I Ran Fast

It has been a long time since I RAN 5K. I had set a goal of 21:00 minutes for this year. I attacked this aggressively at the start of the year, and got down to 21:05 in July. But since then, I graduated to longer, more challenging runs.

I've pretty much met all my goals and objectives for this year ... save the 21 minute barrier on 5K. Last night, as I was washing the dishes... I knew what was going to happen, once the kids were in bed...

To be frank, I wasn't feeling particularly fit. I had eaten way too much at supper, and had drank too much milk. ... but what the heck ...

"I'll see you in 21 minutes or less," I called out, when I opened the front door.
"Just don't kill yourself," Guylaine replied.

4:10 - I did the math, I need to run each kilometer in 4 minutes, 10 seconds... that will ensure a 10 second buffer at the end. (6:42/mile)

I took longer than usual to warm up... then a few sets of high-knees. I stood at the end of the driveway and stared down the lane, the way an Olympic swimmer might before the medals race.

Heart Rate Monitor - on... Chrono Reset... ... ... ... Go!

250 meter marker: 51 seconds (uh oh... too fast?)
500 meters - breathing very heavily
750 meters - making loud whistling sound as I breathe
1 K - 3:42.20 169 BPM (woah... too fast... I'm going to burn out)
1.2 K - damn, I'm really slowing down... am I going too slow?
1.4 K - very loud whistling sound as I breathe - guy walking dog 100 m away stops to see what the commotion is.
1.6 K - Feeling slow - breathing hard
2 K - 4:10.67 170 BPM (ok, that's what I'm supposed to be at.. but can I keep it?)
2.5 K - Feeling slow.. 2:05 at the turnaround - ok.. I'm still on 4:10 pace
2.6 K - 173 BPM Oh my god! I've got to do this again??? Another 10 minutes in this zone???
2.62 K - Whimpering out loud as I gasp for air...
3 K - 4:10.36 171 BPM (wow, amazing.. I'm holding pace.. keep it up)
3.5 K - insides feel horrible.. am I gonna puke? ...feels like I've been punched in the gut a thousand times.. ..feeling slow..
3.6 K - Run Forrest Run
4 K - 4:25 170 BPM - Crap! Am I going to do it... I know I've got time in the bank from the first K... I don't want to use too much too soon!
4.2 K - Loud whimpering turns to rythmic "YES..", "YES..", "YES.."
4.3 K - Come ON!
4.4 K - Me to Car (in head): If you think I'm stopping to let you turn in front of me.. you can F*** right off!
4.5 K - Me to Man with 2 dogs (in head): You better hold on to those Ba****ds, 'cause if they come chasin', I'm not turnin' to bring 'em back!
4.7 K - Am I going to look at the time, at the hydrant? (250m to home)
4.75 K - 19:4? ... too dark to read properly... I think I'm sub 20... I can push this home in less than a minute.
4.8 K - VERY LOUD WHIMPERING
4.9 K - Can see Guylaine outside on the front step - oh God, I'm gonna puke for sure.
4.95 K - Not gonna make it- better call her for help
5 K - 20:57.65 (4:28.82)

Initially - Crap, then Oh my god - I did it... "YAH!"., "YAH!"

Guylaine: "Shhhhh, you're gonna wake the kids... I could hear you coming all the way at the end of the street."

YES - I DID DO IT.

Average heart rate: 167 for the run

I took about 15 minutes of walking in circles at the end of the driveway to cool down. I went back in.

"Did I wake the kids?"
"Yes"

I go up to Laura's room: "J'ai couru vite ce soir.. je t'aime.. bonne soir ma belle"

I go to Andrew's room: "J'ai couru vite ce soir..."
"How many minutes?"
"Vingt et un"
"Wow, that's a lot"
"Je t'aime... bonne soir 'ti gars."