Feaster Five / Thanksgiving

Feaster Five splits

5:48
11:22 - 5:34
17:05 - 5:43
22:41 - 5:36
27:33 - 4:52

I'm pretty happy with the run this morning. After a couple weeks of decent, but certainly not ideal running, I feel like I'm finally past the major aspects of marathon recovery. My left hamstring bugs me when I stretch my quad (as if that makes sense?) but it doesn't bother me when I run. I've spent a good amount of time on the foam roller hoping to avoid a setback by building back to a good volume too quickly.

Anyway, Alex and I were up until about 1am hanging out and got up around 7 to roll out at 7:30. It was cool to be able to run right from my apartment to the start line (3.7 mi) but it was a little difficult carrying extra gear and layers. It was a crisp 29 degrees as we left the apartment and hit the trails. Arriving at the start line it was exciting to see several really solid runners doing strides. The crowd was also amazingly large as far as New England road races typically go. At the time I didn't notice it, but I guess several top guys were bandits, most likely because the race sold out for the second year in a row. Feaster has to cap the race at 10,000 people, making it the second largest road race in MA.

On this morning I was sort of ambivalent about a performance goal and just wanted to be out there with my kind on the day that classically holds the most road races accross the United States. Meanwhile, Alex was instructed by his coach to run 5:00-5:05 as a pace run. I entertained no thought of running that hard, so the gun sounded and I was instantly surrounded by a mass of runners as we settled into the start. It was difficult to tell who was running the 5k and who was in the 5 mile, so I just relaxed and tried to let a solid pace run effort come to me.

I felt flat from the first step, but I expected nothing less so I just embraced the effort and tried to do the best I could with unresponsive legs. It's the oddest feeling as a runner to be unable to force yourself to breathe hard, and for the second race in a row my muscles have been the limiting factor. At the same time, it is good to know that I am aerobically sound and I can focus on improving my mechanics and strength in the coming weeks. It was my first time running the Feaster and I was pumped to find the course really played to my strengths. After a tough hill in the first mile, an uninspired 4 miles had passed. I hung onto a loose pack of 3 guys through 2 miles but gradually let them run on ahead of me. Hitting the 4 mile mark, I did some quick math and decided I would really try to punch it and dip under 28 minutes. There were several guys in sight and the 5k crowd to my left was really motivating. The downhill grade as far as I could see was a major motivator.

I caught four guys, and passing the final two I rounded a turn and looked uphill to see a banner in the distance. Reinforcing the fact that I really need to buy glasses, I began an all-out sprint up the hill thinking it was the finish line! The adrenaline of trying to dust the two guys I had just passed mixed with anticipating the finish caused this rookie mistake, but I tried to embrace the lactic acid rush as it poured into my shoulders and arms, making me feel instantly heavy and uncoordinated. The move worked out for the better and I finished with one heck of a final mile. The splits are based on the mile markers out on the course, so it's possible my last mile was slightly slower and #4 was a bit faster. Either way, it was an exciting way to finish up. It was probably the most content I've ever been running a 27-mid 5 miler.

Alex and I hung out for a bit after the race and chatted with a few racers. Nate Jenkins had taken it to him and broke away early. Alex had been really pumped before the race and was hoping to go for the win despite his coaches' orders, and ultimately I think he put in a racing effort. Fresh off his 30:20 10k at the Southeast Regional, my best guess is he was a little rusty after some downtime, not to mention pulling an all-nighter three nights ago plus hitting the weights hard the night before. I'm not trying to make excuses but trying to explain he did indeed put in a racing effort and Jenkins most certainly earned a win this morning!

In the end we made out like bandits, snagging full-size apple pies, vitamin waters, tons of snacks, and such items and stashed them in the woods on the run back to my apartment. It is good to spend time with the little bro and inspiring to hear about his training and truly Spartan focus during this fall cross-country season. It has been helpful to be reminded of what it takes to run at a high level. I'm amazed sometimes at my own complacency in my training. The major take-away: drills and strength training are important components to running efficiently at a fast pace.