splish splash

The Dash and Splash 5-miler is one of my favorite runs...note I say runs, not races. In the July heat and humidity, it's a good one to do non-competitively, or as part of a longer run, just to get access to Lasker Pool afterwards.

I had 7 miles on tap for today, so I ran to the start and did a loop around the northern hills to get a little over 2 miles under my belt before the start. They changed the course for this one-start on 102nd, then counter-clockwise around the lower 5-eliminating the nasty northern hills. I liked that change! Let's hope they repeat that for the Club Championships next month.

Anyway, as it was a hot and humid day, I just wanted to run comfortably, whatever that may be, and slow for water when I need it too, and try to finish strong instead of fading. I kept it pretty controlled in the first half. A couple of teammates passed me and I just let them go. Around the halfway point, I saw a guy wearing a Harriers shirt (i dont know how that team wears black short-sleeve shirts in the sweltering heat-I was hot just wearing a sports bra!) who was keeping pace with me...he'd surge, then I would, so I sorta used him to pace off of for the remainder. Until the last mile, where I felt strong enough to seriously pick it up...left him in the dust and didn't look back-picked off a Rez Dog in the process as well!! (i guess i am more competitive than i thought when i see other teams... :) )I had a coupla teammates taking pictures and cheering in the last mile, as well as a bunch of some of my favorite Flyer guys ;-) cheering near the finish. Helped make that last mile feel like a breeze!!

Splits:
1. 8:30 (west side hills.)
2. 8:19 (thought i had pulled it back but oh well. net downhill mile.)
3. 8:22 (slowed for water at the end of this mile and the beginning of mile 4)
4. 8:28 (cat hill)
5. 7:46 (show time!)

My final time was 41:25, an 8:17 pace...and if that sounds familiar, this is why...that is the exact same net time that I had in the Father's Day 5-miler. How funny is that? The good news is that even though it was probably warmer today, definitely more humid, and the course a little tougher, that time took much less effort (and my slowest mile this time was my first instead of my last!! no falling apart in the heat this time!) so...i think i know what i want to run in next month's Club Championships, which will be my next real "race effort"...sub-40 or bust.

After the race, a bunch of us headed to Lasker Pool...where oh.mah.gawd....that cold pool felt so damn good. Think an ice bath without the actual torture of one :) A bunch of us got silly and posed for pictures (and no, I will not be posting them here. :-p) The Flyers were having a picnic over in Harlem Meer, so we joined them after we were done splashing. All in all, a very fun morning.

now playing: "here i am (kaskade radio edit)" ~ david morales