The Centerburg Old Time Farming Festival is a really neat festival in my own town. http://www.oldtimefarmingfestival.org/index.html I moved here to get out of the city, and to enjoy the rural setting I used to love. And thats when I really started to get back doing the things I used to love like running! In fact the 5k at this festival was the first race I ever did as an adult back in 2008. I've been here about 4 years now and this will be my 3rd time entering the 5k. Living in the middle of nowhere its the only race that will ever be 10 minutes away! Since I have done this one a few times and each time I did it 'all-out', this should be a good comparison to what my years worth of barefoot training has done. This was also my very last shod race in 2011, and I made my adult PR of 22:58, and about 25 minutes the first year. Could I beat that barefoot? I have been mainly focusing on long distance and slower pace for the whole year, but the last few weeks I tried to get some fast paced training once a week. But I was starting to have some foot issues, cramping in my right arch, some pains around the outside of the heel, and some calf pains. 1 week from the race I did everything very carefully and really focused on warm ups and cooldowns, rolled my legs a couple times a day, tried to stay hydrated, plenty of sleep, etc. I only had to go to work a couple of short days so it was a perfect week to focus and prepare. I tapered just a bit to give my feet/calves some extra recovering time.
So race morning comes around, I get up in plenty of time, have a half cup of coffee and some fruit and relax a bit before I'm off. Had to show up early to register, and the parking lot is on the opposite side of the festival. So I jogged there, registered, jogged back to the truck with my event shirt, jogged back to the start, and went up the trail a little ways to do some other warmups. it was cool, in the 40's. Felt fantastic and reminded me of all those cold fall crosscountry runs from my youth. As the time approached I went back to the starting line. Now this is a small race, last year there were probably 30-40 total and half of that was the local school's crosscountry team. As I looked around I didnt see any youngsters... and the folks in charge mentioned something about the crosscountry team having a meet somewhere else so they weren't there. Only around two dozen of us. The line up command was given, and was suggested the fast people be up front. I looked as everyone stepped back. Only one other person was on the line. Then the crazy idea I might actually have a chance to win this thing popped into my head as I stepped up to the line.
And were off! Like most 5k's I probably went out a bit fast, and for the first time ever I was in the lead! My goal I had set was to maintain a 7 minute mile and beat my time last year by a minute. No clue if I can do it but it really comes down to whether my arch starts to cramp or something else doesn't like the speed. Well so far so good. After slowing a bit after the first half mile I've settled in around 7mm. Dang it seems fast, I'm breathing harder and faster than I have all year. My legs feel like they are flying, my stride feels like it 6' long yet my cadence is still way faster than my typical 180. There is a fellow I can hear right behind me, he's pretty much been tailing me the whole time. I can hear his shoes clunking and is hacking and spitting. He is definitely pushing me on. Had he not been there I'd probably be slowing down already as I feel exhausted. Not even to the half way turn around yet, how can less than 1.5 miles seem so utterly exhausting when I've been doing 10+ miles at least once a week!?! At the turn around the other fellow is just a few steps behind me, then a long ways until the next few. The feet are still feeling just fine. If I can keep it up I'm either going to be first or second. I'm doing better than I thought, garmin had been down well into the 6's. Just got to hang in there a little longer. A little less than a mile to go and Mr. Tailgater makes his move. Dang its too early. But I matched his speed. Now garmin had me in the upper 5's. No way I could hold it to the finish line. I was starting to wheeze... the ol lungs were not use to this abuse. I let him get in front with the hopes he'd burn out a little and slow back down. But I was really struggling try to keep close, and my calves were loosing strength fast. Another tenth or two and it seems I could no longer maintain a forefoot landing, and my heels started slapping the pavement. I had no strength left in my calves. About a quarter mile to go - I could see the finish line. But I couldnt keep going this hard banging my heels. Or could I? I have pretty tough heels... but my feet were making as much noise as the guy who is now about 15 feet in front of me. I backed off and was able to bring my form back mostly. I could see him accelerating more, and me falling behind. No way to catch him now. Finish line fast approaching, and I couldn't muster up any more speed. I actually slowed down even more, the gas tank was empty. Might as well focus and showing the folks at the end good form rather than try to kill myself.
But it was all worth it when the nice lady handed me my card and it said 20:05! Shook the hand of the fellow that sniped me at the end. Was still thinking holly crap not only did I break my adult PR by nearly 3 minutes but I actually just beat a handful of my high school times I thought I'd never touch again!?! Still a far cry from being able to place in any big race but dang I'm stoked!
So race morning comes around, I get up in plenty of time, have a half cup of coffee and some fruit and relax a bit before I'm off. Had to show up early to register, and the parking lot is on the opposite side of the festival. So I jogged there, registered, jogged back to the truck with my event shirt, jogged back to the start, and went up the trail a little ways to do some other warmups. it was cool, in the 40's. Felt fantastic and reminded me of all those cold fall crosscountry runs from my youth. As the time approached I went back to the starting line. Now this is a small race, last year there were probably 30-40 total and half of that was the local school's crosscountry team. As I looked around I didnt see any youngsters... and the folks in charge mentioned something about the crosscountry team having a meet somewhere else so they weren't there. Only around two dozen of us. The line up command was given, and was suggested the fast people be up front. I looked as everyone stepped back. Only one other person was on the line. Then the crazy idea I might actually have a chance to win this thing popped into my head as I stepped up to the line.
And were off! Like most 5k's I probably went out a bit fast, and for the first time ever I was in the lead! My goal I had set was to maintain a 7 minute mile and beat my time last year by a minute. No clue if I can do it but it really comes down to whether my arch starts to cramp or something else doesn't like the speed. Well so far so good. After slowing a bit after the first half mile I've settled in around 7mm. Dang it seems fast, I'm breathing harder and faster than I have all year. My legs feel like they are flying, my stride feels like it 6' long yet my cadence is still way faster than my typical 180. There is a fellow I can hear right behind me, he's pretty much been tailing me the whole time. I can hear his shoes clunking and is hacking and spitting. He is definitely pushing me on. Had he not been there I'd probably be slowing down already as I feel exhausted. Not even to the half way turn around yet, how can less than 1.5 miles seem so utterly exhausting when I've been doing 10+ miles at least once a week!?! At the turn around the other fellow is just a few steps behind me, then a long ways until the next few. The feet are still feeling just fine. If I can keep it up I'm either going to be first or second. I'm doing better than I thought, garmin had been down well into the 6's. Just got to hang in there a little longer. A little less than a mile to go and Mr. Tailgater makes his move. Dang its too early. But I matched his speed. Now garmin had me in the upper 5's. No way I could hold it to the finish line. I was starting to wheeze... the ol lungs were not use to this abuse. I let him get in front with the hopes he'd burn out a little and slow back down. But I was really struggling try to keep close, and my calves were loosing strength fast. Another tenth or two and it seems I could no longer maintain a forefoot landing, and my heels started slapping the pavement. I had no strength left in my calves. About a quarter mile to go - I could see the finish line. But I couldnt keep going this hard banging my heels. Or could I? I have pretty tough heels... but my feet were making as much noise as the guy who is now about 15 feet in front of me. I backed off and was able to bring my form back mostly. I could see him accelerating more, and me falling behind. No way to catch him now. Finish line fast approaching, and I couldn't muster up any more speed. I actually slowed down even more, the gas tank was empty. Might as well focus and showing the folks at the end good form rather than try to kill myself.
But it was all worth it when the nice lady handed me my card and it said 20:05! Shook the hand of the fellow that sniped me at the end. Was still thinking holly crap not only did I break my adult PR by nearly 3 minutes but I actually just beat a handful of my high school times I thought I'd never touch again!?! Still a far cry from being able to place in any big race but dang I'm stoked!
Mr 21yr old got me by 11 seconds. Next year...
The whole shebang.
A zoom in of the end. You can see I started picking up well into the 5's around 2.3-2.4 but was unable to maintain it. I bounced around a little, get back into the 5's around 2.9 but you can see about 2.95 when I couldnt stop heel striking and just let up and slowed from there until the end.
And now for the festival...
Click on the pic for a slideshow of some of my pics from the parade and fair.
For a small town this is a really nice fair. Usually over 200 antique tractors are entered, and lots of old antique field engines and other equipment. There were live demonstrations using antique wheat thresher and some other big equipment. Tons of booths and vendors. Locals selling honey and all sorts of homemade stuff, pressing apples for cider, and lots of events and contests. Square dancing tractors, kiddie pedal tractor pulls, women's rolling pin toss, to name a few. Free parking, admission, and the main concession stand had $1 bottles of pop (including my favorite sarsaparilla)!
