2017 Wellfleet 5 Miler Race Report

A little late...

To start my week of vacation on the Cape, I made the short drive from Truro to Wellfleet for another attempt at the Wellfleet 5 Miler.  Last year's race was a lesson in what not to do the night before a race.  This time around, I had only run ~15 miles total the previous two days, which left me relatively fresh.  And, more importantly, I was well behaved the previous Saturday night.

I arrived early and had plenty of time to get in a little under five miles for my warm up, plus strides, light drills, and I made my way to the line feeling good.  It was a warm and muggy morning, and the course is hilly - but those things worked in my favor.  With very little speed work since Boston, I'm not remotely sharp.  However, I've been mixing in hard running on hilly routes whenever the legs feel up for it, and I've run everyday regardless of the heat & humidity.  So looking back now these conditions were ideal.

On the line I noticed last year's winner, a guy in a Janji singlet who looked familiar, and a small handful of other guys that looked ready to run fast.  When the gun went off, I did what seems to be my normal routine at road races lately, and took the lead.  I wasn't going out quite as hard as I did at the Truro 5m, but I still passed the one mile mark in a 5:25.  At that point I had probably a 10 meter lead on the pack behind me.  I was comfortable and felt in control, though expecting company at some point soon.

The second mile has a gradual hill that then has a steep decent on the back end.  I pressed just a little bit before trying to take big advantage of the downhill.  Knowing the third mile has a much tougher hill before the turnaround point, I gave myself a bit of a cushion so I could get a glimpse of the chase pack and mile two passed in 5:35.  I was definitely working hard as mile three gains ~150ft of elevation.  I made my way around the Great Island parking lot, and back towards the start/finish.  I saw that I had one runner hot on my trail about 10 meters back, while the rest of that chase pack must have broken up on the hill.  I past mile three in 5:45, and approached the base of the hill that I had previously taken advantage of when it was a downhill.

I was starting to really overheat at this point, and I slowed a bit to pour some water on my head.  The cool water hit my bald spot, and felt like hot tea by the time it hit my neck.  As I began to ascend the hill, I purposefully slowed more to let myself get caught.  I then ran stride for stride with the runner who was chasing me, and tried to get an idea as to how he felt.  I gave up the lead for about 5 seconds on the hill and watched him as he didn't seem to have an extra gear to pull away (thankfully!).  If he had pushed hard at that point to the top of the hill, he may have fooled me, but on such a warm day perhaps he would've overheated as well.  In any case, those few seconds of slowing down, and the water on my head really did the trick as I took back a lead that I would not relinquish again.

The long gradual uphill during mile one was now a long gradual downhill heading towards the finish, and I was feeling strong.  I made note of two landmarks during my warm up, and as I passed the first landmark - a set of cottages just prior to the wide turn on Kendrick Ave - I turned the screws.  I had roughly a half mile to go at this point and after passing my second landmark - a small single level cottage - I changed gears again and started to sense the daylight between us.

He was still there as we both turned into the parking lot, but there was now a couple meters between us.  Once we hit the straight I was going to the well for my kick, and thankfully it was there!  I passed the line in 26:50 for the win.

This was a full minute faster than last year, and against some good competition.  It's a short course, so I can't count it as a PR, but it's one of the top races of 2017 so far.

Results
Garmin Stuff

6/11/17 to 7/22/17: Last Six Weeks!?!?! - Lazy Blog Updater

Yeesh!  I've been lax.  Let's just go with a bullet point summary...

- high dew points have me struggling
- I went on vacation and had a down week for mileage
- only one track workout the whole time (!?!), and it was on the shorter side
- three races, two wins, no PRs
- lots of ultimate
- lots of tempos
- Yoga once (through CSU)
- struggling to establish an XT/core routine and make it a habit
- three long runs

The stuff:

11-Jun		Ocean to Bay 5m		0:54:00		9.2		AM: Ocean to Bay 5 Miler, 1st place in 28:17.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Was going to do a shakeout, but no time.
12-Jun		MLR		1:22:36		11.07		AM: 11+ at 7:27/mile.  Not bad Patrick, not bad.
		Easy + strides		1:04:37		8.10		PM: Commute home then a bit with Eli and Raleigh and some barefoot strides at Fresh Pond.  Tot 8+ at 7:58/mile.
13-Jun		Easy (but not really)		1:14:39		9.29		AM: OOF!  Slogfest. 9+ at 8:03per.
		MLR/Ultimate		1:19:28		10.16		PM: 10+ towards ultimate.  I can't believe I averaged 7:50/mile.  Felt like I was crawling.  Then played ultimate, or at least some of it.  Hamstring and calf cramps.  Another OOF!
14-Jun		Easy		0:57:42		7.04		AM: 7+ at 8+.  I feel so sluggish.
		Easy		0:52:31		6.3		PM: 6+ at whatever.  Really exhausted.  No XT no nothing tonight.
15-Jun		Progression		0:56:35		8.07		AM: 8+ progression starting at 8per down to 6:20ish.
		Easy/Ultimate		0:46:58		6.32		PM: 6+ at 7:26/mile followed up by Ultimate.
16-Jun		Easy		1:05:03		8.36		AM: 8+ commute at 7:47/mile.
		Easy		0:47:44		6.3		PM: 6+ at 7:35/mile.
17-Jun		MLR Moderate		1:16:48		10.52		AM: 10+ at 7:18/mile.  Not sure why, but a bit quicker.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
18-Jun		Long Run		2:06:58		16.04		AM: 16+ at around 7:55/mile.  First ~4m w/Eli and Raleigh.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
19-Jun		Easyish		1:04:52		8.47		AM: 8+ at 7:40/mile.
		MLR Brutal Weather		1:17:20		10		PM: 10 soggy miles at 7:44/mile.  Really wiped.
20-Jun		Easyish		1:02:24		8.04		AM: 8+ at 7:46/mile.  Oof.
		Harvard Track		1:50:13		13.4		PM: Commute home and to Harvard.  200x2/800/600/400/200 with decreasing rest 3/2/1.  Garmin was funky, and I felt terrible.
21-Jun		Easy		0:42:51		5.17		AM: Work meeting.  Only 5+ slow.
		Easy + Barefoot Strides		1:19:19		10		PM: 10m, part commute, part running Raleigh, part barefoot strides.
22-Jun		Easy		1:02:49		8.13		AM: 8+ commute at 7:43/mile.  Took my legs awhile to feel good, but eventually felt alright.  Bumped into Morgan Uceny at a red light and chatted for a few minutes.  Pretty cool.
		Easyish		0:50:00		6.83		PM: 6+ at ~7:20/mile.  Forgot to hit stop on the Garmin.
23-Jun		Easy		0:53:45		7.19		AM: 7+ at 7:29/mile.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
24-Jun		Easy		0:57:03		7.2		AM: 7+ at 7:55/mile.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
25-Jun		Long Run		2:11:04		16.1		AM: 16+, first 10m w/Eli on the slower side, then the final miles solo fastish.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Drive home.
26-Jun		MLR Moderate		1:12:06		10.04		AM: 10m at 7:11/pace.  Legs felt pretty good after the first mile, so I went a little quicker.
		Easy + Strides		1:22:46		10.05		PM: 10m with ~8m at probably 7:45 and some slow miles with Luke, then again with Raleigh.  Finished w/four Poplar strides.
27-Jun		Easyish		1:11:26		9.27		AM: 9+ at something like 7:45/mile.
		Tempo + Ultimate		0:40:24		6.27		PM: 6+ w/1m warm up 5m tempo very short cool down.  Averaged probably 6:0x.  Drove to ultimate.
28-Jun		Easyish		1:09:44		9.15		AM: 9+ at 7:37/mile.
		Easy		1:03:14		7.72		PM: 7+ at whatever.  Finished with Raleigh slow.
29-Jun		MLR		1:18:11		10.03		AM: 10+ at 7:48/mile.
		Easy		0:48:05		6.31		PM: 6+ at 7:38/mile.
30-Jun		Easy		1:03:34		8.08		AM: 8+ at 7:52/mile in Truro.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Nada.
1-Jul		Easy		1:00:44		7.6		AM: 7+ at 8 per.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
2-Jul		Wellfleet 5m		1:10:00		10.4		AM: Wellfleet 5m.  Good race, won it!  26:52, but short course.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
3-Jul		Easy/Trails		0:58:00		5.86		AM: 5+ in the trails.  Raleigh slowed us down a lot.  Still fun.
		Moderate		0:34:58		5.04		PM: 5m at 6:56/mile.  A little quicker just to get it over with.
4-Jul		Moderate		0:45:28		6.41		AM: 6+ at 7:05.  Again, a little quicker.
		Easy		0:46:44		5.22		PM: 5+ through some new trails with Eli, then a pretty long walk along the beach back to Longnook.
5-Jul		MLR		1:15:17		10.17		AM: 10+ at 7:24/mile.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
6-Jul		Easy		2:05::39		9.35		AM: Not really 9.  Another run where we parked at beach A, ran to beach B, then walked along the water back to beach A.  I like this.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
7-Jul		Tempo		0:44:18		7.03		AM: 7m at 6:18/mile.  Solid longer tempo.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
8-Jul		Easy		0:40:30		5.06		AM: 5m at 8 per.
		Off		0:00:00		0		Our Vacation
9-Jul		Easy		0:54:30		7.14		AM:  7+ at 7:38/mile.  Just squeezing in a run before we have to head back to Cambridge.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Didn't have the energy to double up like I was hoping.  A much longer cleanup before we left.
10-Jul		MLR Tempoish		1:11:57		10		AM: 10m at 7:11/mile.  Not bad!
		Easy		1:03:11		8.28		PM: 8+ at 7:38/mile.
11-Jul		Easy		1:05:12		8.32		AM: 8+ commute at 7:50/mile.  Tired.
		Easy		0:49:12		6.08		PM: 6+ at 8+.  Wow, out of it.  Had to skip both track and ultimate.
12-Jul		Easy		1:07:47		8.5		AM: 8+ at 7:58.  Taking it easy.
		Easy		0:56:47		7.21		PM: 7+ at 7:52/mile.
13-Jul		Easy		1:05:30		8.3		AM: 8+ at 7:53/mile.  Meh.
		Easy & Ultimate		0:48:17		6.05		PM: 6+ at around 8 per, followed by ultimate.
14-Jul		Easy		0:40:47		5.02		AM: 5m nice and easy.
		Friday Night Lights 10k		1:00:00		9.08		PM: 34:18.  Not bad, not great.  Perfect weather to run fast, and I couldn't do it.
15-Jul		Easy		0:56:21		7.09		AM: 7+ tot.  First bit very slow with Eli and Raleigh.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.  Played hoops, hr derby, marco polo, etc.  Fun day with the family.
16-Jul		Long Run		2:03:07		16.09		AM: BATTLE ROAD!!!!
		Off		0:00:00		0		Arizona Bugbee's in MA
17-Jul		Easyish		1:02:52		8.28		AM: 8+ after driving the Jeep back to work.  Solid pace though thanks to no backpack or shirt.  ~7:30/mile.  Hot.
		Easy & Yoga		1:10:00		8.46		PM: Commute home, then run to Yoga from Eli's work.  Hot.
18-Jul		Easyish		1:05:20		8.04		AM: 8m commute slow.  Dew point above 70.  Oof.
		Easy & Ultimate		0:57:25		7.07		PM: 7+ normal then slow with Raleigh.  Then Ultimate.
19-Jul		Easy		1:03:47		8.07		AM: 8+ commute slow.
		Easy		0:54:02		6.25		PM: Ran home from work cookout.  Worst side stitch ever.
20-Jul		Easy		1:04:54		8.06		AM: 8+ slow.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.  Drive & ferry to Long Island.  Got in late.
21-Jul		Moderate		0:50:09		7.17		AM: 7+ at 7flat.  Not bad I guess.
		EAsy		1:04:23		8.08		PM: 8+ a bit slower.  Super humid.
22-Jul		MLR Moderate		1:14:51		10.26		AM: 10+ at 7:18/mile.  Just ended up quicker.
		Quick		0:30:13		4.27		PM: 4+ at 7:05.  Quicker again.

Totals: 100.73, 100.47, 100.62, 64.54, 91.07, 100.1