I woke up today to an ankle that did not hurt during non running activity. That was a significant improvement over the past 3 weeks. Everyday during that time I would wake up and limp around for a while before it loosened up. I decided immediately that I would race this 5K all out and worry about the consequences later.
Temperatures were in the mid-50s with partly cloudy skies and a light breeze. This was my third year in a row running this 5K, and the first time it was not cloudy! This is one of the largest 5Ks in the area, with a cap of 4,000 runners. However, that is not what truly makes this race unique. Both the course and the competition make this race. It is hard these days for me to find competitive 5Ks where I'll be surrounded by multiple runners of similar ability. This is one of those few where I know the fast guys will show up. Combine that with a fast point-to-point course with the first 3/4 of a mile downhill, and it becomes an all out battle to see who can run a fast 5K!
The start line is so close to my apartment that I was able to just run to the start for a warmup. Unfortunately, it is always very crowded at the start with people piling into the area and a lot of the cross streets are still open to traffic, so warm ups become difficult! I actually did not have time for my usual warm up after Back on My Feet broke their circle, but I could of cared less. I was just so happy that my ankle was good enough to run on. Though I felt it a little during my warm up, it quickly went away. I never limped or even thought about limping so my usual stride was back.
I didn't do any stretching or strides, just a disjointed 15 minute warm up. I knew it would probably make the first half mile more uncomfortable than usual, but once again, I was just way too happy to care. With about 5 minutes to the start, I took my spot about 1 row back of the timing mats. There are always a lot of spectators on both sidewalks, and this is one of the only opportunities where one can sprint down the middle of Charles Street at 12 miles an hour with no worry of traffic!
The actual race itself was over so quickly that I can't remember a whole lot. We started off, and I made sure not to get too carried away on the downhill. I got carried away quite badly my first two years doing the race and would not repeat.
Mile 1: 5:00
If I went sub-5, it would have been too fast. This is the same 1 mile split I had last year, so I knew I was on track for a good race. There was some passing back and forth early, but I mainly focused on staying in control. With all the cheering, fast runners, and police motorcycles, it is so easy to just go crazy on that first mile!
As we looped around Federal Hill Park, for the first time in 3 years I was strong enough to gun people down. I just passed runner after runner with no real signs of fading. My breathing was heavy and my legs were a bit tired but I felt strong for the second mile of a 5K.
We hit the turn-around-point and I still felt decent. I knew this was where I had to focus. We were about 1.5 miles from the finish. The initial adrenaline from the start was gone now, and there was no more downhill to help. Now it came down to who could hold on longer. I passed one more runner before the 2 mile mark.
Mile 2: 5:21
One thought went through my mind: "you earned that split." Positive splits on this type of course are unavoidable. My main goal was to just try and run the next two miles like my first two in a "normal" 5K. I went through mile 2 right on my supposed ideal 5K pace, so I was stoked.
One cool thing about this course is seeing the rest of the pack on the other side of the road since it is an out and back. This is of course a St. Patrick's Day race, and the overwhelming majority of the runners are more festive than myself (I just wore a red shirt, red shoes, and black shorts...sorry Irish folk!). So as I was heading back, all I could see was a sea of green. Though I was mainly focused on trying to hold on to my pace, it is hard not to admire the sight!
I got plenty of cheers from the Back on My Feet crew which really helped me from fading too badly. There was a slight head wind and the next runner was just too far ahead for me to catch. I was slowly reeling him in (and he was nervous because he looked back twice), but I had nothing left in the tank and was really just holding on.
We turned onto Pratt street (another road I never get to run down the middle of) for the final stretch. I could hear someone catching up to me so I went on the defensive and just told myself to answer his move if he tries to pass. He didn't sound very strong, so I figured a big surge was not going to happen.
Mile 3: 5:32
A couple seconds slower than I wanted, but that pesky wind did not help. Of course, math is completely beyond me at this point, so I had no idea what kind of overall time I would end up with. That runner behind me caught up for a moment, but I had one little surge in me and it was enough to defend my spot.
I crossed the line in 16:27, 11th overall, and felt like I left it all out there. It ended up being an 18 second PR, a 26 second course record over last year, and a nearly 1 minute improvement over my first time doing this race in 2009. I ended up 6th in the 20-29 age group, so with such a good time, I got no hardware! However, I'd rather have it that way. I'd trade in all my 5k awards to have 5 or 6 races with competitive fields like this around Baltimore.
My ankle started to hurt a bit when the adrenaline from the race wore off. It feels better than it has the past week or so, but feels exactly like it did after the RRCA 10 Miler. Despite the occasional pains, I never once limped or compensated during my cool down and it actually went away for a little while during that run.
I think that my ankle is close to full health but it still needs a little more time to get back to 100%. I really want to kick this pain for good so I'm going to take the next two days off and see how it feels Wednesday. Although I'm supposed to be peaking right now for Boston, I still have a chance to get a couple of solid weeks in and I already have quite the successful January, February, and early March under my belt so I am not concerned at all. This might mean that I'll be trying to just squeak under 2:40 rather than blowing it away, but it doesn't matter. Marathon runners have to be patient!
I never want the feeling of dread and hesitation I had earlier this week ever again. Running should never, ever feel like that. Excessive soreness or dull nagging aches that don't affect my stride are one thing, but limping and feeling choppy while running is my new nightmare, truly a scary feeling.
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