Today’s Potomac 5k marked the second race in my comeback from ankle surgery. Prior to injury, a 5k would have been a piece of cake, a walk in the park, no big deal --- pick your cliché. It was an easy distance to run, the type of race I could finish in less than 22 minutes without exerting myself. One ankle surgery later, with a year and half layoff, and even a shorter distance race becomes a challenge.
I started off the race knowing I couldn’t push myself the way I used to, not at least until I get back into shape. I set a realistic goal of finishing in under 27 minutes, which averages out to less than 9 minutes per mile, respectable, especially coming off an injury, but no where close to the 7 minutes per mile I used to churn out in a race of twice the distance. From the beginning today, I struggled. The weather was warm and extremely humid to the point where I was sweating even before the race began.
I started off the race pretty well, completing the first mile in 8:07, second mile was even faster, 8 minutes flat. At that point I’m thinking that I could kick it up a notch and finish in under 24 minutes. Wow, how wrong I was! 100 yards into mile three my legs started aching, I felt completely overheated, my shirt was completely soaked through --- I hadn’t felt this wiped since I hit the “wall” during the 2003 Chicago Marathon and wound up walking the last 2 miles. This time, however, I would have none of that. There was no way I would surrender and walk, no way I would let a 5k beat me down, so I pushed on, running slower and slower, but still running. The hills, oh there were some steep ones, started to wear on me, yet as I approached the last hill on the course, I felt a sudden surge of energy, and resumed running at the pace I had used during the first mile. As I ran down hill towards the finish line, I glanced at my watch and was amazed to see that I would easily finish in less than 27 minutes.
My official time for today’s race: 25 minutes, 22 seconds, good for an 8:09 per mile pace. On the one hand I was happy with my time, given everything I’ve gone through in the last year and a half, on the other hand, it also shows that I have a long way to go before I’ll be ready for a marathon. Thank goodness the L.A. Marathon is 8 months away.
I started off the race knowing I couldn’t push myself the way I used to, not at least until I get back into shape. I set a realistic goal of finishing in under 27 minutes, which averages out to less than 9 minutes per mile, respectable, especially coming off an injury, but no where close to the 7 minutes per mile I used to churn out in a race of twice the distance. From the beginning today, I struggled. The weather was warm and extremely humid to the point where I was sweating even before the race began.
I started off the race pretty well, completing the first mile in 8:07, second mile was even faster, 8 minutes flat. At that point I’m thinking that I could kick it up a notch and finish in under 24 minutes. Wow, how wrong I was! 100 yards into mile three my legs started aching, I felt completely overheated, my shirt was completely soaked through --- I hadn’t felt this wiped since I hit the “wall” during the 2003 Chicago Marathon and wound up walking the last 2 miles. This time, however, I would have none of that. There was no way I would surrender and walk, no way I would let a 5k beat me down, so I pushed on, running slower and slower, but still running. The hills, oh there were some steep ones, started to wear on me, yet as I approached the last hill on the course, I felt a sudden surge of energy, and resumed running at the pace I had used during the first mile. As I ran down hill towards the finish line, I glanced at my watch and was amazed to see that I would easily finish in less than 27 minutes.
My official time for today’s race: 25 minutes, 22 seconds, good for an 8:09 per mile pace. On the one hand I was happy with my time, given everything I’ve gone through in the last year and a half, on the other hand, it also shows that I have a long way to go before I’ll be ready for a marathon. Thank goodness the L.A. Marathon is 8 months away.
1 comment:
Matt - Congrats on beating the heat, humidity, and hills to break your goal time. Just the fact that you kept running when you hit the wall says that you'll definitely be ready for LA in 8 months. I'm sure you'll face more walls, but I'm positive you'll overcome them just like you did on Friday. Keep it up, Speed Racer! :)
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