Cabot Trail was amazing – for sure – and although it lifted my spirit light as a feather, it put lead in my legs. 4 days of hard living and some long downhill running left me in less than peak form for the second Timex race – the Enfield 5k.
I thought I’d be okay – race morning was beautiful – and the course is as close to flat as you’re gonna get on the Nova Scotia road racing scene. I figured, even with tired body and legs, I should be able to rip off a PB. So I was optimistic going to the line – I even lined up in the first row of runners. When the gun went, I tucked in behind my training partner N. I figured he would set a good pace over the first k, and I could follow him and see where my fitness was that morning. I got a little impatient, though, and about 300-400m in, I pulled in front to set the pace. We passed the first k slower than I would have liked – 3:26 (when I was looking for 3:20s) – so I surged a bit after looking at my watch. But I could feel that I was already running at capacity, and my body settled back into a 3:26/27 pace.
The two guys with me were content to let me lead for the second k (a 3:27), but after that, they pulled ahead. Their move was good for me, though – it meant I could tuck in and let them set the pace, and it meant that I wouldn’t feel obligated to lead during the second half of the out-and-back course, which was into the wind. All I had to do was hang on. At the 2.5k turn around, though, N put on a bit of a surge, and while the other guy matched it, I didn’t. Even so, I was able to catch them up after a couple hundred metres, but the effort left me without much extra left. By 3k, they were pulling away and I had to let them go and fight my own battle.
Despite struggling, I maintained my 3:27 pace for the 4th k, but the two guys in front were putting real estate between me and them – in fact, they were making time on the second-place guy. I was in fifth, but I couldn’t hear anyone creeping up behind me, so I focused on staying relaxed and keeping my turn over going as I climbed the hill in the last 500m of the race.
I was a little disappointed when I finally saw the clock on the home stretch – I knew I wasn’t going to be close to a sub-17. But I crossed in 17:13 – good enough for my second-fastest 5k. With tired legs, I couldn’t be too beat up about it – but I still want that sub-17. Unfortunately, my (potentially) last chance at it this season is this Sunday! I can’t imagine my legs are going to come back to me in just a week, but I can hope. I’m going to go into Lunenburg looking for that elusive sub-17.
