I grew up in Connecticut, and racing on Thanksgiving Day was a given. Everyone did one of the oldest races in the US, the Manchester Road Race. Ten years ago out here in Colorado, on Thanksgiving Day, I had one of my more personally memorable races, winning the BRR Turkey Trot. True, it was not a fast time (16:15), but it was a win in Boulder, and I ran as well as I felt I ever had – exacting a race that was nearly evenly paced throughout the whole effort. The race not only stands out in my mind because of its outcome but because my son was born just a few days afterwards.
In any case, while I have not raced every Thanksgiving, it is certainly one of my more favorite days to race. Today, I stuck to my town of Broomfield, heading north to the Anthem complex to jump in the 5k up there. Last year, I finished 12th overall, and 4th in the masters age group on the short course (3 miles) in 16:57. Being in fourth by 3.1 seconds kept me out of the money for masters.
Anthem extended their racing options, providing a 10k this year in addition to the 5k, with 300-150-50 for overall 1-2-3 and in the masters for a total purse of 4k up for the taking. I knew that any shot I had at any of the money was at the whim of who showed up and who decided to do what race. But I also knew with money on the line – I’d be in the middle of some good competition for some good racing.
It was a cold morning, and so my family decided not to join me. In fact, the kids were still sleeping when I left the house. I got over to the start within 10 minutes, registered and almost immediately bumped into Andy Ames. Andy was planning on doing the 10k, and was scheming a way to make it over to Boulder for a second race that morning. With a 10k start at 9, and the Boulder race 25 minutes away starting at 10, it would be very tight. It was clear that the money brought out some legs for this run, including Mount Washington winner Chris Siemers.
I did a light warm up with Andy (3 miles), scoping out parts of the new 10k course (that included some dirt paths). He took off a bit after nine, and his double did not look likely with that late start. I made my way up to the 5k race start, and was surprised to see how tight the start was going to be with over a thousand runners having to funnel over a chip start mat about the width of one car lane. I saw Joy from Erie and she let me slip in front of her to get on the second row.
We got off, and made the quick first turn. The big guns, Supsic, Art Siemers, etc, got out quick and I found myself in a small but strung out pack of women as we moved through the first downhill mile. This year it was a bit different, extending the course through the parking lot of the rec center to make it a USATF certified 5k. At a half mile, there were three women ahead about 15 yards, and I was adjacent to one. I made mention that we ought to bridge up to them to keep contact, and while I received no reply, she seemed to agree as we caught up over the next quarter mile (downhill). I felt pretty good, but the downhill nature of the first mile helped that for sure. Split for mile 1 was 5:30.
The second mile is uphill (more than the first mile is down), but I passed the remaining women and began to catch up to a guy who was slightly ahead of this pack. I caught him at about 1.5 miles. No joke, he belched, looked at me and surged away for about 30 seconds. I did not even try to cover because it was a significant pace change and I figured he’d come back off those tactics (he did not). Heading into two miles, I had that familiar “holy crap, this a 5k” feeling that makes you think you want to stop at 2 miles. The cold was fairly biting around the mouth and nose, and my legs felt like concrete. I got a visual on the runners heading back to the finish on Lowell (as we headed out), and concluded two things: I was probably in the top ten, and might be the top master given who was up there. That boost in motivation was offset by being passed by two women as we hit the hairpin turn around. Nicole Aish had a slight lead over the second woman and she was building it. As we passed two miles (11:28, 5:58, ugh), we started the long downhill to the finish (which is an uphill back to the rec center). I shouldered up the second woman and made mention that we needed to cover Nicole’s move (again no reply – probably because my commentary is so flipping unnecessary and obvious). I gapped the second woman but was not putting any dent into the gap Nicole was building. I caught a visual of a well weathered face on the other side of the road, recognizing the runner as a master and one that was not that far back.
The last mile of a 5k is the usual set of lies I tell myself. Get through this quarter, this half mile, you only have a kilo to go, etc – all trying to wind up with a stronger effort. On the uphill back to the rec center, Nicole began to come back, but not enough for me to catch her. I passed 3 miles (17:07) and finished up in 17:38.
I am not sure what place this landed me overall, but I am guessing 8th, maybe 7th male. Clearly with some of the competition drawn to the 5k, I moved up a few slots. 10 seconds off the 3 mile time from last year, but given I won the masters for the 5k and hence brought home 3 Benjamins – I was pretty stoked.
Andy landed the 5th (I think) in the 10k, essentially doing what I did in the 5k and doubling it (35:20 I think), and so also won some bills. He elected to not head to Boulder, so we warmed down for a bit (discussed San Diego XC as a possibility) and I did not have to be his prize money handler this year. The awards assembly was good as Redline (race organizers) had a pretty good set of post race snacks, a good amount of raffle prizes, best costume prize, etc. Lots of the typical faces in the mix (Kristi J, Susan N, Amanda M, the Siemers bros, John S, Ewen N). Not sure on what the overall winning times on the races were but given the 5k course was legit this year (albeit, there is an overall drop between the start and the finish of 35 feet), there were no sub 14:30’s this year.
Here is the race data for this year, with the subsequent shot from last year.
Got in a good warm down with Andy, and then jogged with JZ when I got home to add on some. 15 miles on the day.
I feel that I am in okay 5k shape, but I am not really doing any 5k specific training – even though I am talking about it. I’d like to think if I got specific with it over the next bunch of weeks, I’d be fairly well geared for the San Diego effort (assuming I go). So, it is just doing what I am supposed to do. I have also picked up a bit of plantar fasciitis in my left foot (which is my non lawn mower foot). The Racer STs, combined with road running seem to aggravate it - so I need to be careful how I pick up this necessary speed work.
