5K preview

It looks like the weather will be good tomorrow. I'm in a 5K that should be more competitive than the last many races I have done. At least there are so many signs around town to advertise this race that it seems likely that some fast people will show up.

My training has been going really well. I have started doing long trail runs to get in shape for the ultra season, so my speed may not be perfectly tuned, but that's my priorities now. Still, a PR is not completely out of the question tomorrow, I think. I ran the course yesterday and unfortunately there are some hills, but if someone fast is there to pull me along, a PR is not unrealistic.

If there is one thing I am world-class at, it's choosing small races to run. Counting back, I am undefeated in the last 8 races! But, to be honest, I really want a fast time, so I am hoping for some competition. La Crosse is a very fit and outdoorsy town but there is a lack of really fast runners. The college has a strong D3 team that has won nationals in both cross country and track. In fact, when I ran my one D3 year almost 20 years ago, the La Crosse team was looked at as these very serious uber-elites that we could not even dream of beating.

But after college, there is not much in town. There is no specialty running store, either. My friend Justin, who I met as a pharmacist at the hospital, is by far the fastest non-collegiate runner in town with a 2:27 marathon and the next-fastest is probably me. And since Justin is just coming back from injury (and generally looks at small 5Ks as way beneath him), I have to pin my hopes on someone coming in from outside La Crosse or on a slow college runner or fast high schooler. In fact, a fast high schooler may be my best bet. I don't know if there is any high school kid who can run a sub-16 5K right now in town, but there is probably someone who can run a 5-minute first mile into the headwind before faltering. In fact, that would be a perfect scenario!

Wish me luck!