2nd Annual Batsto Pig Iron 5K

August 12, 2007

Batsto Village, Wharton State Park, NJ

Last year I ran my first 5K in about 20 years, the Johnnie's Run in a time of 25:59 (with an average pace of 8:21), after a 7:29 first mile I fizzled and struggled to finish.My goal was to try and better that time and based upon how my training had been going to try and get a realistic assessment of where I stood. I had been putting miles in and no concentration on speed.MY





WEEK FROM HELL (this contains some NRR medical "stuff" for race report skip to bottom)





Leading up to the event, I had to very good weeks of mileage (56.25 and 57.25.) Last Monday I woke up to a blinding pain in my left eye, the eye was inflamed and red. I seemed to e that I might have scratched my cornea with my contact lens ( I had done this before) , the eye was light reactive and teared a lot. So far nothing unusual from what seemed like scratch. Usually after about 3 days everything gets back to normal. By Tuesday, I knew this was serious when I woke up and could not even open my eye to the darkness. Luckily on the second floor of my office building is one of the better opthalmologic practices in the area. I went upstairs and made an appt. Later that afternoon the Dx was in, I had uveitis with secondary irisitis and glaucoma (caused by the inflammation). Dr is stunned, I look healthy to him, and he asks me all kinds of weird medical history questions, nothing to do with any history involving my eye (I really thought this weird.) He puts me on a steroid (to take care of the problem), a beta blocker (eye drops for the glaucoma) and a eye dilator to help ease discomfort.I see his associate the next day, the glaucoma reading is coming back to normal, the eye is progressing OK, and this guy is also concerned with my medical history. He has also not seen an eye condition like mine since he did his residency. He starts to explain to me what it could be. Turns out you usually get uveitis from your bodies immune system going a little nuts (great). More to come on this in the coming weeks.There is no running at all last week. The sun is very painful and besides my eye anting to tear, it is cloudy which makes most things hard. I don't even drive. Great, this was suppose to be a cut back week, but this is ridiculous. Later in the week, I am in Wal Mart and as is custom with me I always go to one of those machines and check my BP, its a little high bu my heart rate is around 44. What the???? It then realize that I am on Beta Blockers, I wonder if even eye drops could have that affect. I post on here and Runango, and Eric1970 gives me the 4-1-1. He also lets me know that
"Due to the lowering of the HR, it may take more time to mount the increased HR response that normally occurs with racing. There also may be a decrease in how fast you can get your HR. The symptomatic effect can vary -- from no noticeable effct at all to feeling like you have hit a wall and can't get any faster or hit a final gear that you think you should"
and then he adds after my telling him its a 5K:
"Actually, because 5K are really more v0@ max than longer distance runs, you may notice more an effect at the faster pace than say a half marathon."
So now it looks like this time trial may not go how I planned not what? I wanted to hear, especially after this was the only thing I had been looking forward to for this week.
By Saturday my eye was feeling 100% and after seeing the DR the day before, he noticed a huge improvement although there were still some lingering cells still in my eye (which surprised him) and he told me to keep the eye drop regimen going and just try and rest. I was afraid to ask him about racing.



RACE DAY



Sunday morning seemed perfect. Race started at 9, I lived only about 25 minutes away. Packed my bag and out the door I went. Race site was at Batsto Village (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batsto_Village) in Wharton State Park (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wharton_State_Forest), which is the largest state park in NJ (110,000 acres.) Batsto is the site of a former bog iron and glass works, and now it is a historical site you can walk through. It is a really cool place.
I pick up my # and goody bag. Good swag for a small event (Powerbars, water bottle, propel, shoe laces) and the race Tshirt which features the race logo a pig breaking the tape with his belly. I go back to the car grab the iPod and start my warm up as well as to scout the course.




I find that the course is starts to go up for a 1/4 mile than down for over about .75, this will get interesting, if I watch my pace, I may pass a lot of people on the way in. The course is out and back, with water stops at mile 2 and 3.








Elevation: +108 ft / -98 ft / net 10 ft



I also noticed that I am now soaked in sweat and I was only running at about a 12 mpm. I am also having a hard time breathing. This is not good. I try to reassure myself and and just scout out the last .75. I put in 3 striders and just try to stay loose. I walk back to the car change into my flats (for you shoe geeks they are NB RC110, yes they are about 10 years old). I am now anxious waiting for the start.



I also notice that the post race refreshments include, Full cans of Pringles chips, watermelon, oranges, 10 different kind of bagels, Oreos, Nutter Butters, blueberries, Power bars and some sort of Soy energy bar. Turns out one of the sponsors was a snack company.



We are all called over, final race instructions, National Anthem and we walk to the start. I am a little nervous, but I am trying to stay focused. I try to line up towards the front, but there looks to be some slower runners piling in front. The RD is asking slower people to go the front as well as the people with strollers. The race starts and once again, I try to make my around some of the slower runners, we are allowed to use the full road (its a state road that has been close to traffic) at least till we string out. I make my to the left and notice a guy pushing a stroller blowing past everyone. I lose site of him.



Plan is to finish under 24:00 minutes, I want to keep my splits around 7:45.



The splits



Mile 1: 7:28
OK this might just be a little fast. I am passing runners and so far feel good. But I hope that little down hill stretch dos not come back hurt me.



Mile 2: 7:35
OK I am paying for the fast start, or so I think, i am still passing people and I am running next to this huge guy who is giving his all, he id doing everything to keep close to me. After the turn around I see the guy pushing the stroller he is in the top 15, I wonder if that is Fat Pumpkin???



Mile 3: 7:35
I actually ran faster going up, and passed lots of others who had fast starts. the big guy is struggling. I turn to him and tell him to follow me I will pull him to the top. He nods, I get in front, he starts to fall behind, I am now running very well with out any issues. I feel good. I crest the top and start the down hill section. I hear very heavy footsteps like some one going all out. I don't look back is it Big Guy?? no its some woman going at break neck speed like she is being chased. She he goes past me, I just cant get going. I am stuck in one gear.



.1: :48
I can see the clock, I start my kick (or what seems like it) I walk through very pleased with my time, I wait for Big Guy to finish (9 seconds later) and make my way to get some water, grab a bagel start to eat it and start my warm down.



Time : 23:28 (7:33 pace)


Place: 52 (47/139 males)


Age Group: 6/16



Over all I felt good, considering how crappy I felt before. I was very pleased with ow I managed my pace. I kept t consistent, but I still feel like I could have done better. I am still curious why I was not able to "switch gears". I have to wonder if the medication had anything to do with it.But its back to the miles and another 5k to retest in about a month, goal then is to go sub 23.



Thank you for reading.