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September 30, 2007

Bucktown 5K: Surprisingly Awesome

On my training schedule for today, I had a 30 minute "embarrassingly slow" recovery run. It made sense - I'd done a long run yesterday, so today should be an easy day. However, I'd registered for the Bucktown 5K - a local race that gives out runner premiums that are way better than your typical t-shirt. This year? A zip-up hoodie and technical hat. Not a bad deal for $30 and 3 miles of running. I figured I'd just ease my way through the course and treat it like a nice stroll through the park. The entire course was on tree-lined residential streets, so it'd be a perfectly enjoyable way to get my run in. Even if it was probably going to be my slowest 5K ever.

Since I wasn't "racing" this, per se, I didn't really do any sort of pre-race prep for it. I had pizza and pop for dinner last night. I stayed up later than I should have given the early wake-up call. And for breakfast this morning? Cold pizza. Not exactly the pre-race meal of champions.

But then I got to the race, and between the chip on my shoe, the number on my shirt, and the thousands of other people, I began to think, "Maybe we'll just go out and see how we feel. Run it easy for a 5K. Maybe." That soon turned into, "Well, I'll run a pretty good effort, but I won't kill myself, and if I get stuck in a slow spot of the crowd, I'll just go with it instead of weaving all over the street to get around it."

I seeded myself at the back of the start corral, and when I crossed the start line I took off at a respectable pace. Not slow and easy, but something i could hold for 3 miles without killing myself. I was passing people steadily, but I wasn't weaving all over the street to do it. When I hit the first mile marker in 9:58, wheels started turning. If I picked up the pace just a wee little bit, I could finish in under 30 minutes. Hmmmm. Considering how slow I've been feeling all summer (since I haven't been doing short races or speedwork), being able to get under the half-hour mark would be a huge confidence booster. My legs felt OK, so I decided to pick it up just a wee little smidge and go for it. I quickly found that if I stuck to the right side, I could get around most of the pack. I was still steadily passing people, and it felt great. When I hit the 2 mile mark in 19:28, I knew that as long as I held my current pace I'd come in under half an hour. So, naturally, I picked it up a bit. As I got ahead of more people, the open spots in the crowd got bigger. I was now weaving my way all over the place to get into free space, and I was running pretty hard. Not all out, but pretty hard. The pizza in my gut was starting to talk back a little bit, but I knew that with less than a mile to go, I'd be just fine. Keep pushing, keep building the speed, but stay relaxed. Just go. Gogogogo.

When I crossed the line, my watch read 29:15 and I couldn't believe it. The day after a long run, with no intention to run fast, and I was only a minute and a half off my PR? A PR that I set when I was doing tons of speed work and feeling super speedy and probably tapered for a few days before the race? I will totally take that.

Now, a lot of people I know don't like to run this race because it's so crowded. And.... it is. 3000 people over 3 miles on residential streets? Unless you're out in front, it's packed. However, I didn't think it was any worse than the Shamrock Shuffle, a race that I keep running despite the crowds, so that didn't bother me too much. I never got fully and completely stuck behind slower people - I could always find a way around, although it did involve some creative cutting and weaving.

That said, I don't think I'll come back to run this race, and here's why: When I get done running a race, be it a 5K or a marathon, the one thing I want right away is water. Most races I've run have had bottles of water either in the finishing chute or with the post-race refreshments. This one? Had one table with cups of water at the entrance to the park where the post-race festivities were. No bottles anywhere to be found. Nothing in the finishing chute. And the post-race refreshments, while plentiful and tasty, included absolutely nothing to drink. I couldn't believe it. I should not have to wait in line and fight a crowd after a race for a cup of water. If you're a big enough race to take in 3,000 runners, then you're a big enough race to get someone to donate a couple thousand cases of bottled water.

Except for that one little hiccup, the race was great. The course was fun- enough turns to keep it interesting, not so many as to really slow you down. Chip and packet pickup was a little weird (you picked up your number and goody bag before the race, but picked up your chip the morning of. Huh?), but it's a system that seems to work for them. Once they find a way to get some (more) water at the finish, they'll have a great fall race going.

Splits: 9:58, 9:30, 8:56, :51 (.1)
Unofficial total: 29:15

Posted by Dawn at September 30, 2007 12:32 PM

Comments

Posted by: Running Jayhawk at September 30, 2007 04:55 PM