For the past few years I’ve dreamed of getting back my sub-20 minute 5K form. Well...

It was an almost perfect evening for the club 5K time trial. Cool and windless and the roads were only slightly damp underfoot.
I looked around to see who I could pace myself off but with only 14 of us running I couldn't find anyone who I could anticipate running with so it was just a case of seeing who I could hang on to once we started.
It didn't take too many seconds into the run to realise that it was going to be a pretty much solo effort as the speedy guys dwindled into the distance. I just concentrated in trying to keep the pace fast but easy, breathing 3 in, 3 out for the first Km.
Slightly downhill towards the end so I knew it would be pretty quick. My watch beeped and I managed to glance at it long enough to catch sight of 3:51. 9 seconds in the bank!

Of course it could also mean I'd overcooked the first Km but no time to worry about it. Another 300m of so took us the first corner leading to a long incline. Knew I couldn't afford to slow much so used my arms to keep the impetus going for as long as
possible up the slope. Had to change up my breathing to 2 in, 2 out. No real surprise though.

Hit 2km after another 4:02. Darn! Bank down to 7 seconds now. Worse still, the hill steepens at this point before turning a corner and peaking out.

At 3km all the "easy" running was done and when my watch beeped again I saw the third split time of 4:06. Only 1 second in the bank and 2km to go. Panic stations!

Hit another small hill and pumped my arms like a mad thing. I was not going to be denied again!! Gasping, spitting and with legs turning to jelly I topped out the last hill sometime around 4 km. Didnt manage to see my watch so just had to throw caution
to the wind and power as had as I could all the way to the finish.
I think I do this at every TT but this really felt different. Pedal to the metal right to the finish line and on to my knees gasping for air the moment I crossed it.

Had to blink the sweat out of my eyes before I could focus on my watch.

19:53. First sub-20 for over ten years. Job done. ;-)

Tim

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On Sunday, November 19, 2017 at 2:27:17 PM UTC-5, Tim wrote:

For the past few years I’ve dreamed of getting back my sub-20 minute 5K form. Well...

It was an almost perfect evening for the club 5K time trial. Cool and windless and the roads were only slightly damp underfoot.
I looked around to see who I could pace myself off but with only 14 of us running I couldn't find anyone who I could anticipate running with so it was just a case of seeing who I could hang on to once we started.
It didn't take too many seconds into the run to realise that it was going to be a pretty much solo effort as the speedy guys dwindled into the distance. I just concentrated in trying to keep the pace fast but easy, breathing 3 in, 3 out for the first

Km. Slightly downhill towards the end so I knew it would be pretty quick. My watch beeped and I managed to glance at it long enough to catch sight of 3:51. 9 seconds in the bank!

Of course it could also mean I'd overcooked the first Km but no time to worry about it. Another 300m of so took us the first corner leading to a long incline. Knew I couldn't afford to slow much so used my arms to keep the impetus going for as long as

possible up the slope. Had to change up my breathing to 2 in, 2 out. No real surprise though.

Hit 2km after another 4:02. Darn! Bank down to 7 seconds now. Worse still, the hill steepens at this point before turning a corner and peaking out.

At 3km all the "easy" running was done and when my watch beeped again I saw the third split time of 4:06. Only 1 second in the bank and 2km to go. Panic stations!

Hit another small hill and pumped my arms like a mad thing. I was not going to be denied again!! Gasping, spitting and with legs turning to jelly I topped out the last hill sometime around 4 km. Didnt manage to see my watch so just had to throw caution

to the wind and power as had as I could all the way to the finish.

I think I do this at every TT but this really felt different. Pedal to the metal right to the finish line and on to my knees gasping for air the moment I crossed it.

Had to blink the sweat out of my eyes before I could focus on my watch.

19:53. First sub-20 for over ten years. Job done. ;-)

Tim

--

hey, FANTASTIC run.
While I've never been that fast, I know my best runs
always felt like a real struggle to the end. But to
break that target time is really something special.

Happy Thanksgiving Tim!

And Happy Thanksgiving to all you runners out there!

Enjoy the run
ed

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Ed Prochak <edprochak@gmail.com> wrote:

On Sunday, November 19, 2017 at 2:27:17 PM UTC-5, Tim wrote:

For the past few years I’ve dreamed of getting back my sub-20 minute 5K form. Well...

It was an almost perfect evening for the club 5K time trial. Cool and
windless and the roads were only slightly damp underfoot.
I looked around to see who I could pace myself off but with only 14 of
us running I couldn't find anyone who I could anticipate running with so
it was just a case of seeing who I could hang on to once we started.
It didn't take too many seconds into the run to realise that it was
going to be a pretty much solo effort as the speedy guys dwindled into
the distance. I just concentrated in trying to keep the pace fast but
easy, breathing 3 in, 3 out for the first Km. Slightly downhill towards
the end so I knew it would be pretty quick. My watch beeped and I
managed to glance at it long enough to catch sight of 3:51. 9 seconds in the bank!

Of course it could also mean I'd overcooked the first Km but no time to
worry about it. Another 300m of so took us the first corner leading to a
long incline. Knew I couldn't afford to slow much so used my arms to
keep the impetus going for as long as possible up the slope. Had to
change up my breathing to 2 in, 2 out. No real surprise though.

Hit 2km after another 4:02. Darn! Bank down to 7 seconds now. Worse
still, the hill steepens at this point before turning a corner and peaking out.

At 3km all the "easy" running was done and when my watch beeped again I
saw the third split time of 4:06. Only 1 second in the bank and 2km to go. Panic stations!

Hit another small hill and pumped my arms like a mad thing. I was not
going to be denied again!! Gasping, spitting and with legs turning to
jelly I topped out the last hill sometime around 4 km. Didnt manage to
see my watch so just had to throw caution to the wind and power as had
as I could all the way to the finish.
I think I do this at every TT but this really felt different. Pedal to
the metal right to the finish line and on to my knees gasping for air
the moment I crossed it.

Had to blink the sweat out of my eyes before I could focus on my watch.

19:53. First sub-20 for over ten years. Job done. ;-)

Tim

--

hey, FANTASTIC run.
While I've never been that fast, I know my best runs
always felt like a real struggle to the end. But to
break that target time is really something special.

Thanks Ed. Still burns me up that there are a lot faster V60s out there
though. Not sure what my next big goal (in terms of speed that is) should
be. I’ve NEVER managed sub 19 so maybe I should shoot for that? ;-)

Happy Thanksgiving Tim!

And to you too Ed.

Tim


--
Please don't feed the trolls

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