Track Meet

Went over to the Roxboruough High Track last night to meet up with several Philly Runners for the Wissahickon Wanderers Track meet. This was my first track meet and having a little expereince on the track I was excited and a little nervous at the same time.

I signed up for the mile and the 5000 meter (which for some reason on the road can be called 5K but on the track you have to call it 5000 meter).

I was shooting for sub 5:30 in the mile which would be a PR, mostly because I have never raced a mile. The first lap went quickly in about 72 and in the shuffle I fell towards the back of the pack. I laid off the pace a bit because I felt I was pushing to hard to early. It was a mistake. I should have just kept pushing it.

For the remainder of the race I concentrated on trying to reel in the lead I had given to everybody else and it just never happened. I finished in 5:22, a time I was very happy with and it falls pretty much in line with what I expected to run. I learned a bit in the race and in a year from now when I might run another mile race I'll have a better idea of how to race it.

The 5000 was a much smaller field with about 7 runners. In the first lap Seebo was quickly in the lead with another guy right on his tail and then Stevus, Me, and Kevin J in a bunch behind them. It was clear after a couple laps that Seebo had the race wrapped up and the fella that was on his tail quickly lost ground. I fell in behind Stevus and tried to keep him close and distance myself from Kevin J.

The next 8 laps or so nothing really changed. I kept banging out 90-92 sec laps and stayed close to Stevus. I began gaining on Stevus around lap ten and was able to pass him and the guy in second place during the last two laps. It felt good to finally beat Stevus in a race after several close ones. He always seemed to be able to pull away in the end but luckily, this time, I pulled it out.

Second place, it made me feel a bit better about my mile finish.

A great night, I wish something like this happened a little more often. Maybe a bi-monthly meet with stopwatches keeping time and friends racing against each other.

I need to get my ass out to the track more often!