Keep LA Running 5K - 2007
Planned: 5K @ 19:30
Actual: 5K @ 18:42
Dockweiler State Beach smells like a toilet. It was awful. At first, I thought that several people hadn’t taken showers or had a bad case of nerves as we all gathered at the starting line. But no, it was in the air. I wonder if a sewer line broke. Truly. Gross.
Overall, it went pretty well. I was 3/4 of the way to the starting line (which was no small distance from my parking space) before I realized that I couldn’t remember if I’d locked the car. So I jogged back, waited until I could see the lights blink, and turned around at a trot. I got to the starting line with about three minutes to spare. I did the old “I’m just doing a couple of strides” trick in order to get near the front of the group and literally started about a minute or two later.
There was some people-dodging at the outset, but within the first couple of minutes I’d found a comfortable space. The first mile was probably a little faster than it should have been (I didn’t wear the Garmin so I don’t have any data to play with — boo). Mile two was all about maintaining my position. I got passed and had to pass another guy to make up for it. Then in mile three I got passed again and had to run down the next guy in front of me and then keep him off my back which was a little bit of a challenge. I almost caught the second guy to pass me right at the end (I was so close that I almost ran into him at the chute) but no dice.
Still, I ended up 1st in my age group and 13th overall. The guy who won ran a 16:06. I’ve never run in the 16s so I don’t feel too bad about losing to him. Or the other 12 people ahead of me (there was at least one girl in that group!).
Since my last 5K was at 19:48, I really can’t complain. It feels good to be back in the 18s and I feel like I might be able to challenge my high school times now. Might. Breaking 18 may not be in the cards, but I’d sure like to try.
July 16th, 2007 at 3:14 am
Congrats, That is great. I am quite jelous. If I ever see a time under 20 I will be trilled.
July 16th, 2007 at 3:27 pm
Thanks. I was a little shocked when I saw the results. I went back a couple times to see if they’d updated it with the right time. But it never changed so I guess it must be accurate.
I’m sure if you keep training you’ll break 20. But you seem to be more interested in the longer races anyway. Do you have a preference? Or do you just like to change it up?
July 16th, 2007 at 5:38 pm
I think there was a huge sewage spill somewhere on our coast last week, which might explain the smell.
July 16th, 2007 at 5:49 pm
So not a mass non-showering. That makes more sense.
July 17th, 2007 at 3:35 am
Congrats — that’s blazing fast!
EW
July 18th, 2007 at 7:07 pm
Thanks! It didn’t feel blazing at the time. I totally thought they screwed up on the timing when I saw the results.