Ten years ago this summer - July 31, 2006, to be exact - I ran my fourth 5K. Here is my report from that race, as posted on my old blog:
The start of the 5K
race in Hoboken on July 31 came unexpectedly. I heard no starting gun, no
air horn. I didn’t even hear a “Go,” let alone an “On your mark” or a “Get
set.”
I had finished my second trip to one of the four port-a-johns provided
for the 600-plus runners (do a little math and you’ll find that if each person
used the john once, that’s more 150 uses per john...ewww), when I noticed
everyone ambling toward the starting line; I had no idea where that line was,
but at some point the throng stopped, so I guess that was it.
While the fearless Herald News trio (Tim, Carolina and me) discussed our
strategies, we suddenly realized everyone started moving. “Oh! We’re running!”
was the last thing I said before I took off.
Figuring I had to make up a few seconds to get to my desired part of the
pack, I started faster than usual. My iPod’s refusal to work meant I had only
my breathing and the sound of sneakers on blacktop to set my rhythm. I settled
into a decent pace, noticing I was still passing people.
There were no mile markers and no pace clocks. The only guide we had was
the halfway turnaround, and even then, there was nothing indicating how long it
had taken us to get there. I was wearing no watch, and I had no music by which
I could even estimate how fast I was going. I felt okay, but what if I came out
too quickly and had nothing for the end?
This probably happens to many a novice. In my first few races, I got used
to having clocks at each mile; a big help in knowing if I needed to pick up the
pace or ease back a bit. Without it, I felt lost, wondering if I was going too
fast or too slow.
The articles I read about training for races often refer to running at
“your 5K race pace.” Well, I’m new to this, and I have no idea what my 5K race
pace is, especially if I’ve got no form of chronometer measuring it for me. So,
I kept going, still passing people up, thinking “This is the pace I’m running.
It’s a 5K. So, this must be my 5K race pace.”
By the third mile, still making my way past more runners, I wasn’t
feeling as good. Breathing the hot July air felt more like breathing sand.
Maybe I was running too fast, after all, and I’d peter out soon. But the third
mile is not the time to slow down so I pushed on, and by the time the finish
line was in sight, I couldn’t believe my eyes. There was still a “20” on the
clock! As in “minutes”! As in “Wow, I’m going to set a personal record!”
With the last of my energy I mustered up a sprint that took me into the
finish line at 21:01, 52 seconds faster than my last PR, which was only three
weeks before. Despite the pain from having to stop short after a big sprint
(why don’t they allow for a longer space to slow down?), there’s nothing like
that kind of thrill. Later, I looked at the results sheets to
find that my pace was 6:48. So that's my race pace.
However, I learned a few things from the experience:
1. It’s probably better to know how fast your pace is before running the
race, even without clocks. If you train properly (which I
don’t), you’ll probably feel your pace (thus, I don’t).
2. Don’t assume you’ll be provided with any markers or clocks. If actual
pace times are important, wear a watch. Or,
use the music. Despite the malfunctioning of my nine-month-old iPod Shuffle, I still recommend it
because it’s lightweight, easy to use and cheap.
3. If it feels good, do it, but be prepared to pay for it later with aches and pains. At least you’ll have that PR of which to feel proud!
Post-race triumph
Tim and Carolina
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