Race Report - 2011 HTC Twilight 5K

HTC Twilight 5K Race Swag & Age Group Prize

A well-known runner/coach once said that you can't be disappointed if you come away from a race or event with a PR or placing overall or in your age group. Well, I was way off a PR, but I ended up placing second overall in my very first 5K race in the Master's division. Yes, it's true, I am officially an old man...uhm, a master runner;-)

This race takes place at the UAH campus as a fundraiser in support of the UAH track & field and cross country teams. I had run this event last year and knew that it was going to be hot. It's July in the South after all. While the temps actually seemed to cooperate, I realized that my lack of any serious speed training or real training in general ended up costing me a better time. I held my target pace of 6:20 for the first mile and I dropped off a few seconds on the second mile, but still maintaining my target pace overall.

However, when I passed the mile 2 marker, I had a bit of a let down. Well, meltdown is more like it. My pace dropped off, partially because I started to check my heart rate on my Garmin, partly because I started to second guess if I could really hold this pace. And when I started to doubt myself, I started to slow down. Once again, I feel I have proven to myself, that running is 5% ability and effort and 95% mental. In the end, I was a minute off my desired time and almost 90 seconds away from a sub 20 minute finish, but I still feel that I will break that barrier this year, as long I stick with my current (serious) training regimen in preparation for the Georgia Jewel 100 Miler in September. After all, I still finished in the top three in my age group which is never a bad thing.

On a final note, I ended up with stitches about 1.5 miles into the run and I have not had those in years. I'm not really sure what caused them, but I'm sure it's related to my speed training or lack thereof. And by the way, this course is by no means a flat course, either. However, it is a section of road I've run more than any other road in my life, since it's part of my usual UAH loop running routine. Hopefully, my next 5K time will be just slightly better. Please click here for complete results courtesy of the Huntsville Track Club.