Grizzily 5k Race 6/9/2017

Last night, I ran the Grizzly 5k in Gastonia, NC. Going in to this race, I thought I could run an 18:20, may be evening an 18:10. My training has been going well, and my runs had me thinking it was possible.

Right from the start, my breathing felt labored. Which this in its self isn’t unusual, who runs a 5k and doesn’t feel the strain while running hard.

But the effort never felt any easier, and to compound my problems my legs felt extremely flat. The second mile is a gradual uphill grind, but it shouldn’t have felt this hard considering the pace that I was running. My hopes hung on the fact that may be coming back, my legs would kick into gear.

Yes, they did but only slightly. I was only 10 seconds quicker on the 3rd mile when in reality I should be been even faster.

By the time I was turning into the ball park, my legs were turning over but were doing so on autopilot.

I finished 2^nd overall while running 19:01 for this course.

What I cannot explain is how off my game that I felt.

Running is all about cycles. We have ups and downs. Right now, I seem to be in a down cycle, and I am struggling to find the escalator for the up side.

 

Just have to keep working hard.

 

The Cool Down Runner