2015 Immaculata Nun Run 5K

Only a Week After Racing 50K

I have to start this with a statement that I must be crazy or foolish to have entered and run this race. It's only been a week since I ran 50K on the track under a hot sun, nowhere near enough time to recover for a hard workout, much less a race. Nonetheless I did, primarily because Immaculata University has been a good neighbor and I do much of my training on their campus. This had some distinct advantages during the race since I knew what the course was like, where the hills were, and how far it was to the finish throughout the race. Even so it was a near last minute decision. I registered Thursday evening, technically after the close of registration at 10:00 am that morning, but the transaction was processed, so I assumed I was registered.

I worked until 10:00 pm the night before so got to bed a little earlier than usual. Even though the race is only a few minutes away and didn't start until 8:30 am, I still set my alarm for 5:15 am. That gave me time for a leisurely breakfast with ample leeway to still get to the race by 7:30 am, pick up my packet, and get in a good warm up. I chatted with several of the sisters from the university who recognized me from running there frequently or from seeing me at Barnes & Noble. Of the regular runners, I've been away from the local racing scene for so long that I only recognized two of them, one in my age group and one who was a runner at Immaculata and also coached there after graduation. Being a fund raiser I expect most of the runners and virtually all of the walkers were related in some way to the university or the grade school and study center where the race started and finished.

I didn't expect to be a front runner, indeed I only expected to run around 33 minutes based on how my easy runs had felt this week. I had pushed the effort a little on Thursday's run and still was running well over an 11 minute pace. If I got in what would essentially be a good tempo run at 10:30 pace, it would be a good workout and good run. I lined up far enough back that I didn't seem to impede anyone, yet didn't have to weave around or get trapped behind walkers or slow runners. I should say slower runners, because I was slow myself. We looped around the grade school, down a short slope, across the road to the university campus and hit our first significant hill. I was amused by some of the "inspirational" signs along the path, e.g "With God all things are possible...even running this hill." I was surprised when I did a quick check on my Garmin to that I was running close to a 9 minute pace. That was not current pace, but an extrapolation of pace based on my split at .25 miles, so probably a little more accurate. After reaching the top we had a short, flat section before heading back down the hill via road instead of path, through a parking lot, then back up another hill before I reached the mile mark in 9:22. I was working hard, but well under control and faster than expected.

We continued downhill on the back side of the library then up gradually before heading through a wooded drive where we dipped down on a moderately short but steep hill to the low point on the course. Still running on the wooded drive we headed up then flat passing the halfway point somewhere along there. It wasn't marked but I run that section every time I run on campus except in the winter when it hasn't been plowed. We had a slight ascent exiting the woods and the course took a turn different from what I;d seen on the course map. That meant another short, steep downhill and a longer uphill stretch as we passed the nursing home with the drive lined by the residents cheering us as we ran by. Once passed that and turning onto one of the main drives through campus I reached the 2-mile split in 19:05. I knew I had slowed some on the hills and that was reflected in the 9:43 for mile 2.

I was still feeling pretty good considering it was a race, so I started pushing the pace to see if I could catch and pass anyone. There were only two more small hills left along with running down that first hill as we retraced the last 600m of the course. I honestly don't remember much about the last half mile as I was more focused on trying to push the pace and judge when I could start my final kick. It wasn't very fast and I couldn't catch the 4 or 5 runners that finished within 5 seconds of me, but at least no one passed me in the final 100m. Overall I finished 94th of 273 runners and ran 29:28. My last mile was 9:31 so I did pick up the pace, and the final tenth or so was 52 seconds, a sub-9:00 pace.

I took a slow mile plus cool down jog, then hung around for the awards, raffle prizes (I didn't win anything), and chatting with some of the sisters. We had been told there would be a surprise finish to the festivities. It was definitely unexpected. As they started playing We Are Family, 4 of the sisters came out of the crowd to dance, then 4 more, and yet another 4, so a round dozen dancing to the music and having a grand time. I thought it a fitting conclusion in the spirit of the event and thoroughly enjoyed it.