Hannaford Turkey Trot 5K Race Recap

Time: 19:05 (6:09/mile pace)
Age Group (30-34): 6th out of 25
Overall Placing: 36th out of 529

***I'll also post some pictures later if the Maine Track Club photographer got me in any.

Good day for a race! I'm quite happy with the outcome. While I didn't break 19:00, I came close. And I shattered my old PR of 19:33 (which was set on a flat course last May), so I really can't complain!

I met my friend Amy there before the race. She also did great, especially considering she wasn't feeling very well and also hasn't trained much in the past month. We hung out until it was race time and then BOOM! The starting cannon went off.

Mile 1: 5:45 - My Garmin read this pretty accurately. I set it to take an automatic split time when it read one mile. I felt good during this stretch. Plan was to maintain 6:00 minute splits throughout, and this was way too fast. It'd catch up with me later, but I was feeling good at the time and decided, ah screw it, I'm feeling good, let's go with it and see what happens.

Mile 2: 5:52 - I think my GPS was just a little generous here. It took the split about five seconds before the actual mile marker. But I was still running strong and feeling good. I was running with a pack of six or so runners for much of this mile.

Mile 3: 6:28 - Uh oh. I was starting to run out of gas. That pack I was running with was putting on more and more distance. Fortunately, nobody was close behind and I wasn't passed during this stretch. During the last tenth of a mile for this mile there's a big uphill. The pack is now a good 30-40 feet ahead of me when we reach it. By the time we get to top of the hill, I've gained all of the distance back and I'm literally right behind them.

Last point-one (time ??) - Just a tenth of a mile to go, and though I'm tired, the pack appears to be even more so. Their breathing is even more labored than mine after climbing that hill. I initiate my kick and pass most, if not everyone, in the pack! During this time, I can see the clock, it's getting close to 19:00, and I dug deep and gave it my all. The finish line is now right there and I cross it with a time of 19:05. Not bad, I'm happy.

Afterwards, we hung out for the race results and my age group was very well stacked with quality runners, so I only finish 6th out of 25 for 30-34 year old males. Still, shattering my PR and beating that pack of runners in the final stretch has me very stoked. I love finishes like that.

Other notes: Temps were in the upper 30s at race time and skies were overcast. I ran in shorts and a long sleeve wicking t-shirt and wore a beanie. That ensemble was perfect for me in these conditions.