This morning I ran the Achilles Hope & Possibility 5-Miler in Central Park. I ran it in 35:28 (7:06s), which bettered yesterday’s 5-mile race by 19 seconds.
Here are my unofficial results from my Garmin:
Today’s running conditions were about the same as yesterday. The humidity was lower (65% rather than 93%) but still noticeable, and the temperature was just a degree cooler. It was also just about as sunny. The course was different, though–a 5-miler focused on the lower part of the park rather than the upper part. I believe it’s a faster course taken this way. I’m not absolutely sure, though, because in yesterday’s race Harlem Hill was in the mix though in the beginning, so it was run fast and you get the downhill. The 19 seconds I shaved off today might have been eaten up by Harlem Hill were I racing it today, which might actually be true because it took about 19 seconds longer to run the first mile yesterday than it did today. Today’s first mile was a 6:36.
Not that I was happy about being that fast out of the gate. I knew that was fast, but I also was experimenting to see how my body in its current state handled that kind of fast start. Sure enough, I lost some speed about where I thought I would–after the 3rd mile, which is hillier–but I also recovered after then, especially capitalizing on the downhills. I knocked out a final sprint from a long distance today, so much so that I couldn’t sustain the sprint completely (I saw Jono splitting the runners and called his name out but he was looking the other way). Whatever the case, my goal for today–to see if I could beat yesterday’s time over the same distance–was achieved. I even slapped hands with Mary Wittenberg, President of NYRR, after I finished.
My Age Grade Percentage disturbed me a bit yesterday given how low it is, but in comparing it with my prior years when I eventually did well in marathons I’m about where I was then. That calmed my mind again, yet it also gave me a bit of a fight, not wanting this year to race in that lower tier. I think that means speedwork or other kinds of fitness to boost my cardiovascular fitness.