2015 CORVALLIS FALL FESTIVAL 5K RACE RECAP

Same course as usual! Through the heart of the OSU campus and back.

Another year, another Corvallis Fall Festival 5k in the books. This is the race that started it all and every year Libbie and I pilgrimage here to pay our respects. By now we have the routine down to a science, leaving at 7:20 and arriving with about 25 minutes until the race starting. Since my home lacked food, I stopped and had a coffee and sausage burrito at McDonald's on the way down. Luckily, this did not harm me in any way!

Nothing out of the ordinary before the race. Feels like a routine by now. Did a warm up jog/sprint of a couple blocks and called it good. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't completely cold at the beginning of the race so I didn't pull anything before the marathon Sunday. Those short sprints felt harder than they should have been and it did not leave me feeling super confident. I really didn't have a good feel on what I should expect for the race, but I was hoping for around 7:00/mile or less. If I could manage that, then I haven't slowed down too badly.

Starting off the 5k! Don't I look thrilled?

The was about to start so I got as close to the start line as possible without getting in the way of legitimate fast people in front of me. They started both the 5k and 10k at the same time this year so the start line was a little more crowded than usual. Again, it was chipped time but did not have a starting mat, so any time it took you to reach the start line counted. Luckily I was across the start line in two seconds and off to the races.

Very little weaving this year, I seemed to be a good pocket and the kids who shot out didn't fall apart right in front of me. The pace was hard, but I settled in pretty quickly. Quick glances at my watch showed my pace right about at 7:00/mile, as I expected. The race felt like a 5k should, my legs feeling pretty good but my lungs and cardio screaming. Something about the race really helps though, your body knows it is only 20 minutes and thus rises to the occasion. Intervals at 7:00/mile leave me feeling breathless after one lap, and here I was running 12 straight without stopping.

The first mile came in at 6:52. I was pretty pleased with that time... not the 6:30-whatever of last year, but still not bad. I wasn't dying at this pace despite this being my first 5k in 365 days (the Fall Festival last year!). The course was very familiar to me by now, so no new surprises. I knew where the little uphills and downhills were and could prepare myself appropriately. The second mile beeped in at 7:00. Perfect. Another 7:00 mile and I'd finish under that overall.

The third mile is the most challenging as it contains the biggest uphill of the course. A decent little hill that lasts one city block. Normally that's nothing, but at mile 2.1 of a 5k, it can knock you off your game. At the top you are breathing heavy and have to regain your original pace. This year I was able to fly up the hill and pass a man who obviously wasn't as prepared for it as me. I focused on regaining my breathing at the top and pretty quickly I was right back in the groove. I knew the race was only another seven minutes or so, which is pretty motivating when your body is starting to feel the effects of your pace.

Coming in for the finish!

It must have been "get out and about" day on the Oregon State campus because there were a ton of students out during the race. They did a pretty good job of getting out of our way on the shared paths. Something we haven't had to deal with in the past. I think school is normally in session by this race, however this year, with the late Labor Day, it doesn't start until Monday. So I think a lot of students were moving in. The beautiful weather also might have had something to do with it. High 50s and sunny. Perfect weather really. 7:00 final mile.

Unlike most years, nobody was really on my ass and kicking to the finish. So while I certainly picked up my pace a little, it wasn't a desperate sprint like some years. I think my pace over the last .11 miles was probably something like 6:20/mile. I was very pleased with my time, 21:11. A far cry from my 20:28 last year, but also faster than my 21:50 the year before my first marathon. It was honestly a little better than I thought I would do. I figured I would be in the high 21s, not the low 21s.

Anyways, I ended up third in my age group. My watch shorted me a little, so my mile times were a little quicker than it said. Overall I averaged 6:49/mile which is pretty dang good. Libbie and I wandered around the OSU campus to waste time before the awards ceremony, which was listed at 11am. When we got there at 10:55am they were just wrapping it up. D'oh! Anyways, they were able to give me my medal without a fuss. My second time placing 2nd in my age group here!

After that, we went to eat at Block 15. I don't think I had been there since I was a senior in college playing shuffleboard. I had a really delicious buffalo chicken salad and Libbie had some nachos that were good but needed more cheese. It was good to be back and fun to see the place hadn't really changed at all. Corvallis still feels almost like home when I go there.

Onto freaking out about the marathon in 3... 2... 1... AHHHHHHHHH!

Overall Results: 21:11, 6:49/mile. 17/246 overall, 13/93 male, 2/14 M20-29.