True Sign Of Spring

We have all seen it. The weather has been nothing less from amazing. In Duluth, there were 'trace' amounts of snow during the month of March. That's the lowest on record. April has produced nothing and it will NOT. Spring is here people and today was living proof that better days are ahead.

Yesterday I ran a shorter loop under hellacious winds. Gusts over 35 mph. Good thing I didn't have to perform any serious workouts, it sure would have been frustrating. The morning called for easy mileage and that is what I did.

Total: 41:00 5.5 miles

This morning was Fitgers 5K. What a day. One of the best I have ever witnessed. Upon awakening the winds were calm. Near nothing. By race time they picked up and were mostly a cross wind. Funny though, with the buildings downtown it swirls and seems to be a headwind every year on the return trip to the finish at the Pickwick.

I didn't know what to expect and had all the intentions to wear my Garmin for pace control but once I was getting out of my vehicle I realized I left it home. No big deal, I would fall in the pack and try not to go out too hard. (the first mile of Fitgers is down hill and fast!) The first two runners took it out and that left myself and three or four others to chase. We hit the mile in 5:03! Oops, there goes the conservative pace. Funny thing was I felt super and immediately changed mindset and told myself it was a good thing to go out fast and bank a little time as the return trip would be challenging. Mile two was passed in 10:23. Still not too bad and I was looking to maintain pace into the uphill, windy mile to come. Not to be. I stitched at 2.25 miles and had to work that out before loading up my gusto for the last half mile push. I finished strong and managed to get the old bones over the finish line in 3rd overall and first in the 'near' old man age-group. Finish time: 16:28. A person always wants faster times and I was looking for something under 16:20. I was close and will not complain. Off to Minneapolis next weekend for the Get in Gear 10K.

Totals: ~ 10 miles total for the morning.

16:28 5K (9 seconds faster than last year)