Around the Bends: Summer Track Season (6/26/16 - 7/29/16)

Jason and I - early on in Friday Night Lights 10K
photo from KrissyK

I pulled my track spikes out of the bag and put them away in the closet, so that come winter when I need them for indoor I'll forget where I put them.  (Hopefully I read this post: ON THE SECOND SHELF IN THE CLOSET, IDIOT!)

Squaring the Oval: 26x1 Relay 
Event: Club Challenge Cup Marathon Relay
Date: 6/26/16
Location: Tufts University, Medford
Distance: 1600m
Goal Time: 5:20
Actual Time: 5:21

This year the SRR teams were named for the main Squares in Somerville - Porter, Union and Davis.

26 x 10 handoffs, 2010 and 2016

I had a lot of practice this winter trying to hit the 5:20 pace and even broke it twice.  So I went out with the same plan. I had this winter, 7-40 second 200s and then a sprint 200 to the end.

Urvi handed off to me and I took off. The 26x1 is largely a timetrial.  There are other people on the track but they haven't started at the same time as you and you can't really fall in with anyone because anyone you catch is going slower than you and those that are your speed or faster - you can't catch.

But, for 3 and a half laps I stayed pretty well on target.  My watch at 1400m said 4:41, so a fast 200 could still give me a good time and maybe a PR.  I didn't have it in me.  And as I passed to Nat, I saw 5:21.

I Don't Want Your Life: Friday Night Lights
Event: Friday Night Lights 10k
Date: July 22, 2016
Location: Denahy Park, Cambridge
Distance: 10k
Goal Time: 39:00
Actual Time: 44:something

I had planned to fill this report with James Van Der Beek Quotes done in a crappy Texas accent. Then I remembered - That's Varsity Blues.  Friday Night Lights is a completely different

Earlier this month I ran the World's Largest 10k - The Peachtree Road Race.  Since it was in Atlanta it was hot and muggy - starting at 75F and finishing around 85F.  On, the plus side, I figured the race in Cambridge would be cooler.  It wasn't.

At 6:30 pm race time the temps were 95F.  The humidity was not as bad as ATL, but it was still humid and 95.  Jason and I decided not to let the heat bother us and went out with the plan of 6:16/1600m.  The first one was a little too fast.  I tried to keep up the pace while Jason dropped back.

Video from Mike Giberti
Also check out his video of the Men's Elite Race

The second 1600 was slower, the third was slower than that and then the fourth one was up over 7 minute miles.  I just pulled my hat down and coasted through the last 9 laps...

Worcester Bound!: 5000m Championships
Event: USATF-NE Track Championships
Date: July 29, 2016
Location: Holy Cross, Worcester
Distance: 5000m
Goal Time: 18:00
Actual Time: 18:46 (1st, Age Group)

I made my warm up a run from Union Station in Worcester, through Kelly Square and up the hill to Holy Cross. I got there with a few minutes to spare and was able to get my number,etc before the start.

Only about a dozen of us started, so they put us in a joint heat: men, women, masters etc.  I definitely took off too fast in the first 150 meters.  So when we passed the finish line at 200 meters, I pulled out into the third lane to let everyone faster than me just go by.  The plan of 43 second 200s fell apart pretty quickly.  However I managed to break 6 minutes in each of the first 1600s.

Then with about 4 and a half laps left, I started looking for Jason.  I found him diagonally from me and about 190 meters behind me.  I knew I couldn't catch the next person, but I relaxed knowing Jason wouldn't come back and pass me like the 10,000 the week before.

Despite the tough race, I managed first in my age group!