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Post by kevinspradlin on Mar 2, 2008 11:43:33 GMT -5
QCS runners take top 3 spots in Kennard 10-miler SALISBURY, Md. -- Jaron Hawkins, Jeremy Rice and David Mertz finished first through third, respectively, Sunday at the Tim Kennard 10-mile River Run on the campus of Salisbury State University. Hawkins, 25, of Frostburg, led a field of 154 runners to the finish line, stopping the clock in a net time of 52 minutes and 14 seconds. He averaged 5:14 per mile. Rice, 26, also of Frostburg, was a distant second in 58:03. Mertz, 22, of Cumberland, finished 54 seconds behind Rice in 58:57. All three runners represent the Hagerstown-based Cumberland Valley Athletic Club and are active members of the Queen City Striders. Complete results can be viewed online at www.charmcityrun.com. |
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Post by wvrunner on Mar 2, 2008 18:45:56 GMT -5
Great Job gentleman! I'd love to hear a race report when you get the time.
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Post by frojoe23 on Mar 3, 2008 9:17:53 GMT -5
Thanks guys!
It was a pretty good weekend for all of us - we came out knowing what kind of shape we are in - 7 weeks out from Boston - and it looks great. A few minor things to work on, but probably had more to do with conditions and competition than anything.
After the nearly 4 1/2 hour drive, we arrived to pick up our numbers. At the expo, I was told that I was the favorite in the 10 miler - that meant that all of the other top competitors had opted to run the 5k, which had the same prize money. Obviously, it would have been easier to run the 5k, but it is marathon season and we all at least wanted to come out of the weekend knowing where we stood whether we were 1st place or 100th.
We were then told that the 5k and 10-miler would start together and that both races would run the same course for 2 miles before diverging. Instantly, this was a bit of a worry. I didn't want to get sucked out too quick or have Dave and Jeremy sucked out too quick. I was able to find out the top guys in the 5k, so we would know who would be going from the gun and choose to let them go.
I don't think anybody really slept well down there (except for Dave - I think he was only awake for the race and to eat the entire weekend), but many good races have been run on little or no sleep. We did about a four mile warm-up before the race at a very leisurely pace - it felt like none of us would run well. I'm pretty sure that my legs only loosened up at about 3.5 miles into the warmup.
The race started and the two top guys took off quick (both from Charm City Run). I let them go and slowly worked my way up past the one middle school kid who opens up with a 2:20 first 800. I also got to pass Greg Cauller - who started out pretty quick as well. For some reason, I was concerned that the 5k guys might pull away from me - don't know why it bugged me, but it did. I still stayed off of them and let them have a nice lead. At a mile, I was a little too quick. I wanted to be 5:20-25, but was 5:10. I was able to keep the same distance between the 5k leaders and me up to where we split off at two miles. I was 10:23 at this point. The people at the turn kept screaming "5k turn left" whenever I kept moving straight.
At this point, I had a lead bike with me that was following a white SUV. I have no idea where we ran or what direction we were running in, but we took at least 6 turns a mile. I remember one at close to mile 4 that was almost a 180 degree turn out of this cul de sac. By mile 5 we were back on the first mile of the 5k course. Apparently, Jackie was here cheering us all on and working the video camera, but I don't remember seeing her or hearing her. On the videotape, she is the only thing you can hear, but I must have been zoned out or something. Right after 5 miles, things started to get tough. Most of the in and out turns were over and we were on Riverside Drive, which actually had a long uphill to mile 6. This is where the wind really stared to pick up - not Boston wind last year, but still substantial. At mile 7, we had to hop on to a sidewalk and it was back to a few 90 degree turns as we did a loop through was was just like Cumberland's Downtown Mall and then we were back onto Riversiide from 8 - 9 miles.
I did get to see Jeremy and Dave headed into the downtown loop and managed to scream at them . I wasn't sure what place they were in, but the way they were both moving, I was confident that they were 2nd and 3rd. The loop around downtown and another modest uphill in mile 8 started to wear on me and I really lost my focus. I had started to think about time at this point and what would my time be if I started running 5:30's - I know it is not the best thing to think, but I had fallen out of that zone of concentration from earlier. I really attribute this to not eating enough before the race. I only had a small container of yogurt and I truly believe that my legs were fine, but my mind was tired. I know that probably doesn't make sense, but I just all of a sudden flipped a switch and went from reeling off miles with little effort to thinking there was no way to do it anymore. In the last mile (probably from knowing there was a mile to go) I was able to get back on track and ran a half decent mile to finish up.
All in all, it was a good experience. I could have done without the drive, but it's nice to race somewhere else for a change. The awards were nice and there was catered buffet afterwards with some nice veggie wraps and mini crabcakes, chicken noodle soup, chicken salad sandwiches, and bagels.
So, here we go on the splits - I really felt that with someone there in the second half, I could've come back close to what I ran in the first half. One of the things that was disconcerting was being able to find my rhythm early. I would have liked to have found that rhythm at about mile 6 instead of at mile 3. It was a good race, especially for early March after not being able to do much up-tempo stuff this winter and being confined to a treadmill for nearly 500 miles.
Mile 1: 5:10.71
Mile 2: 5:12.80 (10:23.51)
Mile 3: 5:05.20 (15:28.71)
Mile 4: 5:07.34 (20:36.05)
Mile 5: 5:08.33 (25:44.38)
Mile 6: 5:12.05 (30:56.43)
Mile 7: 5:14.49 (36:10.92)
Mile 8: 5:25.37 (41:36.29)
Mile 9: 5:23.25 (46:59.54)
Mile 10: 5:14.46 (52:14.00)
Wait til you see Jeremy's splits - he and Dave ran smart races early and I believe Jeremy had a nice negative split.
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Post by burgrunner on Mar 3, 2008 10:51:49 GMT -5
It did turn out to be a pretty good weekend. It was nice to go down and take the top 3 spots (as well as the prize money that goes with them). The weather was a little chillier than we expected as the temperature was about 32 degees at the start. The breeze didn't help things either. I was really beginning to wonder how the race was going to unfold when we were warming up. I couldn't get my legs loose. After our warm-up, we went back into the gym to get ready and for the opening ceremony. We then proceeded back out to the starting line. We did a few striders before the start and that seemed to help get things working a little better. The biggest problem that I have racing shorter distances while in marathon training is that I don't seem to get any leg turnover.
Dave and I went out together at the start along with a young lady from Charm City Run and another guy (who ended up finishing 4th overall). The first mile seemed very slow so I was very surprised when they called out the split at 5:42. I commented to Dave at that point that it felt like we were over 6 minute pace. We ran in the same pack of 4 through 2 miles where the 5k split off (Dave seemed to be really disappointed to see the girl from CCR make that left turn). At this point, I turned and talked to the other guy that was with us and asked him what he was planning on running. He responded with "whatever you guys are, probably around 60-61 minutes." We stayed close together for another two miles or so. At this point, I decided that it wasn't a good idea to let him hand around for too long, as you never know what might happen later on. I did see Jackie at four and a half miles unlike the other guys. Between mile 5 and 6, I turned to take a quick glance and saw that I had put about ten seconds or so on the other guy, and Dave was just behind me. One of the lead bikers came back and led me the rest of the way. Mile 6 was out in the open with a cross wind and had a gradual uphill grade. At this point, I had opened up a little gap on Dave, and I was afraid of what may happen if he was real close in the final mile or so. At this point, I started to work pretty hard, looping through downtown and turning back toward the campus. The farther we got into the race, the better I started to feel (a big positive for the marathon training.) The last mile was my fastest, which was good, and I think that I could have held that pace for a few more miles.
At no point during the race did I feel tired or winded; I just didn’t have that “extra gear” that comes with the summer 5k season. Overall, I was pleased and the negative split was nice. Fortunately we only have a few more weeks of hard work left before the “Big One” in April.
My splits:
5:42
5:54
5:53
5:52
5:48
5:51
5:43
5:49
5:48
5:38
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Post by baldisbetter on Mar 3, 2008 13:36:47 GMT -5
Outstanding work...
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Post by frojoe23 on Mar 4, 2008 11:43:41 GMT -5
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Post by frojoe23 on Mar 4, 2008 11:49:55 GMT -5
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