Racing at the U of MN tomorrow!

This should be interesting – 5k on the track tomorrow morning.  10:45 in case anyone wants to come watch/cheer!

I am looking at this as a chance to see where my fitness is at. 

I ran a 17:52 here in 2011, the year I qualified for the Trials in June.  I’d be pumped if I was there.  IF my legs are feeling really good, it’d be awesome to see if I could grab the meet record, 17:47 (by an Ole!).  The 17:52 year I had someone to race against and had done a lot more shorter speed work.  This year it looks like I’m seeded first, and by a bit.  It’s always so much harder to race a 5k fast by yourself.  I am also in the middle of two big weeks (110 miles ea.), and have done some
speed work in the last few weeks, but not a ton.  I know I’m pretty strong, though, so we’ll see
where that gets me!

I think I’ll start around 44-5/lap for the first lap or two and then warm into something faster.  I’m hoping something will feel “right” (hoping that might be 42-3s or so a lap!).  I have two speficic goals: 
1.  To make the first mile feel “easy”.  When I’m racing alone on the track I have a habit of tensing up and trying too hard that first mile. 
2.  I’ll try to concentrate on that last mile, making sure I just don’t coast in.  From lap 6 to go until the end, I’d like to try to push down a second a lap.  I know I don’t have finishing speed, but I will die trying to find it!

My entire family will be up in the cities and are coming to watch, including my sister and her two little girls.  It’s rare that they get to watch me race, so I’m excited!  “Way to go, Cole”, right dad?!?

And, such runner problems 🙂 – Brooks sent me racing buns along with shorts.  Is it bad that I looked at Nate, in the outfit, and said, “But what will my dad think?”? I just have to remember that this is what the “fast” girls wear and that I’ve earned the outfit.  Still a little self-conscious about showing up to a college meet bearing my mid-drift and donning black undies, though!

FAST!

I’m bringing the shorts along as well :).  I also had to decide between the two new racing shoes they sent – new flashy spikes that match the racing outfit or flats.  Spikes are lighter (just 3.2 ounces WITH the spikes in, holy cow!), but I think I’ll go with the flats (3.7 ounces) as I’m not sure how my feet will hold up in the spikes yet.  I’m lucky to have such “dilemmas” :).  Go ahead, shake your head. 

Mach 14 spikeless.  LOVE these flats!  I thought it’d be tough to beat the weight of my Nike flats, but these did it!  Just wish they came in a wider width as they’re a bit narrow.

The Wire 2 Spikes.  They fit PERFECT!  I’ve used them on cut-down 200s to practice moving FAST and getting up on my toes and powering forward.  Unisex sizing, so fit wider than a narrower women’s version.