Second Annual Frensley 5K, Norman, Oklahoma

March 31, 2007

Norman is about 70 miles north of Ardmore on I35...

I am not sure of all the details: Patrick Frensley was a Senior at OU that died (April 2005) from injuries sustained after being hit by a train while running.The race is organized by the Beta ThetaPi Fraternity for charity.
His mother runs in the race. It starts in front of his Frat house.

Start: 9:00 AM
Weather: 59 degrees, cloudy, humid and wet.

Cloths, Boston Marathon top and shorts, which is almost intimidating to myself as it represents high expectations (in my mind) to myself and others.

Plan: New VDOT says I should be able to run a 6:54 5K, which would be 12 seconds/mile faster than my best 22:02 5K AT Muenster, Texas, April 1999. Since then the best I have done is a 22:22 a 2 years ago while I was preparing for the Chevron Houston Marathon, 2006.

I only run one or two 5K's a year since most are 70-100 miles away. So I am relatively in experienced at this level of running.

My age, 54, weight 147

This season, while training for Boston, may represent my best conditioning ever so I was anxious to see how I would do in a certified, chip timed 5K race.

My training program prepared me for a 8-10K race for today but since I could not find any I chose this 5K in Norman Oklahoma.

My running buddy Kevin came along and he too was looking for an impressive performance and maybe PR. Kevin is 39.

We got there at 7:45 AM, registered and headed out for some warm ups.

The race was delayed a half hour or so due to an unusually large quantity if runners showing up to register at the last moment.

The weather was turning out to be almost perfect.

The course is a VERY flat out and back in neighborhoods which block the wind.

While we lined up a young girl (probably in her late 20's) looks up at me and say, boy I feel old. She was referring to all the college students racing. I replied, if you feel old then I really feel old; I am still looking for someone in my age group. We discussed our race plans. I said this was a tune up race for me and she looks at my shirt and says, ...for Boston? I said yes, she replied, be careful it isn't time to get hurt. I agreed.

The race is Championchip timed but only at the finish, so getting toward the front is important.

I was about 15 feet from the front when the gun went off. I guess it took about 5 seconds to get across the starting line and a few hundred yards or more before I could run unencumbered.

I decided to go by my Garmin and not look for mile markers.

I checked my Garmin and saw a mid 6 split...its early...but man, I feel great.

Mile 1: 6:34, my best ever was a 6:57 in 1999.
Mile 2: 6:48, I am in the groove and really feeling good. It isn't EVEN feeling hard yet.
Mile 3: 6:51, I don't believe this....Where are those seven minute or more splits? Sixes? I am in new territory.

Now I can see the finish line from about .6 mile out.

I am holding my own, feeling great: with a few hundred yards to go I hear someone approach me to my left, an old guy, maybe my age group (notice he is old....but not me). No way is he passing, I move slightly ahead, he challenges again, I move ahead, then he tries one more time, I decided to give it everything as he chokes on my dust...hehe

I look at the clock.......20:44, I don't believe this..

I found Kevin, he ran a PR of 19:34...I found the old guy and thank him for the push....and tell him that he helped me run a major PR...He immediately replies.....

IT WAS SHORT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I said WHAT?

He looks at his wife as she tries to shush him....He says, NO I know it was short. I know I wasn't running that fast.She pulls him away.

I tell Kevin...he looks at his Garmin and sees 3.05 miles, mine says 3.09 miles, so we figure we are OK...

Kevin proceeds to talk to the guy that owns DG racing (that certified the race) and as I walk up he says..

"Sorry guys they turned you around about 2 blocks too soon"

I said, "You can't be serious, we came up here to try for a PR and the course is short?"

He kiddingly replies, "Well, you can run it again if you want to"...

For cryin out loud, I can't believe this.

By this time everyone is finding out it is short....

So now we are trying to figure what our finish time WOULD HAVE BEEN...

Later I checked out the finish results.

I think I was 23/96.....and get this

1/9 in the 50-59 age group..and the guy I passed in the end was in my group....hehe

So, place counts since we all ran short.

Overall, both Kevin an I are pleased and disappointed at the same time.

At least I confirmed in my mind that I have improved my conditioning and a real 5K PR is on the horizon......

NOW....BOSTON HERE I COME......yeehaw!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!