 comments:

Carolina John said...

Good job on the PR! that's fast brother. nicely done.

Jess said...

Awesome job on the new 10K PR!

Unknown said...

Great run. I would have started to yell out random number just to try to get the counter to lose his place.

Sun Runner said...

Hearty congrats on busting that 50:00 10K barrier! I remember how my stupid 50:00 (exactly) PR haunted me for a year until I crushed it. Isn't it a great feeling? :)

Now you have extra motivation to dip below 49:00. That :01 is going to drive you nuts.

Jess said...

Congrats on the excellent 10-K time and on getting a nice long run in the next day!

Ian said...

Begrudging congrats on the sub-50. Nice race.

Al's CL Reviews said...

Good job!

Spike said...

nice job breaking 50min, too bad you didn't get a chance to break "37." don't worry, just lookup his name, track his picture down, and runner stalk him until you destroy him at another race and let the world know.

Nitmos said...

Great job on the 10k! Based on your intervals, I would think you could blister your 5k about now also.

No puke though? Bummer.

mr loser said...

Congrats on your 10k PR! Stay after it.