Yesterday was our last long training run in preparation for Cincinnati. We were scheduled to do 20 miles. A.G., my running partner, suggested we break the run up by mixing in one or both of the charity races taking place on campus. At 10 a.m. on the northeastern end of campus was the Coaches vs. Cancer 5k and at noon on the southern end of town was the third annual "We Are...Curing Autism" 5k. Because A.G. has a personal connection to autism and because of the timing of each event we decided on the latter. We left Rec Hall around 7:45. I finished around 10:04 (2:19:04 according to my iPod). A 7:41 pace which is a very good time for me at that distance. My cruising pace for 5 miles is 7:47.
I grabbed a shower, changed into a fresh pair of running clothes and made my way to the race. A.G. arrived shortly thereafter. During my long run, and afterward, I made sure to keep hydrated. My weight prior to the run was 159 and afterwards was 157 3/4. I'm really pleased with my weight. I the fall I ran PhilIy at 164 and my goal was to five to seven pounds lighter for the Flying Pig in May without sacrificing muscle so I'm on track.
In between events I ate a banana and finished another liter of water (I'd finished one during my run along with half a bottle of Coke). And this is where I made my mistake. Instead of stopping there, I think because I had so much time to kill, I split a bagel and then another one, with A.G. and washed the second down with a cup of coffee. I wasn't hungry or in need of a kick but, was bored waiting for the race to start.
When the gun went off my muscles were tight despite the extra stretching.I expected this. The delay was to long. We didn't kick off until after twelve and my muscles were a bit surprised to be called back into duty. What I didn't expect was the severe cramps that gripped me around mile one and stayed with me throughout the race. I made the mistake of starting out to hard. One of A.G.'s friends who met us there is an excellent short distance runner and I made the mistake of trying to pace myself off of her. I quickly abandoned that strategy but not before the cramps set in. The rest of the race was a struggle to keep my body in motion, wishing I could puke to feel better. It didn't help that the entire course consisted of hills. Steep, steep hills.
If you've ever run Central Pennsylvania you know there's not a patch of flat ground to be found. It's a bitch to consistently run but it pays off when you travel to more level areas. I finished the race in a respectable 23:27 (not to shabby considering I had to pull of the road at one point with the dry heaves.)
We decided to do the 5k after a long run because it was there. It was something neither of us had done before. Would I do it again? You bet. As a matter of fact, I think with the knowledge gained from this experience I could improve my race time.
I grabbed a shower, changed into a fresh pair of running clothes and made my way to the race. A.G. arrived shortly thereafter. During my long run, and afterward, I made sure to keep hydrated. My weight prior to the run was 159 and afterwards was 157 3/4. I'm really pleased with my weight. I the fall I ran PhilIy at 164 and my goal was to five to seven pounds lighter for the Flying Pig in May without sacrificing muscle so I'm on track.
In between events I ate a banana and finished another liter of water (I'd finished one during my run along with half a bottle of Coke). And this is where I made my mistake. Instead of stopping there, I think because I had so much time to kill, I split a bagel and then another one, with A.G. and washed the second down with a cup of coffee. I wasn't hungry or in need of a kick but, was bored waiting for the race to start.
When the gun went off my muscles were tight despite the extra stretching.I expected this. The delay was to long. We didn't kick off until after twelve and my muscles were a bit surprised to be called back into duty. What I didn't expect was the severe cramps that gripped me around mile one and stayed with me throughout the race. I made the mistake of starting out to hard. One of A.G.'s friends who met us there is an excellent short distance runner and I made the mistake of trying to pace myself off of her. I quickly abandoned that strategy but not before the cramps set in. The rest of the race was a struggle to keep my body in motion, wishing I could puke to feel better. It didn't help that the entire course consisted of hills. Steep, steep hills.
If you've ever run Central Pennsylvania you know there's not a patch of flat ground to be found. It's a bitch to consistently run but it pays off when you travel to more level areas. I finished the race in a respectable 23:27 (not to shabby considering I had to pull of the road at one point with the dry heaves.)
We decided to do the 5k after a long run because it was there. It was something neither of us had done before. Would I do it again? You bet. As a matter of fact, I think with the knowledge gained from this experience I could improve my race time.
