After finishing two 5000s in three days, I'd have to say that it was a successful weekend of racing. The first came at the Gina Relays in Hillsdale, Michigan, where I ran a PR of 14:25.70. The second came after returning to Collegeville; a 15:30 at the Saint John's Invitational. They played out as follows:
At the Gina Relays, there was a solid field of 29 runners seeded at 14:25 or better (I was seeded at 14:12 to ensure I was in the fast section). When we arrived at the track, the other 5000 sections were running. I felt bad for these guys because it was 85 degrees and very windy at the time. The weather cooperated fairly well for my race, with the wind calming down (although definitely not disappearing) and the temperature dropped a bit. It was still really humid, something I wasn't really used to at this point in the year. After the first lap of the race, I was in roughly 20th place. The second lap I ran a 68 but was passed by everyone behind me except one guy. From my spot at the back, I slowly worked my way up through the field over the next two miles. I went through the mile in 4:37 and the two mile in 9:14. The race played out perfectly for me in that I was able to use the guys that went out too hard and keep on moving. The third mile was a 4:39 and I finished in 14:25. The winner ran a 14:07 and I finished 7th. Considering the strong field I was in, I was very pleased with how I raced and where I finished.
The second 5000 had a slightly different atmosphere. It was on our home track and about half the field was comprised of Johnnies. I was planning on running a 15:30, which is exactly what happened. I really wanted to help out the other guys in the race, too, so I took the lead from the beginning. The first mile was right around 5:00, and the pace slowly (and continuously) picked up after that. Pat and Ryan finished close behind me, and Kaleb ended up running a huge PR, so this race was a success, too.
Another positive from the Saint John's Invitational race - it was my first win of the outdoor season.
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