Last night I just didn’t feel like blogging at all. I was tired after the Bond Brook Race, we didn’t eat until late, the Patriots and Olympics were on – I know such problems to have – right.
Any way, I did the Bond Brook 5K Trail race series again last night, I have made 3 out of 4 races (the only one I missed I was in Minnesota) and have improved my time during each race. However, last night was the toughest one for me.
Why was it so tough?
- Hot – fairly high 70’s
- Humid – no doubt about it
- Hamstrings – bothered enough that in several places I backed off instead of pushing when I normally would have – i.e. going up the hills – is when the hamstrings really bothered me.
- Hills – that last half mile after getting off the single track is a bitch, not big hills, but rolling hills which are pain in the butt, until you go downhill to the finish.
Overall, I was very pleased with my time. Here is the link to the results page.
After the race, I looked as though I had gone swimming! Lesson learned, do not wear cotton t-shirt in summer race 
. I knew that, but did any way – sometimes have a brain cramp and then afterwards, go “why did I do that?” It didn’t help with my racing that is for sure.
I did go out a little faster than I have been and should have pushed harder on the single track, but I got behind a few people and let them set the pace. Then I had some problems pushing myself, over by the parking lot and on the hills during the last half-mile. If I ran wrong or landed wrong my hamstrings would bark at me a little, so that was in the back of my mind the whole race too.
What disappointed me the most was my lack of mental toughness, it just wasn’t there last night. In the last mile I let three people pass me without fighting them for the pass – I just let them go. That is very unlike me, so I will work on that next race.
There isn’t a race next week, so it will give my hamstrings a chance to really recuperate and maybe I will do a little informal speed and hill work, when they start feeling better. I have a challenge with a couple of the ladies that passed me last night – so I have a little extra motivation to run a little faster 
.
I have also decided not to run in the 5K this weekend due to my hamstrings. This is not an excuse to not race, but a reason – there is a big difference. The race has us going up Mayflower Hill by Colby and after last night, racing up a decent sized hill might not be too smart – better safe than sorry. I know me too well and while trails can be a little self-limiting, running a road race, I would push myself pretty hard and well that wouldn’t do my hamstrings any good yet.
I am enjoying the 5K Trail Series, because I am learning a lot about myself and my race tactics, which I haven’t used in such a long time.
4 comments
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Sarah Jo
August 10, 2012 at 10:52 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Good for you, listening to your hamstrings! Sounds like a really fun racing series. Wish we had one like that around here!
Harold L. Shaw
August 10, 2012 at 12:27 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Trying, but hate too listen in a competition
The Bond Brook series has been fun and the other runners really great 
Erik
August 10, 2012 at 11:42 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Let the negative talk go! You had your fastest time there this year. You were already at your limit, you couldn’t go after them your body knew you would have blown up. But that’s easy to say…How we feel is different!!
Harold L. Shaw
August 10, 2012 at 12:26 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Ah I know, but it is also frustrating, because I feel that I am still 25
and going to conquer the world and never let anyone pass in the final stages of a race. I am happy with the time, just unhappy with the body’s betrayal – that getting older thing 