Faster Beginnings!

The Cleveland Elite Development group started our 2014 season a little early!  We raced at Kent State to see where our fitness was and to get excited about January and beyond.  Last year at this meet only Aubrey and I raced but this year we had Nicole and Barb there as well.  The day proved to be a good and fun one.   We got to the meet around 11 am to get situated and start our warm ups around 11:20.  Nicole and I were racing the mile!  Being a former miler in college I love this distance!  My goal was to go out around 75 and hopefully be under 5:00 when I crossed the finish line. I was right at 75 high through the 400m and already on my own.  I tried to tell myself that I could still run fast, but when it comes down to it. I am not very good at competing with just myself for the shorter distances.  I won in 5:04, Nicole was 2nd in 5:16.  For me that was 6 seconds faster than 1 year ago. But I was somewhat disappointed.  While we haven't run 5:00 pace for anything over 400m yet this fall/winter, I still thought I would be able to break 5.  Nicole wasn't thrilled with her time either, but she too was alone for he duration of the race, and we both knew it was a step forward from a year ago.

Nicole, Aubs, and I 

After some lunch and a show by Tswift Alexander, we were headed out to warm up again.  I felt terrible on the warm up, but I expected as much.  This time Aubrey and Barb would join us. There was one other gal in the race that I knew would help with the pace this time.  Ari Fisher, a former Toledo athlete with Nicole, and a 16:20 5k gal.  So that made me excited to race.  I hoped to go out around 5:16.  The gun went of and Ari took the lead.  Actually I was probably in 10th for 100m.  Then I got around a group of ladies that were out way too hard and on the back of Ari.  We were running perfect 79's. Just before the mile I got a little too close and clipped her heal.  I apologized and after hearing 5:16, put in a big surge to try and make a break.  I have to admit, the second I did it I thought "what the hell am I doing?  That was way too soon!  I won't be able to maintain this!!!"  So I pressed as hard as I could and ignored the lap counter.  

Just after the break, and about 1300m to go. 

With 1k to go I heard my split was 78, and a former college teammate told me I had a 20 meter lead!  I excitedly continued to push toward the finish.  With 400m to go, I tried to make start a decent kick, but I didn't really have much left.  Again since we haven't run anything over 400m at these paces it was hard to feel strong doing it! I won in 9:53, 27 seconds faster than last year, followed by Nicole in 2nd in 10:08, Ari finished in 10:11.  The best part of the day was the 5th place finisher though!  Aubrey ran 10:19 which is a 10 second lifetime PR!!! Barb finished up in 12:12 and a solid finish for her. 

Aubs, stud of the day, with a 10 sec PR! 

So we had a great start to the upcoming season, and I we are all excited to see where our fitness can go in the upcoming months!  We will be back in action in January although we will be all over the place and not 100% sure where.  Time to get back to training for now!