I should know this... I've obsessed about the word "Carrera" since I was a young boy. My fixation stems from the Porsche variety, but in true meaning they adopted the name from a grueling Mexican endurance race.
In theory, I know that a carrera is a race. In reality though, today it was a race that I was ill prepared for and hence got schooled because I failed to actually race.
5K race in Pilsen, Southwest of the Chicago Loop. I went into it thinking that I'd run a 16:30ish. I also went into it thinking that if anyone was around me, then I'd be able to out kick them. I was completely wrong!
After lots of jockeying by a bunch of clowns, I was settled into 4 place by the first mile split, 5:21.6. 3rd place was easily over 50m in front of me and getting dropped by 1 and 2. He looked like he went out too fast and had no idea who he was dealing with (1 and 2 were a couple U-Sole guys that I know I can't compete with). I made the 3rd guy my target, thinking he'd eventually die.
Before I knew it, another guy snuck up, passed and gapped me. He and #3 were now at each others throats, while I watched from behind. I kept within that 50m until the 2nd mile (5:25.4), and then made my move to chase them down. (Oddly enough, I actually thought mile 2 was a bit long... I later verified the course was about 3.16 to 3.17 - or ~5085m, not 5000m... lame!)
Anyway, to my annoyance and surprise, numbers 3 and 4 didn't die at all. Not cool! That meant I had to work. It was going to be an actual race to the finish line. After stalking them and then surging to bridge the gap, I caught them just before mile 3 (5:22.8, which again seemed slightly long). I hammered past them with a big surge, but they just wouldn't die!
At that point, I knew it was over. I spent myself and they weren't going away. With under 40m to go, both buried me with monstrous kicks. I had absolutely no ability to respond. #3 wound up 16:41, #4 was 16:42, I was a shitty 5th at 16:43.
So there you have it... I should've easily had 5-10 seconds on them, but I blew it. Surged too early and had no follow up to counter their counter-responses. I'm not sure if I was just being a giant pussy and didn't want to fight (aka, actually race until the end!), or if I'm just that far out of shape.
I finished the race feeling like I had the endurance, but no fucking kick after that surge! I hate 5K's!
This carrera was a "race of the dead", and dead I was!
1- 5:21.6
2- 5:25.4
3- 5:22.8
.1- 33.7 (5:15 pace)
If 5000m, Tot: 16:43.6 / Avg: 5:23.0
If 5085m, Tot: 16:26.8 / Avg: 5:17.6 (minor consolation)
5th Overall, 1st Age
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