No Sweat: Well, Less Sweat and the Thursday Night Race (9/5/13)

Race: Thursday Night Run #5

Distance: 5k

Goal Time: 19:00

Actual Time: 18:59 (Course PR, Second Fastest ever)

I passed the one mile mark and didn't feel like I was going to die.  It seemed - shockingly - that Amped Up Jesse hadn't shown up for this race.  I say this is "shocking" because I have a system. My 5k system is to run the first mile as close to 6:00 as possible.  Some day, I will then the next two at near the same speed.  Unfortunately, most time it's as effective as Ignatius J. Reilly's "filing system."

Almost immediately, Quitter Jesse slows down to a horrible uncomfortable 6:45 or so while I recover from the blistering pace of Amped-Up Jesse.  

Throughout the summer, I have found that this keeps happening - no matter how much I train. Why?  The easy answer is that I'm not getting better. But, some of it was heat and HUMIDITY.  The body attempts to cool itself by sweating.  This sweat then evaporates and cools the body.  In humid weather, there is no evaporation and not only does the body not cool as much, sweat can act as an insulator.  

Well, Race Number 5 saw both the temp and humidity plummet.  (It is after Labor Day.)  

So as I finished mile one at around 6:02, I was able to maintain a fast second mile - 6:09.  There is a quick sharp turn followed by 50 yards of steepness right after the 2 mile mark.  This is paired with a change in surface.  So, I did slow a bit running over the bridge and it did take a while to get back on any pace.  But, I still ran the third mile faster than any third mile of a 5k - including my PR from SuperBowl Sunday 2012.

I finished in 10th overall (5th in my age group) with my second faster ever 5k - 18:59.

Post party was all too little Clown Shoes Swagger (there can never be enough Clown Shoes). 

Shoutouts:

SRR had a double victory - Joe won the Open Race and Jenn won the Women's Race

Bradley finally beat out Kieran for the age group award 

Alison Lackey had yet another PR in the Women's Race