2014 CORVALLIS FALL FESTIVAL 5K RACE REPORT

Year four! I could practically run this course in my sleep at this point.

I meant to do a preview for this race but kept putting it off because I didn't quite know how much of a "race" this was going to be. Being the weekend before Portland, I didn't want to gun for PR and kill my chances next week for some freak reason, but at the same time I didn't want to just dolly about and not give a good effort. So I basically left it up to how I felt race morning.

Saturday I ran eight miles with Portland Marathon Clinic. It is the last weekend run of this training cycle (obviously). Kind of silly to wake up early to just run 8 miles, but I kind of wanted to see everyone off and it was a good excuse not to sleep away half the day. Anyways, I had done six miles on Friday night around 8:45/mile, then eight with PMC at 9:20/mile, so on Sunday morning I had done 14 miles in the previous two days. So my legs weren't fresh but they weren't too worn out.

Libbie and I met in Tualatin at 7:00am and headed town to Corvallis. This is the race where it all started, my first 5k now three years ago. This would be my fourth time racing it and it has become a yearly tradition with the two of us. Last year we were in the middle of a rain and wind storm but this year the weather was PERFECT. Sunny and blue skies, high of 78 or so later in the day.

We arrived with about forty minutes until race time. So after getting our bibs and going back to the car to drop some stuff off, we had a little time to kill before the race. According to the website the 5k would go off at 9:05 and the 10k at 9:10. So I did a warm up run for a few minutes including some speedwork and finished shortly after 8:50. Turns out they were going to have the 10k start first this year, they got that off a little late around 9:11, so we didn't leave until 9:16. Needless to say I got a little cold after my warm up.

By the time the race started I decided to race it hard but not kill myself for a PR. I'd say I was going 95%, maybe a little harder. While running it was hard and sucked but it wasn't terrible. When I was really pressing myself for a PR last year at the Rivalry Clash, I was in the 100% effort "this is terrible" range. So, I was running hard but I didn't expect to necessarily set a PR... I figured I might get close, but I wasn't going to completely kill myself.

I know this course by heart so definitely no surprises during the run. Hit the first mile in 6:37, so I was running right at PR speed. For the effort I was giving, pretty hard but not killer, that was encouraging. Especially since that first mile is slightly uphill. At this point I was telling myself "only two more miles." I could last fifteen more minutes.

Me with my "finisher's receipt."

Mile two was pretty uneventful. I just kept chugging ahead and was able to pass a few people. Was funny when you'd pass most people, they'd try to speed up and say "no you don't" but would fade after about fifteen seconds. I've learned in my years to never react to anyone else and run my own race. Trying to keep up with someone that passed you pretty much never works out! Mile two was hit in 6:35.

I was running a pretty even pace. Mile three was done in 6:43. This mile includes some uphill though and to be honest I did start to tire. Before a downhill portion toward the end my mile time was looking more toward the 6:50 range. The effort seemed even but the hills and the wear of the race were starting to slow me a bit naturally. I attacked the downhill and was able to bring this mile time down close to the others. Overall I'd say my "self pacing" of this run was pretty good and led to a very good time.

After many years running this race I am pretty familiar with the finish. There is a downhill where people often start to kick but then you have to run a decent amount through a flat park before actually hitting the finish. Anyways, I've seen people kick too early and one kid about 15 or so definitely kicked too early. I passed him around mile two and he flew by me on the downhill and went into his kick. I saved mine until I was almost through the park and only had a few city blocks to the finish.

I finished the last .11 miles at just over 5:00/mile. It was definitely a sprint but my legs felt good enough to hit it after a pretty well paced 5k. I blew past that kid and another person on my way to the finish. Felt really good to finish strong like that. Lead to me being totally wiped and barely able to stand in the finishers chute as they cut off my tag, but hey, that's the price for racing hard. I got a bottle of water and then collapsed in the grassy shade.

Cheers to a new 5k PR!

Overall I clocked myself at 20:25 on my Garmin. There was a mat at the start line and I assumed the race would have net times. However, they only published gun times, so my official time is 20:28. Had I known that, I would have lined up closer as my true time was probably more like 20:23-20:24 (held off stopping my watch until I had cleared all three timing mats after the finish line). Honestly, whatever, it's just a few seconds, but seconds are precious in a 5k. I'll take the 20:28 though, a new PR by 10 seconds.

Pretty cool to get a PR without totally going balls to the wall. If I did that, I think I could get around 20:10 or so. I don't think I have sub 20 speed in me yet, but I'm getting close. Hopefully sometime next year I can crack that barrier. Chopping 10 seconds a mile though will take some effort. That's 6:25/mile! However, with some focused speed work, and an 100% all-out effort, I think it could be done next year. Whether or not I want to make that a focus... we'll see.

Libbie slipped in under 40 minutes (she was super worn down so that was pretty cool) and then we went to Flat Tail Brewing for lunch. Gorged myself on Fish and Chips that were pretty dang good. Unfortunately I placed 5th (!) in my age division despite being 10th overall so I didn't get an award like last year. If they had taken the overall winners out of the age group winners I would have been third, but oh well. One of the few times being in my 30s would have resulted in better age placement.

Official Chip Time: 20:28, 6:35/mile. 10/209 overall, 9/78 male, 5/8 M2029.