Sunday, March 7, 2010

Race Report: Red Lizard 5-Miler



Good to have the five-miler the day after a 10K, and not the other way around. This occurred to me around three and a half miles into the annual Team Red Lizard nickel run today in bucolic Lake Oswego, just after I'd put the race's signature feature—a block-long (a long block, mind you) wall-like climb away from the Willamette—in my rear-view mirror. There was some hurt going on then, but I comforted myself with this a clever mash-up of lies, logic and rationalization: If this were a 10K, you'd barely be past halfway done with the race. There'd be three more miles to go! As it is, just a little more than a mile and you're practically there. This is so short! I love five milers!



I guess it worked. I ran Mile 5 in 6:11, and with the (1) 6:07, (2) 6:38, (3) 6:26 and (4) 6:31 miles that came before it finished in 31:53. That's a solid 2:27 improvement on last year, which indicates that I really sucked last year and this year, less suckage. By the way, last year's race report delivers excruciating detail on the unique and very interesting course, which was unchanged this year. The difference this year was in the day: last year was cold and rain began to fall toward the finish; this year the running conditions were excellent, with race-time temps in the high 40s and the sun mostly winning its battle against an encroaching weather system.



Also excellent: The Lad, who ran the 1K, smartly staying under control on the big downhill then passing a bunch of kids on the subsequent climb and the closing straight.