So, I debated writing a race report on this or submitting it in the Monday thread like usual, cuz it wasn't a goal race, it was kind of a mess, and I don't think I ran super well, but in the end I want to be able to look back at this race in a couple months and see the difference, so here we are.

Race information

• What? NYU DPT 5K
• When? March 4
• How far? 5K 4.9K
• Where? New York
• Strava activity: https://www.strava.com/activities/887356517

Goals

var goal = (sub17 || top5) && PR;
if (goal) {
  brunch();
} else {
  stillBrunchAlwaysBrunch();
}

Splits

Pre-race

Pfitz has me doing a tuneup race this weekend, and there were like, no races available, but I found this race and asked my running Friend if she wanted to do it with, and turns out she had already signed up (because Friend is a PT, and it's for NYUs PT program).

I looked at last years results and there were 4 guys in the 16s, and a few in the low 17s. My goal was to go out with the leaders and hopefully remain in the top 5. I really wanted to break 17, but didn't know if I could handle sub 5:30s, since my mile PR in the last 5 years is 5:28ish.

But also, I went to a wine and cheese party last night, and as many of you might be aware, I subscribe to a low FODMAP diet before races for, let's call them "pleasantry" reasons. Aka supposed to be no dairy, no gluten, and no fructose. I did avoid the burratas and bries, but couldn't resist the parmesans and manchegos. And all the bread. And a generous portion of Montepulcianos and Super Tuscans. Ladies and Gentleman, this is what we call foreshadowing in the biz.

So I woke up, did my thing, had some coffee and oatmeal, did my thing again.... and ran the 2 miles to the race. Checked in, did my thing again? ... and got some strides in. Did my thing again, ugh for real? and then checked baggage and me and Friend made our way to the starting line.

Mile [1]

I like how you can look at the starting line and see who the fast guys are. There was one dude, Blake, I know it was Blake because everyone and their classmate were screaming "Go Blake!" the whole time, who looked fast, and the others looked, eh. But you never know. The "gun" went off and I took off, leading the race (I'm not a front-runner), and because of dubious directions and markings, after a weird 180-turn 100 meters into the race, I was in 3rd. I creeped back up, and slid into 1st pretty easily, which was my first hint that it might not be a fast pack. I led the first mile with Blake right on my heels, my stomach feeling not so great, but not terrible. (5:32)

Mile [2]

After running down the Hudson Bikeway, almost getting nailed by a bike (the course wasn't closed), I came up to a confused looking volunteer. I asked her which way to go, and her response was "Oh, you guys should've been running down the water. Um, you need to go..." So I stopped, Blake caught up and he stopped, and eventually she told us to run out to the end of the boardwalk and back. So we ran to the boardwalk, sort of just literally turned around, and started running back. I estimate I lost 10-15 seconds there, which kind of sucks (this is Garmin's pace chart). We found our way eventually, with Blake guiding us because he had looked at the map (I, in my usual manner, had not) and the volunteers weren't directing much. (5:49)

Mile [3]

At this point it was just me and Blake , and since I took the lead again, everyone was telling him to "get" me or "crush" me. I feel like the NYU volunteers were biased... Anyway I definitely felt like I was fading, and my only competition was behind me, which I normally don't do well with. I knew my stomach was going to hold out, but I still wasn't feeling super great, so even though I was cruising I felt like if he had a kick, that'd be the end. Mentally, I actually resigned to 2nd place already.

I had decided to speed up at 2.8 and kick at 3.0, but as I was closing in on the 3 mile mark, I was also weirdly closing in on the finish line. A volunteer directed me to "run through the cones", which were perpendicular to the path I was on, so I sort of just ran straight at the timing mats for 1st place. Combine a 2.99 mile 5K (FU strava, rounding down) and the fact I've never finished first in a race before, and I didn't know what to do once I crossed. I stopped and looked around until I got confirmation that it was, in fact, the finish. (5:28)

Post-race

Racewire Time: 16:49. But, revisionism puts my Projected Time 17:22 if it was a full 5K (which would still be a PR), but then again reduced to a Corrected Time: 17:10ish if I hadn't stopped in the middle of the course. Blake came in 10 seconds behind me, and 3rd place was over a full minute behind that. Friend won for women, which meant brunch with our friends was fun. We sat at the "Elites table".

I asked Blake whether he was training for anything, and his response was "No, I ran in high school and college, it just sorta comes back to you". A 17 minute 5K "just comes back to you"?! Ugh.

But, I won a sweet foam roller to add to my collection of recovery tools, and first ever 1st place (since high school anyway), so I'm happy overall I guess.

Lessons learned

1 - I have a sub-17 in me today, in fact, now that I know I can hold 5:30s, I can go into the next race more confident and actually do it. I felt pretty much fine at the end. The last mile didn't hurt as much as I remember it hurting in the past, meaning I could've gone faster. And my stomach was acting up, meaning I wasn't willing to push it as much as I could've.

2 - I still have confidence issues with races and paces. I had resigned to 2nd place 2.5 miles into a race I was winning... I don't really know what to do with that information yet.

3 - NYU grad students don't really know how to organize a race, even though this is the 7th annual, but they were awesome volunteers either way, and overall I had a great time anyway so who really cares. I feel kind of bad for the people who didn't realize it wasn't a real 5K, though :/ But I hope their PT department got a lot of money, because we'll all need them eventually.

This post was generated using the new race reportr, a tool built by /u/BBQLays for making organized, easy-to-read, and beautiful race reports.