Just Like Starting Over

A couple of weeks ago, during the run with Forrest, I was also running along with Jay. Jay mentioned the Villa Park 5K. This race is put on by a member of the 6:42 group. This year Jay was sharing the RD responsibilities. I had volunteered at this race last year. I told Jay that I would be willing to volunteer again this year. He told me that they had the volunteers covered and invited me to come out an race it instead. I'd never been an "invited" athlete before. I couldn't very well turn down the RD.

The race starts and finishes at the Villa Park High School Track, which is right across the wall from where the 6:42 group meets weekly. The plan was to meet there, run the 6:42 route, beginning at 6:42 and making it back in plenty of time for the 8:00 start. The turn out for the warm up run was 4 women and 2 guys, me and Dr. John. We got a late start so we cut the route short and got in 5.5 miles rather than the normal 6.42. The women ran a 4 mile option. The 5.5 miles were done in 9:29 pace. I already felt tired and wondered how the race would go.

We finished up just in time for me to change shirts and run into Vons to use the facilities. I lined up some where near the front and was joined by Gary and Julie. Julie is fast, but was planning on taking this one easy. Gary was hoping to break 30:00. I told him that I had better break 30:00. I didn't really have any expectations for this one. I hadn't raced a 5K since I set my PR (21:54) in May 2006.

We took off and I somehow got the jump on Julie for maybe 100 yards, then we ran together for about 100 more then she was gone and soon out of sight. She ended up finishing around 21:00.

I hit the 1 Mile mark in 7:46. I wasn't really pleased or disappointed with the time. It just was what it was. Not too much later I started thinking that this was going to be a long race. I was wishing that Tyler was along with me so I could take a walk break. I hadn't told him about this race since he had just raced last Saturday and would be racing again on July 4th.

Sometime after about a mile and a half I saw someone up ahead that I recognized. It was Sam from the Jingle Bob and Brea 8K rivalry. I hadn't seem him at the start. He was walking, I just cruised right by. In that instant I knew that I didn't have it in me for another race to the finish. I'm not sure if he recognized me but soon after I passed him he began running again and caught me.

At the 2 Mile mark we were pretty much side by side. After I hit my watch, he asked where we were at. I misread the time and told him that I was at 18:00 and commented that I was sucking big time. I thought I had slowed down considerably. I realized after the race that I had actually done Mile 2 in 8:14 for a total time of 16:00. Soon after that Sam started walking again.

I knew he was back there and suffering so my goal became to gain as much ground as I could to fend off another photo finish like the 8K. The last 3.1 came in at 8:09 for a finishing time of 24:09 (7:47 pace overall). This is back where I was nearly 2 years ago.

Sunday I woke up just late enough that I didn't feel like I had time to get my Bonelli run in and get the family up and moving towards church. I definitely didn't have time to run and cook breakfast. I opted for making breakfast. After church we went to lunch and then did some shopping for the boys. That put me in the middle of the hottest part of the day. Lisa went over to visit her Mom (She is back home now, the infection seems to be under control). Bryan was at work, Tyler was gone. I got caught up on blogs and did some other reading and finally decided to hit the road at 4:30. I wanted to attend a special service at church later that evening and wanted to run Bonelli, otherwise I could have postponed the run til later and one it on the streets.

The goal was a recovery run. The 95 degree temperature guaranteed that I kept the pace nice and slow. I even took my fuel belt along, something I never do on a usual 5 miler. I was very glad to have it with me. It was hot. I never saw another person on the trail. I wonder why! I made it back home in time for a quick jump in the pool and a shower and made it to church with time to spare. I was definitely still cooling down for the first 15 minutes or so of the service.

With that run I made my weekly mileage goal of greater than 20, with 21.9. Not counting the double half marathon week it has been 9 weeks since I've broken 20. Next week's target mileage is 25.

During the service the pastor brought up a young man, Patrick, who was preparing to ship out to Iraq on July 16. It reminded me of our friend's sons Will M. in Japan, Matt O. in Iraq and Joe's son David in Iraq as well. We should all pray for these guy's safety and well being every chance we get.