Dave Reed Spring Classic 5km - Race Report

How to Find your 3km Pace in a 5km race

12/226 Overall, 11/140 Males, 9/43 20-34 Age Group

After 10 days of now running then a relatively light week as I eased back into the swing of things I lined up at the starting line of the Dave Reed Spring Classic 5km in Stanley Park. This race is put on by VFAC and although one of the smallest I have done this year was highlighted by a strong field and good organization.

Coming to the strat line my only speed session in the last three weeks was at Forerunners during their Wednesday Night Clinic in the days preceding this race. The legs felt good after a couple weeks of treatment and rest and although my form is not yet back to normal I felt like I could race this one pretty well.

Air horn went and the first 400m before heading up the hill past Lumberman's arch was pretty narrow. Not wanting to get caught up in narrow stretch and keen to run a fast time I headed out a little bit to aggressive - perhaps my Netwons made me run too fast :)

Up the hill I tried to make sure I found a rhythm and ended up going through the Mile Mark 5:11 in 9th Place and on track for 16:08.

Tried to hold with the group I was in for the next mile but soon discovered around km 3 that there was not a lot of gas left in the tank. Held on for the last 2 km including some agility work at the Brockton lighthouse barriers but pace continued t drop in the last km and crossed the line in 17:10.

All in all was a good hitout and depending on how the tangents were calculated it looks like the course may have been a little bit longer than other 5km's races held on the same loop potentially adding a 100 or so meteres to the course. Regardless was good to "Blow out" after running the first couple of mile at a 3km pace and learn a lesson about pacing and that the "go out hard" plan may not be the one for me.

Next on the list is a couple of weeks of solid training and a slight "taper/rest" ahead of the Vancouver Sun Run and potentially the Victoria Times Colonist.