The Mysterious PR
While running the Chattahoochee 5k this year, I got a new PR. Although my time was far from being "fast" I felt pretty good about it.
Until yesterday...yesterday I registered for athlinks. While claiming old races, I came across one from 2009 that I had forgotten about.
Although I had "forgotten" about the race, I do remember some details. I had just gotten off of an overnight and felt miserable, Noelle was there, we took pictures together but we didn't run together. I remember that she finished ahead of me. I was close enough that I could see her finish but not close enough to catch up. Now here comes the confusing part, my finishing time was 4 minutes faster than what I call my 5k PR.
Until yesterday...yesterday I registered for athlinks. While claiming old races, I came across one from 2009 that I had forgotten about.
Although I had "forgotten" about the race, I do remember some details. I had just gotten off of an overnight and felt miserable, Noelle was there, we took pictures together but we didn't run together. I remember that she finished ahead of me. I was close enough that I could see her finish but not close enough to catch up. Now here comes the confusing part, my finishing time was 4 minutes faster than what I call my 5k PR.
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| picture evidence that race actually happened |
I searched Noelle's name, her time was 20 seconds faster than mine. So that is inline with my memory but these times just don't really match our typical paces.
I don't know what to think. Did we both cut the course? Was their a glitch in the timing mat and our times off by 10 seconds? Or did we just run hard? I don't know what the most likely scenario is. This was long before I ever wore a running watch so I don't know that I will ever really know.
Even if we did run hard and the times are accurate, I don't know what to think. It doesn't excite me, it just kind of annoys me. Why don't I run that speed now?! Is it a weight thing? Age? Or do I just put too much thought in it now?
My 10k PR time is from 2008 from before I even became a runner. I trained for 2 months to run on a free entry from my job. I ran so fast training and at the race. That time haunts me because why no with my 3 whole years of running, can I not match what I did on a whim then? I'm not that much older and trust me, I get beat in races by people much older than me. It makes no sense. I want to stomp that time and I try, but I haven't yet been able to beat it.
ReplyDeleteFixed my name ;)
ReplyDeleteSo probably you were just annoyingly faster then and you may be mad at that PR as I am. Or the course was easier. Mine was not. My PR is on the Reagan 10K which is a lot harder than the Peachtree and I still can't beat my time on it's easier course. Scenario 3 for you is that possibly the course distance was mismarked a bit. It doesn't happen too often, but does happen. My fastest Half time and would still have been my fastest even if they hadn't screwed up the course, was a 12.4 mile 13.1 mile race. It was a huge event. One error they made shorted the course. I have multiplied my pace out to have a mental Half PR, but still. That race was perfect in every way and I'm not sure I'll ever be able to run that pace again. Perfect temp, weather, random person keeping great pace with me. I'm going back this year to try again, but I have a hard time believing I can run that fast again.
ReplyDeleteIt seriously is annoying Nicole! No matter the explanation, I am annoyed by it and want to beat it!
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