Sailfest 5K 2018: A Different Kind of "Race" for Me This Year

New London, CT
Sunday, July 15, 2018

One of my favorite 5K races that I like to come back to regularly.  Certainly haven't made every year, but I average a visit at least every other year.  As Matthew pointed out, it's not a PR course with its hills, so that's not why I come.  So why do I?  A few attractions for me, in no particular order:

• For a small local 5K, there are always a few very fast runners (you might think I would prefer those races where I might have a shot at a V, but those can be boring and tough to run alone).
• Any race that SNERRO puts on, you know the timing is going to be quality without hiccups.
• Finish through the vendor carts at the festival is unique and fun.
• Always run into a bunch of runners that I like to catch up with, and a decent representation from WTAC.
• In the age of increased water conservation efforts, the fact that the fire department hose shower remains in awesome.

This year I'm injured with a nerve injury that has largely kept me out of running for a month, so I thought I wouldn't even be in the race.  Since I had signed up some time ago and my physical therapist gave me the OK with certain caveats, the pendulum swung back the other way and I was in!

Now I found myself nervous about this race a couple of days out, but for very different reasons than the usual concerns:

• Am I going to be able to run the whole race, or am I going to have to walk, or worse, incur my first DNF?  (I'm OK with a DNS, and have had plenty of those, but never a DNF.)  [Not in any way knocking the many of us that have had a DNF, but just a foolish thing with me to keep the streak alive.]  Solution:  Take it steady and unless severe pain, be tough through discomfort.
• On the other side of the spectrum, how am I going to maintain the PT-prescribed pace of 7:30 to 8:00?  Once he gave that range, the 8:00 went out the window, but it's going to be tough to resist the natural inclination to run faster than 7:30.  Solution:  Start far back in the back and check my pace early and often.
• Am I going to make a spectacle of myself, either through weird running gait ("Mom, look at that crippled old guy running!  He should really go back to his nursing home.")  or have a meltdown like a two-year old over my lack of running prowess.  Solution:  I had many, many talks with myself on the latter of keeping it positive internally and externally facing.

Mile 1:  After checking in, and a short walk warm-up, it's time to go.  I line up at least 10 rows back to dampen the urge to fly out.  At the gun, I think I'm going out fine, but see the pace is high 6's, so back off a bit.  I see Paul Gray and Mac Ordonio ahead of me; good I don't have to witness them passing me.  I keep backing off the pace.  Right at Mile 1, I catch up to Mac and go past him, but only after validating that he's slowing down as opposed to me passing him.

Team WTAC just prior to race start
WTAC men took 2nd, 3rd, 4th overall (Matthew, Chris, Tommy)
WTAC women took 1st and 2nd overall (Brandy and Shara)
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It was a treat to have so many WTAC runners today.  Most in the pic above
are Sailfest regulars, but this year we had Tommy, Shara, and Chris.
This race doesn't draw many Rhode Islanders, as it's a good 20 miles into
CT, and us provincial Rhode Islanders aren't very comfortable with going
that far.  I'm surprised Chris could make it all the way from Kingston, but
then I learned he met up at Tom's house first, so that makes more sense.  He
probably broke up that long and arduous trip with an overnight stay.

Mile 2:  Starting uphill, but at the pace I'm going (about 7:20-7:30), it doesn't feel like an effort.  I even ran over to get purposely sprayed by the only hose on the course.  Today is not a hot day, but it is humid.  The right leg feels the "new normal" of very awkward, but no pain.  Towards the end of Mile 2, I catch up with and run with Paul for a while.  I don't mention anything but this downward section of the course is making my stride just a little painful, and the tendency for a longer stride downhill is causing some shooting pain all the way down my leg.  I'm happy to get back on flatter ground.

Mile 3:  The race is almost over.  I keep passing a number of people, but since I'm really holding to about 7:15 - 7:30 pace, it's that others are slowing down.  The usual 2nd uphill that never seems to end is not a bother for me at all at the pace I'm running, but I know the downhill lurking (which I usually love the downhill finish) will be not be well received by the nerves in my leg.  I'm almost at the final turn when I see a young woman (20s?) standing in the middle of the road grabbing her leg.  I asked if she's OK, and she said her legs are cramping and asked if I knew how much further.  I said 1/4 mile at best, and she started running with me.  She looked like she was going to stop again, and I urged her not to stop at this point and assured her this was the final turn.  She sprinted away from me to the finish line.

Chris and Tom told me my gait looked fine (as did my PT),
but it felt off and looks a bit off here.  Hard to really tell.

Finish line
(All photos courtesy of Jana)

Final results:  I feel like writing "I don't know and I don't care", but actual time is a 22:36, which works out to a 7:17 pace.  Not quite my target of not exceeding 7:30, but not far off either.

Highlights:

• Actually finishing the race, without blowing up or having a meltdown
• Enjoying the camaraderie of other WTAC runners
• Saving a damsel in distress (she came up to me post-race and thanked me)
• And, my perennial favorite highlight of the Sailfest:  the New London FD fire hose shower!

Chris, me, and Tom
cooling down post-race