Back to Yelm for the second year in a row. With Jody this time. $15 entry includes T-shirt and chip timing, but no awards. Benefit for the Yelm Food Bank. I like all the families and various ages that come out for this one. This would be a great first 5K for anyone. Cool but calm and very nice running weather Hoping to beat 24 minutes, not much speed work since the back to back weekends of marathons two and three weeks ago. At least I had one week off from racing.
Decent warm up for 1.5 miles. I feel good but not great, a little tired legs.
Start - Line up with Loren and a bunch of fast looking kids. Plenty of room to run in the wide parking lot. Try not to go out too much like a rabbit.
Mile 1 - 7:25 - Fast but it feels OK.
Mile 1.55 - Turn around on the Yelm-Tenino paved trail. Working hard and I am happy to be heading back. 11:54 on the clock, which would barely get me sub 24 if I can hold the pace. Jody not far behind me at all!
Mile 2.0 - Been gradually gaining on Loren and now I am able to pass him. Then work my way up to one kid who I get past. No one will pass me during the second half, so I guess I am running alright.
Mile 2.5 - Work on a shorter faster stride and staying in focus. Keep up the effort as best I can.
Mile 2.8 - Now the turns around the school. If I can reach the last turn before 23:00 then I should beat 24:00, and I make the turn at 22:50. One guy ahead of me is slowing a little and I put on a great effort to pass him. So close, we finish with an identical time, to the tenth of a second. But he started behind me and his chip time puts him ahead.
Mile 3.1 - 3.17 on the GPS but I forgot to stop it right at the finish. Loren had 3.14. Amazed at how good I felt and happy with the finish time. It is slower than last year by about 22 seconds, but that is just where I am right now. Gasp and walk a little and next thing I know, Jody is coming in for the fastest 5K she has run since 2008. Hope she gets the racing bug again.
No post race events, only bottled water at the finish. We watch most everyone come in and then head home. Hope to be at Capitol Lake next weekend for the Run Like a Fool 5K, then the Whidbey Island Marathon on April 16.
23:34
10th place of 164
Race#382, 5K#97, Hop for Hunger #2
*****
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