2018 Al's Run

So Al's run was about a month ago.  I love this race because for me it is a team race.  We barely field the 5 runners needed to score, but manage to every year.  This year was no exception as we had 5 finishers on the dot.  It is the only time most of us see each other.  We ask about the families, how's work going, etc.  Eventually we get down to business and see how each other is running.  I did zero "effort" running this year.  My goal was to break 35 minutes for the 8k distance.  The first mile has a lot of net downhill, but I held back and just Barney Rubble'd it.  Put the first mile in at 7:05 knowing the next mile is a net uphill.  I kept aerobic and blazed the second mile in 7:26, but knew I could heat up the peanut oil for the final three.  Sure enough I was passing rocks and trees as if they were standing still (Walt Stack quote maybe?) and after opening up down Lafayette hill I clicked of the third mile in 6:50.  The last couple miles are flat there by the big lake and sure enough I was catching people.  I was still good aerobically...probably a bit too good as the 4th mile yielded a 7:00.  At this point I just went after it (comical isn't it) and basically went to sprint mode.

Now sprint mode isn't near what you think.  I was trying to run as fast as I could, but it was not sprinting.  The brain is signaling man over board, but the crew ain't getting the message.  The best example I can think of is when you buy a bean burrito and they tell you it's a $1.46 at the second window.  You hand them a penny and then $2.00 dollars.  They accept the money and then look at each hand individually.  Finally they look at you as if to say, "that's my skull."  Real similar.

Any way I may not be sprinting, but I am rolling good and clip the guy at the finish line by 0.20 seconds to get 6th in the 55-59 age group.  I rolled the last 0.97 of a mile in 6:05 to finish in 34:26.  The age group winner who is 57 like I am won in 28:07.  I averaged 6:56 a mile which tells me many things I won't share here.

We finish up later at Ryan's crib and have a cookout.  Lot's of good food and plenty of lies.  Along with Ice Age and now Glacial, I don't have many traditional events left.  I was fairly beat up for a couple of days after Al's.  It did inspire me to consider adding some moderate tempo efforts and short hill workouts before Ice Age next year.