5000 meters or less is not my prime event. But who says that I cannot get good at it? It may not be my best event, as longer distance running is where my strength is, but it still is a vital component of my overall progression and training. Thus, I explain below, why I am also running shorter races, not just half marathons, throughout the year:
5000 meters uses the largest portion of VO2 Max. With that, your VO2 Max can improve significantly through 5K training. A high lactate threshold(which is very important in half marathon and marathon racing) means that lactate doesn't start to accumulate in your muscles and blood until you reach a high percentage of your VO2 Max. With a higher VO2 Max, there is room for a higher lactate threshold to improve. Everything actually relates to one another, even though it is unfair to compare an equivalent 5000 meter time to an equivalent marathon time.
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RACE REPORT
May 14, 2012. 10:20 PM: Swarthmore College, PA
I lined up in 4th position out of 25 or so runners in the 2nd (of 3 heats total) of the mens 5000m. Puddles covered the track from the on and off rain during the evening. It was late. This was the last event of the evening. We got into position and waited for the sound of the gun...
We took off and I surged immediately with the front pack, making sure to get a good position early. College track meets are so aggressive. I was not used to it from racing on the roads, a totally different style. People jostled and pushed and elbowed, I felt like I was in a boxing match. Luckily, I'm tough as hell, and I don't put up with "pushing around" despite me being one of the smaller guys in the race. Coaches screamed as we hit the first lap of the race...70!!!!
In order to break 15 minutes, I needed to run under 72 seconds each lap. We went through 800 meters in 2:22(a 72), and 1200 meters was 3:33(71). I remained locked in a tight pack of about 10 people. Despite the steady pace, I continued to get jostled around as if people wanted me out of their way. A push from behind, an elbow here, an elbow there. It was like a fist fight-throwing punches. I began to get agitated and decided I had enough.
You want me out of your way? Ok, I'll get out of your way. On the fourth lap, I made a move to the outside and surged to the front. Mile 1: 4:43. Another 70. I began leading the race but knew I had to be careful not to go out and die. I still had 2 miles to go. 5th lap: 5:55, a 72. A few guys then went around me. 6th lap: 7:06, another 71. I was now halfway through the race and the pain was starting to set in. A few more guys past me, but I stayed in contact and hit 3000 meters in 8:52 and 2 miles in 9:28(a 4:45 2nd mile). By now, we had a pack of over half a dozen guys or so. I was barely hanging on and they began to surge...and I began to fall off the pace. Dammit, Chris stay awake! I knew I was running sub 14:50 pace let alone 15:00 so I did have a nice "cushion" to break 15. But now I wanted to break 14:50 since I was running that pace. I tried to concentrate on the pack, and I fell off the pace slightly each lap. The clock ate hungrily away at my sub 14:50 pretty quick, and I was paying for my hard effort earlier. Each lap I tried to run harder, and all I was hitting was 73-74s...it wouldn't budge. Shit. Get tough, Chris. With 2 laps to go, I worked it through. I didn't have much left, but I began surging harder again. Some of the GRC guys cheered for me, particularly Karl, who helped me a lot through the mental battle I was having that last mile, I thank him for that. One lap to go. Just one lap-but one hell of an INTENSE one. I looked at my watch and knew I needed to go. NOW. I told myself to run as hard as I could for one more lap. I began to kick it in and saw a guy with 200 to go. Run him down. I surged and blew by him with 150 to go. He had no response. I made the final turn and saw the finish straight ahead. The last 100 meters I felt like I was underwater holding my breathe, and I was swimming up, up, up to the surface but I couldn't get any oxygen. Was I going to make it? It seemed so far away...
I bent down on the track, huffing and puffing, until I could regain my breathe. Karl came to help me up and congratulate me as I knew I had broken 15:00. I saw my watch read 14:57 as I crossed the line, and later on in the results I would find the official time to be 14:58, I placed 7th in my heat, and 24th overall out of 71 athletes. 4:48 pace average. I took off my track spikes and cooled down barefoot on the inside turf and felt really good about the effort I gave. Who says the longer the distance, the harder? I respect those who concentrate on 5000m as their prime event. The 5k is one hard fucking race.
-Sloane
RESULTS:
Men 5000 Meter Run
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Name Year Team Finals
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1 Hallinan, Steve PACERS TC 14:04.06
2 Luff, Sam GEORGETOWN RUNNI 14:18.32
3 Brannigan, Jeff PACERS TC 14:24.16
4 Gilmore, Peter BOSTON U. 14:27.42
5 Kissin, Peter HAVERFORD 14:29.66
6 Sohail, Faraz HAVERFORD 14:30.97
7 Parker, Ceth JUNIATA 14:31.08
8 Mynatt, Henry DICKINSON 14:35.45
9 DuBois, Eric ROWAN 14:36.49
10 Hartung, Tim YORK (PA.) 14:39.84
11 Farrell, Dillon MORAVIAN 14:40.52
12 Stadler, Chris HAVERFORD 14:43.86
13 Ryan, Scott WASHINGTON A 14:44.45
14 Lutcza, Matt MORAVIAN 14:47.11
15 Sadlock, Josh UNATTACHED 14:47.36
16 Fitzgerald, John SALISBURY 14:48.49
17 Rankin, Mike ST. JOSEPH'S 14:50.33
18 Lilley, Michael UNATTACHED 14:51.05
19 Megee, Bryan DESALES 14:51.67
20 Speray, Ryan BRIDGEWATER 14:52.64
21 Leinenger, Mark AMERICAN 14:52.88
22 Zitek, Andrew NYU 14:54.57
23 Sturner, Andrew HAVERFORD 14:56.62
24 Sloane, Chris UNATTACHED 14:58.39
25 Quinlan, Ian SUSQUEHANNA 14:59.36
26 Hicks, Steve UNATTACHED 15:02.48
27 DeArmitt, Evan ELIZABETHTOW 15:04.80
28 Krause, Zachary UNATTACHED 15:05.19
29 Sohl, Luke BRIDGEWATER 15:11.76
30 Sidebottom, Mark TCNJ 15:12.77
31 Haneman, Pat HAVERFORD 15:13.54
32 Watts, John UNATTACHED 15:15.51
33 Knowles, Dave NYU 15:16.02
34 Richards, David HOUGHTON 15:17.55
35 Galasso, Aidan DELAWARE TC 15:18.93
36 Hutcheson, Craig MESSIAH 15:19.68
37 Connelly, Alec RUTGERS-CAMD 15:20.03
38 Driscoll, Darren VIRGINIA WES 15:20.20
39 Warren, Chris DELAWARE TC 15:21.77
40 Boimov, Sam GEORGETOWN RUNNI 15:23.35
41 Norton, Joe UNATTACHED 15:23.76
42 Vernorn, George UNATTACHED 15:24.04
43 Toller, David SALISBURY 15:24.57
44 Harrison, Stephen MARY WASHING 15:27.96
45 Cutilli, Ben HAVERFORD 15:29.90
46 Hayburn, Pat BRYNMAWR RC 15:31.36
47 Healy, Sean MARY WASHING 15:34.00
48 Brightbill, Kyle BRYNMAWR RC 15:34.64
49 Gallagher, Ryan WIDENER 15:35.43
50 Holowka, Tom UNATTACHED 15:38.38
51 Myers, Jason GEORGETOWN RUNNI 15:39.07
52 Hoagland, Zach MESSIAH 15:40.18
53 Dolan, Mike UNATTACHED 15:40.73
54 Larsen, Charlie ELIZABETHTOW 15:40.74
55 Herring, Matthew MESSIAH 15:47.35
56 Margiotta, Max ST. JOSEPH'S 15:49.65
57 Bowman, Kevin UNAT-MCDANIE 15:50.28
58 Gresh, Dan ELIZABETHTOW 15:52.14
59 LoBianco, Stephen UNATTACHED 15:53.67
60 Hopkins, Sean UNATTACHED 15:53.71
61 Childres, Steve YORK (PA.) 15:54.94
62 Rooke, Tyler GWYNEDD-MERC 15:57.27
63 Herring, Daniel MESSIAH 16:03.35
64 Cotter, Brian DELAWARE TC 16:04.91
65 Blood, Henry UNATTACHED 16:06.70
66 Kelly, Chris RUTGERS-CAMD 16:08.40
67 Clemson, Alex DESALES 16:11.82
68 Merkel, Peter MCDANIEL 16:44.28
-- Allen, Mark AMERICAN DNF
-- Parmenter, Nathan UNATTACHED DNF
-- Mackenzie, Samuel UNATTACHED DNF
"Who says the longer the distance, the harder?"
ReplyDeleteNobody. Nobody says that.
You want me out of your way? Ok, I'll get out of your way.
ReplyDelete