Battle of Stonington 2022

Stonington, CT

Tuesday, August 23, 2022

Had run this race a number of times, most recently just last year in a disappointing 18:45, with my fastest time being ten years ago in 2012 in a time of 17:58.  Weather was nearly identical to last year's race, with temp about 80°F and humidity about 90%.  Wonderful.

Having already picked up my bib the day before, I opted to park at the town docks where I knew parking would be more plentiful and the porta-jon would have a shorter line.  In fact, there was no line at all both times I visited, as compared to the one near the starting line was at least 15 deep.  Local knowledge helps!  Went for a warm-up of about 2 miles, before returning to the car to change into my dry singlet and into my race shoes (NB SuperComp Pacer, lightweight flats with a carbon fiber plate).  Jogged to the start and did some light stretching while catching the end of the kids' run.

Mile 1:  Lined up with nearly 200 other runners.  At first, I hung back behind the starting line to let other faster runners fill in.  But there were a few spaces available and looking around and sizing up the competition, I figured I could hold my own in the top ten, so I got right up on the starting line seconds before the gun went off.

Start of the 2022 Battle of Stonington 5K
I am on far right in orange cap and green WTAC singlet.

There is a very small downhill of about 20' drop in elevation at the start of the course.  I feel like running downhill is one of my strengths relative to other runners, but then why are so many runners passing me?  Dave always goes out hard, so I've discounted that, but there are several others that just passed me here.  I don't want to let them all go and it pushes me to stay right on their heels.  We pass the intersection where Kevin Murphy is volunteering (about 1/3 mile in) and after that I start to catch up and reel in some of the runners that went past me so easily.  Passed Dave just before the sharp left turn onto Omega and the end of first mile.  Mile 1 split 5:31.  In retrospect, probably faster than I should have gone, but I just couldn't idly sit by as a number of runners passed me early on.

Mile 2:  Early on in the second mile you make a hard left turn (off Hancock, onto Diving).  Most of us front-pack runners are obviously trying to run the tangents to get the best time.  At this corner, there is a larger walker obstructing that tangent, so both the 16-year old runner ahead of me and I go closely to her right.  We did not hit her or even brush up against her, but she was none too happy as she dropped an F-bomb epithet and also had something to say about Jesus Christ, but I didn't stick around to listen to the sermon.

A short hill up to the library and start/finish line, where we start the 2nd lap.  Ugh.  On the short downhill to Mathew Park, I pass the kid.  I know it won't last, but faster downhill is just how I roll.  As predicted, the kid re-passes me as the course flattens back out.  Mile 2 split 5:46.

Mile 3:  We are soon running into back-of-the-pack runners on their first lap, but they're spread out now and it's not an issue.  What is an issue is the humidity.  It's not just that my clothes are drenched, but as they're beyond the saturation point, as I'm running, sweat is just dripping off my hands, my face, etc.  I feel like I'm inadvertently flinging sweat in every direction as I race through the streets.  Normally in a 5K, my Mile 2 is the slowest as the anticipation of finishing in Mile 3 allows me to pick it back up.  Not this time.  I re-pass the kid again on the downhill on Omega, and when the course flattens again, he not only re-passes me for the final time but takes off and puts a good gap on me.  This should be my signal to chase him, but I've got nothing.  I hang on the best I can and finish Mile 3 in a much slower split of 5:56.

Final results:  17:40, average 5:42 pace, 6th overall of 190, 1st in age group.  Full results here.

My fastest time on this course, and just eight seconds off my PR!  Pretty happy with that, even though the method to get there of slower and slower pace was obviously not the best.  I ran a 1-lap cooldown with a mix of WTAC'ers and Striders, grabbed some pizza from the pizza truck and by that time, the event was pretty much over, especially as awards distribution was deferred due to a glitch.