Sunday AM: SMC 5k - 1 sec PB

Last SMC event of the 05/06 series saw a bright, clear and cold morning. The thermometer said 9, 3 more than last month. Thermometers lie. I did 4 laps of the running track at the back of the pavilion in a singlet, long sleeve running top, t-shirt, windcheater and light running jacket, plus thigh length Skins, running tights and lined track pants, AND a beanie, and didn't break a sweat.

A Nike rep named Chris was showing off Nike's Bowerman range. I tried some Zoom Air Elites. Interesting shoe - I could see myself running in them, but they seemed very 'prescriptive', the shoe seemingly dictacting how the foot presented to the road and how the foot worked through putting power to the road. They were also very 'loud', as in foot strikes were very audible. They seemed to ride okay, though, and I guess they kind of suited my running.

There's really not a lot to say about the race. We set off, two of the older blokes (including a notorious fast starter) blocked the narrow cone-lined section, forcing 2b and myself to go around them. I hung off 2b through the first km, sitting about 10m back, getting a little closer down the hill after the right bend of the 1km marker (where I was 3:27 or so, felt harder), but between the left hander and the busway he seemed to free up and eased away.

From there, it was fairly lonely. It was a fair way back to third, and only the possibility of a PB and keeping 2b honest were providing motivation. Was around 8:42 or so through the halfway, and felt very consistent through to 4km where I was 14 dead. Tried to drive hard from there, but another 3:27 gave 17:27, giving a 1 second PB over the State 5000m B race from late January. 33 second improvement over last month, 13 second course PB.

No complaints, good solid even effort. Would have been nice to have found another 5 or 6 seconds over the last kilometre - guess if I'd been racing someone I might have. Oh well.