Atholton High School's mascot is the raider!
This afternoon I made it out to the really cold and fairly windy Howard County Striders weekly series race (aptly named the "Operation Iceberg" winter series). This was the third race in Operation Iceberg, and it was a 5K that started and ended out in front of Atholton High School in Columbia, Maryland. I am grateful that the snow seemed to hold off yesterday, because the temperatures that were barely over 20 degrees would probably not have helped melt the snow and then the race might have been cancelled due to the weather.
I mentioned that I wanted to try and get my 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) time at this race under a six-minute-per-mile pace (which would result in at least about 18:38 or faster). I hoped to also maybe get my one-mile split around the lower-to-upper 5:40's. I've run this course quite a few times (my best time on it being 17:47 from about two years ago), so I knew it prety well and I knew that the first mile was either all flat or downhill, and then thre were a few steady inclines throughout the remainder of the course.
I started out around the middle-to-back of the pack and moved up. I was pleasantly surprised that I moved up to one of the lead packs and went through the first mile in 5:41. I felt all right, but I knew that since there were some uphils coming up, that I was probably not going to be able to hold the pace. Yet, I still persisted and hoped that I was going well enough to hit my goal for this course today. I was glad that the seven mile run I did yesterday with some of my Maryland Eastern Shore pals did not seem to adversely affect me, but I have a feeling it may have helped. There were a few instances where the cold was making it a bit difficult to breathe which slowed me down a bit, but it was nothing too problematic. If anything, I think this run will help prepare me for some more winter training and racing. Even though I was passed by several runners throughout the course of the race, I was blessed with a strong kick, a sixth place overall finish, and a time of about 18:38!!! Right around where Iwanted and my best 5K in months :) The last time I recall breaking 18:40 was at the Howard County Police Pace 5K back on Sunday, September 9, 2007, where i ran 18:37. However, this time I did not really feel like I was crampin' up like I did when I ran the Police Pace run, and even though that course was probably a little more hilly than the Atholton High School 5K, I stll feel confident and great about this race. I came away from it with enough energy to cool down and not feel that run-down afterwards. In addition I feel good about this race because I was still able to run well for my current level of fitness in one of the coldest days of the year so far, and I don't consider myself much of a "cold weather person". At one poitn today, the windchill factor was below 10 degrees, YIKES!!!!! That's plenty cold for me, even though I think by the time the race occurred, the windchill factor was not that cold!
All right thank you all for reading and supporting. Back to work on some homework. You all take it easy and have a good night and weekend out there :)
Running Events I have done this year as of Sunday, January 20, 2008
Maryland
Allegany County
Anne Arundel County
Baltimore City
Baltimore County
- Baltimore Road Runners Club (BRRC) Grand Prix Series Eight-Mile Run – Sunday, January 13, 2008 – Loch Raven Reservoir – 11th overall – 53:34
Calvert County
- First Annual Southern Maryland Community Network Resolution 5K Run/Walk – Tuesday, January 1, 2008 – Prince Frederick – 4th overall (1st in 20-29 age group) – 18:47
Caroline County
Carroll County
- Winfield Mile – Tuesday, January 1, 2008 – South Carroll High School, Winfield – 6th overall (2nd in 20-29 age group) – 5:11 (clock), 5:10 (watch)
Cecil County
Charles County
Dorchester County
Frederick County
Garrett County
Harford County
Howard County
- Howard County Striders (H.C.S.) Weekly Series (“Operation Iceberg”) #1: Burleigh Manor Middle School 5-mile run – Sunday, January 6, 2008 – Columbia/Ellicott City area – 7th overall – 32:18
- H.C.S. “Operation Iceberg” #3: Atholton High School 5K Run – Sunday, January 20, 2008 – Columbia – 6th overall – 18:38
Kent County
Montgomery County
Prince George’s (P.G.) County
Queen Anne’s County
Saint Mary’s County
Somerset County
Talbot County
Washington County
Wicomico County
Worcester County
Events outside of Maryland
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