Monday, December 10, 2012

Jingle out the year!

Saturday was the Jolly Elf Trail Run in Bond Park in Cary.  December of 2011 this is the same place I set my current 5k PR (21:58 bitches) and this year it was the last race I'm doing in the Grand Prix series.  My goal was to finish without crying.  Running a 5k a week after a 40 miler might have just been poor scheduling on their part. 

I started close to the middle/back on purpose. The legs were feeling ok but not really great yet.  I wanted to just take it easy, not push anything and keep the heart rate low.  I started out and passed a bunch of people anyway.  This is a really fun trail course made of three loops.  The first loop is first, then the second loop, then you run the first loop again.  And yes, the first and second loops are different trails.  At the end of the first loop is the one mile marker, and you can see the finish line clock as you run past.  Last year I hit it at 6:31, this year it was 6:45.  Good thing I slowed down.

I was actually able to keep my heart rate down.  Saw my friend Troy out there in the second mile.  Also my right foot started hurting pretty good.  That loop had a pretty steep hill in it too. 

The repeat of the first loop was completely uneventful.  I ran it, the foot hurt, and then we had the finish line.  This is a really fun course.  Great trail and a really popular and well organized race. 

I finished in 23:03, a full 1:05 slower than last year.  I guess that's taking it easy.  7:26 pace.
96/503 overall
12/20 M35-39

and so completes all of the races I ran in 2012.  All 27 of them.  Bring on the year end reviews!

6 comments:

Lisa from Lisa's Yarns said...

Wow! Just wow. I am super impressed that you ran such a fast 5k on the heels of an ultra! You are a MACHINE! And that is a ton of racing. I did very little racing this year and will likely do very little next year which is lame, but oh well. I would like to do a half in the summer possibly and then I'll do the Chicago marathon in the fall. Besides that, I have no other racing plans!

healthy ashley said...

LOL you're getting funnier the older you get. I am amazed at your speed, much less after the ultra. Can't wait to have times like that!

hebba said...

nothing like a little fun run to round out the year,eh?

Alisa said...

27 races, that's a TON.

Next year is B2B right? Starting off for a fun year of LONG sessions.

Al's CL Reviews said...

Great job! 27 races? WOW!

Kyria @ Travel Spot said...

27 races!? That's a lot! And you were saying that I was not taking it easy!