Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Noontime Weekday Race

A week ago I ran in the monthly free noontime Tidal Basin 3K race, my 24th consecutive one. It’s my monthly speedwork, running this short furious race around the Jefferson Memorial Tidal Basin with scores of other dedicated runners. I always finish in the bottom half, usually in the lowest quartile. This month I was 37/67, 55%. Among men I was 34/48, 71%. My time was 13:24 (7:11). The only other relevant number was the temperature, 92 degrees.

But there are other interesting numbers, at least to me. Someone made marks on the course to indicate 1K, one mile and 2K.

I passed 1K at 4:16 (6:52). I passed one mile at 7:01. That meant from 0.6 mile to one mile my pace was 7:14. I forgot to note 2K. I ran the last 0.86 miles from the mile marker to the finish line at a 7:25 pace.

I was obviously running myself straight into the ground. No negative splits for this guy. (Above: The "hill" on the 3K course, around the 1K mark. The Tidal Basin is 200M to the right.)

11 comments:

Rainmaker said...

Very nice job. It was darn hot out too. Today's been a nice reprive from that.

Btw... I really do promise to make it down there and run this - sometime this fall. I guarantee!

Dori said...

Nice running, Peter. I suspect the splits got slower because of the heat, not because of your effort.

ShirleyPerly said...

Oh, how I'd love to do some fast running. Hot or cold weather, it doesn't matter. But. Must. Be. Patient.

Looks like there are some real fasties at that noon run!

akshaye said...

I always find it much harder to keep negative splits in a shorter run. Something about these distances makes you want to go all out.

Susan said...

I do believe I would have come in last place! But it sounds like your group is so tight that they'd all be waiting, cheering me in! :)

Sunshine said...

Your "back to normal" doesn't sound so ordinary!

Rich said...

24th consecutive - that's pretty good!

DawnB said...

congrats Peter nice run on such hot day.

Anne said...

Being from Virginia (the other Virginia, that is), I admire your ability to run that pace in such perspiration-inducing temps. Oh, I don't miss that humidity in the least.

CewTwo said...

It seems that in most of my races, I'm just glad to see someone behind me...

Good job. Every time you talk about this race, you make it seem to be such fun!

Old School Runner said...

Once the weather cools down, I'm going to have to try that race.