A Plan Unrivaled, A Plan Unraveled: Super 5k (2/7/16)

Leaders
Photo by Ted Tyler

Race: Super 5k
Location: Lowell, MA
Goal Time: 18:00
Actual Time: 18:19 (PR and 1st, Linebackers)

My plan was unraveling. I could see for miles down Rte 113.  E.J. was the next person ahead of me and he was well off into the distance.  Behind me I could hear Chris Smith coming hard and he was about to blow past me.

2016 was the third time I've run the Super 5k. It was my fastest for a long time, from 2012 until I finally beat that at the Freedom Run this past year.

Going into the race this year, I thought I had a real chance of blowing out my old 5k Personal Record. I've had a really good training cycle thus far and last autumn, my Cross Country races would probably have threatened a road race PR.

TomBWarrior and I had discussed plans beforehand.  I told him I was "going for it."  I was going to try to run 18:00 and to do that I was going to start out going for a 17:45.  My plan was to run 5:45 for the first two miles and then just try to hang on for the third.

At the siren, the mass took off.  There were several people I had to weave around. Once things had settled I was right behind Rory and E.J..  They were moving at a good clip right near where I wanted so I decided to stick with them.

Just before the first mile is the only "challenge" on the course.  This is a not so steep and not so long hill.  But it is still a hill.  I was challenged as to my plan here.  I decided to go with E.J. and Rory and then catch recover while catching them as we went down hill after the one mile mark.

It all went to plan until the catching back up with them part - which I didn't.

I did catch up with Chris Smith however and then sling-shotted around him. As we made the sharp right hander onto Rte. 113.  I spent the next half mile fighting with myself to get back up to the 5:45 pace. It kept slipping and I dropped off to 5:56 for the second mile.

Feeling like hell
photo by Ted Tyler

The third mile is where I felt it all go to hell.  E.J. was opening up his lead on me further and further. The pitter patter that early I thought was Chris Smith catching me was actually TomBWarrior. After Tom went by, Chris Smith did pass me.

The third mile steadily got slower.  When we made the last turn back onto Old Ferry, I was able to put up a good last quarter mile and cruised - if not sprinted - to the finish with a 18:19.

Still a PR and took first in the Linebacker Division!

Rory (1st Age Group), Brian (overall winner) and me (1st Linebacker)
photo by Urvi

SRR Shoutouts
Brian Keefe out dueled Chris Klucznik for the race win
Jen Rap was second woman
Aharon, Rory, Mike Watson and Tofu Pop won their age groups
Kieran, Culla, Erin Morin, C-A, Joe O., Tom Bok and Eva all got division medals.
PRs from Keefe, Kluz, Aharon, Mike, Kieran, Duggan, Darren, Tim Blanchard, Urvi & Megan Prokop