Race Reports: IRISHMAN. St. Patty's Day 5m, 5k, 1m.

Saturday I was excited to partake in one of my favorite holiday's running events:  St. Patrick's Day!  Since I knew I was in no shape to race a 5 mile or 5k, I thought what the heck, and had signed up for the Irishman Challenge:  5 m, 5k, and 1m.  Originally I had planned to run the 5 mile at a slower tempo pace (8:30), race-ish the 5k (low 8's), and bttw mile time (hopefully sub-7).  After they revealed the course route, and I realized it'd be hilly, I scaled back my "goals" a little bit.  When I woke up to see the 30-40 mph wind gusts and 20 degree temps, I ditched them altogether.

I got to the race start entirely too early, as I didn't care to "warm up" in the freezing cold.  Instead, I stood next to a building that was blocking the wind with Tom and Sara.  The first mile went by quickly and I was keeping close to my tempo pace.

Mile 1 8:40

Mile two snuck up and I knew I'd be climbing for the whole mile. Into the wind.  And I wanted to die.  Eep!  After we made it up the hill, the half mile to the turn around was flat out brutal.  Wide wide open area head on in to the wind.  At one point some skinny minnie runner chick came up to pass me on my lefthand shoulder (what a b! I know... passing Jerbear.... didn't know that happened!!  jk) I had been fighting the wind so hard that the momentary reprieve she caused from blocking it for me caused me to crash in to her.  Oops.

Mile 2 9:38 (bahahhahaha, told you I hate wind and hills)

Mile 3 8:56

At the turn around I felt like I could jump in the air and land 200 yards closer to the finish line.  I half contemplated it, to be honest.   To give you an idea of the wind and effort levels for mile 3, I estimate that I was running approximately a ten minute mile into the wind (and felt like an all out sprint), so I had to have run an 8 minute pace with no effort with the wind at my back to get a 9 minute split.  Impressive.

During the 4th mile we got to charge down some hills which was a lot of fun.  I met up with a chick that I had been leap frogging with for most of the race, and we talked for a good half mile about running, what we have coming up for races, cycling, future triathlon and duathlon ambitions.  I guarantee we were THOSE chicks that were annoying people as we were shooting the breeze while flying down the hill passing people.  Oops.

Mile 4 8:17

The final mile had a little bit of a climb to it and another section in to the wind.  I tried to have a strong-ish kick at the end as there were a few people just in front of me with about a quarter of a mile to go.  Plus that's where Kyle was cheering for me, so obviously I had to pass people, right?  ;)

Mile 5 8:41

I finished in 44:12 for a pace of 8:50.

Field Placement:	98 / 213 (46%)
Age group:	20 – 29
Group Placement:	9 / 44 (20.5%)
Gender Placement:	39 / 124 (31.5%)

In between races a few of us Daily Mile peeps hit up the bar that was affiliated with the race (and also our regular Daily Mile meet up watering hole) to warm up and hang out.  Somehow I convinced myself that I should enjoy my free Irish beer now rather than before the one mile, since I was trying to race the one mile.  Before I knew it we were heading to the 5k and I had a nice little Irish beer buzz going on.  I didn't realize this was the case until Kyle was wanting to find a gas station bathroom to utilize at 11:11 (race started at 11:30) and I was all sorts of fine and dandy to accompany him.  However, when the clock struck 11:13 I immediately changed my tune and realized that I needed to be at the race right now!!!  Clearly my rational thinking disappeared within a two minute span.  No biggie.

Since I wasn't racing (and was borderline tipsy...p.s. not my fault 2/3 of a beer after running does the trick) I didn't pay any attention to where I had lined up for the race.  Ugh.  Big mistake.  The 5k is known for being the most popular race of the day and there were sooooooo many people.  The first mile was slow going.  Aaron caught up to me and commented, "Shouldn't you be up a LOT farther??"  To which I responded with my master plan, "Instead of racing this 5k, I think I'm going to ask all the under 21 year olds if I can have their drink tickets off their bibs.  Not like they'll be using them, right?!?!!?"  Jeri = genius.  Eventually I saw a little space open up for me to jet through, only to be caught up along the stupid hill again.  The path was super duper narrow, and the leaders were already coming back causing it to be even tighter.  There were parts of the uphill that I was literally running in place.  I would've been very frustrated... but meh.  Didn't really care.

The downhill was neat-o, but I was t-i-r-e-d during mile 3.  It was then that I remembered that instead of eating the Luna bar in between races like I had meant to, I had drank a beer.  Oops!  There were a TON of people that were catchable with about .4 miles to go, so I just haaaaaaad to kick it up a notch to catch them.  It's at this point in races that I convince myself that I'm still a speedy sprinter and can outkick anyone.  For some reason it usually works in my brain... who knows.  Right before the finish line I noticed a chick wearing an Ireland flag as a cape, and just had to beat her.  Thanks for the motivation wee lass!

I did 5k in 27:27 for a pace of 8:52 per mile.

Mile 1  8:59

Mile 2  8:46

Mile 3  9:00

.1 :38 (7:02 pace; 6:31 max pace, again, thanks Irish chick.)

Field Placement:	177 / 626 (28.3%)
Age group:	20 – 29
Group Placement:	25 / 151 (16.6%)
Gender Placement:	64 / 385 (16.6%)

Last up was the mile.  And I really didn't want to run.  I was freakin' tired, and freakin' crabby, and freakin' cold.  I owe Kyle a fishing trip for the amount of complaining he had to endure from noon to 2pm.  Oh, my warm up for the mile was jumping out of the truck.  Looking for Tom at the starting line, and waiting for the start.  Not my smartest plan.  I knew Tom would come in well under 7 and I had convinced him to race it so I had someone to chase down.  I was uber smart and switched my garmin to give me my quarter mile splits.  Genius, yet again.

The gun sounded and people were flyyyyying.  And I kept tripping on my windpants.  Why they didn't bother me the other two races, is beyond me (oh wait... perhaps it was the speed at which I was previously running..... :p).  The first quarter mile flew by as did the second.  Close to the halfway mark of the race I thought for sure the race was going to be short.  Short course = almost guaranteed goal time, so might as well ease up a little bit, right?  Running fast hurts.... at the 3/4 mark I thought for sure the course was going to be short and that I would be seeing my subway sandwich again very very soon as it had resided in my esophagus instead of my stomach.  Neat.

A young girl in combat boots who had stopped to walk around the 1/2 way mark came barreling past me.  What.  The.  Eff.  I tried to give it everything I had left without barfing, mind you.

7:14.  Meh.  It's no sub 7, but good enough.

Field Placement:	71 / 188 (37.8%)
Age group:	20 – 29
Group Placement:	4 / 26 (15.4%)
Gender Placement:	18 / 95 (18.9%)

On a fresh-legged day, I could do sub-7.  After running a hilly 8, not so much.  But it was a lot of fun and the shirts were pretty sweet.  We got a short sleeved shirt for the 5m/5k/1m and then a long sleeved shirt for the Irishman.  

Irishman Stats

Division Place: 23 out of 62

Gender Place: 23 out of 62

Overall Place: 64 out of 116