I did the 25K in Caumsett Long Island. The results were not what I hoped for, but they were acceptable and I’m content. I finished in 1:43:42 which gives me a VDOT of 53.4. It’s the same VDOT I got from my 18 mile race last September, and it’s also my highest, but I was hoping to see proof of an improvement.

Considering how focused I’ve been on my training recently, I expected better, but I’m also convinced this was due to a poorly executed race. In short, I went out way too fast. It felt right, but seeing the pace on the Garmin, I knew it was way too fast.

The course was a 5K loop including a shitty out and back on a narrow lane with potholes featuring a 180 degree sharp turn around. This took place right after the loop closes, which features yet another 180 degree turn, but only slightly better. Since I was doing the 25K, it was 5 laps of this. There was also a 50K, which was the USATF National championships, so they had 10 laps of that. I happened to have done it last year. The 25k also happened to be the Long Island associated USATF championships.

A loop with two out and backs

I did the first mile in 6:14. A little nuts. I tried to slow it down to my target pace of 6:37, but did the 2nd mile in 6:30. I didn’t get my 3rd mile split since there was no marker, but my official 5K chip split was 20:03.

The second lap things began feeling tough and my 2nd 5K split was 20:35, so 10K in 40:38.

I started having my doubts while out on the third lap. I contemplated calling it quits quite a few times. I figured I’m getting accurate splits, so I’ll bring it in for 15K and either DNF or sand bag it for the final 2 laps. It was raining damn hard at times and the wind was near impossible to run against when closing the lap. I did the 3rd 5K in 20:48. 15K in 1:01:26. About 20 seconds and considerably off my weak 15K “PR” from December.

I’m slowing down, but I have enough for more so I go out for the 4th lap. This winds up being my slowest lap. Halfway through I have the mother of all headaches and I wonder if I’m having an aneurism. Well not really, but yeah, kind of.

Towards the end the 4th lap the out and back portion of the loop is getting to me. There are a lot of others on the narrow path and the orange cones that are supposed to be dividing the road into the 2 lanes each going in opposite directions are scattered occasionally to mark water filled pot holes. The terrain is a bit tough to race fast and passing others isn’t easy despite their courtesy and willingness to get out the way. I finish the 4th 5K in 21:11. This was a 6:49 pace. Just absolutely awful.

The last lap wasn’t so bad, but I pushed my hardest here. It wasn’t so bad because it was the kind of lap that went by surprisingly quick mentally. But, in actuality, it was only slightly better than the 4th. 21:06.

After that, I went to get my splits and saw my overall pace was 6:41. Not happy at all, but I knew immediately I didn’t run this wisely. I ate a turkey sandwich, did another 3 miles around the course to make it over 18 miles for the day and promptly headed home.

Later at home, I realized the time was equivalent in terms of my previous best performance. That made it a bit easier to swallow. At least I’m not any worse. Nonetheless, it would have been nice to see proof that the training is paying off.