The Run For the Roses is a 5k event put on by the North Carolina Road Runners Club and is one of the oldest races still around in NC with this being the 37th annual coming up this Sunday. I was a participant in that first one running a 19:34. I returned the next year and ran what would end up being my fastest for the race, a 19:11. I had a 7 year streak and then didn't return for about a dozen years . I have not been a participant since 1999 but I have been a regular volunteer many times over the years. The race has had to move to a different location at least 5 times over all these years but the format has stayed the same with the current race being held at the Dorothea Dix Campus.
I had not even considered racing it this year but after the race was chosen to be the Road Runners Club of America's NC State Championship 5k, race director Elizabeth Werner called me out publicly on Facebook to enter. She seems to think it would be a nice addition to go with my 10k and Half Marathon championships. I thought about it and I agree, it would be a nice addition to my collection but its not going to be easy. Anyway, I went ahead and entered and put it out there that I was accepting the challenge.
I had entered the Frosty 50k the first weekend of January as the first race of the year and my return to racing ultras so I was hoping that 5 weeks in between would give me time to recover and get in a little speedwork. Mother Nature had different plans though and the 50k was cancelled but then postponed until the 21st. I made the decision to skip the 50k and go ahead and focus on the 5 k so I in essence had 4 weeks to prepare for the 5k.
The course at Dix Hill is Hilly ! Surprise ! So as I was making my crash course in 5k training plan I felt that hills were just as important if not more so than doing a lot of speedwork. My first track session went quite well with my times right where I left off last November. A week later I was at the Art Museum for some painful 1/4 mile hill repeats. That hurt but it went well.
The following week it was back to the track and an even better workout. Another week later and a repeat of the art museum hills and each repeat was about 4 seconds faster than two weeks before. I then topped off the training with a sharpening track workout that I have done before every 5 k race over the past 4 years that has worked out well for me. Nailed that one with better splits than last November so I'm feeling confident that I'm ready to have a very good race.
In addition to these specific workouts I did all my long runs on the hills of Umstead plus another shorter faster 6 to 8 miler once a week in the park and my strength on the climbs has improved.
So now I just have to show up and give it all I've got. Whether I win depends on if I can truly run to my potential and who else shows up. Even on my best day there are some tough guys out there in my age group that can kick my butt so there is no guarantee I make the podium. I will predict the outcome though. Like Clubber Lang said when asked to make a prediction in his fight with Rocky Balboa. Answer ? PAIN !
As for the past two weeks of training other than the workouts above I had some good weeks since my last update two weeks ago. 38 and 30 miles respectively. The cross training is going great also and in that two weeks I have had another 8 x 90 minute Bikram Yoga classes. Another 10 hours of home stretching and or yin Yoga. 4 sessions of free weights and 5 Body weight days. And I feel great !
Stay Tuned and look for results and report here soon.
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