Dragons

I don't feel like I'm in sub-17 shape. I think that I may be, considering 16:59 isn't "that fast" -- yet I haven't done it in a long time.

Since midway through last Sunday's 5 miler, in fact, I've felt kind of removed from my running. That doesn't sound very clear. It's like, the Sun Run, I was very focused and very in-tune to how I was feeling throughout the race and that seems to be how races should be run. But Sunday, I just sorta drifted out, said 'screw it' and just finished it without slowing down too damn much.

But I still slowed down quite a bit. I hate that course more and more as each day passes. So with Sunday's YMCA 5k on tap, I'm glad this week is more about working on speed and pushing it, rather than staying under control and endurance.

This is the first time in a long while that I've looked at a 5k as a shorter race. Don't get me wrong, I still pretty much don't like stuff that takes over 10 minutes, but after races of 5 and 6 miles in the past few weeks, I'm looking forward to getting out on a familiar course and trying something different.

I used to see 5000's as a race where I would try to keep it quick and conservative for the first mile and then open up a little for the second mile, and then try to have enough saved to continue strong through 3 miles. I remember reading somewhere (no doubt in Runners' World or some other expert performance magazine) that you should save half your energy for the last third of the race. Having never been a runner who was good at conserving (for those of you who wonder why I'll never do a marathon), this probably has lead to my 3.1mile demise.

Thanksgiving was a perfect example of this. I actively held myself back for the first mile and still came through pretty quick. Frankly, if I would have just let myself go at a pace I wanted, I would likely have been only 5 to 10 seconds faster -- but I would have been a lot more comfortable. Instead, what did end up happening was that I had to play catch-up during the second mile and when I hit the 2 mile mark, I found that I was both tired and still out of position.

I am easily crushed mentally. It is something I need to work on -- but I think the first step in this is to gain confidence in myself. And I feel that, comparatively, I am better at hanging on for a last mile rather than catching someone else who is suffering for a last mile. So that is what I am going to shoot for at Saturday's race. Unlike the Sun Run and Vday races where I went out, basically got stranded because I was running my own pace and subsequently fell off before being picked off in the final K or so.

This is all very choppy, sorry, I am listening to some BODOM Razzy gave me and he keeps IMing me telling me to listen to different parts of different tracks.

Anyways, point is that last year I ran this race and 17:20ish'd. I basically went out well off the pack, got stranded, and brought it home. Nothing special. This year, I'm much more excited about the race. For starters, fellow Dragon, Mike (and possibly Lucas) will be running the race so I'll at least know the capabilities of the leaders (unlike Vday where half the lead pack stopped at halfway). J will also be in attendance as the race runs through his backyard. Also, I like the course. The downhill grade of the first mile is great for taking off a few seconds -- but isn't so steep that you really have to battle it on the return trip.

So that's the plan for Sunday. This race is notorious for good food, a rock climbing wall, and a reasonable course. Be there.

2006 Race Recap -- They need to fix my Grand Prix Points -- Gangs infiltrating the military -- Felons can now join Army