CPO 5km Race

I wasn't supposed to be at this race. My original plan for Wednesday evening (July 4th 2018) was a track session. The track session was cancelled and I was at a loose end. I have come to rely on the track session to help me switch my mind off from other elements of running. At the track session we have a Coach and he delivers feedback, objective feedback, the hard to hear stuff that I definitely need to hear, he keeps track of our times and encourages us. These might seem like small things but when I subtract them from my conscious effort and focus on running as hard as I can I see a benefit. I can direct my focus on one part of my running and check in with other areas that I don't have objective feedback on. 

As I said that session was cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control. I needed something to push myself. I scanned Facebook and the Cork BHAA CPO 5 km race was on in Mahon. For €10 I could go there and push myself against other people. I went and I finished 16 seconds outside my of 5 km PB. Reflecting on the race I slowed a bit too much on the second lap during the drag up to 4k.

I did everything to undo my mistake in the last kilometre and emptied the tank. I finished 16 seconds shy of my 5k PB. The photo below is me screaming at myself to give it more in the last kilometre. The PB was there and I missed it. I’ll know better for next time. Let me be clear this is a steep learning curve. I can accept that yes I shouldn't have been there and that I can't expect to just rock up to a race and take out a PB. For the record my PB over 5 km is 20:12. for those who don't know cracking 20 minutes over 5k is a huge deal. And just to emphasize my point 260 runners took part last night and 61 finished in under 20 minutes. About 1 of 5 runners could pull that off. I respect that. I could have been there, but I got it wrong. The climb on this 5k is not that bad. It's long and it twists a little to the left but it's not a camel hump. I had one lap to suss it out. I checked my watch and took note that when I met the top again I would be at the 4th kilometre of the race when I reached the top. I thought if I adjusted my pace a little I could conserve a little energy and then tear into the final kilometre which drifted downhill. I didn't struggle going up the hill a second time I held back too much. At the top I realised my mistake and stepped on it.  I came home in 20:28. I left it on the hill. Next time it will be different.