Showing posts with label PR. Run Downtown.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PR. Run Downtown.. Show all posts

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Run Downtown. PR?

So the 32nd Greenville News Run Downtown was this morning. Overcast, looked like it was going to rain - but never did. Temp around 50 was quite nice - had to be the warmest race in years. I did not see any issues with the race at all. With ~2200 entrants, that is not bad! Good volunteers, post-race food was good. Nice separation between runners and walkers. Saw many of the same crowd at the starting line...found my "rabbit" for this race. I was Not expecting to PR. Had a little calf issue this week...only ran on Wednesday (walked one day with my wife/daughter, yoga one day) - thought I could use the extra time off as I had a race today. So -
He took me out way too fast. Mile 1 in 6:34. Not as much jostling this year...crowded the first 1/4 mile, but very manageable. 2nd mile had quite a few uphill sections, and I slowed some on the few downhills. 2 miles in 14:00, which is my fastest time for 2 miles in any event and ahead of my last 5k (& PR) by 20 seconds! 3rd mile starts off with a big uphill, then a lengthy downhill finish down Main Street. Had thoughts of breaking 22 with my rabbit staying about 30 yards ahead the whole way, but ended up finishing in 22:05! (My watch time, mat to mat) So another PR by 22 seconds. Go figure!
This could tell you (and me) many things about my running. I've trained well/hard this last year and a half, I've stayed uninjured, I'm following a plan. Also - it can speak to how I started running and how I went thru the first 6 years. Injuries, inconsistency, no real plan, just running to run. I had many of my PR's from my first year running - before I knew better, before my body got in the way. I let things get in the way and was not "into" running in some ways. Now - it is a part of my life, I get cranky when I don't run, I make room for it and it's been working for me.
This was my daughter's 1st venture to downtown Greenville, and her time seeing me race. Granted - she was in a wrap being carried by my wife - and she slept, so she didn't really see anything, but it was a successful outing on that front too!
Next race: Green Valley 10 miler. As I've only doen 2 - both ~2 yrs ago - it should be good. Hopefully - my calf will cooperate. May go back to running the hilly course at work /ICAR 2 days a week instead of 3. May run 7 tomorrow - we'll see how I feel!