2016 Shamrock Shuffle

So this year's Shamrock Shuffle should've been an exciting race. Everything was set up nicely and a PR should've been on deck. In the end, I missed by a one whopping second!! On top of that, it was probably one of the most boring races I've run in a long time!

The weather was in the mid-30's and chilly... but not terrible. The wind was out of the South at about 10mph... so headwinds for much of the race, but it really wasn't too bad either. I had no issues or complications the morning of the race. I was fit enough given what happened at LF10. So the PR was there for the taking. I just had to reach for it.

Ironically, this might have been one of the most steady races that I've ever run. Which that's nice an all, but I didn't reach for anything! I ran perfectly... I just needed to close the damn deal. Instead, I never left my comfort zone. And that's pretty much the end of the story!

I played it too conservatively. Seriously, I went out at a 5:21 pace and was literally glued to it the entire race. Sure the effort increased with any head winds or on Roosevelt hill... but you'd never know it from my splits.

I wasn't really working with anyone. There wasn't a pack. I suppose when I needed it, I found a guy to draft off when heading into winds.

I passed a couple guys late in the race, which I guess was an incentive... Then they kicked in the final 400m and I just rolled over.

I thought I was kicking a little, but clearly not enough. The final 0.971 mile was at a 5:21.4 pace. That compared to a 5:21.3 average pace for the whole race! Fucking boring!!!

My 2013 PR was 26:36. I ran 26:37. Two lousy seconds, that's all I needed to better my time. Had I simply kicked harder, I would've PR'd. And I easily could've done that. Instead, I was a giant pussy.

For reference, here are splits from 2013:

1- 5:28:4 (headwind)

2- 5:12.9

3- 5:27.5 (headwind)

4- 5:17.5

.971- 5:09.4 (5:18.6 pace)

8K= 26:36 / 5:21.2 avg

This year's Shamrock Split recap:

1- 5:21.0

2- 5:19.3(mild headwind on State)

3- 5:21.9

4- 5:22.7 (bigger headwind on Franklin)

.971- 5:12.1 (mild headwind on MI Ave, 5:21.4 pace)

8K= 26:37 / 5:21.3 avg

Literally, it boiled down to the Columbus Drive. I just didn't push myself enough. I absolutely had it in me. In complete hind sight, I would've hammered as hard as I could... but I thought I was like 10 seconds off so I didn't care. FUCK!! Well I care now.

Ugh. All I can do is move on to the next thing. Oak Park 5K is this coming weekend. This will be a solid chance for me to get some redemption and get after another PR. The course and field are both very fast. I'll have some guys to pull me through the race. After failing yesterday, I'm going to do everything I can to make sure I get that job done.