2008 Eurocross 5k
UAH Campus Forest:)
Huntsville, AL
June 7, 2008
Have you ever had a day that things just don't feel right? I certainly am not one for making excuses; a bad day is just a bad day. I am big on analyzing performances to figure out what went right (and how to repeat it in the future) and what went wrong (and how to avoid it in the future). Today was a learning experience.
I had a very difficult stretch of work leading into the race today. I had been home for 36 hours over 10 day stretch, including spending time in New Orleans and Las Vegas for two conferences. The last one was in 97 degree desert heat in which I ran 10+ miles a day on 4-5 hours of sleep each night. To top it off, I took a red-eye flight home on Thursday night at 11pm and arrived home on Friday morning. So my sleep patterns were completely off on race morning, and my body was still on Pacific time, so when the alarm went off at 4:30am, it was actually 2:30am to my body. I know from experience that I can be under trained but rested and race well, while being properly trained and tired is a recipe for disaster.
The temperature at race time was warm, nearly 80 degrees at 8am. In my warm up I was soaked already, before even crossing the first creek. I knew that the pace would be quick at first but likely slow at the end with the fatigue of this heat.
There were maybe 100 people lined up at the start line for this cross country race. I felt under-equipped with my Invo-8's on while other runners sported cross country spikes. Not running in high school or college (when most people acquired their spikes and still have them) hurt me here.
We took off quick, running the first of five 1k loops. The course was made up of a mowed field, with a few tight turns, two stream crossings, a short but quick hill and strategically placed hay bails. I wanted to be in good position before the stream crossing. The first crossing was preceded by a hay bale. I was cautious on this first crossing, and went in easily. The water was maybe up to my knees. Out of the water, through the field and back to the second water crossing. This one had a muddy entry, about 5' long before the water. I stepped through it, high stepped the water and climbed out the two foot bank on the other side. With soaking wet and heavy shoes, I headed up the hill and through the narrow trail in the woods. Two tight turns later, we had made our first loop.
I had no idea what position I was in, as it was difficult to see other runners ahead. I could see glimpses of Kevin Betts ahead of me and knew that Marty Clarke was lurking closely behind.
The water crossings got easier each time, as I became more adventurous and had more reckless abandon. By the end, I was leaping off of the hay bale and deep into the water. On one crossing, I nearly leapt over a girl. The crossings did get tougher in the aspect that 100 people traipsing through them made the water muddy and the banks to get out slippery.
By the 3rd loop I was starting to feel ill from the heat. This and lack of proper hydration this week was really making me sick. I was barely holding on. I was just thinking that I was more than half way and would only have to put up with this for a few more minutes. I was running about 6:30 pace or so, but since I wasn't wearing my GPS, I don't really know my exact splits.
Also in the third loop (if not late in the second) is when we started to have to pass people on the course. It was like the early stages of a marathon, having to bob-and-weave around people. This wasn't bad in the fields or on the grass, but some people would come to a complete stop at the water crossings. I have to admit this was a little annoying, but it was meant to be a fun race, so I guess I shouldn't take it that seriously. Yet it was still a race. I know that other fast runners commented on some slow runners taking offense when they were in the way. Some people even wore head phones (which is prohibited in HTC races) which made it difficult for them to hear when other runners approached from behind.
On each crossing, I could hear Steve Carter letting me know that Marty was catching up. I knew that he was there, and I also knew that I had no chance of holding him off. I had gone out too hard and was running on dead legs with 1/4 mile to go. We made the 2nd to last stream crossing and before the next short hill, Marty passed. I told him that I had nothing left. He still looked very good, and I think he was even holding back for the 8k race to follow. If he had been running the 5k only, he would have buried me.
Running up the last hill, I jumped off of the hay bales and not over them. I didn't bother trying to get into a good position before the narrow woods trail and even slowed to a walk going through, as there were young school girls walking 2 wide.
I came out of the woods, and jogged into the finish. My time was 20:21.
I haven't seen the official results, but I am pretty sure that I was 7th overall and 4th in M30-39. In my age group, Rob Youngren was first, Kevin Betts was second, and a name that I didn't recognize was third. Funny how things work out; I was 7th overall and 4th in my age group:)
This is a neat concept, but I probably would not do it again in the future. I like trails and ultras and races and such, but cross country is not really my thing. I am just happy that I did it, in my effort to run all local races at least one time.
In the end, I probably shouldn't have raced. I was tired, both in lack of sleep and fatigue in my legs. I will use this race as a learning experience for the future. In that respect, today was a good day.