Notes
Heat index at 8am was 87. The ice didn't last long on my head (12 minutes). Made it easier, though. I think I would have been closer to 22 minutes if not for the ice.
Lined up and noticed Lewis and what looked like another college runner with him ready to take the lead before it even started. Jamie Flynn was gearing up for a 20 or better, too, but he takes off too fast for me. At the gun I let 'em go for once and probably sat in 25th or so before they started to die after about 3 blocks. I kept it at a 6:30 average and by the time I was over the .65 mark I had settled into about 12th by my best estimate with Lewis starting to disappear with the lead and a pack of 11 of us about 2 blocks long. I slowly moved up after mile one with Eddie B. just behind me (I could hear him). 3 HS kids I had beat easily the few years before were keeping their pace after the 1st mile and I wasn't going to catch them this year, they had been training well. Passing the Greene house (no one out there to cheer us on- must have stayed out too late the night before), there wer about 5-6 people within reach one of them was either the 1st or 2nd female and then Dan Etter (Soph at Luther-wrestler). I took over Etter and the girl by the South Elem. and continued to watch as my avg time began to fall off a lot...6:55, 6:52, 6:56, 6:53...I couldn't get it down and by the time I reached the old RR tracks on Pleasant Valley the ice on my head was water so I dumped it on my head and watched my pace hit 6:58. Up a steep short hill on Cherry St. and closing in on mile 2 around a 7:00 pace...12:35 they called out, but that was with .15 to go to 2 miles...so I didn't even look I just kept focus on Charlie Weber (10Ker) and another man (Blue) I thought might be in my division. As we went along the Delta Rd I saw the next mile avg pop up and I was well over 7...7:15, 7:25, 7:13, 7:28...All over the map, but kept pressing on. As I went down Keller St. I was wondering if Eddie was going to catch me, but I never looked back and didn't hear anyone and kept focus on the 2 in front of me. As we made our way up the county hill, Blue walked a few steps and then started up again. I thought this was my chance to get him because he would wasted himself on this hill. But he kept pace and as we headed down the hill I caught up to Blue and Charlie then the turn at the post office and there were mile runners mixed in with us coming off Stone street...a bit confusing, but I managed to get past Blue and went to work on Charlie anyway because I couldn't stand the thought of someone doing a 10K and beating my 5K time on their first lap. I kicked in a 28 second final .08 and finished ahead of Charlie and some other milers, but a disappointing 7:20 mile put me at 21:27 officially.
1st in my Division
8-9th overall, not sure yet.
Tanner was 2nd in the mile with a 5:56. Kalen Greiner beat him with a 5:45. Good news is Tanner beat a few cross country runners doing some "speed" work on their mile today and he kept it under 6:00.
The usual Sharon (Jones), Randy Stonebraker, and a few new ones mixed...Paul O'Rouke (lost a lot of weight this past year) and Larry Hartwig beat his time from Newton by 2 minutes. Steve Shettler was in the 26 range and did not improve on his time, but knows the hot weather might have something to do with that. Good talking w/ many getting into running and others who have been doing it forever. This was my first time winning my division at the Sigourney 5K...no Steve Kerkove, no Kevin H., but I will take it.
TRI IN JULY on Sunday. Time to break 40 on a 330yd swim, 6 mile bike, and 2 mile run. Last year my time was 44:26. I am borrowing a bike from Larry Utterback I think will give me at least 2 minutes on the bike. I think I can take off a minute of transition time and a minute on my swim...the rest will be willing myself to kick ass on the 2 mile run.