We went up to Mt Shasta yesterday for some time with Tyler and Joelle (and kids) and to run the big five mile race (Joelle and I ran). This was the first race I ever ran, way back in a prior millennium. I finished just under 42 minutes after starting too fast, went back a couple years later and finished in just under 37 minutes (2000).I've only run one other "short" race since starting my ultra career so I was pretty nervous. I did a little speed work (very little) but I was also piling up the long slow miles in prep for my upcoming ultras. Not the best approach perhaps but I figured if I kept the first mile around 8 minutes flat, I could finish under 40 minutes even with the dreaded uphill finish.
I got in a good 5 mile warm up and my first mile was exactly 8:00. Then came 7:35, 7:25, 7:13 and the dreaded climb. By now my legs were pretty dead (partly due to June being my third highest mileage month ever and partly due to running the last three miles in 22:13) and I struggled up the hill with a final, slow 8:20 mile for a symmetrical 38:38 finish.
I had studied last year's results and knew that should be good for a top 100 finish and that last year it would have been good for third in my age group. Alas, this year it got me 109th (539 runners) and 5/28 in my age group. But I was just happy that I actually ran according to my plan.
Joelle had a good run, the Carter family (with a first place ribbon) and some of the Waddles and Benjamins and Janet Henry & her family and the Dunlaps (two first places!) and bunches of other Redding friends were there and a fun, not too hot and not at all smoky time was had by all.
4 comments:
Nice job. Saw you at the starting line -- Matt and I both went up for this run after the Weaverville 10k was canceled due to smoke. I'm on the other end of the learning curve, though, on races. This was only my 2nd race (1st was a 5k in May). I came in at 57-something. I won't know for sure until they post the times, because we left before the end of the awards. To get to smoky Weaverville to visit family. :)
I'm just pleased to say I ran a race with an ultramarathoner!
Good for you, Jered! Going from "zero" to running a five miler in under an hour in less than four months. Way to go!!
And did you notice that Stephanie from Fleet Feet won the woman's race- she doesn't "look like a runner" (everyone was saying) but no one could keep up with her!
Thank you. By the way, where did you get all the official times (overall rankings, etc.)?
They were posted at the race. Still waiting for them to put them up on their website.
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