October 1st Race Report

Saturday October 1st, 2011.  St. Therese 5K...Deephaven, MN


Really needed a hard training effort, and what better way than to jump into your local 5K.  St. Therese is about a mile away from the house in a beautiful, yet hilly part of town.
Jen dropped me off at the church early so I could register, do my warmup, stretch and such (She went for coffee).  Today was a day to be run in trainers (Good, cuz my flats are currently MIA).  Felt great as I did my strides...springy :)
The plan for the day was 6 minute pace...18:40, I told Jennifer.  I did NOT want to race...glad I lost my flats...
Lined up with about 100 others...BANG, gun goes off.  Wind around the church and start heading out towards Lake Minnetonka.  The first mile was pretty much all downhill, and I felt great...5:59...easy enough.  Felt like a training run, about an effort of 6.  ...but wait, where did THIS hill come from?  Wow...time to lean in, pump the arms and stay on pace.  Winding up and into Deephaven, mile 2 was hit in 6:02, still pretty easy, hill and all.  I'm feeling great, and I really wanna 'go', but as I preach to my athletes, 'Have a plan, believe in the plan, STICK to the plan...and good things WILL happen!'...so, STTP, dammit!
At mile 2 I found myself leading by maybe 30-40 seconds, but not a time to relax...a plan is a plan, so I kept at it.  Mile 3 found the mile 1 hill, only this time I had to run UP it and back to the church.  Mile 3 time, 6:01...cruising through the finish chute for a time of 18:48.  
Funny, even the CD felt great...didn't seem to take much out of me.  But funny, I had signed up for the race as Rusty Chevrolet, so when I got done the RD asked for my name to announce with the awards, and when I told her my name was RC, she said, "Are you sure you wanna go with that?  Your name is going on a plaque inside the church."  Um, I guess not...I can't lie at and/or in church, right?  My real name she got... :)
So what did I take away from my first 'race' in quite some time?  I still don't know what kind of off-season shape I'm in, though it sure was nice to finally toe the line again...it's been too long.  ...pondering a 50 miler at the end of October?  Hmmm...
Thanks for all the emails and FB comments...your support is much appreciated :)


Coach D