well after 24 hours of digesting that race in my mind, i take to computer to recap a little bit.
heading into the race I was looking for a PR as my goal. Be it too lofty or not, I would find out where i was in my short race fitness. The two 4 mile races i've ever done were in 2011, one the March Shamrock 23:52 - different course that year, and the other the RFYL 4 miler in July that year 23:20, which was in dilworth and a bit of an easier course I would say, in terms of flatness. I also believe yesterday was the most headwind of those three races. And so coming off my last race being a marathon, I started aiming to try and get some speed in some workouts over the last 2 months. I feel I did pretty well in that regard, with a mixture of intervals, fartleks and tempos. Still, after yesterday's gauge, I need more, and I will have to stay consistent and patient to get where I want...which is basically looking to get PRs anytime i toe the line, save for the 5ks and 8ks...I still want to PR there but that might take a while, as those are a bit longer or a reach going back to my highschool and college days.
So with the test line being at 5:45 pace, i was off with the gun in the front of the start line and felt good getting going with a steady pace feeling comfortable just off the 4-6 place runners. Billy Shue and Brian McMahon were out in front along with a smaller guy i didnt know at the time, but would later meet who is a younger, 22 year old red headed guy named Chase. I noticed my watch was adjusting to the 5:30 pace and i was fine with that, knowing the course where it takes a bit of a downhill grade that first mile. Garmin to course markers were a little off, so at the marker i split 5:35 and felt ready to keep on the pace. shortly after, we turned onto Ardrey Kell, and right away could feel the road rise from the down/flat and as well as the wind beginning to come at our heads. But it was here where I left the chase pack and settled into 4th place. The course doesn't stay on Ardrey Kell very long before you take another right hand turn onto Blakeney Heath, which again changes into more uphill headwind section. I checked my watch and could also feel I had slowed from the 5:30s but i was still feeling about 545-55 here and that was fine, just needed to get back in rythem quick after adjusting to the course. But not long after you are on BH you hit a short steep hill and that got me. I was passed here just before the 2 mile mark on this hill, and couldn't go with the runner.
I could tell i was slowing, and the 2 mile clock confirmed as much with it ticking off at or just under 11:30. i realized, something i hadn't in a while from lack of short races, was that you have to start fighting early to hang on, which really is merely preventing you from falling apart. you have to fight/attack just to hang on. that was a good lesson. okay, 2 miles to go, still in position to PR but I have to reel this pace back on track, i thought. No one was near me from behind, and the runner who passed me was steady staying up ahead about 15-20 yards or so. I was doing an okay job of not letting him get further, but i wasn't in contact, and my pace was no anywhere near where it was the first mile. I was in the low 6s, but i was fighting. I seemed, which was frustrating, because I wasn't too badly fatigued, just at a loss of ability to get the turnover back. So i kept reminding myself to look ahead, and stay in the moment and focused, not letting myself drift off which would have just increased my slow down. One thing i did that helped, was pick markers about 20 yards ahead and surge throughout this third mile. It helped, because i just needed something to jolt me. Still, I had paid the price of a pretty much lost PR by the time I turned on to the second to last road where the three mile marker lay, watching it tick at 17:35.
however, I was gaining on the 4th place runner and with just under a mile to go, did what competitive foot racers will do, and start attacking because mentally you know you just have to pull out the guts and start taking chances if you want to make it to the finish line feeling like you raced well. I chopped up my stride that last hill, and started gaining ground like i can do on a downhill, and just at the bottom of the downhill I caught the runner and passed him, with authority like one should...when making a move you can't be nonchalent about it, otherwise the runner will just seize it right back. at this position i also used the final turn to look to increase the gap and the adrenaline of that last straight way to the finish to be sure I was starting to pour on what i had, while running away from whoever was behind me.
I noticed that third place really hadn't increased his lead, and that i was closing the gap, but it was just way too much for me to get over the last mile. I could tell my pace was quickening, and i was happy that i seemed to escape that crawl that jumped on my back mile 3. for how i was fighting though, i was only about 5:45 pace, which is not where i want to be....but i will keep working. ideally i feel like i should have been under 530 pace for the effort, but alas it will take more time. being a bit in no mans land the last mile, I did not hit the finish maybe as hard as possible. But, i think the race gave a good indication of where i am physically, and was a needed experience in racing so that i can build on it for the next race to sharpen up and look to find that pain chamber / next gear that comes with practice.
my watch had splits of 531, 547, 617, 553, and my watch sounded 4 miles 15 seconds before i crossed the line, clocking the distance at 4.05. officially i was 535, 554, 606, 609 for 23:44
https://www.athlinks.com/event/39045/results/Event/840438/Course/1521585/Bib/829
