a/k/a "Setting the Pace for Conservation 5K"
Westerly, RI
Sunday, November 10, 2019
This was the 8th year of the race, and I have now run seven out of eight. Matthew has a detailed listing of stats of top performers over these eight years on his recent blog post here.
I was asked to serve on the Westerly Land Trust's race committee for the past few years, which I'm happy to do. I don't ask for sponsorships, as I don't want to cannibalize efforts with my WTAC race sponsorship asks and my duties are relatively easy, including setting up the race on online calendars, participating in several planning meetings, leading the kids' 1K, and making announcements on race day.
The course is really great: very flat and fast. The cause is one of my favorite, the Westerly Land Trust, having preserved over 1,700 acres and 25+ miles of trails in my adopted town of Westerly. (I'm told you're never considered a native unless you were born here.)
My stated goal for today was sub-18:36 (6-flat pace). My previous two 5Ks over the past year were barely sub-19, but this is a fast-course and I've been resuming my mileage weeks with a even few speed sessions from time to time.
Race warm-up: Met up with WTAC friends for an easy run. Mikey, Tommy, Chris, Matthew, and even Brady came along. Good to see these guys, many of whom I hadn't run with in a while.
Inner 1K loop: After giving a few brief remarks, it was time to go. At the gun, I followed Chris and Tom out, but seemed really surprised that I didn't see Matthew. I know he was debating how hard to run it given that he was coming back from his injuries and not racing XC season at UNH, but I thought he'd be way ahead of me. Did he miss the start? I committed a runner's faux pas and looked behind me and saw him there. OK, intentionally conservative.
Eventually, by a 1/4 mile in, Matthew had gone past me to my relief, but a 16-year old and then a 12-year had also galloped past the aging gazelle. Just before the 1K, I passed the 12-year old back. At the end of the 1K loop, as we come back through the start/finish, I saw my Mom there. (She would later tell me that Brady was "crying" as Matthew and I ran by, and pulling hard to want to run the race with us.)
Outer loop: Ran hard out of the loop and onto Watch Hill Road, with a first mile split being a very fast (for me) 5:41.
After a very short section on busy Watch Hill Road, all the rest of the race is on very quiet Avondale roads. The 16-year old came back to me and I easily went past him with no resistance. There is a short out-and-back on Champlin Drive, but with a massive elevation gain of about 10'! This must be the flattest course in RI. While I generally don't like OABs, I don't mind this one at all as you go wide around an island at the end of road. I got to see the leaders (Chris, Matthew, Tom) before the turn-around, and then was surprised to see the 12-year old had passed the 16-year old, but I still had a good gap on both.
Mile 2 split 5:57. OK, I'm still in good shape to come in sub-6 flat, but can't slow down in final mile, and the finish will be into the wind. Was surprised to still see Tom on long stretches of Avondale Road here, but could see no one else. The wind coming into the preserve was there, but not nearly as bad as some past years. I rounded the final turn and as the clock came in to sight, I saw the 17:5x ticking away to 18:00. Hoofed it in, well under my goal!
Final results: 18:15, average 5:53 pace. 4th out of 77. 1st in age group. Full results here.
Felt ready good to be back in the 18:1x range. Funny how when I do well in a race, I want to run a similar one again to see if I can get even lower. Such is the case here, but alas that was my final 5K of the year.
Westerly, RI
Sunday, November 10, 2019
This was the 8th year of the race, and I have now run seven out of eight. Matthew has a detailed listing of stats of top performers over these eight years on his recent blog post here.
I was asked to serve on the Westerly Land Trust's race committee for the past few years, which I'm happy to do. I don't ask for sponsorships, as I don't want to cannibalize efforts with my WTAC race sponsorship asks and my duties are relatively easy, including setting up the race on online calendars, participating in several planning meetings, leading the kids' 1K, and making announcements on race day.
The course is really great: very flat and fast. The cause is one of my favorite, the Westerly Land Trust, having preserved over 1,700 acres and 25+ miles of trails in my adopted town of Westerly. (I'm told you're never considered a native unless you were born here.)
My stated goal for today was sub-18:36 (6-flat pace). My previous two 5Ks over the past year were barely sub-19, but this is a fast-course and I've been resuming my mileage weeks with a even few speed sessions from time to time.
Race warm-up: Met up with WTAC friends for an easy run. Mikey, Tommy, Chris, Matthew, and even Brady came along. Good to see these guys, many of whom I hadn't run with in a while.
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| Catching up with WTAC friends pre-race (All pics courtesy of Jana) |
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| Group warm-up. Left to right: Me, Matthew (Brady just ahead of him), Shara, Tom, Chris |
Inner 1K loop: After giving a few brief remarks, it was time to go. At the gun, I followed Chris and Tom out, but seemed really surprised that I didn't see Matthew. I know he was debating how hard to run it given that he was coming back from his injuries and not racing XC season at UNH, but I thought he'd be way ahead of me. Did he miss the start? I committed a runner's faux pas and looked behind me and saw him there. OK, intentionally conservative.
 |
| Race start (obviously). I love the look of the meadow and solitary trees this time of year. Truly, I love fall and fall scenes in general. |
Eventually, by a 1/4 mile in, Matthew had gone past me to my relief, but a 16-year old and then a 12-year had also galloped past the aging gazelle. Just before the 1K, I passed the 12-year old back. At the end of the 1K loop, as we come back through the start/finish, I saw my Mom there. (She would later tell me that Brady was "crying" as Matthew and I ran by, and pulling hard to want to run the race with us.)
 |
| Re-passing the 12-year old, just before end of 1K loop. |
Outer loop: Ran hard out of the loop and onto Watch Hill Road, with a first mile split being a very fast (for me) 5:41.
After a very short section on busy Watch Hill Road, all the rest of the race is on very quiet Avondale roads. The 16-year old came back to me and I easily went past him with no resistance. There is a short out-and-back on Champlin Drive, but with a massive elevation gain of about 10'! This must be the flattest course in RI. While I generally don't like OABs, I don't mind this one at all as you go wide around an island at the end of road. I got to see the leaders (Chris, Matthew, Tom) before the turn-around, and then was surprised to see the 12-year old had passed the 16-year old, but I still had a good gap on both.
Mile 2 split 5:57. OK, I'm still in good shape to come in sub-6 flat, but can't slow down in final mile, and the finish will be into the wind. Was surprised to still see Tom on long stretches of Avondale Road here, but could see no one else. The wind coming into the preserve was there, but not nearly as bad as some past years. I rounded the final turn and as the clock came in to sight, I saw the 17:5x ticking away to 18:00. Hoofed it in, well under my goal!
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| Long strides to the finish. |
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| Can you believe I got made fun of for my yellow shoes?! :) |
Final results: 18:15, average 5:53 pace. 4th out of 77. 1st in age group. Full results here.
Felt ready good to be back in the 18:1x range. Funny how when I do well in a race, I want to run a similar one again to see if I can get even lower. Such is the case here, but alas that was my final 5K of the year.
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| Team WTAC runners today: Haley, Shara, Tommy, Paul, Justin, newest member Eric Reubelt, Brady, me, Mikey, Matthew, Chris, Rose, and Carol Ann |
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| Post team photo, I had to hustle to lead the Kids' 1K and stay out ahead of the leader, my 9-year old niece Lucy. Sure looks like I'm panting like a dog here. |
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| But of course I made sure Lucy crossed the line ahead of me. |
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| She quickly went back to run her 4-year old sister, Ellie, in. |
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| Everyone in this Walker family ran! My sister-in-law Caroline, nieces Lucy and Ellie, and my brother Kurt who was ten seconds out from winning his age group. |
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| And here's another running family that looks pretty familiar to me! |
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| Some old gasbag who was asked to lead the awards ceremony, while Matthew comes up for his award. |
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| Finishing out the day at Avondale: Jana, Ellie, Brady, my Mom, and her friend Bob. (OK, so I guess Jana didn't take this picture. I have no idea who did.) Great day for family and friends! |
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