Johnny's Runnin' of the Green 2009

Run: 5 miles in :31:54 min. @ 10:30 a.m. + 5 miles
Weather: Partly Cloudy, 29°F, 63% Humidity, Wind: SSW @ 7 mph; feels like 22°F.
Pace: Race--6:30? min./mi, Warm-up/cool-down--8:30 min./mi
Course: Start at 70 State Street (Crowne Plaza), to Exchange, to Ford Street Bridge, cross river and turn right on Wilson Blvd., go to turnaround point (half way) on Wilson between Faculty Road and Fraternity Road, return to Crowne Plaza.
Official Results: Available here courtesy of PCR Timing.

Pre-Run Observations: While I haven't run a road race in over three months (the last race being the New Years' Day Resolution Run), I have been attempting to settle into a training plan to prepare myself for... "who knows what" later this Spring/early summer. Maintaining an established plan can become challenging when the occasional race of interest comes up, and though I want to participate, I try to remain aware of my scheduled runs. Tomorrow's Key Run Workout #3 is scheduled to be a 20 miler.

In an effort to increase my mileage before and after the 5-mile race, but still falling short of the 20 miles, at least for today, I am going to attempt to run both to and from the race start/finish. This should, n effect, double the total distance to ten miles. My thought is to then put in the balance (10 more miles) tomorrow.

I am also considering using this run as speed work rather than a race (but, really, what's the difference?), and a PR is not on my radar for this odd race distance (5 miles). (The last time I "raced" at this distance for time was last March 16, 2007--this race on a slightly different course--placing 57 of 984 after finishing in :31:28 (6:18/M)... looking back I am completely flabbergasted that I did so well.

Post-Race Reflections: After making my way over the roughly 2.5 miles from our home to the race (which was in the general vicinity of my wife's work), I found a bus stop shelter in which to leave my the extra cotton t-shirt I had worn to warm-up in. The weather was perfect for a run with any remnants of winter (ice and snow) pretty much melted out of existence, leaving the shoulders of the roads clear and free of obstructions.

Today's race is the "official" start of the Rochester racing season, so it also provided an opportunity to reconnect with a few of my "running friends" most of whom had taken the winter off (like myself) from racing. It was great to see them again, and to have some folks with which to pace the first few miles. I ended up breaking away from our small pack after mile two and in the end ran a strong :32:00-ish race which was faster than I had anticipated, especially given my lay-off up until about three weeks ago.

The run home following the race was a little more labored and as I made my way back home through the throngs of people awaiting the start of our city's St. Patrick's Day parade, I had a difficult time staying focused. Fortunately, I did make home quickly and was relieved to sit down for a multi-grain English Muffin slathered with crunchy peanut butter... mmmmm!

Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!