On a dark cold rainy night, 26 UBC Triathlon Club members set out to do the 5k run time trial. Using the Acadia loop that we ran last year we set up the same course, 5.5 laps to make a total of 5k. Or so we thought. Last year we mapped out the run based on GPS data from Kevin's Garmin 305. Assuming this was accurate, we used the same route this year. In our easy lap warmup, Winston confirmed that a lap was 900m and so we ran an extra 500 after 5 laps to make it an even 5.0k
With little warmup because people didn't want to get all wet and cold we started. Barry led out and was quickly gone out of sight, and I followed with Matt on my heels and a chasing group of 3-4 about 30-40m back. Lap 1 was fast but felt good finishing the first km in 3:20. I decided this was too fast so eased up a bit, probably a little too much because km #2 was in around 3:45, YIKES slow!
After that my pace times get a little fuzzy because the laps aren't set up for easy math. All I know is that I ran my first lap in 2:59 and ran through the finish line with 1 lap to go at 14:57. I thought I had it. I really wanted to break 18 minutes! This wasn't all I had to think about either. Matt had been hawking behind me the whole run. I waved him passed to try and share he load after 2k but he misunderstood my signal. In his defense, it was a little vague. After seeing Matt kick hard in the mile race, I knew I needed to break him early. So with 1k to go I really started picking it up and surging. I pushed hard on the uphill and the elastic snapped and Matt was 10 meters back instead of the 2-3 he had been. Now the fun part, I'm lapping some of the people running and I can't decipher their feet from Matt's. Its he right behind me? Or still 10-15m back? I just keep pushing trying not to think about. I round the last corner, cross the line and hit my watch!
18:08, NOOO!
So close.
I felt really good running though. Last week I described how I felt like I could have kept going, but that I just couldn't go any faster. Last night being just a little slower, felt great. Hopefully I can carry that in my race in a few weeks.
I was really pumped with this finish, but oh so close. Then Matt finished about 9 seconds back and Winston finished about 30 seconds back. Winston informed us that the route was 5.1km. Not sure how confident I am in this, but then two other runners with GPS watches, Kim and Kory both said the course was long. When we averaged out all 3 GPS it gives us a distance of 5.13km.
Now what do I do. Do I scale this down by 130m and give myself a time of 17:39 for the books? Or do I just suck it up and it doesn't count as a new Personal Best.
I'll leave that to you to decide. Leave a comment as to whether you think this is a new PB or not?
Also, I didn't get a photo of myself at this run, however, we did snap this funny one of Nathaniel which gives you an idea of the conditions.
Tuque, long sleeves, goofy smile.
5 comments:
I would say it doesn't count. Winston was taking some of those corners pretty wide which might skew the distance. Also our start and finish lines weren't exact. And averaging out measurements? nah man. Also, when people ask you your 5k pb you'll be like "17:39... ish... maybe" and then have to tell them the whole story of how it actually isn't real. On the other hand, I don't know when you're ever going to do an actual 5k race where you have to pay and get a number and stuff, so that time might actually be as valid as you're going to get.
I say it doesn't count because of human error in the gps measuring. Think about it, if you factor in that there were some cars parked on the side of the road that we had to go around and you can easily add a couple meters to every corner that was taken wide to avoid leaves its pretty easy to get an extra 100m in the 5.5 laps we did. In a real race you have to deal with going around people and taking corners and stuff and those extra meters never get factored in so why should these ones?? Plus if you google map it you get 5km (at least thats what I got).
I love you, and I think you're a winner, but it doesn't count. Sorry bud,
You could always bust out the asterisk like all those baseball players....
Though as Nathaniel points out it is difficult to lay down the verbal asterisk...
Cheers,
I say it does count as a PB - you did run a 5K in under 18 mins, even you don't know exact time.
But, I think it's gotta stay your secret PB - a personal PB, haha. I agree with other commenters about not being able to really prove it or "boast" about it - what if no one had a GPS? And there is still uncertainty about the actual length of the course :)
Next time! Now you just know that you can break 18 mins for sure.
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